NHTSA Complaint #10233567 — 2006 SATURN ION

EVERY NOW AND THEN MY KEY FELT 'ROUGH' IN THE IGNITION. ON 7/4/2008 I GOT IN THE CAR (IT WAS PARKED ON A STEEP INCLINE) AND THE KEY WOULD NOT TURN OVER. MY FIRST THOUGHT WAS THAT MY STEERING WHEEL WASN'T LOCKED, BUT EVEN AFTER TURNING THAT (IT NEVER DID SEEM TO LOCK), THE KEY STILL WOULDN'T BUDGE. IT EVENTUALLY TURNED OVER. BETWEEN 7/4/2008 AND 7/8/2008 THIS PROBLEM OCCURRED ALMOST EVERY SINGLE TIME I STARTED MY CAR. THE ONLY TIMES WHERE IT WASN'T SEVERE WERE WHEN I WAS PARKED ON A COMPLETELY LEVEL SURFACE SUCH AS A GARAGE. I CALLED THE SATURN DEALER AND TOOK MY CAR INTO BE SERVICED. THE ENTIRE IGNITION LOCK CYLINDER HAD TO BE REPLACED. MY KEY STILL FEELS 'ODD' AND I DO NOT HAVE FAITH THAT THIS PROBLEM IS RESOLVED. MY CAR HAS 27,140 MILES AND WILL TURN THREE ON NOVEMBER 7, 2008. THIS IS IN ADDITION TO HAVING MY STARTER REPLACED IN EARLY JANUARY 2008. IN DECEMBER 2008 THE CAR LOST ALL POWER AND DIED WHILE DECELERATING ON AN EXIT RAMP AFTER DRIVING 30 MILES STRAIGHT. *TR