NHTSA Complaint #10062125 — 2003 SATURN ION

SATURN ION 3 ELECTRIC POWER STEERING. 2003. POWER STEERING-ELECTRIC: IT APPEARS THAT THE ELECTRIC POWER STEERING IS PROGRAMMED TO GIVE MORE ASSIST IN A PANIC SITUATION. SENSORS DETECT WHEN THE STEERING WHEEL IS BEING MOVED RAPIDLY, AND IMMEDIATELY GIVE MORE ASSIST, MAKING THE WHEEL VERY EASY TO TURN. SINCE MOST PEOPLE OVER-CORRECT IN A PANIC SITUATION, THIS INCREASE IN ASSIST IS EXACTLY THE WRONG THING TO DO. THIS IS ESPECIALLY NOTICEABLE ON INTERSTATE HIGHWAYS WHERE THE SPEED REALLY ACCENTUATES THE EFFECT. I DO 90% OF MY DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE, SO THIS IS OF PARTICULAR CONCERN TO ME. I NOW HAVE 20,000 MILES ON THIS VEHICLE AND HAVE KNOWN ABOUT THIS ODD STEERING BEHAVIOR SINCE ABOUT 2000 MILES WHEN I SWERVED TO AVOID AN ANIMAL AND ALMOST DROVE OFF THE ROAD. IF THE CAR WAS STILL WITHIN THE 30 DAY, 1500 MILE BUY BACK PERIOD, IT WOULD HAVE GONE BACK. EVEN KNOWING THAT THE PROBLEM EXISTS, AND OCCASIONALLY GIVING THE WHEEL A SHARP MOVEMENT SO THAT I KNOW HOW THE CAR REACTS, I ALMOST HIT THE GUARD-RAIL WHEN I WAS SURPRISED BY ANOTHER CAR DRIFTING INTO MY LANE ON THE DATE BELOW. I TELL EVERY SATURN ION OWNER THAT I MEET ABOUT THE PROBLEM. A FRIEND'S SON DROVE THEIR ION OFF THE ROAD ABOUT A MONTH AGO UNDER SIMILAR CIRCUMSTANCES. OWNERS WHO DON'T OFTEN VENTURE ON TO THE INTERSTATES ARE RELUCTANT TO BELIEVE THERE IS ANY SUCH PROBLEM WITH THEIR NEW CAR. THE SAME IS TRUE OF THE SATURN DEALERSHIP THAT I HAVE TAKEN MY CAR TO. THEY SEND ME ON MY WAY, DRIVE A COUPLE OF MILES, TELL ME THEY DROVE 50 MILES AND THAT THE CAR IS PERFECTLY FINE. I DON'T KNOW OF ANYONE WHO HAS BEEN KILLED BY THIS PROBLEM, BUT I'M SURE IT IS ONLY A MATTER OF TIME.*AK