NHTSA Complaint #10233486 — 2004 SATURN VUE

ON NOVEMBER 7, 2005 I PURCHASED A USED 2004 SATURN VUE FROM A LOCAL SATURN DEALER. ON DECEMBER 15, 2006 I TOOK THIS VEHICLE TO THE LOCAL DEALER IN ANSWER TO A TRANSMISSION RECALL NOTICE I RECEIVED IN THE MAIL. AT THIS TIME, THE FOLLOWING THINGS WERE DONE TO REPAIR THE DEFECT: GASKET-C/, COVER ASM, CORE-\COVE, SEALER-TR, ADDITIVE, PLUG-TRAN, FLUID-A/T, CONVERTER, CORE-CONV, FLUID-A/T. THESE REPAIRS CONSTITUTED 1/2 OF THE TRANSMISSION AND WERE COMPLETED UNDER WARRANTY. 102,000 MILES LATER, ON 6/17/2008 I RETURNED TO THE DEALER BECAUSE MY VEHICLE WAS AGAIN SHOWING SIGNS OF THE SAME DISORDER. AT THIS TIME WE WERE INFORMED THAT IT WOULD COST $6000 TO REPLACE A FULL TRANSMISSION AND THAT THERE WAS NO WARRANTY TO COVER THIS REPAIR. WE ARE QUITE UPSET THAT WE ARE STUCK WITH A DESIGN DEFECTIVE TRANSMISSION WITH NO RECOURSE BUT TO EITHER PAY FOR REPAIRS WHICH WE HAVE NO MONEY TO PAY, OR KEEP THE VEHICLE AND PAY $8000 IN FINANCE CHARGES FOR A CAR THAT CAN'T BE USED SAFELY, OR LET THE CAR GO TO THE FINANCE COMPANY IN A REPOSSESSION AND WRECK OUR CREDIT FOR 7 YEARS. WE WERE OFFERED A 50/50 DEAL FROM THE DEALERSHIP AFTER WE COMPLAINED, HOWEVER, WE DO NOT HAVE $3000 EITHER. WE FEEL THAT THIS TRANSMISSION DEFECT SHOULD BE REPAIRED FREE OF CHARGE EACH AND EVERY TIME IT BREAKS DOWN OR THAT WE SHOULD BE REIMBURSED $8000 TO WIPE OUT OUR DEBT ON THIS DEFECTIVE VEHICLE AND WE'D BE WILLING TO CALL IT SQUARE. OUR ON-LINE RESEARCH SHOWS THAT THIS TRANSMISSION (VTI) HAS BEEN A PROBLEM FOR EVERYONE WHO PURCHASED THIS MODEL CAR. SOME HAVE HAD TO HAVE THEIR TRANSMISSIONS FIXED OVER AND OVER AND OVER. WE ALSO LEARNED THAT THEY DO NOT MAKE THESE TRANSMISSIONS ANYMORE. WE ARE VERY UPSET!!! *TR