1996 Saturn SL engine and engine cooling problems

“TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 SATURN SL. THE VEHICLE WAS LEAKING OIL ON THE GROUND AND ALL OVER THE COOLING SYSTEM. THE TEMPERATURE GAUGE KEPT FLUCTUATING INTO THE RED ZONE. THE CHECK ENGINE SOON LIGHT ILLUMINATED INTERMITTENTLY AND THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO DRIVE DIFFERENTLY. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE WAS A CRACKED CYLINDER HEAD. THE COST TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE WAS $2,257. THE CONTACT RECEIVED A SPECIAL POLICY LETTER FROM SATURN IN JUNE OF 1999 CONCERNING A CRACKED CYLINDER HEAD. THE LETTER STATED THAT THERE WAS NO RECALL CAMPAIGN AND IT WAS UNNECESSARY TO TAKE THE VEHICLE TO A DEALER. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 73,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 63,000. UPDATED 05/06/08. *LJ UPDATED 05/06/08. *JB”

“TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 SATURN SL2. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE HESITATED INTERMITTENTLY AND WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE DEALER DISCOVERED THAT THE SPARK PLUGS WERE SET AT DIFFERENT SPECIFICATIONS, WHICH WAS THE CAUSE OF FAILURE. THE SPEED WAS UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 175,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 148,000.”

“I AM LOSING A LOT OF OIL. I SPOKE WITH MY MECHANIC HE STATED THAT A LOT OF TIMES IT IS THE VALVE COVER GASKET, SO HE CHANGED IT. THE CAR IS STILL LOSING A LOT OF OIL. ABOUT A QUART EVERY 400 MILES. I STARTED RESEARCHING ON MY OWN AND HAVE FOUND THAT SEVERAL SATURN OWNERS ARE COMPLAINING ABOUT THE SAME ISSUE. *JB”

“1996 SATURN SL-1 CYLINDER HEAD CRACKED. A KNOWN DEFECT TO THE SATURN CORPORATION.$2400 TO FIX! MY "CHECK ENGINE SOON" LIGHT COMES ON OFTEN. SATURN FINDS NOTHING! HTTP://WWW.CARSURVEY.ORG/VIEWMORECOMMENTS_REVIEW_5215_1.HTML SIMPLY "GOOGLE" SATURN + CYLINDER + HEAD HTTP://WWW.CONSUMERAFFAIRS.COM/AUTOMOTIVE/SATURN_ENGINE.HTML”

“THERE WAS A CLICKING SOUND IN THE ENGINE; WHEN I TRIED TO PRESS THE GAS IT JUST REVVED THE ENGINE BUT HAD A HARD TIME GETTING UP TO SPEED; I WAS DRIVING HOME WITH MY TWO DAUGHTERS; GOING ABOUT 30 MPH AND I HEARD A LOUD NOISE AND THEN STUFF FALLING UNDER MY CAR....THE CAR DIED. I PUSHED THE CAR ABOUT A BLOCK AND HALF TO MY HOUSE. MY CHILDREN AND I THEN WENT TO PICK UP THE PIECES OF THE ENGINE...ONE OF THE PISTONS HAD BLOWN OUT OF THE BLOCK. THERE WAS A HUGE WHOLE ON THE LOWER RIGHT OF THE ENGINE. I HAD SEVERAL MECHANICS COME LOOK AT IT AND THEY SAID IT WAS A "FREAK" ACCIDENT. THERE WAS STILL OIL IN THE ENGINE SO I HAD NOT RAN IT OUT OF OIL. THE NOISE JUST STARTED AND IMMEDIATELY THE ENGINE WAS BAD. I BOUGHT IT WITH 113000 MILES ON IT AND HAD IT ONLY A 6-8 WEEKS WHEN THIS HAPPENED. I HAD 117000 MILE ON IT WHEN IT BROKE DOWN.”

“FOR THE 4TH TIME, THE HEAD GASKET IS BLOWN AND THE HEAD IS WARPED. THIS IS THE RESULT OF A FACTORY DESIGN DEFECT IN THE ENGINE AND WAS REPAIRED THE FIRST TIME WITHOUT CHARGE BY SATURN. HOWEVER, THE REPAIRS DO NOT LAST AND THE HEAD BLOWS APPROXIMATELY EVERY 30,000 MILES. THERE IS NO ENGINE BUILT THAT SHOULD ONLY LAST 30,000 MILES! SATURN REFUSES TO HELP WITH THESE REPAIRS EVEN THOUGH THE CAR HAS BEEN DUTIFULLY MAINTAINED AND SERVICED AT THE SATURN DEALER. THE ESTIMATE FOR REPAIRS IS $2,140 WITH A RECOMMENDATION OF NEW RODS AND BEARINGS AT THIS TIME ALSO. WE HAD NEW RINGS, RODS AND BEARINGS IN EARLY 2002. IF SATURN ADMITTED TO THE DESIGN DEFECT THE FIRST TIME, AND IT CONTINUES TO OCCUR, SHOULDN'T SATURN BE HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR THE REPAIRS?”