NHTSA Complaint #10186790 — 2000 SATURN SATURN L SERIES

WHILE TRAVELING AT A SPEED OF 60 MILES PER HOUR I MY ENGINE SUDDENLY STALLED WITH NO PRIOR WARNING OF A PROBLEM, I WAS JUST ABOUT RAN OFF THE OVERPASS I WAS CROSSING BY A VEHICLE BEHIND ME. I WAS ABLE TO SAFELY PULL TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD ONLY TO DISCOVER THAT MY VEHICLE WOULD NO LONGER START. AFTER TAKING MY VEHICLE TO A MECHANIC I WAS TOLD THAT THE TIMING CHAIN HAD BROKEN AND HE WOULD NOT EVEN ATTEMPT TO MAKE REPAIRS AND I WOULD HAVE TO TAKE IT TO THE DEALERSHIP. UPON CALLING THE DEALERSHIP I WAS TOLD THEY HAD HEARD OF THIS BEFORE AND IN ORDER TO FIX IT I WOULD HAVE TO PAY ~$1200 JUST TO REPAIR THE TIMING CHAIN AND THE CHANCES OF FINDING MORE DAMAGE INSIDE THE ENGINE DUE TO THIS HAPPENING AT A HIGH SPEED WAS VERY HIGH, THEIR BEST ESTIMATE WAS ~$2500 OR HIGHER TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE. THIS WAS ON EASTER OF LAST YEAR, I STILL HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO COME UP WITH THE MONEY TO HAVE THIS FIXED, I HAVE SPENT THE YEAR RESEARCHING THIS PROBLEM ONLY TO FIND THAT MULTIPLE INVESTIGATIONS HAVE BEEN OPENED, RECALLS ISSUED IN OTHER COUNTRIES, HOWEVER WE STILL HAVE NO RESOLVE FOR US HERE IN THE U.S. SOMEBODY REALLY NEEDS TO MAKE SATURN RESPONSIBLE FOR WHAT IS COSTING HONEST CONSUMERS IN REPAIRS ON VEHICLES THAT SHOULD NOT BE BREAKING WHEN THEY ARE. AND FOR THEM TO "STRONGLY SUGGEST" GETTING THE ADDITIONAL PARTS TO GET OIL TO THE TIMING CHAIN IS ABOUT AS MUCH OF A GUILTY PLEA AS I HAVE EVER HEARD. BOTTOM LINE IS THEY KNOW THERE IS A DEFECT IN THE DESIGN, THE NHTSA KNOWS THERE IS A DEFECT IN THE DESIGN, THE CONSUMERS WHO HAVE BEEN AFFECTED KNOW THERE IS A DEFECT IN THE DESIGN, THE ONLY THING THAT IS UNKNOWN IS WHO HAS THE GUTS TO STAND UP AND ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY, OR TO MAKE SOMEBODY ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY. *JB