NHTSA Complaint #10054537 — 2003 SATURN VUE

I RECENTLY PURCHASED A 2003 SATURN VUE AND DISCOVERED THAT WHEN THE VEHICLE STARTS OFF FROM A FULL STOP IT PULLS SHARPLY TO THE RIGHT. OVER THE PAST SEVERAL WEEKS I HAVE BEEN TRYING TO GET THIS MATTER RESOLVED - MOST RECENTLY OVER THE PAST 10 DAYS (ALLOWING FOR ALL THE EMAIL TRAFFIC). THE "HEAD" MECHANIC AT THE SATURN DEALERSHIP I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE FROM DID NOT ATTEMPT TO FIX THE PROBLEM AT ALL. INSTEAD, HIS COMMENT REGARDING IT WAS, "THAT IS THE NATURE OF THE BEAST". TODAY, A (SUPERVISOR) OF CUSTOMER RELATIONS TOLD ME THAT THIS WAS "NOT A DESIGN FLAW" EVEN THOUGH SHE WAS INFORMED THAT MY PROBLEM IS IN EACH AND EVERY VUE BEING SOLD. I CANNOT UNDERSTAND HOW THIS VEHICLE PASSED INSPECTION STANDARDS WITH THIS DEFINITIVE PROBLEM. TRUE, IT MAY NOT (TO SOME) APPEAR TO BE A "MAJOR" SAFETY RISK BUT TO OTHERS, IT IS. AS I EXPLAINED TO SATURN TODAY, THIS FAULT WAS PURPOSELY KEPT FROM ME FOR THE SOLE PURPOSE OF SELLING THE VEHICLE. HAD SATURN BEEN UP-FRONT IN ADVISING ME OF THIS FAULT, I WOULD NEVER HAVE CLOSED THE DEAL AND WOULD HAVE EITHER PURCHASED A DIFFERENT MODEL (NO OTHER SATURN HAS THIS PULLING PROBLEM) OR GONE TO SOME OTHER AUTO MANUFACTURER. THIS PROBLEM (TO MY KNOWLEDGE) HAS NOT RESULTED IN ANY INJURIES OR FAILURES (TO DATE) BUT I WISH TO FILE THIS COMPLAINT ANYWAY IN THE HOPE THAT SOMETHING CAN BE DONE BEFORE IT LEADS TO SERIOUS ACCIDENTS. THE SELLING PRACTICES OF SATURN IN THIS MATTER ARE NOTHING SHORT OF FRAUD AND MISREPRESENTATION.*AK