NHTSA Complaint #10093060 — 2003 SATURN ION

THE TRANSMISSION ON MY SATURN ION QUAD COUPE INTERMITTENTLY DISENGAGES OR FAILS TO ENGAGE WHEN I STEP ON THE GAS. THIS IS DANGEROUS BECAUSE IF IT DOES NOT ENGAGE WHILE I AM PULLING INTO TRAFFIC I COULD BE HURT. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER AND THEY SAID THEY COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE CONCERN, BUT ACKNOWLEDGED THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITH THESE TRANSMISSIONS AND A "FIX" WOULD BE OUT SOMETIME IN THE FUTURE. I HAD PREVIOUSLY RECEIVED ON OWNER NOTIFICATION LETTER RE THIS ISSUE (IMPLYING THAT THE TRANSMISSIONS WOULD BE REPLACED IF THERE WAS A PROBLEM.) WHEN I CALLED THE COMPANY TO DISCUSS MY CONCERNS, THE DEALER'S RESPONSE THAT NOTHING COULD BE DONE, AND THE OWNER NOTIFICATION LETTER CONTENTS, THE RESPONSE WAS ESSENTIALLY THAT IF THE DEALER CANNOT DUPLICATE THE CONCERN, THERE IS NO PROBLEM--ESSENTIALLY, THEY SAID SOMETHING BAD HAS TO HAPPEN BEFORE THEY WILL TAKE ACTION, AND THE DEALER DOESN'T HAVE TIME TO DRIVE THE CAR UNTIL THEY CAN DUPLICATE THE CONCERN. I THINK IT'S WRONG AND THEY SHOULD FIX THE PROBLEM. THIS HAPPENS AT LEAST 2X PER DAY, NEVER IN THE SAME PLACE, NO RHYME OR REASON TO IT.*AK