SATURN Complaints

AS I WAS DRIVING MY AND IT CAR BEGAN TO PULL TO THE RIGHT AND THE TIRES BEGAN TO SQUEAL. IN MY MIND I THOUGHT I THOUGHT I NEEDED BETTER TIRES AND A WHEEL ALIGNMENT. AS I WAS DRIVING TO GET THE TIRES AND ALIGNMENT I HEARD A CRACKING FROM UNDERNEATH THE CAR, THIS REALLY SCARED ME. AT THIS POINT THE PULL TO THE RIGHT WAS EVEN STRONGER. I ARRIVE TO A TIRE SHOP AND PUT TIRES ON THINKING THIS WOULD BE BETTER BUT IT WAS THE SAME SO I DROVE ACROSS THE STREET TO A MECHANIC TO GET A WHEEL ALIGNMENT AND THE MECHANIC CAME OUT AND WENT UNDERNEATH THE CAR WHEN HE CAME BACK UP HE STATED THAT "YOUR SUBFRAME AND CHASIS IS CRACKED ALL THE WAY THROUGH, PARK IT IMMEDIATELY FOR SAFETY REASONS, IN HIS 20 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE AS A MECHANIC HE ONLY SAW HIS TWICE THE FIRST TIME WAS IN ANOTHER CAR THAT WAS RECALLED AND MINE THAT SHOULD BE ON RECALL WITH THE LEVEL OF DANGER, ESPECIALLY BECAUSE I SEE YOU HAVE A BABY'S CAR SEAT IN YOUR BACKSEAT". HE ALSO SAID EVEN AN OLDER CAR SHOULD NOT HAVE A SUBFRAME CRACK LIKE THIS, AND THAT THE MOTOR CAN FALL OUT WHILE I'M DRIVING AND THE WHEELS WILL COLLAPSE. WHAT AM I SUPPOSED TO DO I CAN'T EVEN TRADE IT IN AND IT'S WORTH $5500 AND THE COST WOULD BE FANANIMAL TO FIX. I CAN'T GET TO WORK AND EVEN CHILD CAR THIS IS HORRIBLE. PLEASE HELP.THIS IS A DEFECTIVE CAR AND THE WORST I HAVE EVER HAD. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 SATURN VUE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH, A COMPLETE LOSS OF POWERING STEERING OCCURRED WITHOUT ANY WARNING. THE CONTACT CONTINUED TO DRIVE HOWEVER, THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME DIFFICULT TO TURN. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT AUTO SHOP AND AN AUTHORIZED DEALER FOR DIAGNOSIS. THE TECHNICIANS ADVISED THAT THERE WAS A LEAK IN THE POWER STEERING PUMP AND THE HOSE. THE CONTACT REFERENCED NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER WAS 08V470000 (STEERING: HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST: HOSE, PIPING, AND CONNECTIONS) HOWEVER, THE CONTACT'S VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE PROBLEM. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 58,000.

DRIVING ON THE WAY TO WORK THIS MORNING, THE POWER STEERING WENT OUT THREE TIMES! TWICE ON A REGULAR HIGHWAY AND ONCE ON THE INTERSTATE. GOING 45 MPH SUDDENLY BELL SOUNDED AND PWR STEER LIGHT CAME ON AND IMMEDIATELY THE POWER STEERING WENT OFF. I WAS ABLE TO GET THE CAR TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, BUT WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN ABLE TO TURN IT, BECAUSE THE STEERING BECOMES, NOT QUITE MANUAL, SURELY MUCH HARDER THAN THE MANUAL MODE I WELL REMEMBER. WHEN I CUT OFF THE MOTOR AND RESTARTED, THE STEERING RETURNED TO NORMAL. ON THE INTERSTATE, I WAS GOING 62 MPH WHEN THE STEERING WENT OUT. PULLED OVER TO AN EXIT LANE, STOPPED AND RESTARTED AND EVERYTHING WORKED AGAIN. VERY DANGEROUS! I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY CARS HAVE BEEN STOPPED ON THE ROAD, AND A CAR COMING FAILED TO SEE THAT THEY WERE STOPPED AND SLAMMED INTO THEM... I JUST BOUGHT THIS CAR IN APRIL. IN CHECKING ONLINE BEFORE BUYING, I SAW THE COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE KEY STICKING, BUT DIDN'T SEE ANYTHING ABOUT THE STEERING AT ALL. I'M A WIDOW, STILL WORKING, AND REPAIRS WOULD BE VERY DIFFICULT. ESPECIALLY WHEN THIS SHOULD BE A RECALL, AND DONE FOR FREE, SINCE IT WAS/IS DEFECTIVE AND POSSIBLY INJURIOUS. AGAIN, I FEEL VERY VULNERABLE AND IN DANGER WHEN THIS IS GOING ON, AND IT'S HAPPENING MORE AND MORE EVERY DAY OVER THE LAST TWO WEEKS (SEPT 11TH WAS THE FIRST TIME). *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 SATURN ION. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH, THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME DIFFICULT TO MANEUVER. THE POWER STEERING WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL AND THE WARNING CHIME BEGAN TO SOUND. AFTER SHUTTING THE ENGINE OFF AND RESTARTING THE VEHICLE, THE STEERING FUNCTIONED NORMALLY. THE FAILURE RECURRED ONE MONTH LATER. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING OR REPAIRS. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 106,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 SATURN ION-3. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 50 MPH, THE POWER STEERING ASSIST FAILED AND THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME INOPERABLE. THE CONTACT MANAGED TO EXIT THE ROADWAY WITHOUT INCIDENT HOWEVER, EXPERIENCED EXTREME DIFFICULTY IN TURNING THE STEERING WHEEL. THE DEALER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE WHO ADVISED THAT THE REPAIR WAS NOT UNDER RECALL AND OFFERED NO ADDITIONAL ASSISTANCE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 75,755. AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 75,756.

CPSC# I1290352A. SATURN ION 2007. CONSUMER STATED SHE WAS HAVING LOCK CYLINDER MALFUNCTION. *LN THE CONSUMER STATED THE KEY BECAME STUCK IN THE IGNITION IN THE ON POSITION. SHE WAS UNABLE TO TURN THE ENGINE OFF. BECAUSE THE VEHICLE HAS A MANUAL TRANSMISSION, SHE WAS ABLE TO RELEASE THE CLUTCH WHICH STOPPED THE ENGINE FROM RUNNING. SHE HAD TO DISCONNECT THE BATTERY TO KEEP IF FROM DYING.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 SATURN ION. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE PARKED, GASOLINE FUEL LEAKED FROM THE VEHICLE ABNORMALLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A PRIVATE MECHANIC WHO CONFIRMED THAT THE FUEL PUMP NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND CONFIRMED THAT THE VIN FAILED TO QUALIFY FOR REPAIRS UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER:09V419000 (FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP). THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 85,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 86,000.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 SATURN VUE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FRONT DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDE INTERIOR CHROME DOOR HANDLES EXHIBITED A SHARP POINTED EDGE. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED A SEVERE LACERATION TO THE LEFT FINGER FROM THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE DEFECT. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 65,531.

AIR BAG SENSOR LOCATED IN PASSENGER SEAT, GM PART #19124219 WAS DEFECTIVE AND DISABLED AIR BAGS. THIS PART IS ROUTINELY DEFECTIVE IN THE KAPPA-MODEL ROADSTERS, SATURN SKY AND PONTIAC SOLSTICE.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 SATURN L200. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 15 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE TIMING CHAIN NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE WHO DID NOT OFFER ANY ASSISTANCE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 190,000.