1999 SATURN SL Service Brakes, Hydraulic Problems

HAND BRAKE RELEASE BUTTON AND SPRING POPPED OUT AFTER PARKING THE VEHICLE. HAD THIS HAPPENED WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS UNATTENDED AND PARKED ON A HILL (AS IT TYPICALLY IS), THIS CAR COULD HAVE CAUSED SERIOUS BODILY HARM OR STRUCTURAL DAMAGE.

Mileage: 164,012

I BOUGHT A USED SATURN ON 8/23/08 FROM DESERT INN MOTORS, TOO MANY PROBLEMS AFTER 3 MONTHS , NEW BATTERY, BRAKE BAD, MOTOR PROBLEM TOO EXPENSIVE TO REPAIR, SO I TOLD THEM I'M NOT MAKING ANYMORE PAYMENTS, THEY TOLD ME TO BRING THE CAR BACK AND THEY WOULD REPLACE THE CAR, THEY REPO MY VEHICLE, SHADY BUSINESS PRACTICES. *TR

Mileage: 134,440

OIL WAS LEAKING FROM THE ENGINE GOING UNDER THE INTAKE MANIFOLD. CONSUMER CONTACTED THE MANUFACTURER TO RESOLVE THIS ISSUE. HOWEVER, MANUFACTURER WAS ONLY WILLING TO PAY $200.00 TOWARD THE COST OF REPAIRING THE VEHICLE. CONSUMER WAS AFRAID THAT THE DEFECT MAY CAUSE THE VEHICLE TO DEVELOP A BLOWN HEAD GASKET. *AK.....VEHICLE EXPERIENCED VIBRATION IN STEERING WHEEL WHEN DRIVING 50 MPH DUE TO DEFECTIVE BRAKE ROTORS. ALSO, REPLACED ENGINE HEAD GASKET. *AK

Mileage: 64,000

WHEN THE CONSUMER APPLIED THE BRAKES,THE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR. THE CONSUMER WAS UNABLE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND HIT A CAR HEAD ON. BOTH FRONTAL AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE CONSUMER SEEKED MEDICAL ATTENTION THE NEXT DAY. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED AND TOTALED BY THE INSURANCE COMPANY. PLEASE FILL IN ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. *JB

I PURCHASED A 1999 SATURN SL2 W/ 23,000MI. AT 60,000MI I BEGAN TO FEEL A JUDDER/VIBRATION FROM THE STEERING WHEEL. I TOOK IT TO A SATURN DEALER AND WAS TOLD THE ROTORS WE'RE WARPED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. I WENT TO A REPAIR SHOP AND HAD NON-OEM BRAKE ROTORS INSTALLED AND AFTER APPROXIAMETELY 65,000MI, BEGAN TO HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM. AFTER LEAVING THE CAR WITH THE REPAIR SHOP, THEY COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG, BUT MY ROTORS KEEP WARPING. THE REPAIR SHOP CUT THE ROTORS "SLIGHTLY" AND NOW AT 70,000MI I STILL HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM. THERE IS DEFINIETLY WRONG WITH THE DESIGN OF THE BRAKE SYSTEM. I HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT ROTORS DO WARP BUT THEY SHOULD LAST FOR APPROX. 70,000MI, AND I SHOULD NOT BE FEELING THE JUDDER/VIBRATION IN MY STEERING WHEEL.*AK

Mileage: 60,000

WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED WHILE COMING TO A COMPLETE STOP MOTOR REVVED, BUT VEHICLE FAILED TO STOP. THIS RESULTED IN EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE. *AK

Mileage: 29,000

BRAKE ROTORS WARPED.*AK

Mileage: 18,128

DEFECTIVE BRAKES DUE TO BRAKE CYLINDER LEAKAGE, AND ENGINE STALLED. PH

THE RIGHT REAR CYLINDER WAS LEAKING.*JB

WHEN APPLYING BRAKES PEDAL FELT SPONGY, AND THERE WAS EXTENDED STOPPPING DISTANCE. VEHICLE WAS EXAMINED BY DEALER, WHO STATED BRAKES WERE IN WORKING ORDER.*AK CONSUMER STATED THE BRAKES WOULD GRIND AND SQUEAK.*JB

VEHICLE EXPERIENCED PROBLEMS WITH THE BRAKES. A TECHNICIAN FOUND THAT THE REAR BRAKES WERE OUT OF ADJUSTMENT, CAUSING NOISE, CONSUMER STATES THIS COULD POSSIBLY BE DUE TO FAULTY INSTALLATION OF THE TIRE ASSEMBLY. *JG

WHILE DRIVING AT 60-65 MPH STEERING WHEEL WILL START TO SHAKE. CONTACTED DEALER, AND THE DEALER COULD NOT FIND PROBLEM AFTER NINE ATTEMPTS.*AK CONSUMER STATES ROUGH IDLE WHEN WARM. DEALER REPLACED PCM/ECM, BUT PROBLEM STILL EXIST. POWER STEERING FLUID LOW. EXPERIENCING SHIMMY WHEN BRAKING. NOISE FROM GAS TANK WHEN COMING TO A STOP. *TT

ACCORDING TO DIAGRAMMED POLICE REPORT AND PERSONAL PHOTOS TAKEN (I CAN PROVIDE COPIES OF ALL, SATURN SKIDDED APPROXIMATELY 80 FT DUE TO LEFT, FRONT BRAKE LOCKING AT 35 MPH. VEHICLE STARTED TO TURN TO RIGHT JUST BEFORE IMPACTING A SUBURBAN REAREND. SATURN DOES NOT HAVE ABS; HOWEVER, AT 35 MPH MOST VEHICLES WILL STOP BEFORE 80 FEET. WOULD LIKE TO KNOW OF OTHER INCIDENTS. *AK

VEHICLE HAS HAD 3 MULTIPLE INCIDENTS OF HEAVY BRAKE PULSATION CAUSED BY FRONT ROTORS, AND ONE FAILURE OF ABS SENSORS CAUSING ABS FAILURE. DEALER CANNOT CORRECT RECURRING PULSATION PROBLEMS.*AK

VEHICLE HAS HAD 3 MULTIPLE INCIDENTS OF HEAVY BRAKE PULSATION CAUSED BY FRONT ROTORS, AND ONE FAILURE OF ABS SENSORS CAUSING ABS FAILURE. DEALER CANNOT CORRECT RECURRING PULSATION PROBLEMS.*AK

THE QUALITY OF THE ROTORS IS QUESTIONABLE AND MAY LEAD TO BRAKE FAILURES. *AK

WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH APPLIED BRAKES AND PEDAL FELT SOFT AND SPONGY, NO BRAKING ACTION. THIS HAPPENED 2 MORE TIMES. NO ACCIDENT. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO DEALER, WHO DID NOTHING MORE THAN LOOK AT THE BRAKE PADS AND SAID THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG.*AK

BRAKES SQUEAK WHEN DRIVING, WAS ADVISED BY MECHANIC THAT FRONT PADS AND REAR SHOES ARE AT 90% NO PROBLEM, WAS ADVISED THAT SQUEAKING IS NORMAL DUE TO MOISTURE, HUMIDITY AND MORNING DEW.

VEHICLE VIBRATES WHEN APPLYING BRAKES AT SPEED OVER 45 MPH. DEALER REPLACED PADS. BUT, IT DID NOT REMEDY SITUATION. *AK

VEHICLE VIBRATES WHEN APPLYING BRAKES AT SPEED OVER 45 MPH. DEALER REPLACED PADS. BUT, IT DID NOT REMEDY SITUATION. *AK

VEHICLE EXPERIENCED BRAKE FAILURE. *SLC

WHEN APPLYING BRAKES BRAKE PEDAL PUMPS. ALSO, WHILE DRIVING BETWEEN 55-65MPH STEERING WHEEL WOBBLES. DEALERSHIP WAS CONTACTED ABOUT VEHICLE. OWNER WAS TOLD THAT ROTORS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

BRAKE PEDAL WAS APPLIED AND THERE WAS NO PRESSURE. PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR, RESULTING IN EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. *AK

THE BRAKES VIBRATE WHEN APPLYING, DEALERSHIP CONSIDERS THIS A TRAIT OF THE VEHICLE. *MJS

THE BRAKES WITH ABS (I HAVE EXPERIENCE DRIVING VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH ABS BRAKING) TEND TO PROVIDE EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCES, ESPECIALLY AT LOW SPEEDS, WHERE NEAR LOSS OF CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE IS EXPERIENCED. DURING BRAKING, THE BRAKES WILL FEEL AS IF THEY ARE ONLY PARTIALLY APPLIED, SO MORE PRESSURE IS PLACED ON THE BRAKE PEDDLE, EVENTUALLY DEPRESSING IT FULLY, WITHOUT ANY FURTHER BRAKING RESPONSE. THE CAR FEELS AS IF IT IS GLIDING ON ICE AND SIMPLY SLIDES TO A STOP IN ABOUT TWO TO THREE TIMES THE TYPICAL STOPPING DISTANCE. THE CAR DOES NOT FEEL LIKE IT IS GOING TO STOP AT ALL AND FEELS, INSTEAD, AS IF IT IS GOING TO CONTINUE ROLLING. THIS PROBLEM HAS BEEN REPORTED TO THE SATURN DEALER WHERE THE CAR WAS PURCHASED FROM, YET THEY CAN NOT FIND ANY PROBLEMS (IDENTICAL SATURN CARS PROVIDED WHILE THIS CAR WAS IN THE SHOP DID NOT EXPERIENCE SIMILAR BRAKING PROBLEMS, THEY HAD HIGHER MILEAGE AND STOPPED WITHOUT INCIDENT). THIS ISSUE HAS RESULTED IN ONE VEHICLE ACCIDENT DUE TO FAILURE OF THE BRAKES TO STOP THE VEHICLE AT SPEEDS UNDER 40 MPH (3/8/99 @ 596 MILES) AND HAS RESULTED IN AT LEAST TWELVE OTHER NEAR COLLISIONS. ALTHOUGH THE DEALER CAN NOT FIND A PROBLEM THEY HAVE SANDED THE FRONT PADS (6,554 MILES), REPLACED THE FRONT PADS (11,385 MILES  BRAKES WERE GRINDING, FOUND FRONT ROTORS AND PADS TO BE OVERHEATED AND GLAZED, ONLY 40% REMAINING ON PADS), AND RESURFACED THE FRONT ROTORS (6,554 AND 11,385 MILES). THE VEHICLE NEEDS TO GO IN AGAIN TO HAVE ITS BRAKES INSPECTED AND ROTORS RESURFACED AT ONLY 22,500 MILES (BRAKING QUALITY IS DEGRADING AND THE VEHICLE AND STEERING WHEEL SHAKES, PULSATES, AND VIBRATES DURING BRAKING). NEITHER MY WIFE OR I FEEL SAFE DRIVING THIS VEHICLE BECAUSE WE DO NOT KNOW IF IT WILL STOP EVERY TIME AND HOW MANY CAR LENGTHS IT WILL TAKE TO FINALLY COME TO A COMPLETE STOP. THE BRAKING PROBLEM IS SOMEWHAT MORE LIKELY TO OCCUR WHEN THE CRUSE CONTROL IS SWITCHED TO THE ON POSITION, EVEN IF IT IS NOT ACTUALLY CONTROLLING THE VEHICLES SPEED.

FRONT ROTORS ARE MAKING A RUMBLING NOISE DEALER HAD ADVISED CONSUMER TO SUBMIT A COMPLAINT DUE TO "FLAKING PROBLEMS" WITHIN THE ROTORS. AS PER MECHANIC FRONT ROTORS LOOKED LIKE THEY WERE DISINTEGRATING. WEAR OUT OF ROTORS AND BRAKES COULD CAUSE AN AUTOMOBILE ACCIDENT. *AK

FRONT BRAKE ROTORS STARTED TO WARP AT ~15000 MILES. IT SHOULD BE NOTED THAT I MOSTLY CLUTCH-BRAKE AND THOSE 15000 MILES WERE NOT CITY TRAFFIC. THE DEALER QUICKLY TURNED THE ROTORS UNDER AT NO CHARGE TO ME, HOWEVER I FEAR THAT THEY MAY FAIL AGAIN. I SUGGEST THAT THIS MAY BE A DESIGN ISSUE. *AK

I APPLIED BRAKES TO SLOW DOWN AND TRUN LEFT, BUT THE BRAKES FAILED, I COULD NOT TURN THE WHEEL AND THE CAR CRASHED INTO A HOUSE. *AK

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK

I WISH THE STATE HAD MORE STRINGENT LEMON LAWS. I WILL HAVE HAD TO BRING MY CAR IN FOR REPAIRS 5 TIMES NOW, AND I FEEL THAT IS RIDICULOUS FOR A CAR IVE ONLY HAD FOR 6 MONTHS. THERE ARE PROBLEMS THAT EXIST NOW AND HAVE REOCCURRED OR PROBABLY WILL. SATURN SHOULD DEFINITELY PRODUCE BUT BETTER CARS IF THEY WANT PEOPLE TO BUY THEM... I CERTAINLY WON'T BUY ANOTHER ONE OR ANY GM PRODUCT. I HAVE NOT CONTACTED SATURN DIRECTLY BECAUSE I KNOW THAT THEY WON'T DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT AS I HAD DEALINGS WITH ANOTHER SATURN. FURTHERMORE, BRINGING THE CAR TO THE DEALER SEEMS TO BE A HASSLE. I HAVE TO GO OUT OF MY WAY TO GET MY "LEMON CAR" FIXED REPEATEDLY FOR MINOR PROBLEMS WHICH ARE REALLY ANNOYANCES. NO DEFECT MENTIONED IN SUMMARY.