2002 SATURN LS Fuel System Gasoline Problems

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 SATURN L300. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE WAS AN ABNORMAL ODOR COMING FROM THE VEHICLE. THE MAINTENANCE AND THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE EVAPORATIVE EMISSION CONTROL SYSTEM HAD A LEAK. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 03V231000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM). THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 77,000. ...UPDATED 07/05/16 *BF THE FUEL PUMP WAS REPLACED. UPDATED 07/15/16

VEHICLE: 2002 SATURN L100 WITH 80,800 MILES. DATE: DECEMBER 2013 TO JANUARY 2014 PROBLEM: FOR AT LEAST A MONTH I STARTED SMELLING GASOLINE FUMES COMING FROM UNDERNEATH THE REAR AND SIDE AREAS OF VEHICLE AFTER HAVING DRIVEN IT AND STOPPING AND SHUTTING OFF ENGINE. AFTER INSPECTING UNDERNEATH VEHICLE, NO SIGNS OF LEAKING FUEL APPEARED. AFTER DOING SOME RESEARCH ON THE CARS' FUEL SYSTEM, I SUSPECTED THE LEAK WAS OCCURRING ON TOP OF THE FUEL TANK AROUND FUEL PUMP OR FUEL LINES. SOLUTION: TOOK THE VEHICLE IN TO A MECHANIC TO HAVE FUEL TANK REMOVED TO FIND PROBLEM OF LEAKING FUEL. AFTER IT WAS REMOVED, THE PROBLEM WAS FOUND. THE FUEL PUMP NIPPLE RETURN LINE WAS CRACKED AND BROKEN RESULTING IN LEAKING FUEL DOWN ONTO THE TOP OF THE TANK, CAUSING THE RESULTING FUEL SMELL. TOTAL COST TO REPLACE FUEL PUMP AND LABOR WAS $511.64. THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE...

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 SATURN L100. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH, THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED AS ENGINE POWER BEGAN TO REDUCE INDEPENDENTLY. THE CONTACT MERGED TO THE SHOULDER, SHUT OFF AND THEN RESTARTED THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT THEN SAW SMOKE COMING FROM THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACT AND ADVISED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN ANY RECALLS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE TECHNICIAN STATED THAT THE BRAKES, FUEL FILTER AND FUEL LINE WOULD HAVE TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 168,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 168,000.

VERY STRONG FUEL ODOR COMING FROM CAR WHILE DRIVING, WHEN STOPPED OR PARKING CANT HAVE THE WINDOWS DOWN BECAUSE THE SMELL MAKES YOU SICK AND GIVES YOU A HEADACHE. CANT BELIEVE THERE ARE NO RECALLS ON THIS. MECHANIC SAYS HE CANT SEE THE LEAK BUT BELIEVES ITS THE FUEL EVAPORATION SYSTEM NOT WORKING. THIS CANT BE SAFE!!!!!!!!!! MY FAULT AGAIN FOR BUYING AN AMERICAN CAR!!!!!!!!!! *TR

STRONG GASOLINE ODOR IN PASSENGER COMPARTMENT. REPAIR SHOP FOUND LEAK AT TOP OF GAS TANK WHICH SPRAYED GAS UP THROUGH THE BACK SEAT. PROBLEM WAS ONLY DISCOVERED LONG AFTER IT STARTED PUTTING MY FAMILY AT SERIOUS RISK! *TR

I AM FOLLOWING UP ON A COMPLAINT WHICH I HAD FILED ABOUT A WEEK AGO. ODI ID NUMBER : 10407378. THE INCIDENT STARTED WITH A GASOLINE SMELL IN AND OUTSIDE THE VEHICLE. THE REPAIR COST ME $900.00 TO FIX A FAULTY FUEL PUMP AFTER MY MECHANIC HAD PERFORMED A SMOKE TEST AND A PRESSURE TEST OF THE GAS TANK. I HAVE 72,200 MILES ON MY 2002 SATURN L200 SEDAN. I HAVE BEEN READING OTHER COMPLAINTS HERE AND IT IS VERY SAD THAT OUR AMERICAN CAR MANUFACTURERS ARE NOT STEPPING FORWARD TO ISSUE A RECALL ON THIS PARTICULAR PROBLEMS AND OTHERS. THE FACT THAT NO ONE WAS INJURED OR DIED FROM THIS INCIDENT AND OTHERS IS NO EXCUSE NOT TO ISSUE A RECALL. THIS IS IRRESPONSIBLE AND NEGLIGENT. I ALSO OWN A 2002 NISSAN FRONTIER XE AND THE MANUFACTURER ISSUED A RECALL ON A STEERING SHAFT THAT A RUST ISSUE AND...

WE HAVE A 2002 SATURN L200 FOUR DOOR SEDAN WITH ABOUT 72,000 MILES AND NOTICED A STRONG GASOLINE SPELL COMING FROM THE DRIVER SIDE OF THE REAR WHEEL AREA. THERE IS ALSO A SLIGHT SMELL INSIDE THE VEHICLE. THE CAR WILL BE DROPPED OFF IN THE NEXT FEW DAYS FOR REPAIR. I WILL POST MORE INFORMATION ONCE THE PROBLEM IS IDENTIFIED AND THE SOLUTION TO RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. I HAVE NOTICED QUITE A FEW COMPLAINTS BY SATURN OWNERS ON THIS EXACT PROBLEM WHEN I GOOGLED IT. I'M REALLY SHOCKED THAT A RECALL WAS NOT ISSUED. *TR

FUEL LEAKING FROM THE TOP OF GAS TANK. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 SATURN LW300. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED THERE WAS A GASOLINE ODOR. IT OCCURRED WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS TURNED OFF OR WHEN IT REMAINED ON CONTINUALLY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 80,000.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 SATURN LW300. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED THERE WAS A GASOLINE ODOR. THE ODOR WAS PRESENT WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS TURNED OFF OR WHEN IT REMAINED ON CONTINUALLY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 98,000.

THERE IS A STRONG FUEL ODOR IN THE CABIN OF THE VEHICLE AND FUEL DRIPPING UNDERNEATH. *TR

I OWN A 2002 SATURN L200 WITH ABOUT 74,000 MILES. MY WIFE NOTICED A FAINT GAS SMELL COMING FROM THE REAR OF THE CAR. A VISUAL INSPECTION BY MY MECHANIC DIDN'T SHOW MUCH. HOWEVER WITHIN A FEW DAYS THE LEAK HAD GOTTEN MUCH WORSE SO THAT GAS COULD BE SEEN LEAKING FROM THE TOP OF THE TANK. I HATE TO THINK WHAT WOULD OF HAPPENED IF MY WIFE AND CHILDREN WERE IN THE CAR AND THE GAS LEAKED A FEW MORE INCHES TOWARD THE MUFFLER. ON SEPTEMBER 14, 2010 I HAD THE FUEL PUMP MODULE (PART 22710031) REPLACED AT A COST OF $655.87. I SEE OTHER SATURN OWNERS HAVE HAD THE SAME DANGEROUS PROBLEM. WHY HAS THIS NOT BE RECALLED? LAST YEAR THE TIMING CHAIN BROKE AND WRECKED THE ENGINE. ALSO A COMMON, BUT AS OF YET, NOT RECALLED PROBLEM. AT LEAST THAT WOULDN'T HAVE SET THE CAR ON FIRE....

2002 SATURN FUEL PUMP WENT VERY BAD... CAR OK WHEN PARKED IN GARAGE NEXT MORNING BAD GAS FUMES COULD HAVE CAUSED EXPLOSION..HAD TO HAVE IT TOWED AND REPLACED THE PUMP. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 SATURN L200. WHILE DRIVING AT SPEEDS OF 55 MPH, THE CONTACT NOTICED AN UNUSUALLY OVERPOWERING GASOLINE FUEL SMELL. THE DEALER WAS CONTACTED AND WAS UNABLE TO PROVIDE A REASON AS TO WHY THE GASOLINE ODOR WAS EMITTING FROM THE VEHICLE WITHOUT A DIAGNOSTIC. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT YET TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 98,000.

CRACKED FUEL PUMP AND LEAKING EVAC CANNISTER. *TR

THIS IS MY SECOND COMPLAINT ON THIS PROBLEM. I HAVE A 2002 L200 SERIES SATURN. THERE IS A STRONG SMELL OF GASOLINE WHILE DRIVING AND IT IS EVEN STRONGER AFTER PARKING. WHEN I HAVE MY OIL CHANGED THEY TELL ME THE GAS DRIPS DOWN ON THE MUFFLER...THIS IS DEFINITELY A FIRE HAZARD. I KNOW THERE ARE SEVERAL OTHER COMPLAINTS ON THIS SAME PROBLEM. I CAN ONLY IMAGINE HOW MANY OTHERS WERE REPAIRED WITHOUT FIRST MAKING A COMPLAINT. THIS HAS GOT TO BE A MANUFACTURER DEFECT. IF YOU CAN RECALL A CHEVY BECAUSE THE LATCH ON THE GLOVE COMPARTMENT DOESN'T WORK, THEN THIS PROBLEM SHOULD BE A TOP PRIORITY. ARE YOU GOING TO WAIT UNTIL A CAR BLOWS UP AND/OR SOMEONE IS KILLED OR INJURED? *TR

2002 SATURN L200 LEAKING GAS DUE TO FAULTY FUEL PUMP. THERE HAVE BEEN SEVERAL REPORTED INCIDENTS AND I CAN IMAGINE THE NUMBER OF OWNERS THAT DID NOT COMPLAIN. SATURN HAS BEEN AWARE OF THE PROBLEM AND IT CONTINUED ON TO THE 2003 MODELS. SATURN SAID YOUR ORGANIZATIONS IS THE ONLY AUTHORITY TO ISSUE RECALLS. HOW MANY COMPLAINTS DOES IT TAKE FOR A RECALL TO BE MANDATED, OR DOES IT TAKE A FATALITY FOR THIS TO OCCUR. *TR

FUEL SMELL AND SMALL LEAK. DEALER SAYS FUEL TANK IS LEAKING AT SEAM OF VENT COVER PLATE OF FUEL TANK. ALSO, FUEL PUMP OUTPUT FITTINGS ARE PLASTIC AND "BECOME BRITTLE" AND ARE LEAKING. "BECOME BRITTLE" IS THE DEALER SERVICE WRITER'S WORDS. I GOOGLED THIS AND FOUND AT LEAST TWO MORE INSTANCES IN A 5 MINUTE SEARCH. OTHER INSTANCES FROM GOOGLE WERE VERY RECENT ALSO! NOVEMBER 2008. THIS MIGHT BE A DISASTER WAITING TO HAPPEN. PLEASE CATCH IT EARLY! *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 SATURN L SERIES. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED, THE CONTACT SMELLED A STRONG ODOR OF FUEL OUTSIDE THE VEHICLE AND OBSERVED FUEL SPILLAGE ON THE GROUND. THE FAILURE OCCURRED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING AND CRACKED FUEL LINE WAS DISCOVERED. IN ADDITION, THE FUEL PUMP EXHIBITED CRACKS THAT WOULD EVENTUALLY FAIL. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 34,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 36,140.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 SATURN L100. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE TURN SIGNALS DO NOT WORK. IN ADDITION, THE FUEL PUMP CRACKED IN THE GAS TANK AND CAUSED FUEL TO POUR OUT OF THE VEHICLE. HE SMELLED FUEL AND NOTICED IT "DUMPING" OUT OF THE VEHICLE, WHICH ALERTED HIM TO THE FAILURE. THE DEALER DIAGNOSED THE FUEL PUMP AS THE ORIGIN OF THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER COVERED $300 OF THE $650 REPAIR COST. THE CONTACT FELT THAT THE FAILURE WAS A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 62,394 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 62,100.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 SATURN L200. SOON AFTER PURCHASING THE VEHICLE, THE CONTACT BEGAN TO SMELL GAS. APPROXIMATELY TWO WEEKS LATER, WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE FUEL PUMP SPRAYED GASOLINE OUT OF THE FUEL TANK AND ONTO THE GROUND. THE FITTING FROM THE PUMP TO THE FUEL LINE HAS DETERIORATED. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 53,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 52,900.

I WAS VERY SURPRISED TO SEE SEVERAL OTHER COMPLAINTS ON THIS SITE ABOUT THE SMELL OF GASOLINE IN SATURNS. I TOOK MY CAR TO SATURN OF JOLIET WHERE IT WAS PURCHASED USED IN 2005. IT IS A 2002 L200 SERIES. THEY PUT IT ON THE RACK AND SAID THERE WAS A LEAK AT THE TOP OF THE FUEL TANK. THEY SAID IT WOULD COST ANYWHERE BETWEEN $500 AND OVER $900 TO REPAIR DEPENDING ON WHERE THE LEAK IS AND WHAT HAS TO BE DONE. I AM A SENIOR CITIZEN LIVING ON DISABILITY SOCIAL SECURITY AND CAN NOT AFFORD SUCH A HIGH REPAIR BILL. WITH ALL THE OTHER COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS PROBLEM, I WOULD CERTAINLY THINK IT IS A PROBLEM THAT CALLS FOR A RECALL. THIS MUST BE A DANGEROUS PROBLEM. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 SATURN L-SERIES SEDAN. WHEN THE CONTACT DRIVES THE VEHICLE AND PARKS, HE SMELLS GASOLINE. HE CHECKED UNDER THE HOOD, BUT COULD NOT LOCATE ANY LEAKS. HE WALKED TO THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE AND THE SMELL OF GASOLINE INTENSIFIED. HE LOOKED UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE, BUT COULD NOT LOCATE ANY LEAKS. THE MANUFACTURER ADVISED HIM TO TAKE THE VEHICLE TO A LOCAL DEALER; HOWEVER, THE CONTACT DID NOT FEEL SAFE DRIVING 20 MILES IF THE FUEL TANK WAS LEAKING. THE MANUFACTURER ALSO STATED THAT HE COULD TAKE THE VEHICLE TO BOUNDS AUTOPLEX. WHEN THE CONTACT ARRIVED, THE MECHANIC COULD SMELL THE GASOLINE; HOWEVER, HE COULD NOT LOCATE ANY LEAKS UNDER THE HOOD. THE MANAGER WAS NOTIFIED AND WAS ABLE TO LOCATE A LEAK ON TOP OF THE GAS TANK. THE CONTACT DECIDED TO TAKE THE VEHICLE TO AMERICAN AUTO, WHERE THEY REMOVED THE FUEL TANK AND...

WHEN TRAVELING ON 294 EXPRESSWAY,WHEN STOPING TO PAY TOW CAR DIED OUT AND WOUNLD NOT RESTART. TOWED ATTENNDENT SMELLED FUEL COMING FROM CAR TOW TO SATERN OF ELMHURST WERE TECT NOTED FUEL LINE UNDER VEHICLE WAS BROKEN DUE TO IMPACT DAMAGE TO FUEL COUPLING.*AK