NHTSA Complaint #10162556 — 2002 SATURN LS

MY HUSBAND AND I OWN A 2002 SATURN L300, OF WHICH I AM THE PRIMARY DRIVER. A FEW WEEKS AGO, I NOTICED THAT THE "BRIGHT" INDICATOR WOULD APPEAR SOMETIMES WHEN THE DAYTIME RUNNING LIGHTS WERE ON. THEN THE DAYTIME RUNNING LIGHTS WOULD STAY ON SOMETIMES FOR A FEW MINUTES AFTER THE MOTOR WAS STOPPED. THE LIGHTS ALWAYS WENT OUT, AND WE THOUGHT IT WOULD BE OK TO WAIT UNTIL OUR NEXT MAINTENANCE VISIT TO THE DEALER TO ASK ABOUT THE PROBLEM. LAST WEEK THE LIGHTS WOULDN'T GO OFF, SO WE MADE AN APPOINTMENT. WE ALSO DISCOVERED THAT IF WE PUSHED THE LIGHT STICK (THE LONG SWITCH THAT PROJECTS OUT FROM THE STEERING COLUMN) SLIGHTLY TOWARD THE DASHBOARD, THE LIGHTS WOULD GO OUT. WE THOUGHT USING THIS DISCOVERY AND PROPPING THE LIGHT SWITCH TOWARD THE DASHBOARD WOULD HOLD US UNTIL OUR APPOINTMENT. HOWEVER, THE DAY BEFORE THE APPOINTMENT, THE LIGHTS BECAME MORE STUBBORN AND THE STEERING COLUMN BECAME FIERY HOT NEXT TO THE SWITCH. THERE WAS ALSO THE ODOR OF SOMETHING BURNING. I PARKED THE CAR AND STAYED HOME. THE NEXT DAY AT THE APPOINTMENT, MY HUSBAND WAS TOLD THAT THE SERVICE PEOPLE SEE A SHORTING OUT OF THE LIGHT STICK ALL THE TIME WITH SATURNS. AS A MATTER OF FACT, THERE WAS ANOTHER CAR IN THE SHOP AT THAT MOMENT HAVING THE SAME REPAIR WORK DONE. I AM NOT AN EXPERT AND DON'T KNOW IF THIS PROBLEM IS DANGEROUS. ANY TIME THERE IS A SHORT IN A CAR, I JUST ASSUME THERE IS AN ASSOCIATED FIRE DANGER. HOWEVER, I DO KNOW THAT IF THIS PROBLEM IS AS COMMON AS THE DEALERS SERVICE PERSONNEL SAY, THEN THE PUBLIC NEEDS TO BE NOTIFIED. I DIDN'T RECOGNIZE THE PROBLEM WHEN IT BEGAN, AND NOW BELIEVE THAT WE AVOIDED A FIRE FROM THE SHORT CIRCUIT. *JB