NHTSA Complaint #10063984 — 2001 SATURN SL

BATTERY ACID LEAK ON POSITIVE BATTERY TERMINAL (SATURN 2001 SL2). ON 3/13/04 AT NIGHT TRIED TO START MY SATURN AND COULDN'T START IT. CALLED SATURN ROADSIDE SERVICE FOR A JUMP (CAR STARTED). *AK ON THE DRIVE HOME CAR LOST ALL POWER COMING OFF THE FREEWAY AFTER PUSHING THE CAR TO A GAS STATION I FOUND THE POSITIVE BATTERY WAS CORRODED. I ATTEMPTED TO CLEAN THE POSITIVE BATTERY TERMINAL AND THE BATTERY TERMINAL WITH THE CABLE FELL OUT OF THE BATTERY. CALLED SATURN ROADSIDE SERVICE FOR A TOW TO SATURN OF TORRANCE DEALERSHIP FOR REPAIR. 3/15/04 SATURN OF TORRANCE SERVICE DEPARTMENT TOOK THE CAN IN FOR REPAIR. AND FOUND THE FOLLOWING: POSITIVE BATTERY TERMINAL OUT OF BATTERY POSITIVE BATTERY CABLE CORRODED CLEANED AFFECTED AREA I WAS CHARGED $127.57 FOR A REPLACEMENT BATTERY THE POSITIVE BATTERY CABLE CORRODED WAS REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY (NO CHARGE) NOTE: BATTERY WAS ONLY 2 YEARS OLD AND HAD GREEN INDICATOR LIGHT SHOWING THE BATTERY WAS STILL GOOD. I AM NOT HAPPY WITH BEING CHARGE FOR A REPLACEMENT BATTERY FOR A NEW CAR, AFTER LEARNING THAT QUITE A FEW OTHER PEOPLE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM AND THAT SATURN SERVICE BULLETIN ADDRESSING THIS ISSUE (SERVICE BULLETIN 01-T-26) NOTE: (STATEMENT POSTED ON THE INTERNET SAME PROBLEM) YES THIS IS A WELL-KNOWN CONDITION. THIS PROBLEM IS BASICALLY CAUSED BY SOMEONE OVER-TORQUING THE CABLE MOUNTING BOLTS. THERE IS ACTUALLY A SERVICE BULLETIN ON THE PROBLEM (NOT A RECALL OR CAMPAIGN) )1-T-26 .THE CONDITION CAN OCCUR ON ANY YEAR AND MODEL SATURN OR OTHERWISE WITH A SIDE POST BATTERY. BUT FOR WHAT-EVER REASON THE BULLETIN SPECIFIES ONLY 2000-2001 S-SERIES. (OVER-TORQUED AT FACTORY??) HTTP://WWW.SATURNFANS.COM/FORUMS/SHOWTHREAD.PHP3?S=D24372B7D0378A6EBF7DB656F9578E7E&THREADID=26203&HIGHLIGHT=SATURN+BATTERY+LEAK