NHTSA Complaint #10019833 — 1999 SATURN SC1

THE PLASTIC BUTTON THAT ATTACHES TO THE SPRING TO LOCK THE EMERGENCY BREAK INTO PLACE BROKE. THIS PIECE IS APPROXIMATELY ONE OUNCE AT MOST AND IT BROKE WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS UNOCCUPIED AND NOT ON AN INCLINE. HAD THE VEHICLE BEEN ON A HILL, IT WOULD HAVE GREATLY INCREASED THE CHANCES OF INJURIES AND/OR FATALITIES. WHEN I CONTACTED SATURN, I WAS ADVISED THAT THE REPAIR WOULD COST $250 AND THAT IT WAS COMMON ENOUGH TO WHICH IT HAD BEEN SEEN MULTIPLE TIMES BY THE MECHANICAL REPRESENTATIVE TO WHICH I WAS SPEAKING. I WAS FURTHER ADVISED THAT SINCE AN EMERGENCY BREAK IS NOT A SAFETY MECHANISM, IT WOULD NOT BE SUBJECT TO A RECALL OR A RECALL RELATED INVESTIGATION.*AK