28th Jan 2002, 07:03

I agree with the oil consumption problem. I have had two different Saturns, both of which ate oil. However, both cars did not start this problem until 90,000 miles plus, and I am not particularly nice on the engine. I am about to buy my third Saturn because my current one is starting to have engine trouble, of course it is at 146,000 miles.

28th Jan 2002, 16:08

We have a 1996 Saturn SL2 with about 46,000 miles on the 1.9 engine. The engine just blew up, without warning, while my son was driving on the interstate in Iowa. We bought it used less than a year ago, and have changed the oil every 3000 miles. No warning lights came on--the engine just blew.

Has this happened to other Saturn owners? Is there a defect that is not being addressed? What could cause this? And is it worth putting in a new or salvaged engine?

21st Jun 2002, 15:12

My 1996 Saturn SL1 burns a quart every 2000 km. GM says it is normal. Oil is cheap. Doesn't GM care about the environment? I bought the car, because of loyalty to GM. The Saturn was to compete with the Japanese manufactured products. Not only has GM has a long way to go to match quality. Complaints are stonewalled.

Smokey.

31st Jul 2002, 14:21

I agree with and empathize with the above comments. I've always maintained my 1995 Saturn SC-2 well. The car started consuming too much oil around 90,000 miles. Preparing for a long car trip (and move), I had the engine completely rebuilt. Although the problem improved a little, I noticed the oil consumption to still be very high- I had to top off the oil every time I stopped for gas. When I got to my destination, I took the car in for service as it was within Saturn's 12 month/12,000 mile warranty on all repairs. At first they wouldn't honor the warranty, claiming it was null because I had moved, and later saying it only covered parts. Thank goodness I had the warranty- parts AND labor- in writing, on official Saturn stationary! Now, the new dealership will "look at my problem" if I perform an oil consumption test- drive the car for 5,000 miles and have them document the oil levels. By that time, of course, my car's mileage will be beyond the 12,000 mile warranty!!! And the Customer Assistance Center now says there is no guarantee the warranty will even apply, depending on what problems they find.

I've noticed in searching these forums and the web, that a lot of Saturn owners are experiencing similar problems. If there are enough of us, perhaps an honest, genuine, and productive letter-writing campaign may help? If Saturn truly wants to stand by their products and maintain their customer satisfaction ratings (and hence repeat sales- a strong profit base), then they should address this problem satisfactorily. I'm really surprised at how many people are experiencing the same problem with their cars, and similar issues in working with Saturn on the repairs. Any ideas or comments?

1st Aug 2002, 18:12

I've found this forum very helpful. I've been searching the web and have found a LOT of Saturn owners who are experiencing oil consumption problems with their cars.

I found that the U.S. DOT's National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has a hotline and website to collect consumer comments and complaints regarding vehicle defects. If enough people are experiencing the same problem, the NHTSA may be able to investigate the issue. I believe this issue is a safety hazard -- who knows how many Saturn owners have not checked their oil level and topped it off in between oil changes? I've seen several stories on the web of Saturn engine blowouts resulting from lack of oil in the system.

Please follow up, and communicate your problems with Saturn to the NHTSA, just as I have done. At the very least, our problems will be officially documented for used car buyers to see. At the most, it could lead to the detection of a trend of defects and could prevent accidents and financially relieve owners of costly repairs to faulty cars.

By the way, I am in no way affiliated with the NHTSA. I am a Saturn owner and consumer who just wants this issue to be addressed correctly by Saturn. I could have purchased a better car for the amount of money I put into my car's repairs, and the problem still exists!

Thank you!

NHTSA hotline and website:

1-888-DASH-2-DOT

http://www.nhtsa.gov/

9th Aug 2002, 10:13

I own a 1997 Saturn SL1. It started burning excessive oil at the 30,000 mile mark (1 quart every 1800 miles). I am meticulous with my service and change oil every 3,000 miles. The service manager stated this consumption was normal; I disagreed, but got nowhere. I'm now at the 76,000 mile mark and it's burning a quart every 800 miles. I've been back and forth with the area Saturn representative, but it just seems like a futile, endless battle. They don't want to admit blame; I just want some kind of compensation to fix the problem (50/50 split on repairs?) I'm now just tired of arguing and will simply drive the car until it dies and proceed to shop elsewhere for my next vehicle. Nice job Saturn.

K.K.

29th Aug 2002, 00:06

In November 2001, I had to buy a replacement vehicle in a hurry. (Lousy Taurus transmissions!) I found a 1997 Saturn SW2 wagon in very good shape with 63,000 miles for just under $6000. I'd heard good things about Saturns -- test drove a new SW1 wagon back about 5 years ago, and was impressed with the handling and utility it seemed to offer. So I bought the car the day after I test drove it. The used car dealer was in Jackson, Michigan, about 30-miles from my home. As I got on the freeway heading home, the "Service Engine Soon" light came on. Five minutes later, the "Coolant Low" light came on. Good Grief!

Well, it's nine months and about 13,000 miles later, and I'm still driving the Saturn. The "Service Engine Soon" light goes out every time I have something done (like getting the oil changed; and replacing the air filter; and replacing the alternator), but it always comes back on a day or two later. Lately it seems to go off by itself for awhile, then comes back on after a few dozen miles. It still seems to run pretty well; but lately I'm thinking I should at least replace the plugs.

The "Coolant Low" light, according to my mechanic, is a symptom of Saturn's choice of materials in the radiator, which has dissimilar materials in a sealing area. As the coolant heats up, the 'core' and the 'sheathing' expand at different rates, allowing coolant to escape through the thermal expansion-generated gaps.

My major gripe is the oil consumption. I checked the oil before buying the car, and of course it was full and the oil was clean. I drove it for a week, and checked the oil when I filled the gas tank. Surprise, surprise, the oil was down about 3/4 of a quart! This is after only 300 miles. Well, I own the thing, and don't have another car to drive. What am I to do, but keep driving the car?! Now, every fill-up, I add a quart of oil while the gas is going into the tank, and check the oil level AFTER filling the tank. Usually, it is back up to 'full', but lately I've had to add another 1/3-quart every month or two (in addition to the regular 1-quart per tankful). I have been seeing 31+ miles-per-gallon gas mileage, which means my fuel fill-ups are usually about 320 miles. I'd say I'm getting about 1300 miles per gallon -- OF OIL!

I haven't heard any good suggestions about how to cure the problem, except one guy who recommends using straight 30, 40, or 50-weight oil (use thinner grades in winter), add 2-cans of an engine treatment called "Alemite" (if I remember right) instead of one quart of oil, and then drive slow and easy for 50 - 100 miles after the oil-change & Alemite treatment. The Alemite is supposed to make a rapid build-up that will improve the sealing surfaces and reduce or eliminate the oil consumption. Since the 'build-up' material is not as hard as the steel cylinder walls and piston rings, another can of Alemite is recommended with every oil change.

Sounds like a lot less expensive than having a ring- or valve-job, or rebuilding or replacing the engine. I think I'll give it a try! I'll report back in a few months if I have anything positive to report.

-- JCB -- (Ann Arbor, Michigan)