NHTSA Complaint #10217489 — 2004 SATURN ION

I HAVE A 2004 SATURN ION WHICH WAS RECENTLY PURCHASED. ONE MORNING I WENT TO START THE CAR. ALL THE INTERIOR LIGHTS CAME ON, THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM WORKED FINE, BUT THE ENGINE WOULD NOT TURN OVER (NOTHING HAPPENED AT ALL). WHEN I RETURNED HOME THAT EVENING, THE CAR STARTED IMMEDIATELY, RULING OUT A DEAD BATTERY. THIS FAILURE RE-OCCURS MOSTLY ON COLD MORNINGS. I DISCOVERED ON THE WEB THAT SATURN HAS A PROBLEM WITH THE IGNITION SWITCH PASS LOCK SYSTEM WHEN IT IS COLD. SATURN IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM BUT REFUSES TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT. I TOOK THE CAR TO A LOCAL MECHANIC AND ASKED HIM TO REPLACE THE SWITCH. HE MADE A SPECIAL TRIP TO THE SATURN DEALER (30+ MILES) TO GET A NEW SWITCH, HOWEVER HE DISCOVERED THAT THE SWITCH NEEDS TO BE PROGRAMMED AND ONLY A SATURN DEALER CAN DO THAT. THE SATURN DEALERSHIP FAILED TO MENTION THIS TO HIM WHEN HE BOUGHT THE PART. NOW, I HAVE TO PAY TO HAVE THE CAR TOWED TO THE SATURN DEALER TO HAVE THE SWITCH PROGRAMMED, AS WELL AS FOR NEARLY A WEEK OF WASTED TIME, MONEY, AND CONVENIENCE. *TR