NHTSA Complaint #10093779 — 1997 SATURN SL

DEFECT DETAILS: DESIGN FLAW IN THE ENGINE CYLINDER HEAD ASSEMBLY CAUSES CRACKS IN THE CYLINDER HEAD. ALLOWS MOTOR OIL TO LEAK INTO THE COOLING SYSTEM/RADIATOR MIXING WITH ENGINE COOLANT IN THE ENGINE COOLANT RECOVERY RESERVOIR. MAKES THE CAR RUN HOT, RESULT IN OVERHEATING WITH POTENTIAL TO RESULT IN CRASHES. SOLUTION: TO REPLACE CYLINDER HEAD ASSEMBLY GM/SATURN RESPONSE: COMPLAINT FILED WITH GM ON SEPTEMBER 10, 2004 VIA WRITTEN LETTER. GM RESPONSE TO THAT LETTER WAS A COURTESY CALL TO "THANK" US FOR OUR "FEEDBACK" AND HOW IT WILL BE PUT IN A DATABASE FOR THEIR ENGINEERS TO UTILIZE IN FUTURE DESIGN. WHAT A JOKE. NO HELP OR RESOLUTION OFFERED. NO RECALL OR ANY OTHER NOTICE WAS SENT VERBALLY OR IN WRITING TO US. REFUSED TO STAND BEHIND THEIR DEFECTIVE PRODUCT. HAD PRIOR KNOWLEDGE OF DEFECT AND FAILED TO DISCLOSE TO US. AMOUNTS TO FRAUDULENT BUSINESS AND UNFAIR TRADE PRACTICES. GM/SATURN KNEW ABOUT THIS FLAW IN 1997 SATURN SL-1 WHEN THEY SOLD THE CAR TO US, BUT NEVER DISCLOSED IT AND NEVER OFFERED TO FIX IT. REFER TO BULLETIN NUMBER 96T65 AND BULLETIN DATE: NOVEMBER 1996 ON HTTP://WWW.EDMUNDS.COM. IN THE LAST 12 MONTHS, OUR CAR HAD TO BE BROUGHT TO A MECHANIC TWICE DUE TO "CLOSE TO OVERHEATING". THE CAR IS 7 1/2 YEARS OLD AND HAS LESS THAN 85,000 MILES ON IT WITH OIL CHANGES ON TIME & ALL RECOMMENDED MAINT. ON TIME. SINCE GM/SATURN DEALERSHIP IN RENO, NEVADA DID NOT OFFER TO FIX THE DEFECT, WE GOT IT FIXED BY ANOTHER MECHANIC. COST = $1827.25. WE BELIEVE THIS IS FRAUDULENT BUSINESS PRACTICE ON PART OF GM/SATURN TO KNOWINGLY SELL THEIR DEFECTIVE CAR TO CONSUMERS WITHOUT DISCLOSING THIS AT THE TIME OF SALE AND NEVER OFFERING TO FIX THE DEFECT EVENTHOUGH IT MAY CAUSE ACCIDENTS AND PUT SAFETY OF THE OCCUPANTS AT RISK. WE ARE SEEKING FOR REIMBURSEMENT OF THE COST OF REPAIRING THIS KNOWN DEFECTIVE PRODUCT FROM GM. A COPY OF THAT REQUEST WILL BE MAILED TO YOU SEPARATELY. WE HOPE YOUR AGENCY HAS THE AUTHORITY AND PASSION TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT. *NM