Saturn cars do typically have high HC problems related to their electronic
ignition system, but we can not recommend you retire your vehicle just based
on that. The fault may cost a low as a few hundred dollars to diagnose and
repair. Surely it's a good investment, and once the problem is properly
diagnose and repaired your Saturn will provide you many more years of
continued service with no more high HC.
Your Saturn does not have a distributor and all ignition spark and timing
functions are computer controlled. It is equipped with an ignition module
which has been known to cause problems. We'd recommend you have a certified
smog check mechanic or technician run your Saturn on an engine ignition
diagnosis machine to check for spark plug timing and voltage output. More
then like they will see a variance in spark voltage, maybe even intermittent
timing issues. Using an Ignition Analyzer, the smog station can diagnose
your vehicle ignition system accurately. This is important because in many
instances, non-smog certified service mechanics end up replacing many
un-needed ignition components before determining the exact problem. This
ends up wasting allot of time and money. We recommend a hands on diagnosis
focusing on the ignition module.
