NHTSA Complaint #10128892 — 1999 SATURN SL

DT: THE VEHICLE IS A 1999 SATURN SL. WHEN THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON THE CONSUMERS DAUGHTER TOOK IT TO GET THE OIL CHANGED. FOUR DAYS LATER ON 6-25-05, SHE HEARD AN EXPLOSION; THE CAP ON THE RADIATOR COOLANT HAD POPPED OFF. SHE NOTICED THAT THERE WAS SOMETHING GUSHING OUT OF THE VEHICLE, WHICH TURNED OUT TO BE THE COOLANT AND OIL MIXED. THIS MIXTURE IS CURRENTLY SPLATTERED ON THE CONSUMERS DRIVEWAY. AFTERWARDS SHE CONTACTED THE PLACE WERE SHE GOT THE OIL CHANGED AND THEY TOLD HER TO BRING IT IN. SHE HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO THE THEM ON 6-27. THEY TOLD HER THEY THOUGHT IT WAS A CRACKED HEAD GASKET. AFTERWARDS WHEN THE CONSUMER CALLED THEM SHE WAS TOLD THAT THERE WERE PROBLEMS WITH THOSE TYPES OF VEHICLE. THERE IS A RECALL NUMBER 0304. THEY DO NOT HAVE THE OPTION TO REPAIR VEHICLES JUST OIL CHANGES AND SUCH. SO SHE TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP SATURN OF AMARILLO, WHICH TOLD HER THAT IT WAS A CRACKED CYLINDER HEAD. THEY INFORMED HER THAT THEY WOULD HAVE TO REPLACE THE CYLINDER HEAD, THERMOSTAT, AND THE WATER PUMP. THE VEHICLE IS CURRENT BEING FIXED AT ANOTHER DEALERSHIP. WHEN ASKING THE DEALERSHIP ABOUT THE RECALL THEY TOLD HER THEY KNOW NOTHING ABOUT A RECALL FOR THAT PROBLEM. WHEN SHE CONTACTED THE MANUFACTURE THEY TOLD HER THERE WAS NOTHING THAT SHE COULD HAVE DONE TO PREVENT THIS PROBLEM. AFTERWARDS, HER DAUGHTER CALLED AND THEY TOLD HER THERE WAS NO RECALL ON HER VIN NUMBER. CONSUMER FEELS THAT THE MANUFACTURE SHOULD REIMBURSE HER FOR THE COST CAUSED BY THIS MALFUNCTION. *AK