NHTSA Complaint #10131204 — 2000 SATURN SC1

IGNITION INTERLOCK DEVICE FROZE UP! UNABLE TO STEER, SHIFT GEARS OR RESTART ENGINE! UNABLE TO TOW CAR TO SATURN DEALER BECAUSE OF LOCATION. TRIED ALL RECOMMENDATIONS & NOTHING WORKS! LOCKSMITH INFORMS ME THIS IS SPECIFIC TO SATURN! ONLY POSSIBILITY THAT MIGHT WORK IS TO DRILL OUT TUMBLER IN IGNITION LOCK! SATURN REFUSES TO COMPLY WITH REQUEST FOR INSTRUCTIONS FOR EMERGENCY PROCEDURES! SATURN HQ CAN NOT BE CONTACTED BY CUSTOMER!! CAR HAS ONLY 32,000 MILES & WARRANTY NO LONGER COVERS THIS! SEARCHED INTERNET CONSUMERS AFFAIRS & FOUND OTHER COMPLAINTS WITH SAME THING! OTHERS HAD DAMAGE & INJURIES & EVEN HAD CARS TOTALED DUE TO THIS MALFUNCTION WHILE DRIVING!!! I WAS INFORMED BY PHONE FROM SATURN CUSTOMER SERVICE THAT THIS WAS COMPANY "PRIVILEGED INFORMATION" & SATURN REFUSES TO COMPLY WITH MY REQUEST!! OTHERS ARE HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM!! THIS IS NOT A ISOLATED CASE!!! THIS IS A MAJOR SAFETY CONCERN!! THANK GOD MY CAR WAS PARKED AT THE TIME--THE OTHERS WERE NOT SO LUCKY! ONE GOT WRAPPED AROUND A TELEPHONE POLE, WHILE OTHERS LOST STEERING & ALSO "FROZE UP" JUST LIKE MINE! I SEE THERE WAS A RECALL WHICH I WAS NOT AWARE OF IN OCT. 2000 THAT PERTAINED TO THIS--IT HAD SOMETHING TO DO WITH THE LOCK OUT CABLE TO THE TRANSAXLE. THIS MAY BE INTERRELATED??? THE KEY SLIDES IN/OUT OF KEY WAY WITH NO FRICTION! SEEMS LIKE TUMBLERS ARE NOT CATCHING. KEY WAY HAS BEEN LOSE & REPORTED TO SATURN DEALER WHILE UNDER WARRANTY BUT NO ACTION TAKEN!!! THIS HAS BEEN OVER 3 YEARS AGO!!! ONLY REPLY FROM SATURN WAS "RETURN TO DEALER! YEA!! HOW???? ALSO WHY SHOULD I HAVE TO SPEND HUNDREDS OF DOLLARS TO DO THAT??? I CAN NOT EVEN GET IT OUT OF MY GARAGE TO HAUL IT DOWN THERE ON A CAR CADDY!!! AND WHAT ABOUT THE OTHERS THAT WRECKED THEIR CAR BECAUSE OF THIS HAPPENING WHILE DRIVING????? *JB