NHTSA Complaint #10186793 — 2001 SATURN LS

I WAS DRIVING A 2002 SATURN L-100 WITH 72,000 MILES ON IT. I WAS STOPPED WAITING FOR THE TRAFFIC TO CLEAR, AND WHEN IT DID, I STEPPED ON THE GAS TO MERGE WITH THE HIGHWAY TRAFFIC. AT ABOUT 45 MPH, THE CAR STALLED AND I COASTED IT TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. I WAS UNABLE TO START THE CAR, AND HAD IT TOWED. THE MECHANIC TOLD ME THAT THE ENGINE HAD SUFFERED A TIMING CHAIN FAILURE. I WAS LUCKY THAT THERE WAS LITTLE TRAFFIC, AS I WOULD HAVE BEEN UNABLE TO AVOID ANYONE OR ANYTHING HAD CIRCUMSTANCES BEEN DIFFERENT. THE CAR IMMEDIATELY LOSES POWER, BUT DUE TO THE FACT THAT THE MASS OF THE ENGINE IS STILL TURNING, THE LIGHTS INFORMING YOU THAT THE CAR HAS STALLED DO NOT COME ON. MY OIL AND IGNITION LIGHTS ONLY CAME ON WHEN THE CAR WAS TRAVELING SLOWER THAN 10 MPH. DRIVERS ARE UNAWARE THAT THE ENGINE HAS STALLED, THEN YOU HAVE VERY LITTLE BRAKE POWER REMAINING. ONCE THE VACUUM BOOSTER IS FULL OF AIR, THE BRAKES BECOME HARDER TO ACTUATE, BUT DUE TO THE FACT THAT THE LIGHTS DO NOT COME ON, IT DID NOT OCCUR TO ME THAT MY BRAKES WERE ALSO ABOUT TO GO. IT WAS TRULY WEIRD. *JB