I am considering buying a 2003 L200 & saw in the postings mentioning a dimming headlight problem when there is a load on the system (like lowering the power window). Is this a problem that happens on only some L200 cars or is it also happening on L300's (v6)?
A couple of solutions listed were to clean the battery terminals and to replace the alternator. Did these methods fix the problem for you?
The 300's do it also....
2004 L's do it too. (I test drove them myself to find out for sure.)Go to Saturnfans.com and read the posting titled "Heading to Arbitration" and you will learn alot about this headlight issue (and loads of other issues). Also once there, do a search for "dimming lights" and read those too.
For as much as I love everything else about my L, I wish I had never bought one.
Oh yeah !!! Also go to NHTSA.dot.gov. (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration) Read up on the L owners complaints from 2000 and up. Also make sure to read about the investigation NHTSA did this year on the L regarding the 1.5 to
2.0 voltage drop that was discovered, yet the "reason", (excuse), there has not been a recall yet.I wish I had known about those sites before buying my L.
My 2003 L has the dimming lights problem and trust me, it is a deadly problem. Cleaning the cables did not fix mine and Saturn refuses to change the alternator, plus threatened to void my warranty if done elsewhere. One Saturn service manager even informed me that there is a serious design flaw in the L. He said, "In his opinion nothing is going to fix the dimming lights in the L series until Saturn redesigns the entire car......
All lights on my car dim due to power drain, everytime the auxilary cooling fan kicks on. That can be dozens of times in a matter of minutes depending on temps. Most of us who are public with this issue are not talking about a slight dimming. It is such a severe dimming, that at night you lose sight of the road. Plus it happens so often it is causing road rage towards us from other drivers. It also gives the impression to truckers and other motorists passing us that we are flashing our lights to give the "clear signal" for them to move over into our lane..
If you go to the above mentioned sites, you will be amazed when you read about the situations we L owners are facing due to this dimming lights issue.....and Saturn could care less. In my experience and countless others, Saturn Corp. does not stand behind their product like they used to.
So you know, Saturns stand on the dimming lights is that "It is a "normal operating procedure on ALL L's. We designed it to act that way". They also claim it is NOT unsafe, since our lights are not going ALL the way out ..........but anyway go to those websites and read all that and more.
Best of luck with whatever car you buy. If you still decide to buy an L, I hope you will not become the newest member to the "Unhappy L Owners Dimming Lights Club".
Most Sincerely, Pandorasun
It is/was only10 months old ...I had to have it replaced yesterday and the lights still dim....My "sealed" battery was found to be covered in corrosion with corrosion down in the battery tray also, yet Saturn Corp. REFUSED to cover it under warranty ....You can go to Saturnfans.com and click on the forum on the L series and read the Heading To Arbitration thread and get the whole jest of things wrong with the L for many of us.
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