NHTSA Complaint #10092981 — 2004 SATURN ION

USUALLY I CHARGE MY CELL PHONE AT HOME OVERNIGHT. BUT ON MONDAY 9/20/04 I HAD FORGOTTEN TO CHARGE THE PHONE AND USED THE CELL PHONE CHARGER IN MY NEW 2004 SATURN ION 2 SEDAN. I NOTICED THAT MY TURN SIGNAL INDICATOR WAS FLASHING QUICKLY. I STOPPED TO CHECK AND FOUND THAT THE FRONT TURN SIGNALS WERE NOT WORKING AND THE NORMAL DAYTIME RUNNING LIGHTS WERE NOT WORKING. I WENT TO THE LOCAL SATURN DEALER. HE SAID I NEEDED UPGRADED RESISTORS AND CAPACITORS TO HANDLE MY CELL PHONE CHARGER. THIS WAS DONE UNDER WARRANTEE IN 2 HOURS. FROM RESEARCH ON THE INTERNET BULLETIN BOARDS I FOUND THAT THIS PROBLEM WITH THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM HAPPENS WITH SOME BUT NOT ALL CELL PHONE CHARGERS. THE SATURN FACTORY RECOGNIZED THE PROBLEM AND PUT IN THE BETTER RESISTORS AND CAPACITORS TO HANDLE CELL PHONE CHARGERS IN CARS MADE AFTER 5 MONTHS AGO. THIS IS A POTENTIAL SAFETY PROBLEM IF PEOPLE CONTINUE TO DRIVE WITH NON WORKING FRONT TURN SIGNALS, IT COULD LEAD TO AN ACCIDENT. I ALSO WONDER IF PEOPLE WITH THE OLD ELECTRICAL SYSTEM MIGHT SUFFER DAMAGE TO THEIR ELECTRICAL SYSTEM WITH CELL PHONE CHARGES OVER TIME WHICH COULD LEAD TO A FAILURE OF THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM. IN MY CASE I IMMEDIATELY RECOGNIZED THE PROBLEM BECAUSE MY LIGHTS STOPPED WORKING. WHAT ABOUT SOMEONE WHO'S CELL PHONE CHARGER DOESN'T TURN OFF THE LIGHTS BUT JUST STRAINS THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM LEADING TO ELECTRICAL SYSTEM FAILURES. *AK