2000 Saturn LS engine and engine cooling problems

“ENGINE BEGAN HAVING A SLOW KNOCKING NOISE, PRIOR TO THAT I WOULD HEAR A NOISE OF THE CHAIN SLAPPING, WHICH I WAS EXPLAINED TO BY SATURN THAT THIS WAS NORMAL IN MY VEHICLE. DROVE THE VEHICLE HOME THEN WHILE I WAS PARKING, HEARD A LOUD BANG AND WHEN I GOT OUT - THERE WAS OIL GUSHING FROM UNDERNEATH. PARKED THE CAR AND HAVE NOT REPAIRED IT SINCE... WAS JUST DOING RESEARCH NOW TO REPLACE THE ENGINE AND FOUND THAT FINALLY THERE WAS ANOTHER ROUND OF RECALLS REGARDING THE ENGINE. I HAVE ASKED MY SATURN DEALER BEFORE ABOUT THIS (WHILE THEY WERE STILL IN BUSINESS) AND WAS TOLD THAT ONLY SPECIFIC YEARS WERE COVERED... *TR”

“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 SATURN LS. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH THE CONTACT HEARD A TICKING NOISE IN THE ENGINE. THE NOISE WAS HEARD WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS. THE CONTACT INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND NOTICED THE NOISE WAS COMING FROM THE TIMING BELT LOCATED IN THE ENGINE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100,000.”

“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 SATURN L SERIES. THE CONTACT STATED THAT IN THE ATTEMPT TO START THE VEHICLE, THE WARNING LIGHTS WOULD ILLUMINATE ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL AND THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT START. THE DEALER DIAGNOSED THAT THE THERE WAS NO COMPRESSION TAKING PLACE, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO STALL. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED, BUT THE RECALL ASSOCIATED WITH NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 07V519000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING), DID NOT INCLUDE THE VIN. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 50,000. UPDATED 02/03/12*LJ THE CONSUMER HAS SINCE TRADED THE VEHICLE. UPDATED 02/10/12”

“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS 2000 SATURN L-SERIES SEDAN. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 25 MPH THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO DECELERATE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE TECHNICIAN STATED THE TIMING CHAIN FRACTURED CAUSING DAMAGE TO THE HEAD OF THE ENGINE. THE TECHNICIAN STATED THE TIMING CHAIN HAD TO BE REPLACED AND DEPENDING ON THE SEVERITY OF THE DAMAGE THE HEAD ON THE ENGINE ALSO HAD TO BE REBUILT OR REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. NHTSA RECALL CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 07V519000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING) MAY BE RELATED TO THE FAILURE BUT IT DO NOT INCLUDE 2000 MODELS. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 103,000 UPDATED 04/19/12*LJ UPADTED 04/27/12”

“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 SATURN LS1. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED AND FAILED TO RESTART. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO ADVISED THAT THE TIMING CHAIN FRACTURED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER HAD NOT BEEN NOTIFIED OF THE PROBLEM. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 95,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.”

“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 SATURN LS1. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING UPHILL WHEN THE VEHICLE BECAME RESISTANT TO ACCELERATION ATTEMPTS. AFTER SEVERAL MINUTES, THE VEHICLE STALLED COMPLETELY. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER WHERE THE CONTACT WAS TOLD THAT THE TIMING CHAIN WAS FRACTURED AND WOULD NEED REPLACING. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 150,000.”