2007 SATURN AURA Complaints

IN OCTOBER 2006, MY HUSBAND AND I PURCHASED A NEW 2007 SATURN AURA. IN DECEMBER 2006, WE RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE FROM THE SATURN OF GREENVILLE, NC DEALERSHIP. MODIFICATION # 06147. ON 12/29/06 I TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP TO HAVE THE CAR SERVICED FOR THE RECALL. AS EXPLAINED TO ME THE RECALL HAD TO DO SOMETHING WITH THE POWER STEERING. ON FEBRUARY 21, 2007, I HAD AN UPSETTING EVENT OCCUR WITH MY NEW AURA. I DROVE APPROXIMATELY THREE MILES FROM MY HOME TO A CHILD CARE CENTER TO DROP OFF MY ONE-YEAR OLD SON. I CONTINUED MY DRIVE TO WORK APPROXIMATELY 2.5 MILES. AS I APPROACHED MY PLACE OF EMPLOYMENT, I NOTICED SOME SMOKE AND IMMEDIATELY THEREAFTER LOST MY POWER STEERING. I STRUGGLED WITH THE STEERING UNTIL I REACHED OUR PARKING LOT AND THEN I RAN FROM THE CAR IN PANIC. IMMEDIATELY UPON LEAVING THE VEHICLE, THE ENGINE ERUPTED INTO A FIERY BLAZE. MY CO-WORKERS WITNESSED THE FIRE IN DISBELIEF AND ASSISTED ME WITH CONTACTING THE FIRE DEPARTMENT. THE FIRE CONSUMED THE FRONT END OF MY VEHICLE AND IT WAS DECLARED A TOTAL LOSS. THE CAR ONLY HAD APPROXIMATELY 5800 MILES. AFTER CONTACTING SATURN CORPORATE, THE SO CALLED 'RECALL' ABOVE WAS ACTUALLY ONLY A SERVICE BULLETIN. EVEN THOUGH THE NOTICE WE RECEIVED IN THE MAIL HAD STATED ON IT, URGENT/RECALL NOTICE. SINCE THE FIRE, GM HAS RE-PURCHASED THE AUTOMOBILE AND HAS REFUNDED OUR MONEY. WE DO NOT KNOW THE CAUSE OF THE ENGINE FIRE NOR DO WE KNOW IF THE FIRE WAS RELATED TO THE SERVICE BULLETIN WE HAD THE CAR SERVICED FOR IN DECEMBER 2006. *JB

2007 SATURN AURA XR CUSTOMER HAS CONCERNS ABOUT THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT AND BELIEVES THAT DEFECT CAN CAUSE DEATH**CC WHEN THE SEAT WAS OCCUPIED BY AN ADULT, IF FREQUENTLY INDICATED AN EMPTY SEAT. WHEN THE SENSOR INDICATED OCCUPANCY, IT WOULD SWITCH TO UNOCCUPIED AFTER DRIVING A MILE. *JB

I HAVE AN 2007 SATURN AURA, THE BACK SEAT BELTS ARE NOT LONG ENOUGH. WHEN YOU FASTEN THE BELT YOU HAVE "NO" MOVEMENT AT ALL. SO IN ORDER TO REACH THE REAR CONTROLS THE PASSENGERS HAS TO REMOVE THERE BELTS! EVEN IF YOU NOT REACHING FOR ANYTHING THE BELT CONTINUE TO PULL YOU BACK IN THE SEAT EVERY TIME YOU SIFT YOUR WEIGHT. THIS RESULTS IN THE PASSENGERS HAVING TO "UNDO" THEY BELTS RETRACT THEM AND REFASTEN THEM WHILE THE CAR IS IN MOTION. NOT SAFE. I HAVE TAKEN THE CAR BACK TO SATURN AND THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT TOLD ME, IT IS WHAT IT IS AND THERE IS NOTHING THEY CAN DO ABOUT IT. I CAN'T BELIEVE THAT A CAR MANUFACTURE WOULD BUILD A CAR WITH SEAT BELTS THAT CAN'T BE USED BY ADULTS. MY SON IS 21 AND 160 LBS AND IT IS AN PROBLEM FOR HIM AS WELL . ITS NOT PROBLEM WITH THE SIZE OF THE PERSON BUT THE LENGTH OF THE SEAT BELT. ANY HELP YOU CAN GIVE WOULD BE GREATLY APPRECIATED. *NM

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS AND SHIFTING GEARS, THE GEAR DISPLAY DID NOT CHANGE COLOR TO INDICATE WHAT GEAR THE VEHICLE WAS IN. THE DEALER WAS CONTACTED AND DETERMINED THE SHIFTER PERFORMED AS DESIGNED. THE CONSUMER STATED IT IS IMPPOSIBLE TO SEE AT NIGHT WHICH GEAR HE HAS THE VEHICLE IN. THERE IS NO LIGHT OR INDICATOR ON DASH OR THE CONSOLE. UPDATED 12/28/06. *JB