2001 Saturn Sl

NUMEROUS BRAKE FAILURE. BRAKE PEDAL FADES TO THE FLOOR AFTER SITTING OVERNIGHT, NOTICE NOT FLUID AT RT FRONT BRAKE LINE, REPLACE MASTER CYLINDER. POWER BLEED AND RT 26 MILES AFTER RAPAIR, NORMAL BRAKING PERFORMANCE. POOR BRAKE PERFORMANCE, SOMETIMES A LOUD SNAP OR CLICK BEFORE FAILURE, SOMETIME NO WARNING, SOMETIME JUST A SOFT OR SPONGY BRAKE PEDAL. BATTERY LEAKING ACID INTO BATTERY BOX, VERIFIED AND FOUND BATTERY LEAKING AT POSSITIVE CABLE REPLACE BATTERY, COVER, POSSITIVE CABLE, TRANS FILTER AND CLEANED ENGINE COMPARTMENT. HOSE FROM COOLANT TANK TO THROTTLE BODY RUBBED, REPLACE HOSE. ADJUSTMENT PARKING BRAKES HARD TO PULL, ADJUST PER SERVICE MANUEL.

I WAS DRIVING ON I-10 WHEN I HEARD A LOUS NOISE AND THAN THUMPING. I STOPPED THE VEHICLE QUICKLY AND LOOKED AT THE TIRE. IT HAD SEPARATED ABOUT 2 INCHES FROM THE INSIDE OF THE TIRE. WHEN I COMPLAINED TO SATURN DEALERSHIP, THEY CLAIMED A ROAD HAZARD HAD DESTROYED THE TIRE. YES THERE WAS A SCREW ABOUT 2 INCHES FROM THE OUTSIDE OF THE TIRE BURIED IN THE TREAD AND STILL THERE. THE OTHER SIDE OF THE TIRE SEPARATED COMPLETELY ALL THE WAY AROUND THE TIRE, LEAVING 2 SEPARATE PIECES. THEY REFUSED TO HELP, AND I BOUGHT ANOTHER TIRE, NOT A FIRESTONE. I FEEL I HAD A DEFECTIVE TIRE. *AK (TIRESIZE: P18565R15)

THIS IS A DESIGN ISSUE. WE ARE PRIOR YEAR (1993, 1997 (2), AND 1998) SATURN OWNERS. FOR THE PRIOR YEARS, THE CRUISE CONTROL WAS LOCATED ON THE INSIDE OF THE STEERING COLUMN. THE HORN BUTTONS WERE LOCATED ON THE LOWER PORTION OF THE STEERING WHEEL. THIS RESULTED IN COMPLAINTS FROM MANY OWNERS BECAUSE THIS WAS NOT THE STANDARD LOCATION FOR HORNS ON GM OR OTHER MODELS. IN 1999 OR 2000, SATURN MOVED THE HORN TO THE TYPICAL LOCATION (CENTER OF STEERING WHEEL OVER THE AIRBAG). THEY REPLACED THE HORN BUTTONS WITH THE CURISE CONTROLS. 4-6 WEEKS AFTER WE PURCHASED, THE 2001 SATURN, I WAS INVOLVED IN AN INCIDENT WITH A YOUNG LADY HAVING A 'ROAD RAGE DAY'. DURING ONE FRANTIC MOMENT, I TRIED TO LOCATE THE HORN. OF COURSE IT WASN'T IN THE 'CUSTOMARY LOCATION'. I FOUND IT BUT NOT UNTIL AFTER I HAD ACTIVATED THE CRUISE CONTROL. CONCENTRATING ON THE OTHER DRIVER'S ACTIONS, I WAS UNAWARE THAT 'CRUISE WAS ENGAGED'. IN THE NEXT MOMENT, THIS DRIVER SLAMMED ON HER BRAKES (FOR WHICH SHE WAS TICKETED AND FINED). I TRIED TO STOP. HOWEVER, WHEN I TOOK MY FOOT OFF OF THE GAS THE CAR SPED UP. I HIT HER CAR WHEN I SHOULD HAVE BEEN ABLE TO STOP. I AM EXTREMELY CONCERENED THAT ANOTHER DRIVER (PARTICULARILY OWNERS OF OLDER MODEL SATURNS WHO PURCHASE NEW SATURNS) WILL EXPERIENCE THE SAME SITUATION BUT WITH MORE DEADLY CONSEQUENCES. I HAVE SPOKEN WITH SATURN CUSTOMER SERVICES AND WRITTEN THEM A NOTE (WITHOUT RESPONSE). THE CUSTOMER SERVICE PERSON SAID THEY WOULD DO EACTLY WHAT I DID. SHE OWNS AND DRIVE THE PRIOR YEAR SATURN. SHE SAID THE LOCATION OF THE HORN IS AUTOMATIC. I HAVE SPOKEN TO TWO OTHERS WHO HAVE DONE EXACTLY THE SAME THING. IT TOOK ME 3-6 MONTHS TO NEVER ENGAGE THE CRUISE IN MY SEARCH FOR THE HORN. THAT IS PROBABLY BECAUSE I HAVE LOGGED WELL OVER 200,000 MILES IN THE OLDER MODELS. THANKS.*AK

FREEWAY TRAFFIC SUDDENLY CAME TO A STOP. I STOPPED BUT WAS REAR ENDED BY A VEHICLE TRAVELING AT APPROXIMATELY 25 MPH AND PUSHED INTO CAR IN FRONT OF ME. DRIVERS SEAT BACK COLLAPSED. I SUSTAINED MINOR BACK, HIP, BRUISED STOMACH MUSCLES AND KNEE INJURIES THAT I FEEL WOULD HAVE BEEN AVOIDED OR MUCH LESS SEVERE HAD THE SEAT BACK HELD. I'M HAVING A PROBLEM COMPREHENDING GMS CONTENTION THAT THE SEAT BACK YIELDING IS A DESIRABLE RESPONSE TO THIS OR ANY SITUATION (AND THE FACT THAT THEIR PRODUCT ADHERES TO ALL RELEVANT STANDARDS, ETC).*AK

FUEL LINE RUPTURED DUE TO FLYING DEBRIS FROM ROAD, FUEL LINE IS A RUBBER OR PLASTIC HOSE AND IS CLOSE TO CATALYTIC CONVERTER AND MUFFLER, CONSUMER IS CONCERNED THAT THE RUPTURE COULD HAVE LEAKED GASOLINE ONTO THESE OTHER COMPONENTS AND CAUSED A FIRE, CONSUMER FEELS THE LINE SHOULD BE STEEL OR BE COVERED BY A METAL PLATE TO SHIELD IT, CONSUMER NOTICED RUPTURE WHEN HE TURNED IGNITION SWITCH ON AND ELECTRIC FUEL PUMP FORCED 3 AND 1/2 GALLONS OF FUEL ONTO GROUND. *SLC