NHTSA Complaint #10186424 — 2007 SATURN AURA

IN OCTOBER 2006, MY HUSBAND AND I PURCHASED A NEW 2007 SATURN AURA. IN DECEMBER 2006, WE RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE FROM THE SATURN OF GREENVILLE, NC DEALERSHIP. MODIFICATION # 06147. ON 12/29/06 I TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP TO HAVE THE CAR SERVICED FOR THE RECALL. AS EXPLAINED TO ME THE RECALL HAD TO DO SOMETHING WITH THE POWER STEERING. ON FEBRUARY 21, 2007, I HAD AN UPSETTING EVENT OCCUR WITH MY NEW AURA. I DROVE APPROXIMATELY THREE MILES FROM MY HOME TO A CHILD CARE CENTER TO DROP OFF MY ONE-YEAR OLD SON. I CONTINUED MY DRIVE TO WORK APPROXIMATELY 2.5 MILES. AS I APPROACHED MY PLACE OF EMPLOYMENT, I NOTICED SOME SMOKE AND IMMEDIATELY THEREAFTER LOST MY POWER STEERING. I STRUGGLED WITH THE STEERING UNTIL I REACHED OUR PARKING LOT AND THEN I RAN FROM THE CAR IN PANIC. IMMEDIATELY UPON LEAVING THE VEHICLE, THE ENGINE ERUPTED INTO A FIERY BLAZE. MY CO-WORKERS WITNESSED THE FIRE IN DISBELIEF AND ASSISTED ME WITH CONTACTING THE FIRE DEPARTMENT. THE FIRE CONSUMED THE FRONT END OF MY VEHICLE AND IT WAS DECLARED A TOTAL LOSS. THE CAR ONLY HAD APPROXIMATELY 5800 MILES. AFTER CONTACTING SATURN CORPORATE, THE SO CALLED 'RECALL' ABOVE WAS ACTUALLY ONLY A SERVICE BULLETIN. EVEN THOUGH THE NOTICE WE RECEIVED IN THE MAIL HAD STATED ON IT, URGENT/RECALL NOTICE. SINCE THE FIRE, GM HAS RE-PURCHASED THE AUTOMOBILE AND HAS REFUNDED OUR MONEY. WE DO NOT KNOW THE CAUSE OF THE ENGINE FIRE NOR DO WE KNOW IF THE FIRE WAS RELATED TO THE SERVICE BULLETIN WE HAD THE CAR SERVICED FOR IN DECEMBER 2006. *JB