NHTSA Complaint #10237484 — 2001 SATURN LS

ON SUNDAY AFTERNOON, JUNE 29, 2008 I WAS TRAVELING ON A 3 LANE IN EACH DIRECTION HIGHWAY AT APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH WHEN MY 2001 SATURN (WITH 41,000 MILES)SUDDENLY STALLED, LOSING ALL POWER FUNCTIONS (STEERING, BRAKES AND SPEED CONTROL). I WAS ABLE TO COAST ACROSS 3 LANES OF FOLLOWING TRAFFIC AND ONE LANE OF PARKING LANE WHERE I BEACHED THE CAR INTO A PARKING LOT AND TRIED TO RESTART IT. UNFORTUNATELY, THE CAR WOULD CRANK, BUT NOT TURN OVER. I EVENTUALLY WAS ABLE TO ARRANGE FOR A TOW TO MY MECHANIC'S NYS LICENSED GARAGE IN THE NEXT TOWN. MY MECHANIC NOTED THE TIMING CHAIN FAILED AND WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED AS WELL AS ITEMS DAMAGED BY THE FAILURE LIKE INLET AND EXHAUST VALVES AS WELL AS THE HEAD GASKET NEEDED TO BE REPLACED DUE TO THE REQUIRED ACCESS TO THE PARTS AND OTHER PARTS INVOLVED. USING A SEARCH I FOUND THAT OVER 20,000 SATURNS WITH THE 2.2L ENGINE (LIKE MINE) HAD BEEN RECALLED FOR THIS SAME FAILURE (NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID #07V519000). I CALLED SATURN CUSTOMER SUPPORT, I WAS ISSUED SERVICE REQUEST # . I PROVIDED HER THE DETAILS INCLUDING MY VIN NUMBER. I MENTIONED I THE OTHER SATURNS OF MY YEAR AND MODEL THAT ALSO EXPERIENCED THE PREMATURE FAILURE OF THE DRIVE CHAIN AND REQUESTED MY NEED FOR SUPPORT. SATURN SAID LOOKING UP MY VIN THAT MY CAR DID NOT QUALIFY FOR THE RECALL, ALTHOUGH OVER 20,000 SIMILAR UNITS WERE QUALIFIED, BUT IF I BROUGHT THE CAR TO SATURN, THEY WOULD EVALUATE IT FOR ME. I EXPLAINED THAT THE CAR NEEDED TO BE TOWED AND TO TOW IT TO THE NEAREST DEALER WAS NOT POSSIBLE AS THE MECHANIC HAD ALREADY DETERMINED THE PROBLEM AND WAS WORKING ON IT, AND I COULD SUPPLY THE RECEIPT AND BROKEN PARTS AS EVIDENCE. SHE SAID IT WAS NOT UNDER COVERAGE AS THE CAR WAS OVER 5 YEARS OLD. THREE DAYS LATER I RECEIVED THE BILL FOR THE REPAIRS AND TOWING (ALMOST $2,700.00) AND CALLED SATURN AGAIN TO CHECK TO BE SURE THERE WAS NOTHING SATURN WOULD DO. EXCEPT FOR THE OLD HEAD GASKET, I HAVE ALL VALVES, TIMING CHAIN AND BROKEN LINKS INVOLVED IN THE REPAIR. *TR