Comments: 1-15, 16-30, 31-45, 46-60, 61-71
Mines a 1995 Saturn SL1 with 145,000 miles. Noticed the oily goo running out of coolant reservoir. Haven't had it officially confirmed, but from this website I've got a good guess regarding what the problem is.
Well this string of comments helps me to identify at least some of the problems occuring in my wifes' 1996 SL2 that I bought used for her as a Christmas Present 2 years ago. If I give it gas and let off before it down shifts I get a sulfurous smell through the vents, and it stalls out while driving down the road. There is a sludge in the coolant tank as well and the cracked head would explain why the coolant light comes on all the time if oil is mixing in. It would also explain why my engine had no oil in it after I had just changed it and then drove from NC to ME this past november. A comfortable ride for sure, and the disappearing oil trick was amusing at first, now I will pay for it, it seems.
My 1996 SL1 has 101,000 miles. Just as case after case on
this site, I too noticed coolant and oil sludge on my
garage floor last week. The verdict from the mechanic
last night was a cracked head (big surprise) and a bill
for $1650. He tried calling all over town for a
replacement head and Saturn offered him one for $812.
He was flabbergasted when they casually mentioned, "oh yes,
we have them in stock - we do about 1 of those a week".
Unbelievably, their attitude is perfectly casual, as if
this problem is perfectly normal. I will never buy another
saturn. My Honda has way more miles, is 6 years older and
has had no troubles at all. The Saturn has been one thing
after another.
I own a 1995 Saturn SL2 with 103k on it and I have owned it for two years now and had little trouble. It does leak some oil but not bad and gets great gas mileage. No major repairs yet .Before that I owned another Saturn 1991 sl2 and had very little trouble with it until I sold it with 195,000. After changing the clutch at 150,000. The alternator went a couple times and the brakes too but all in all less than 2500 in service for 5 years isn't bad. I am happy with Saturn but I don't like the new look so I probably wont buy another one. The main fact is they are not Honda's or Toyota's that just don't break down but at least they are 1/4 of the price in the beginning. They are still better than fords or Chevy's any day. By the way re-man heads for Saturn's are on eBay for 385.00 and if you can or know someone who can do the work then you could save 1500.00.
I own a 95 SL1, and had the head replaced by the
dealer at 43K miles. at almost no cost to me, even
though I was 3K out of warranty. Now at 100K the
stupid head is broken again! You think they would
have redesigned the head years ago when all these
failures started happening. I'm not sure what I'm
going to do yet, but I don't see another Saturn in
my future. Even if I spend the money for a new
head from the dealer $550 + extras and do the labor
myself I'd be putting in a new, but substandard part.
--Thanks for letting me commiserate !
I have a 1996 SL2 73000 miles also had an orange ooze coming from reserve coolant tank. Can I assume I have a cracked head also??? Comments to Oboyl1529@aol.com.
Love my Saturn until Now.
I just bought a 96 Saturn SL2 and have no problems with it whatsoever!!! I'm a college student and it's my pride and joy!!
I bought a 1993 SL1 new, and I've put 230,000 miles on it. I've had no major problems with it - just the usual maintenance. A few months back, I had the cooling system cleaned and all the hoses replaced. Then the AC went out. Saturn did some work for about $700 and told me the compressor 'sounded funny'. Now the compressor is dead. Saturns don't run right unless the AC works - something about the supplemental fan kicking in. A friend told me about the porous heads, and I'm trying to decide whether to fix the AC. Does anyone know if the head problem goes as far back as 1993?
Doug in CA.
Saturn cylinder heads are casted at low temperature when they are made. That's why they warp and crack quicker than normal. Not a shocker tho, considering it's running pretty hot most of the time.
I found out about the low temperature casting of the heads a few years ago when I had my 97 sc1. A cousin of my friend used to be a Saturn Tech, he told me about it.
My son and his wife have a 1996 saturn and the head gasket just went and it has been sent out to check it for crackes. From what I have been reading the chances are pretty good that it is cracked and if it is I don't know what they will do as they only have one car for work and not a lot of money. If it is only the head gasket I am going to recommend that they sell the car! There should have been a recall for a fault like this.
My daughter's '97 SL2 is on its second engine (the first having died due to rear seal failure). The second one was used with 65K on it and it lasted about 5K miles before the cylinder head cracked.
No more GM products for me. EVER.
Well my head just went 95 SC1 158,000 miles. Other than about five alternators and high oil consumption has been a good car. I am changing the head myself. New head 355.00,gasket set 75.00, timing chain set 35.00, new head bolts 20.00, new coolant hoses 20.00. I can't believe the 2k to 3k repair bills.
I would just like to join the crew didn't know exactly what the problem was, but now I do 96 saturn SOHC cracked head. oil in the coolent, going to try to fix it myself I found a rebuilt head on ebay for 255 after shipping and it comes with every thing. now to try and put in and wait for it to go too.
I am a college student who recently bought a 1996 Saturn Sl1. I bought the car a few months earlier for 2300. All of a sudden one day my ac went out. I took it to a mechanic who told me I needed a new compressor as well as a valve and one other part. Basically the work would cost me about 900 dollars!!! Then I found out that my alternator is bad!!! I'm not sure rather to fix these problems or not. The car only cost my 2300 if I get all this work done it will run me about 1000 dollars or so. Is that worth it??? Should I just invest in a new car???
I own a 96 SW1 with oil accumulation in the coolant system. Had the head gasket replaced by “GM” professional mechanic who also resurfaced the head. Guess what, still have the problem.
From the comments I’ve read, cracked heads are a common problem with Saturn’s that I was unaware of until visiting this web-site. Haven’t contacted Saturn, doesn’t look like it’ll do much good. I wonder why GM CEO and corporate official’s can’t figure out why Toyota and Honda are the fastest growing car manufactures in the United States with the highest resale value. I wonder if they know who Brian Ross is, and how to spell class action?