NHTSA Complaint #10127683 — 2000 SATURN LS

I WAS DRIVING TO WORK AT APPROX. 35 MPH. I OWN A SATURN 2000 LS WITH A 3.0 V6 WITH 56,413 MI. MY SES LIGHT & BATTERY LGHT CAME ON WHILE I WAS DRIVING - ALMOST AT THE SAME TIME MY CAR DIED.MY CAR WOULD NOT START.ALL MY GAGES WERE NORMAL PRIOR TO THE CAR DYING. I HAD TO HAVE THE CAR TOWED.IT WAS TOWED TO PEP BOYS THEY TOLD ME THAT THE TIMING SLIPPED AND THAT THE SERPENTINE BELT WAS MELTED. THEY TOLD ME TAKE IT TO A SATURN DEALERSHIP IN ORDER TO FIX IT.THEY ALSO INFORMED ME THAT THIS WAS THE 3RD SATURN LS2 IN THE SHOP THIS WEEK WITH THE SAME PROBLEM.THE CAR WAS TOWED TO SATURN OF ORCHARD PARK.SATURN HAD THE CAR FROM 06/28/05 UNTIL I PICKED IT UP ON 7/06/05.THE TECH TOLD ME THAT HE FOUND THAT THE WATER PUMP HAD LEAKED ONTO THE TIMING BELT - THE TIMING BELT SLIPPED CAUSING THE CAR TO JUMP TIMING - THIS CAUSED THE SEPENTINE BELT TO SNAP AND IT MELTED INTO THE PULLEYS. I TOLD HIM THAT THERE WAS NO INDICATION TO ME THAT ANYTHING WAS WRONG WITH THE WATER PUMP. THERE WAS NO LEAKING OF FLUID ON THE DRIVEWAY OF MY HOME.THE ENGINE TEMP.GAUGE WAS NORMAL.I JUST HAD THE OIL CHANGED AND THE TRANSMISSION CHECKED. IN THE END THE TECH REPLACED THE WATER PUMP (THIS IS THE SECOND WATER PUMP FOR THIS VEHICLE - THE FIRST ONE WAS REPLACED WHEN THE CAR HAD 19,958 MILES IN 2001). ALL PULLEY GROOVES WERE GROUND OUT. THE TENSIONER PULLEY AND BELTS WERE REPLACED. ENGINE STILL WOULD NOT START. ALL THE INTAKE AND SOME EXHAUST VALVES WERE DAMAGED. BOTH HEAD CYLINDER BANKS WERE REPLACED THE CAM AND TIMING WERE SET. THE CAR WAS ROAD TESTED. $ 4,313.05 LATER - I HAVE MY CAR BACK. I COULD HAVE BEEN IN A SERIOUS REAR END COLLISION. SATURN IS WELL AWARE OF THE PROBLEMS WITH THIS ENGINE. THERE IS NO GUARANTEE THAT THE SAME THING WILL NOT HAPPEN AGAIN. I HAVE CONTACTED SATURN CUSTOMER SERVICE - THEY OFFER NO ASSISTANCE. I BELIEVE THAT THERE IS A SERIOUS DESIGN FLAW WITH THIS ENGINE. I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THIS INVESTIGATED.