2001 Saturn Sl

PLASTIC BUSHING ON TRANSMISSION CABLE BROKE. HAVE TO BUY THE ENTIRE CABLE ($240), PLASTIC "BUSHING" IS NOT AVAILABLE TO PURCHASE BY ITSELF - BUT THE CABLE IS NOT BROKEN, ONLY THE PLASTIC "BUSHING." SATURN DOESN'T EVEN HAVE A PART NUMBER FOR THAT PART. FOUND INFORMATION ON THE INTERNET WHERE OTHER SATURN OWNERS HAD THE SAME PROBLEM, SO IT IS APPARENTLY A COMMON OCCURRENCE. REFERENCE WEBSITE: HTTP://WWW.COOLGOOSE.COM/SITES/FLEMCO/CAR/CAR.HTML FOR A DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THIS SATURN OWNER'S EXPERIENCE (SAME AS MINE, EXCEPT MY TRANSMISSION WAS STUCK IN FIRST GEAR). I MAY ALSO BE POSTING MY INCIDENT ON THE INTERNET TO MY BLOG, SO AS TO WARN PEOPLE WHO ARE LOOKING TO PURCHASE A SATURN. *AK

TL*- WHILE GETTING OUT THE 2001 SATURN SL 1, THE CONTACT CLOSED THE FRONT PASSENGER DOOR AND THE SIDE CURTAIN AIR BAGS DEPLOYED WITHOUT ANY PRIOR WARNING. THE CONTACT CALLED THE DEALER AND THE MANUFACTURER, AND THEY STATED THEY COULDN'T ASSIST THE CONTACT. THE MANUFACTURER ADVISED THE CONTACT TO CALL THE DEALER AND THE DEALER SAID TO CALL THE MANUFACTURER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT SHE DID NOT HAVE ANY PREVIOUS WORK DONE ON THE AIR BAGS BEFORE, AND AT THE TIME OF THE FAILURE THERE WAS NO AIR BAGS WARNING LIGHT. *AK

I PURCHASED A 2001 SATURN SL FROM A SMALL CAR DEALERSHIP AT THE END OF JUNE 2006. THE CAR WAS PURCHASED WITH A 30 DAY WARRANTY. IN THE MIDDLE OF AUGUST, MANY COMPONENTS OF THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM BEGAN TO FAIL - ALTERNATOR, BATTERY, STARTER. ALL WERE REPLACED. IN ADDITION, THE ENGINE FAILED. JUST TODAY (12/27/06) THE CAR STARTED TO ACT UP AGAIN. WORST CAR I'VE EVER OWNED. *JB

I CAN NOT UNDERSTAND WHY THIS BOARD HAS ALLOWED THE USE OF "DRIVING LIGHTS" ON CARS ON OUR HIGHWAYS. THESE LIGHTS ARE MISUSED CONSTANTLY AND POSE (IN MY OPINION) A SEVERE SAFETY HAZARD. THEY ARE USED FOR DRIVING IN THE RAIN AND CONSIDERED SUFFICIENT DURING DUSK AND EVENING HOURS. THEY PRESENT A REDUCED VISIBILITY AND A DANGER TO OTHER DRIVERS. THEY ARE ESPECIALLY A PROBLEM SINCE THEY DO NOT TURN ON THE TAIL LIGHTS. COMING UP ON SUCH A VEHICLE USING DRIVING LIGHTS AT DUSK IN THE RAIN IS ONE OF THE WORST EXPERIENCES I HAVE HAD WHILE DRIVING. I DO NOT KNOW OF ANY SPECIFIC ACCIDENTS RELATING TO THIS PROBLEM, BUT I BET THERE ARE MANY OUT THERE. I AM NOT SURE THE AUTHORITIES ARE FULLY AWARE OF THIS POTENTIAL CAUSE OF SERIOUS ACCIDENTS. YOUR ATTENTION TO THIS ISSUE WOULD BE GREATLY APPRECIATED. I HOPE YOU WILL CONSIDER THIS TO BE A SERIOUS ISSUE. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND ATTENTION. *JB

WE NOTICED THAT SOMETIMES THE CAR WAS ENGINE WAS RACING WHEN COMING TO A STOP AND YOU HAVE TO HOLD EXTRA PRESSURE ON THE BAKE PEDAL TO KEEP THE CAR FROM MOVING FORWARD. THE IDLE SPEED INCREASES FROM A NORMAL 750 RPM TO APPROXIMATELY 1750 RPM WHILE IN NEUTRAL, INTERMEDIATELY, SOMETIMES RIGHT AFTER STARTING THE CAR, SOMETIMES AFTER DRIVING FOR A WHILE. THE CAR ENGINE WHEN IT DOES THIS WILL EXCEED 1100 RPM WHILE IN DRIVE WITH YOUR FOOT ON THE BRAKE. THE CAR WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER NUMEROUS TIMES UNDER WHILE UNDER WARRANTY AND ONE TIME SPECIFICALLY WHILE IT WAS EXHIBITING THE HIGH IDLE AND NO CAUSE WAS DISCOVERED, NO PARTS REPLACED; THE PROBLEM STILL EXISTS TODAY. THE DEALER IS UNABLE TO FIND THE PROBLEM, EVEN THOUGH WE TOOK IT IN WHILE THE ENGINE WAS HIGH IDLING. *NM