Saturn (GM) STANDARD OPERATING PROCEEDURE
When we at GM discover an epidemic costly flaw in our cars (like casting flaws in our cylinder heads that will cause the head to eventually CRACK); and before we become aware of the problem, tens of thousands of cars with the flaw have gone off the assembly line to dealers:
We withold that information (sending out a service notice) for as long as we can- so as to get as many of those cars affected, OVER the warranty period. That way, we are not liable to cover the cost of the repair or replacement and we are able to cut our loses!
Also: If a new car customer who has been taking his car to the dealer for regular scheduled maintainance, CHANGES ADDRESS, and the dealer fails to notify the company of the new address and because of this dealer failure- we send out a service notice to the old address and thus the notice never reaches the customer:
When the service notice is returned to us as "undeliverable"; we will NOT make any attempt to reach the customer at his new address and notify him of the service notice. We are not liable for our dealer's failure nor will we take any action against our dealer for this failure in an attempt to compensate the customer,should he have been unaware of the notice and suffers a costly repair bill after his warranty has run out!
Anyone who doubts the above policy can contact (among many others): Grand Rapids (Michigan) Saturn.
(That is; if anyone there has the COURAGE to verify the above policy)
signed.
Michael Cohrman
misterfact@yahoo.com
Patricia of Bath ME (9/15/03):
Cylinder head cracked, Saturn is aware there is a problem but their
position is, if it didn't happen in 6 years or 100,000 miles (whichever
came first) I'm out of luck. Of course the local dealer will fix it for
$1,800. I own a 1994 Saturn SW1 with 94,502 miles. The service
bullentin came out in 1999. I believe that they knew it to be a defect
in the parts they used and it should be fixed no matter what the age of
the car.
Of couse they would like the public to think that after their timeframe
the car will never have the problem or by magic it will repair itself.
If the only humans worked this way after 6 years all birth defects
would just disappear. What a wonderful world it would be. All I have to
say is -- dream on, Saturn. I can't wait to get the car fixed and trade
it in for another car.
Damage Resulting: Loss of my sanity, cost - priceless new engine
$1,800, junk yard version $100, but it will take me a week or so to get
the two engines out, never mind the time to figure out how to get it
all back together and still have the car run. I have a full-time job
and I'm the mother of an eleven-year-old, not much free time here to
spare. I just knew I should have taken a shop class in high school, but
at 50 I'm not to old to learn. I build Navy DDG's at Bath Iron Works --
fixing a car should not be as complicated LOL.
It can be done, all right, but Patricia should buy a junker to drive
around in while she has the Saturn spread out all over the garage.
Tim of Hoover, AL (12/17/01):
I own a '95 Saturn SL-1 which I bought new. In January 1999 (only
months after the 3-year warranty expired), the cylinder head cracked. I
lowing:
thousands of Saturn horror stories
google.com groups (type in SATURN)
WARNING: SATURN has made over 100,000 cars with casting flaws in the cylinder head. This was told to me on the phone by a SATURN customer rep who did not give me his name.This flaw causes the head to CRACK- often AFTER the warranty has expired!
A QUALITY car has a QUALITY, LONG TERM warranty. 36,000 or 50,000 mile warranties are a joke!
Saturn standard operating proceedure 
Linear Mode
