1997 Saturn SL electrical system problems

“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 SATURN SL. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE KEY FELL OUT OF THE IGNITION AND THE VEHICLE CONTINUED TO RUN. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A PRIVATE MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS FOUND THAT THE IGNITION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED ABOUT THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE AND VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.”

“I WAS PARKED AT A SHOPPING CENTER, WHEN I TURNED MY CAR ON, IT WOULD NOT START. AFTER TRYING A COUPLE OF TIMES,IT MADE A POP SOUND AND SMOKE FLOODED INSIDE THE CAR. I TURNED OFF THE KEY, TOOK IT TO A DEALER AND THEY COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG WITH IT. THE WINDOWS WOULD NOT WORK AS WELL. I REPLACED THE FUSE FOR THE WINDOWS, AND THE CAR STARTED, BUT NOW ONLY THE DRIVERS SIDE WINDOW WORKS. *TR”

“STARTED MY CAR, IT RAN A FEW SECONDS, THEN DIED. BEFORE I COULD RESTART IT, SMOKE STARTED POURING OUT OF THE STEERING COLUMN AND I SMELLED AN ELECTRICAL FIRE. I DIDN'T START IT AGAIN BUT FOUND HELP TO DISCONNECT MY BATTERY. IT'S ON IT'S WAY TO THE NEARBY SATURN DEALER WHO REFUSES TO PROVIDE ME WITH A LOAN CAR. I THINK THIS IS A VERY UNUSUAL PROBLEM, AND I'VE DRIVEN A LOT OF CLUNKERS IN THE PAST WITHOUT HAVING TO DEAL WITH ANYTHING LIKE THIS. *JB”

“I PURCHASED A USED 1997 SATURN SL IN 2005. WHEN I NEGOTIATED TO PURCHASE THE VEHICLE THE HORN WAS NOT WORKING. THE USED CAR DEALER REPLACED A FUSE. THE HORN THEN WORKED INTERMITTENTLY IF THE HORN BUTTON WAS PUSHED JUST SO. WITHIN A WEEK IT FAILED TO WORK AT ALL. I CONTACTED SATURN (VIA THE INTERNET) AND GOT NO HELP, OTHER THAN TO TAKE THE DEALER FOR REPAIR. THIS CAR WAS TOTALED OUT IN AN ACCIDENT. I LIKED IT SO MUCH (OTHER THAN THE HORN ISSUE) THAT I BOUGHT ANOTHER ONE - A 1996 SL. THE HORN ON THE 96 ALSO WORKED INTERMITTENTLY. AGAIN, PUSHING THE HORN BUTTON IN JUST THE RIGHT WAY WOULD ACTIVATE THE HORN. RECENTLY IT STOPPED WORKING - JUST LIKE THE 97. I FEEL THAT THIS MUST BE A PERVASIVE ISSUE. I HAVE NEVER OWNED ANY OTHER VEHICLE WITH A HORN ISSUE. IT IS DEFINITELY A SAFETY ISSUE; ONE THAT COULD BE VERY EXPENSIVE TO REPAIR DUE TO THE STEERING WHEEL HAVING AN AIR BAG. I REVIEWED A FEW WEB SITES THAT DESCRIBED SIMILAR PROBLEMS AND NOTED A RECALL ON A 96 SATURN Z MODEL. THIS PROVES THAT SATURN HAS HAD SOME HORN ISSUES BEFORE. I'D APPRECIATE ANY HELP I CAN GET TO GET SATURN TO REPAIR THIS ISSUE WITHOUT POTENTIALLY BURDENSOME COST TO ME. FEEL FREE TO CONTACT ME.…”

“THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH THE WIRING THE CAR IS A 1997 SATURN AND I HAVE PROBLEMS WITH THE HEATER BLOWER MOTOR WORKING SOMETIMES AND THEN NOT YOU HAVE TO PLAY WITH THE WIRING TO GET IT TO WORK AND THE SAME FOR THE BLINKERS THE BLOWER WORKS NOW AND THE BLINKERS DON'T? *NM”

“IGNITION SWITCH FAILED TO START CAR. AFTER A FEW TRIES, THE CAR FINALLY STARTED ONLY TO HAVE MOUNDS OF SMOKE ROLLING OUT FROM UNDER THE DASH. AFTER TURNING THE VEHICLE OFF, THE SWITCH WORKED INTERMITTENTLY. WE REMOVED DASH COVERS AND IGNITION CYLINDER LOCK, AND LOWERED THE STEERING WHEEL TO FIND THAT THE WIRING HARNESS LEADING TO THE IGNITION SWITCH HAD WHAT WAS A BLACK WIRE THAT WAS MELTED BARE FOR A COUPLE INCHES, AND DISFIGURED THE ENTIRE WIRE, AND MELTED THE INSULATION TO OTHER WIRES WITHIN THE HARNESS. JUDGING BY THE DAMAGE OF DONE TO THE WIRE, IT APPEARS THAT THE MOST HEAT WAS IN AN AREA WHERE THE WIRE WAS CLOSEST TO THE STEERING COLUMN, LEADING ONE TO BELIEVE THAT IT WORE THROUGH AND GROUNDED ITSELF TO THE STEERING COLUMN, WHICH LED TO THE OVERHEATING OF THE WIRE AND SUBSEQUENT SMOKE/FIRE. *JB”