NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
Engine And Engine Cooling complaints
45 reportsClear category filter64,000 miles · Dec 3, 2004
Engine And Engine CoolingService Brakes, Hydraulic
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 E…
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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
NHTSA ODI #10103089
Mileage unknown · Sep 23, 2004
Engine And Engine Cooling
WHILE DRIVING, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONSUMER TRIED TO RESTART THE VEHICLE AND WAS NOT ABLE TO DO SO. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION. THE MECHANIC INFORMED THE CONSUMER THAT THE ENGINE WAS CRACKED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER DETAILS. *JB
NHTSA ODI #10094219
54,950 miles · Aug 17, 2004
Engine And Engine Cooling
THE CYLINDER HEAD CRACKED BY #5 CYLINDER BY CAM JOURNAL ON A 1999 SATURN SL-1 4 DOOR SEDAN WITH 54,950 MILES. DEALER COST WAS $2,100.00, SATURN COVERED $700.00. DEALER CLAIMED THIS WAS AN ISOLATED INCIDENT YET HAD THE REPLACEMENT HEAD ASSEMBLY IN STOCK. *JB
NHTSA ODI #10088087
Mileage unknown · Jul 6, 2004
Engine And Engine Cooling
VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR A ROUTINE INSPECTION, AND MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT THE RESONATOR CRACKED, AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *AK THIS WAS THE SECOND TIME THE RESONATOR CRACKED. THE CONSUMER WANTED THE RESONATOR WELDED BUT THE DEALER SUGGESTED A NEW RESONATOR BECAUSE THEY WERE REDESIGNED AND COMPLETELY DIFFERENT F…
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VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR A ROUTINE INSPECTION, AND MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT THE RESONATOR CRACKED, AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *AK THIS WAS THE SECOND TIME THE RESONATOR CRACKED. THE CONSUMER WANTED THE RESONATOR WELDED BUT THE DEALER SUGGESTED A NEW RESONATOR BECAUSE THEY WERE REDESIGNED AND COMPLETELY DIFFERENT FROM THE OLD ONES. THE CONSUMER BELIEVES THAT IF THE MANUFACTURER REALIZED THERE WAS A FLAW WITH THE RESONATORS THAT THEY SHOULD HAVE BEEN RECALLED. *NM
NHTSA ODI #10075489
80,000 miles · Mar 29, 2004
Engine And Engine Cooling
I HAVE BEEN ADDING COOLANT CONSTANTLY. I TOOK CAR FOR REPAIR AND WAS TOLD THE WATER PUMP NEEDED REPLACEMENT. I REPLACED THE WATER PUMP AND STILL HAVING THE PROBLEM WITH OVERHEATING. SATURN ISSUED A BULLETIN 01-T-07 THAT TALKS ABOUT THE SENSOR PROBLEM. THEY WILL ONLY REIMBURSE THE CUSTOMER IF IT'S STILL UNDER WARRANTY. I A…
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I HAVE BEEN ADDING COOLANT CONSTANTLY. I TOOK CAR FOR REPAIR AND WAS TOLD THE WATER PUMP NEEDED REPLACEMENT. I REPLACED THE WATER PUMP AND STILL HAVING THE PROBLEM WITH OVERHEATING. SATURN ISSUED A BULLETIN 01-T-07 THAT TALKS ABOUT THE SENSOR PROBLEM. THEY WILL ONLY REIMBURSE THE CUSTOMER IF IT'S STILL UNDER WARRANTY. I AM UPSET BECAUSE I CONTINUE TO PAY FOR ITEMS THAT I PROBABLY DON'T NEED BECAUSE THE PROBLEM COULD NOT BE FOUND.*AK
NHTSA ODI #10064068
75,000 miles · Mar 28, 2004
Electrical SystemEngine And Engine Cooling
SATURN WAS LEAKING OIL INTO THE RADIATOR EXPANSION TANK AND WATER IN THE OIL. OVER HEATING REALLY BAD THAT THE CAR WILL SHUT DOWN AND NOT START UNTIL COOL, AND IT BOILS OVER IN THE RADIATOR EXPANSION TANK. OCTOBER '03 HAD HEAD GASKETS REPLACED, AND THE HEADS SENT OFF FOR SERVICE, ONE MONTH LATER, ITS BACK TO LEAKING OIL IN THE…
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SATURN WAS LEAKING OIL INTO THE RADIATOR EXPANSION TANK AND WATER IN THE OIL. OVER HEATING REALLY BAD THAT THE CAR WILL SHUT DOWN AND NOT START UNTIL COOL, AND IT BOILS OVER IN THE RADIATOR EXPANSION TANK. OCTOBER '03 HAD HEAD GASKETS REPLACED, AND THE HEADS SENT OFF FOR SERVICE, ONE MONTH LATER, ITS BACK TO LEAKING OIL IN THE COOLANT AND WATER IN THE OIL. OXYGEN SENSOR WENT OUT, AND HAS BEEN REPLACED AND SO DID THE IGNITION MODULAR, WHICH HAS BEEN REPLACED. *JB
NHTSA ODI #10064044
7,500 miles · Mar 2, 2004
Engine And Engine Cooling
1999 SATURN SL1 -OVERHEATING, WATERPUMP, RADIATOR FAN MOTOR, THERMOSTAT AND COOLANT TEMP SENSOR ALL REPLACED WITH FACTORY PARTS. STILL OVERHEATING. THIS VEHICLE HAS A CRACKED HEAD - SAME PROBLEM THAT WAS EXPERIENCED ON EARLIER MODELS WHER THE WARRANTY WAS EXTENDED TO SIX YEARS/100,000 MILES. *AK
NHTSA ODI #10060196
61,000 miles · Jan 23, 2004
Engine And Engine Cooling
A MIXTURE OF OIL AND ANTI-FREEZE WERE NOTED. I BROUGHT THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER WHERE THEY TOLD ME THAT THE HEAD WAS CRACKED DUE TO A MANUFACTURING DEFECT. THEY REPLACED THE HEAD AND COOLING SYSTEM HOSES ONLY. NOW 10,000 MILES LATER I AM HEARING A KNOCKING SOUND FROM THE ENGINE. I BROUGHT THE CAR TO A MECHANIC WHERE HE INFO…
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A MIXTURE OF OIL AND ANTI-FREEZE WERE NOTED. I BROUGHT THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER WHERE THEY TOLD ME THAT THE HEAD WAS CRACKED DUE TO A MANUFACTURING DEFECT. THEY REPLACED THE HEAD AND COOLING SYSTEM HOSES ONLY. NOW 10,000 MILES LATER I AM HEARING A KNOCKING SOUND FROM THE ENGINE. I BROUGHT THE CAR TO A MECHANIC WHERE HE INFORMED ME THAT THE BOTTOM HALF OF THE ENGINE IS GONE AND NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. HE STATED THAT THE DEALER (SATURN OF MORRISTOWN, NJ) SHOULD HAVE REPLACED THE ENTIRE ENGINE INSTEAD OF JUST THE TOP HALF. *LA
NHTSA ODI #10054721
110,000 miles · Jan 15, 2004
Engine And Engine Cooling
AIR CONDITIONING FAILED AT 4 YEARS, 4 MONTHS. NEW COMPRESSOR NEEDED, ACCORDING TO BOTH SATURN DEALERSHIP AND INDEPENDENT GARAGE. NOT YET REPLACED. WAITING TO SEE IF THERE IS A HIDDEN SERVICE BULLETIN BY WHICH SATURN WILL REPLACE AT REDUCED COST.
NHTSA ODI #10069202
85,000 miles · Dec 3, 2003
Engine And Engine Cooling
WHILE DRIVING AT 30 MPH ENGINE WAS VERY LOUD, AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE TO A MECHANIC, WHO FOUND NO OIL IN THE ENGINE. THREE QUARTS WERE ADDED, AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WENT OUT. TWO DAYS LATER, CHECK ENGINE LIGHT BLINKED, AND THE TEMPERATURE GAUGE WAS INDICATING THAT THE VEHICLE WAS OVER …
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WHILE DRIVING AT 30 MPH ENGINE WAS VERY LOUD, AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE TO A MECHANIC, WHO FOUND NO OIL IN THE ENGINE. THREE QUARTS WERE ADDED, AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WENT OUT. TWO DAYS LATER, CHECK ENGINE LIGHT BLINKED, AND THE TEMPERATURE GAUGE WAS INDICATING THAT THE VEHICLE WAS OVER HEATING. THE CONSUMER ADDED COOLANT, BUT DRIVING UNDER THREE MILES VEHICLE OVERHEATED AGAIN. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE MECHANIC, WHO INFORMED THE CONSUMER THAT OIL AND COOLANT WERE MIXING TOGETHER IN THE ENGINE. A NEW ENGINE WAS NEEDED. *AK
NHTSA ODI #10049961
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