NHTSA Complaint #10093324 — 2003 SATURN ION

ABOUT 1 MONTH AGO, I BEGAN TO NOTICE A THUMPING NOISE COMING FROM WHAT I THOUGHT WAS MY FRONT PASSENGER TIRE. I BEGAN TO TRY TO ESTABLISH THE PATTERN OF THE NOISE AND VERIFIED THAT IT PRIMARILY OCCURS AT LOW SPEEDS OF 20-25MPH OR HIGH SPEEDS OF 50-55 MPH WHEN I APPLY THE BRAKES. I TOOK MY CAR INTO SATURN DEALERSHIP 9/18/04 TO HAVE IT 'CHECKED OUT'. THE MECHANIC DIAGNOSED THAT I EITHER HAD A FAILING WHEEL-BEARING OR I NEEDED TO REPLACE MY TIRES. THE MECHANIC ASSURED ME THAT THERE WAS NOT IMMANENT DANGER OF DRIVING THE CAR. EXACTLY ONE WEEK LATER I WAS DRIVING DOWN A PAVED ROAD AND THE WHEEL COMES COMPLETELY OFF. UPON PERSONAL INVESTIGATION, I FIND THAT ALL FOUR LUGNUTS HAVE BROKEN OFF. I HAD THE CAR TOWED BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP WHERE I WAS TOLD THAT THEY "DID NOT KNOW WHY THE TIRE CAME OFF, AND THERE APPEARED TO BE NO DAMAGE, SO THEY OFFERED TO PLACE THE TIRE BACK ON AND 'SEND ME ON MY WAY'. I CHOSE TO LEAVE MY CAR UNREPAIRED AT THE DEALERSHIP UNTIL THE REGIONAL ENGINEER COULD LOOK AT IT, CONVENIENTLY, THE FOLLOWING DAY. THE ENGINEER SUPPLIED THAT THERE SEEMED TO BE NO REASON FOR THE LUGNUTS TO HAVE BROKEN AND THE TIRE TO HAVE COME OFF. THE ENGINEER OFFERED TO FURTHER TEST THE TIRE AND 'TAKE A CLOSER LOOK' AT THE PARTS THAT HOLD THE TIRE ON. THE ENGINEER TOLD US HE HAD PLACED THE TIRE ON ANOTHER CAR AND DISCOVERED THAT THE NOISE WAS COMING FROM A PLUG THAT HAD BEEN PLACED IN THE TIRE OVER A YEAR AGO. HE ALSO STATED HE STILL DID NOT KNOW WHAT CAUSED THE LUGNUTS TO BREAK AND THE TIRE TO COME OFF. HE STATED THAT SATURN WAS NOT LIABLE DUE TO ME HAVING MY TIRES ROTATED OVER A YEAR AGO BY AN OUTSIDE COMPANY. HE SUGGESTED HE COULD "FIX" MY CAR IF I WERE WILLING TO PAY FOR THE DAMAGES INCURRED DURING THE ACCIDENT. HE ALSO SUGGESTED I FILE A CLAIM THROUGH MY VEHICLE INSURANCE COMPANY.*AK