NHTSA Complaint #10205108 — 2001 SATURN LS

I DRIVE A 2001 SATURN L200. IT HAS ABOUT 60,000 MILES ON IT. MY CAR WAS TAKEN IN TO A TIRE SHOP TO GET NEW TIRES. THE MAINTENANCE MAN WENT TO TURN ON THE CAR AND THE KEY WOULD NOT TURN. WE ENDED UP CALLING SATURN AND, AT FIRST, THEY SAID IT WAS A WORN KEY AND THAT WE COULD COME IN AND THEY WOULD MAKE US A NEW ONE. SO WE DID THAT, AND THE KEY STILL WOULDN'T TURN. WE HAD THE CAR TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY SAID IT NEEDED A NEW IGNITION CYLINDER AND HOUSING. WE WENT TO PICK UP THE CAR AND THE MAINTENANCE GUY TURNED THE CAR ON AND IT STARTED UP FINE. HE TURNED IT OFF TO DO SOME PAPERWORK. HE GOT BACK INTO THE CAR, TURNED IT ON, AND ALL IT DID WAS "SPIN." THEY CAME OUT TO TELL US THAT THE TIMING CHAIN BROKE. NOW THEY ARE TRYING TO MAKE US PAY FOR IT, EVEN THOUGH IT WASN'T IN OUR POSSESSION AT THE TIME. I JUST GOT THROUGH READING ABOUT ALL THE OTHER CARS OF THE SAME TYPE THAT HAVE HAD THE SAME ISSUE, ONLY I WAS LUCKY THAT THE CAR WASN'T MOVING. MORE PARTS DIDN'T GET DAMAGE. ALSO, I WOULD HAVE HAD TO GET ON THE HIGHWAY TO COME HOME. I'M PRETTY SURE MY CAR STOPPING ON THE HIGHWAY DURING RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC DUE TO SOMETHING THAT IS BREAKING IN MANY OF THE SAME CARS IS A SAFETY HAZARD. NO PARTS HAVE BEEN PLACED SO FAR, THOUGH I WAS TOLD THAT ONLY THE TIMING CHAIN WOULD NEED REPLACED. *JB