NHTSA Complaint #10008157 — 1997 SATURN SL

I WOULD LIKE TO REPORT A SAFETY ISSUE RELATED TO MY VEHICLE. EARLIER THIS WEEK I PURCHASED A USED SATURN FROM A DEALERSHIP IN FULL WORKING CONDITION. WHEN I CAME HOME TO SHOW THE REST OF MY FAMILY THE VEHICLE, WE ALL WENT FOR A RIDE. MY BROTHER IN THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT, AND MY MOTHER IN THE BACK SEAT. AFTER ARRIVING BACK TO MY HOUSE MY BROTHER AND I EXITED THE VEHICLE, WHILE MY MOTHER STRUGGLED UNSUCCESSFULLY TO EXIT THE VEHICLE. EVERY TIME SHE PULLED THE DOOR HANDLE TO OPEN THE DOOR, THE LOCK BUTTON DIRECTLY ABOVE THE HANDLE WOULD CATCH AND REMAINED LOCKED. MY BROTHER AND I WERE NOT ABLE TO OPEN THE VEHICLE DOORS FROM THE OUTSIDE EITHER UNTIL ABOUT 10 MINUTES LATER AFTER NUMEROUS UNSUCCESSFUL ATTEMPTS. THIS FRIGHTENED OUR FAMILY QUITE A BIT AND POSES A POTENTIALLY LETHAL SITUATION IN THE EVENT OF AN ACCIDENT. WE ARE CONCERNED FOR PASSENGERS THAT WILL NOT BE ABLE TO EXIT THE VEHICLE DURING AN EMERGENCY. WE HAVE TAKEN THE VEHICLE TO SATURN FOR INSPECTION, AND THEY WILL NOT EVEN LOOK INTO THE ISSUE UNLESS I AGREE TO PAY $85/DOOR TO HAVE THEM TAKE APART THE DOOR TO APPROACH THE PROBLEM. I FEEL THIS IS UNFAIR AND AN IRRESPONSIBLE ATTEMPT ON THEIR PART TO RESOLVE THIS POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS ISSUE. THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONCERN AND LET ME KNOW IF YOU CAN BE OF ANY ASSISTANCE IN THIS MATTER. *JB