NHTSA Complaint #10162994 — 2001 SATURN SC1

I HAVE A 2001 SATURN SC-2 COUPE THAT WAS BOUGHT NEW IN 2001. I HAVE ROUTINELY CHANGED THE OIL AND DONE SCHEDULED MAINTENANCE ON THE VEHICLE. THE ENGINE HAS ~75,000 MILES ON IT AND THE TIMING CHAIN RECENTLY WENT OUT WHILE DRIVING DOWN A BUSY HIGHWAY AT 60 MPH. I TOOK IT TO THE MECHANIC AND LEARNED THE TIMING CHAIN DID NOT BREAK BUT BECAME LOOSE. I HAVE ALSO LEARNED SATURN ENGINEERS DESIGNED THE TIMING CHAIN TO RUN THE OIL PUMP. THEREFORE, WHEN THE TIMING CHAIN BECAME LOOSE ON MY SATURN,THE OIL PUMP FAILED TO MAINTAIN OIL PRESSURE ON THAT SIDE OF THE ENGINE AND SUBSEQUENTLY SHEARED OFF A BEARING THAT TRANSFERS POWER FROM THE CAM SHAFT TO THE PISTONS. THE MECHANIC SAID THIS OCCURRED AS A DIRECT RESULT FROM THE TIMING CHAIN FAILING TO DELIVER POWER TO THE OIL PUMP. I AM LEFT WITH REPLACING THE ENGINE. I AM AWARE OF THE TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN THAT SATURN RELEASED IN 2003 THAT DIRECTLY INVOLVED PROBLEMS WITH THE TIMING CHAIN AND SUBSEQUENT TOTAL ENGINE FAILURE. I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY SATURN OWNERS HAVE NOT BEEN MADE AWARE OF THE PROBLEMS THAT SATURN HAS HAD WITH THE TIMING CHAIN. I SPOKE AT LENGTH WITH SATURN CUSTOMER SERVICE AND MY LOCAL SATURN DEALERSHIP SERVICE MANAGER ON THE PHONE. BOTH OF WHICH STATED THAT SINCE I DID THE OIL CHANGES AND ROUTINE MAINTENANCE MYSELF, THERE WAS NO RECORD OF IT BEING DONE AND THERE WAS LITTLE THEY WOULD DO TO HELP RECTIFY THE SITUATION. THEY ALSO STATED THAT I COULD PAY TO TOW MY SATURN FROM THE MECHANIC SHOP THAT IT WAS AT TO THE DEALERSHIP GARAGE WHERE THEY WOULD GIVE ME AN ESTIMATE OF WHAT IT WOULD COST TO FIX AND WHETHER OR NOT THEY WOULD BE WILLING TO HELP OUT WITH COST. NO ONE AT SATURN WOULD STATE THAT THE TIMING CHAIN COULD HAVE BEEN AT FAULT IN THIS INCIDENT, ALTHOUGH EVERYONE THAT I SPOKE WITH WAS AWARE OF THE TECHNICAL BULLETIN BEING ISSUED OVER THE MATTER. I NOW AM FACED WITH REPLACING THE ENTIRE MOTOR WITH A REPLACEMENT AT AN ESTIMATED COST OF 2500 TO 3000 DOLLARS. THE DAMAGED ENGINE CAN BE MADE AVAILABLE. *NM