2000 Saturn SL engine and engine cooling problems

“TIMING CHAIN FAILURE OF SATURN 2000 TODAY WHILE DRIVING ON AN INTERSTATE HIGHWAY MY SATURN STOPPED WORKING AND I HAD TO DRIFT TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD PARK IN A DANGEROUS LOCATION GET TOWED ONLY TO FIND OUT IT WAS THE TIMING CHAIN THAT BROKE CAUSING A CATASTROPHIC ENGINE FAILURE. I HAVE TO JUNK MY CAR AND GET A NEW ONE. I AM VERY DISTRESSED TO FIND THE RECALL OF THE TIMING CHAIN IN THIS VEHICLE AND SINCE IT WAS LAWFULLY REGISTERED TO ME AM WONDERING WHY I HAVE NO RECALL FROM YOU? *TR”

“WHEN I START MY CAR OR PARK IT AFTER DRIVING THE RPMS SHOOT UP EXTREMELY HIGH & THE ENGINE RACES. WHEN I SHUT THE CAR OFF THE ENGINE MAKES A LOUD CLUNK DUE TO SHUTTING IT OFF WITH THE RPMS THAT HIGH. I HAVE HAD IT DIAGNOSED SEVERAL TIMES & NO ONE KNOWS WHAT IS WRONG. I HAD THE AIR IDLE SENSOR REPLACED THINKING IT WAS THE PROBLEM BUT IT IS NOT. THIS IS VERY BAD FOR THE ENGINE.*TR”

“TIMING CHAIN ON MY 2000 SATURN L BROKE. I ONLY HAVE 83,000 MILES ON IT. I HAVE READ A LOT OF COMPLAINTS ONLINE ABOUT THIS PROBLEM OCCURRING CONSISTENTLY WITH GM CARS, ESPECIALLY SATURNS. *TR”

“MY SATURN SL2000 IS 8 YEARS OLD. RECENT REPAIRS ARE FUEL CAP REPLACED DUE TO BROKEN CAP SEAL. REAR BUSHINGS, GASKET REPLACEMANT GASKET TOP REPLACEMENT AND NOW AIR CONDITIONER COMPRESSOR WONT WORK. ALL PROBLEMS DISCOVERED SINCE MAY 2008. REPAIRS PERFORMED ON ALL EXCEPT AIR CONDITION WHICH WAS DISCOVERED TODAY 6-25-08. 1000 DOLLARS APPROX. ALL 3MONTH MAINTENANCE PERFORMED ON SCHEDULE SINCE PURCHASE OF CAR DEC, 1999. *TR”

“DRIVING MY 2000 SATURN SL2 70 MPH CHECK ENGINE LIGHT SUDDENLY COMES ON, ENGINE STOPS RUNNING PULL OVER, LUCKILY CLEAR CONDITIONS, SAFELY. TOWED CAR TO DEALER. DEALER SAYS TIMING CHAIN OR BELT MAY HAVE BROKEN. DEALER CALLS BACK, SAYS I NEED A $7000.00 REPLACEMENT ENGINE. THIS CAR HAS COST ME OVER 5000.00 IN REPAIRS. SATURN HAS NOT OFFERED ANY SORT OF EXPLANATION. JUST A BROKEN TIMING CHAIN. THERE ARE MANY MANY COMPLAINTS I HAVE READ ONLINE. I AM FURIOUS. *TR”

“I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE FROM A PRIVATE DEALER WITH AN AS-IS NO WARRANTY BACK IN AUGUST 2007. THE VEHICLE HAD A LITTLE OVER 88,000 MILES ON IT. HAD THE VEHICLE INSPECTED BY A MECHANIC AND ALL MAJOR ITEMS APPEARED TO BE IN GOOD WORKING ORDER. APPROXIMATELY 1 MONTH LATER, THE CAR CAME DUE FOR AN OIL CHANGE. I HAD THE OIL CHANGED AT APPROXIMATELY 90,000 MILES. AT APPROXIMATELY 94,000 MILES, WHILE DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE ON NOVEMBER 21, 2007, THE ENGINE WENT BANG. THE CAR JERKED VIOLENTLY AND THE OIL LIGHT AND CHECK ENGINE LIGHTS CAME ON. I WAS GOING AT APPROXIMATELY 75-80 MPH AND THERE WAS NO KNOCKING HEARD PRIOR TO ENGINE FAILURE. I PULLED THE VEHICLE TO THE SIDE OF THE INTERSTATE AND NOTICED SMOKE BILLOWING OUT OF THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. IMMEDIATELY CALLED 9-1-1 TO REPORT MY VEHICLE WAS ON FIRE. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT ARRIVED AND SAID THE ENGINE HAD NOT BEEN ON FIRE, BUT THAT THE ENGINE THREW A ROD THROUGH THE BLOCK. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT ASKED ABOUT KNOCKING PRIOR AND I TOLD THEM THERE WAS NONE. IN FACT, A MECHANIC HAD JUST LOOKED AT IT THE DAY BEFORE. I RECALL THAT THE CHANGE OIL SOON LIGHT HAD BEEN COMING ON INTERMITTENTLY BUT NEVER STEADY. THE OIL LIGHT ALSO…”