13th Apr 2008, 14:00
Fuel Pump went out at 62,000 and cost me $800.00 to fix due to the problem being on a Saturday 300 miles from my house.
22nd Jun 2008, 07:20
I regret purchasing this car so much! We bought it 2 years ago at a used car dealership and have had quite a few problems with it.
In 9-2006, 2 months after buying it, the fuel pump went out. Luckily, it was under warranty so we had it replaced for free. Shortly after that, in 3-2007 we had MAJOR brake issues which ended up costing us $800 in repairs. A little over a year later in 4-2008, $700 dollars in brake repairs! The rotors were nearly down to a mirror finish and we needed new pads. The driver side caliper was also bent somehow. I was told the only possibility of this happening in such a short period of time was if we drove around with the parking brake on... and believe me, we don't do that.
We've never had issues with previous cars and brakes. NEVER. Since we've had this Saturn, we've forked out $1,500 in brake repairs alone in 2 years! I almost forgot, in 8-2007, the battery suddenly died and the car would not start. Within one year of owning the car, we have needed a new battery, our fuel pump replaced, a brake job and a tail light replaced as well.
Not to mention that our back windshield has a leak, the passenger side visor mirror cover has broken, and the middle storage plastic hinge has also broken. It's slowly falling apart and I have another 4 years to pay on the loan. Hopefully there will still be some car left in decent condition to sell at that point.
23rd Jun 2008, 12:58
I have had the fuel pump go bad and will pay $800 today for that. I've also had the brake issues with very expensive rotor replacements.
19th Jan 2009, 04:05
I too had a problem with the fuel pump going out about 300 miles from home, and it cost about $800.00 to get fixed.
Now my climate control is out, and I really don't know as yet what that will cost to get fixes. But other than that, it's been a good car.
John, from Poughquag, New York.
24th Jul 2009, 19:34
I also have a 2003 L 200, that around 56000 miles, fuel pump failed. Speakers have gone out, except for the tiny ones in the front, that sound like a portable AM radio and play intermittently when it rains. The most recent thing is that the driver side windshield wiper drive isn't working. Happened after a heavy rainstorm.
Ellen.
28th Dec 2009, 17:41
I just had my fuel pump go out too, it only has about 63,000 miles on it. This seems to be standard problem with this car. I guess I should be happy it only cost me $600, since everybody else paid about $800.
6th Apr 2010, 14:01
Well, I'm 900 miles from home sitting in a parking lot thinking that 650.00 was too much to put a fuel pump in my 2003 Saturn l 200. You all made me feel a lot better. I have 75000 on mine and just paid it off. Actually this is the first real problem I have had with mine since I bought it in 2005. Other than the console door laying in the backseat and a few bumps from the kids, mine is still factory to the tires. I'm feeling pretty good about mine.
5th Oct 2010, 11:42
I own a 2003 Saturn L200.
My fuel pump also went out last year about 1 mile from my home. I was pretty mad when I found out it was $850 the next day because the pump is actually in the gas tank and they had to replace the entire tank.
In April I took it in for a routine brake change and I've been having problems with the brake pedal since. I've taken it in 7 times and it keeps happening. Once a mechanic looks at it, it feels fine, but 2-4 weeks later it drops really close to the floor again.
These are the only 2 major problems I've had with it. Smaller problems include the A/C going out, the heat being too hot with no comfortable temperature, the speakers going out, the windshield wiper not wiping cleanly, etc.
18th Feb 2011, 17:12
I have a 2003 Saturn L200. I am wondering why the AC is putting out hot air and not cold air like it is suppose to?
13th Sep 2011, 11:44
Hi. Read your problems with your L-200 Saturn. I have the same problem with my brakes on my 2002 model. Every now and then, the brake pedal goes to the floor, and requires pumping the poop out of the pedal to get the brakes going again. It has done this now 4 times in 91,000 miles. The master cylinder was replaced under warranty after it happened the first time, but has since done it 3 times.
Right now the car is in a Chevy dealer getting checked out. The service manager faxed the problem into General Motors, as Saturn WAS a offshoot of GM. General Motors has no clue as to the problem. Personally I don't think the master brake cylinder has anything to do with it... I think it's something with ABS system causing it. Did they ever find out anything conclusive on what was causing your brake problem?
As far as the fuel pump going out... DO NOT LET YOUR GAS LEVEL GET BELOW A HALF TANK!!! Gas is cold and it helps to cool the fuel pump!!!
Thanks now. snookers@arvig.net
11th Feb 2008, 17:33
I have also had trouble with the climate control. I had a mechanic replace the panel they said was malfunctioning only to find that the new one has the same problem. (They were going to charge $600 to $800) I wish I had checked this web site before. The other problem is you cannot return electronic parts so I spent a few hundred dollars and accomplished nothing. I wish I had had time to study more about this car before I purchased it. Some mechanic shops will not even work on this car. Even to get hoses for my car have to be special ordered and they said the labor on two hoses would be $100.00. The hoses are expensive as well.
I'm sorry to read about the timing belt. I do drive a lot and have 75,000 miles on the car. It's scary to think you could replace it and the new one might not work long either. You would think that dealers would give you a break on price out of thanks for buying the car from them, but it ends up costing you more money because you have to get a lot of parts from them. I really wish I hadn't bought this car. I drive 200 to 500 miles a day and it makes me nervous it's going to break down.