NHTSA Complaint #10169152 — 2003 SATURN VUE

THE HORN ON MY 2003 2WD SATURN VUE HAS MALFUNCTIONED AND IS NON-OPERATIONAL. ONE DAY, WHILE THE CAR WAS PARKED AND TURNED OFF, THE HORN ACTIVATED BY ITSELF AND WOULD NOT SHUT OFF. THE HORN WOUND UP DYING COMPLETELY AND NOW THE HORN, RELAY, FUSES, AND WIRING ALL NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE HORN ACTIVATOR IS LOCATED INSIDE THE AIRBAG UNIT INSIDE THE STEERING WHEEL UNIT. THE HORN ACTIVATOR IS COVERED BY A COPPER PROTECTIVE PLATE WHICH DEFORMS OVER TIME DUE TO THE DRIVER HAVING TO PRESS EXETREMELY HARD ON THE HORN BUTTONS TO ACTIVATE THE HORN. WHEN THE COPPER PLATE BECOMES DEFORMED, THE HORN ACTIVATES AND IS UNABLE TO BE DEACTIVATED UNLESS THE MAIN FUSE FOR THE HORN IS PULLED. IN MY CAR, THE FUSE WAS NOT ABLE TO BE LOCATED AND PULLED IN TIME, LEADING TO THE UNIT FAILURE. NOW I HAVE NO HORN AND THE DEALERSHIP WANTS TO CHARGE $750 TO REPLACE THE UNIT. FROM WHAT I'VE READ ON SATURN FORUMS ON THE WEB, THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM FOR THIS MAKE/MODEL/YEAR DUE TO A DESIGN DEFECT IN THE HORN UNIT. DESPITE THE FACT THAT SO MANY PEOPLE HAVE HAD THIS ISSUE (SOME MORE THAN ONCE), GM HAS REFUSED TO ISSUE A RECALL. *NM