Our Community is 940,000 Strong. Join Us.


Saturn SC2 2001 clicking noises / check engine light


SaturnSC2_01
02-08-2005, 08:28 AM
Hi all,
I am new to this forum and saw some pretty informative posts, so I decided to join and add an inquiry.

I currently own a Saturn SC2 2001 manual with 63K miles. It JUST hit 63K a mile or two before I started having problems. Of course... It works fine until 3K after my warantee expires.

While I was driving I noticed a clicking noise that grew louder and louder (to the point that my stereo on full volume wouldn't mask it). I figured I would try to make it home and go from there. After I started to lose acceleration and the check engine light started flashing randomly, I decided to pull over and have it towed. :banghead:

If anyone has any insight, it would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
Shanghaied_Saturn

SaturnSC2_01
02-08-2005, 06:01 PM
The diagnosis is in... The most feared diagnosis of all... I threw a piston rod. Fun. So I'm looking at somewhere between 1,500 and 2,500 for a fix.
Lucky me...


:uhoh:

SaturnSC2_01
02-13-2005, 09:20 AM
It's been one hell of a week...

To begin... I changed my oil religiously every 3K miles. Never had a check oil level light come on and only had the check oil soon light come on (a normal warning) once because I forgot to reset it after an oil change. I know some Saturns have problems with bad seals, but I never saw any leakage. Perhaps the warning lights went bad, but I doubt it.

I dug out my paperwork and did some research on my car... I found the odometer disclosure statement from when it was purchased. I also found the contract for the warrantee. The car was purchased with 5,798 miles and the warrantee was for 72 months/60K miles. My car presently has 63K miles.

I checked out the following site, which was listed on the brochure of the warrantee and found the specifics of how it all works out...
http://www.gmprotectionplan.com/faqs.cgi

"When does a GM Protection Plan end?
Vehicle service contracts purchased on all vehicles end at the time or mileage selected.

All vehicle service contracts and Smart Care vehicle maintenance contracts end at the time or mileage selected (whichever comes first) calculated from the date of contract purchase and odometer mileage at time of contract purchase. For example, a 24,000-mile plan, purchased for a vehicle with 40,000 miles, will end when the odometer reaches 64,000 miles (unless the time period expires first)."

According to this, the warrantee is good until 65,798 miles on the odometer.

Or so I thought...

I showed up at the Saturn dealership all happy and ready to get my engine fixed or replaced for free. According to the fine print put on the contract by, the warrantee starts at 0 miles, not the 5,798 miles that were ALREADY on the car when I bought it. So I didn't really get a 60,000 mile warrantee, I got a 54,202 mile warrantee. BIGGEST WASTE OF $1,000 EVER!!!!

Let me just say right now... I WILL NEVER BUY A GM PRODUCT AGAIN. EVER. If I do, please kick me in the face.

I even had the dealership that I bought the car call in and try to reason with GM. They told me to call and when I did they basically gave me a big FU. It was the absolute worst customer service I have ever had.

Please consider this if any of you are looking to buy another GM.

SaturnSC2_01
02-13-2005, 09:42 AM
Just one more side-note... I don't mean to offend any GM fans (as this is a GM forum and all) as I WAS one too. But after the treatment I received from their "Customer Service" department, I think it would be enough to turn anyone. I really got the impression that they didn't care about me and were rushing to get me off the phone.

For example, here's the exact coversation after the representative made it clear that they weren't going to help me.

Me: "So you're not going to at least discount the parts I need to fix my car"

GM Rep: "No sir"

Me: "And it doesn't matter to you that I will never purchase another GM product"

GM Rep: "Sir, that's your choice."

Me: "And that I'm going to tell everyone I know the horrible service I've received"

GM Rep: "Again, sir, that's your choice."

Me: "I guess paying the $3900 to fix my car wasn't worth it to keep a customer who may have been so grateful to return the favor and purchase many more vehicles in the future."

GM Rep: **silence**

emailer33
02-14-2005, 02:53 PM
i deal with customers all the time in my job, and quite frankly, i wouldn't spend $3900 to keep one customer. good bye!

SaturnSC2_01
02-14-2005, 03:02 PM
i deal with customers all the time in my job, and quite frankly, i wouldn't spend $3900 to keep one customer. good bye!


You either A) work for GM or B) don't deal with clientel that spend more than a few bucks for your service or C) won't have customers for long.

And you would spend $3900 if the customer signed a warrantee saying you would fix any problem with your product. Besides, if you fixed a $3900 (minus the $1000 for the warrantee is really only $2900) and the customer turns around and buys a vehicle for $30,000, you just made your money back and then some.

Either way, GM will correct this. Whether it's the BBB forcing them to, or my lawyers telling them to. This is not good customer service. I don't care if it's $2.00 or $2 million, it's just not good business practice.

Good day.

Add your comment to this topic!