1997 SATURN SL Electrical System Problems

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 SATURN SL. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE KEY FELL OUT OF THE IGNITION AND THE VEHICLE CONTINUED TO RUN. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A PRIVATE MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS FOUND THAT THE IGNITION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED ABOUT THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE AND VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

I WAS PARKED AT A SHOPPING CENTER, WHEN I TURNED MY CAR ON, IT WOULD NOT START. AFTER TRYING A COUPLE OF TIMES,IT MADE A POP SOUND AND SMOKE FLOODED INSIDE THE CAR. I TURNED OFF THE KEY, TOOK IT TO A DEALER AND THEY COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG WITH IT. THE WINDOWS WOULD NOT WORK AS WELL. I REPLACED THE FUSE FOR THE WINDOWS, AND THE CAR STARTED, BUT NOW ONLY THE DRIVERS SIDE WINDOW WORKS. *TR

STARTED MY CAR, IT RAN A FEW SECONDS, THEN DIED. BEFORE I COULD RESTART IT, SMOKE STARTED POURING OUT OF THE STEERING COLUMN AND I SMELLED AN ELECTRICAL FIRE. I DIDN'T START IT AGAIN BUT FOUND HELP TO DISCONNECT MY BATTERY. IT'S ON IT'S WAY TO THE NEARBY SATURN DEALER WHO REFUSES TO PROVIDE ME WITH A LOAN CAR. I THINK THIS IS A VERY UNUSUAL PROBLEM, AND I'VE DRIVEN A LOT OF CLUNKERS IN THE PAST WITHOUT HAVING TO DEAL WITH ANYTHING LIKE THIS. *JB

Mileage: 157,645

I PURCHASED A USED 1997 SATURN SL IN 2005. WHEN I NEGOTIATED TO PURCHASE THE VEHICLE THE HORN WAS NOT WORKING. THE USED CAR DEALER REPLACED A FUSE. THE HORN THEN WORKED INTERMITTENTLY IF THE HORN BUTTON WAS PUSHED JUST SO. WITHIN A WEEK IT FAILED TO WORK AT ALL. I CONTACTED SATURN (VIA THE INTERNET) AND GOT NO HELP, OTHER THAN TO TAKE THE DEALER FOR REPAIR. THIS CAR WAS TOTALED OUT IN AN ACCIDENT. I LIKED IT SO MUCH (OTHER THAN THE HORN ISSUE) THAT I BOUGHT ANOTHER ONE - A 1996 SL. THE HORN ON THE 96 ALSO WORKED INTERMITTENTLY. AGAIN, PUSHING THE HORN BUTTON IN JUST THE RIGHT WAY WOULD ACTIVATE THE HORN. RECENTLY IT STOPPED WORKING - JUST LIKE THE 97. I FEEL THAT THIS MUST BE A PERVASIVE ISSUE. I HAVE NEVER OWNED ANY OTHER VEHICLE WITH A HORN ISSUE. IT IS DEFINITELY A SAFETY ISSUE; ONE THAT COULD BE VERY EXPENSIVE TO REPAIR DUE TO THE STEERING WHEEL HAVING AN AIR BAG. I REVIEWED A FEW WEB SITES THAT DESCRIBED SIMILAR PROBLEMS AND NOTED A RECALL ON A 96 SATURN Z MODEL. THIS PROVES THAT SATURN HAS HAD SOME HORN ISSUES BEFORE. I'D APPRECIATE ANY HELP I CAN GET TO GET SATURN TO REPAIR THIS ISSUE WITHOUT POTENTIALLY BURDENSOME COST TO ME. FEEL FREE TO CONTACT ME. (740-774-5237 WORK; 614-871-4081 HOME: 614-284-3554 CELL. THANKS! *NM

IGNITION SWITCH FAILED TO START CAR. AFTER A FEW TRIES, THE CAR FINALLY STARTED ONLY TO HAVE MOUNDS OF SMOKE ROLLING OUT FROM UNDER THE DASH. AFTER TURNING THE VEHICLE OFF, THE SWITCH WORKED INTERMITTENTLY. WE REMOVED DASH COVERS AND IGNITION CYLINDER LOCK, AND LOWERED THE STEERING WHEEL TO FIND THAT THE WIRING HARNESS LEADING TO THE IGNITION SWITCH HAD WHAT WAS A BLACK WIRE THAT WAS MELTED BARE FOR A COUPLE INCHES, AND DISFIGURED THE ENTIRE WIRE, AND MELTED THE INSULATION TO OTHER WIRES WITHIN THE HARNESS. JUDGING BY THE DAMAGE OF DONE TO THE WIRE, IT APPEARS THAT THE MOST HEAT WAS IN AN AREA WHERE THE WIRE WAS CLOSEST TO THE STEERING COLUMN, LEADING ONE TO BELIEVE THAT IT WORE THROUGH AND GROUNDED ITSELF TO THE STEERING COLUMN, WHICH LED TO THE OVERHEATING OF THE WIRE AND SUBSEQUENT SMOKE/FIRE. *JB

WHEN TURNING THE SWITCH TO START THE ENGINE, THE STARTER MOTOR STOPPED AN SMOKE STARTED COMING FROM THE DASHBOARD. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP WHERE IT DIAGNOSED THAT THE SWITCH HAD SHORTED OUT. ANOTHER COMPONENT FAILURE RESULTED FROM THE SHORTENING OF THE SWITCH. THE IGNITION CYLINDER SEEMS TO BE A PROBLEM; HOWEVER, I CAN NOT FIND INFORMATION ON SAFEY RECALLS. WEB SITE HTTP://WWW.ALLDATA.COM/TSB/53/975307FC.HTML SHOWS WHAT APPEARS TO BE A SAFEY RECALL 97-C-02 APR 97, TSB TITLE IGNITION CYLINDER MALFUNCTION. *NM

1997 SATURN SL2. STARTED ENGINE, IT RAN A FEW SECONDS, THEN STOPPED WITH ELECTRICAL SMELLING SMOKE FLOWING FROM UNDER DASHBOARD INTO CAR. AFTER IT STOPPED, IT COULD STILL BE CRANKED OVER BUT WOULD NOT FIRE AND RUN. WE GOT OUT OF THE CAR AND PUSHED IT INTO OUR GARAGE, WHERE IT STILL SITS.*AK

Mileage: 77,000

NO PRIOR INDICATION OF A FAULT. ON MARCH 26, 2005 MY WIFE WENT TO START THE CAR AND NOT ONLY WOULD IT NOT START, BUT SMOKE STARTED COMING UP FROM THE DASHBOARD. UPON HAVING IT TOWED TO A SATURN DEALER, WE WERE TOLD THAT THE IGINITION SWITCH HAD FAILED AND HAD BURNT OUT THE WIRING HARNESS. THIS CAR HAS 48849 MILES ON IT. THIS JUST DOES NOT MAKE ANY REASON, AS SHOULD IGINITION SWAICHES GO BAD ON A LOW MILEAGE CAR AND CAUSE SO MUCH ADDITIONAL DAMAGE?

Mileage: 48,849

NO PRIOR INDICATION OF A FAULT. ON MARCH 26, 2005 MY WIFE WENT TO START THE CAR AND NOT ONLY WOULD IT NOT START, BUT SMOKE STARTED COMING UP FROM THE DASHBOARD. UPON HAVING IT TOWED TO A SATURN DEALER, WE WERE TOLD THAT THE IGINITION SWITCH HAD FAILED AND HAD BURNT OUT THE WIRING HARNESS. THIS CAR HAS 48849 MILES ON IT. THIS JUST DOES NOT MAKE ANY REASON, AS SHOULD IGINITION SWAICHES GO BAD ON A LOW MILEAGE CAR AND CAUSE SO MUCH ADDITIONAL DAMAGE?

Mileage: 48,849

WHEN STARTING THE VEHICLE SMOKE WAS COMING FROM UNDERNEATH THE DASHBOARD. DEALER STATED WIRING HARNESS MELTED. AS A RESULT, THE VEHICLE BECAME INOPERATIVE. *AK

Mileage: 64,443

WE EXPERIENCED A DASHBOARD FIRE IN OUR 1997 SATURN SL1 IN THE FALL OF 2003. MY WIFE TURNED THE KEY, STARTED THE CAR, SHIFTED TO REVERSE, AND BEGAN BACKING UP WHEN THE ENGINE QUIT, THE CAR JOLTED TO A STOP, AND THE INTERIOR IMMEDIATELY FILLED WITH ACRID SMOKE. THE KNOXVILLE SATURN DEALER REPLACED THE IGNITION SWITCH AND WIRING--NOT CHEAP. THIS IS OBVIOUSLY A SAFETY-RELATED EVENT.*AK

Mileage: 54,000

ALTERNATOR MOUNT BRACKET FAILURE ON 1997 SATURN SL2, VIN #[XXX] WHILE DRIVING TO WORK, THE MOUNT BRACKET FOR MY ALTERNATOR SNAPPED IN HALF! THE DESIGN FLAW IS THAT THE MOUNT BRACKET IS ACTUALLY PART OF THE ALUMINUM ENGINE BLOCK. THE ENGINE HEATS UP WHICH CAUSES THE METAL TO EXPAND AND BECOME WEAKER FROM THE THERMAL STRESS. THERE IS CONSIDERABLE STRESS FROM THE ALTERNATOR (VIBRATION, STRESS LOADS). WITH THE HEATED UP METAL (WEAKENED FROM THERMAL STRESS) COMBINED WITH THE STRESS LOAD FROM THE ALTERNATOR VIBRATIONS, IT ADDS UP TO TROUBLE. LUCKY FOR ME I WAS ONLY GOING ABOUT 20-30 MPH WHEN THE BRACKET FAILED. THIS FAILURE HAS CAUSED ALMOST $1,400 IN REPAIRS TO MY CAR WHICH IS CURRENTLY @ SATURN OF PENSACOLA, FLORIDA GETTING REPAIRED. I DON'T WANT TO THINK OF WHAT WOULD HAVE HAPPENED IF I HAD BEEN ON THE HIGHWAY AT A HIGHER RATE OF SPEED AND THIS FAILURE HAD OCCURRED. MY VEHICLE IS 6 YEARS OLD BUT THIS IS SOMETHING THAT SHOULDN'T FAIL. IS THERE ANY HELP OR INFORMATION THAT THE NHTSA CAN PROVIDE ME IN THIS MATTER? PLEASE FEEL FREE TO CONTACT ME IF YOU HAVE ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR HELP. *LA INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

Mileage: 106,000

1997 SL2 SATURN WOULD NOT START. BATTERY WOULD NOT HOLD CHARGE. HAD EARLY ELECTRICAL SYSTEM PROBLEMS (ACCESSORIES WOULD NOT FUNCTION, NO DASH LIGHTS). *PH

ALTERNATOR FELL OFF BROKE FROM ENGINE BRACKET. CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE IS WITHOUT WARRANTY. *AK

HORN WAS INOPERATIVE. VEHICLE CHECKED BY DEALER, WHO DETERMINED THERE WAS A WIRING PROBLEM. *AK

WHEN STARTING VEHICLE CONSUMER NOTICED SMOKE COMING FROM UNDERNEATH THE DASH. VEHICLE WAS SHUT OFF, HAS NOT BEEN EXAMINED BY DEALER.*AK

AT START UP HORN SOUNDED, THEN, SMOKE WAS COMING FROM UNDER THE DASH. CONSUMER SHUT OFF ENGINE, AND HAD VEHICLE TOWED TO DEALER. DEALER DETERMINED THAT WIRING HARNESS UNDER THE DASH NEEDED TO BE REPLACED.*AK

SATURN ARE AN EASY CAR TO STEAL. SATURN IS AWARE OF THIS ISSUE SO THEY REPLACED THE IGNITION SWITCH IN THE 2000 MODELS. REPLACED IGNITION SWITCH FOR 109.46 DOLLARS.

THE BATTERY TESTED BAD UNDER LOAD TESTING. *YH

VEHICLE'S FULL ELECTRICAL SYSTEM FAILS WHILE DRIVING, CLOCK EVEN RESETS. CAUSING CAR TO SHUT OFF. POWER STEERING/ BRAKES/ RADIO/ AIR CONDITIONER/ HEADLIGHTS, ETC. FAIL. BEGAN AROUND 30,000 MILES. BATTERY AND ALTERNATOR REPLACED, DOES NOT FIX PROBLEM.*AK

AS OF TODAY'S DATE, 7/12/00 THE SATURN AUTO IS WITH THE DEALER IN SANTA ANA, CA. NO SAFETY DEFECT LISTED IN SUMMARY. *AK

I HAVE EXPERIENCED LOSS OF POWER, NO START CONDITIONS,AND LONG PERIODS OF CRANK TIME,EVEN KILLING A BATTERY THAT I HAD TO PAY FOR! NOTIFIED MY DEALERSHIP AND THEY TOLD ME IF THEY---DETERMINED IT WASN'T THE FUEL PUMP, I WOULD HAVE TO PAY A SERVICE CHARGE !---AND I HAVE THE BEST EXTENDED WARRANTY THEY HAVE !

SERPENTINE BELT TENSIONER KEPT TENSION ON THE BELT FELLED. LATER, ALTERNATER CAME ON, AND THEN CONSUMER LOST POWER STEERING. IF CONSUMER WAS TO LOSE IT ON THE HIGHWAY AT 70 MPH, THERE COULD BE A SERIOUS ACCIDENT. MECHANIC SAYS BELT WAS VERY POORLY DESIGNED. *AK

TRANSMISSION--BUSHING WENT OUT. SPARK MISFIRE--COMPUTER MODULE WAS REPLACED BY DEALER.

HORN ASSEMBLY.

BATTERY FAILED.

STARTER FAILURE. *YC

HORN ASSEMBLY FAILED. YH

HORN FAILED. QCAW

SPARK PLUG WIRES FAILED.

BATTERY FAILED.

HORN DESIGN IS DIFFICULT TO FIND IN EMERGENCY SITUATIONS.