NHTSA Complaint #10237854 — 2006 SATURN ION

I PURCHASED MY '06 SATURN ION IN JUNE '06. JUST LAST WEEK, I PARKED MY CAR AT A LOCAL STORE AND WHEN I ATTEMPTED TO TURN OFF THE IGNITION, THE KEY WOULDN'T BUDGE. THE IGNITION HAD LOCKED UP. AFTER SEVERAL ATTEMPTS, I CONTACTED MY LOCAL SATURN DEALERSHIP AND THEY TOLD ME I WOULD NEED TO BRING THE CAR IN IMMEDIATELY TO BE ABLE TO TURN OFF THE ENGINE. ONCE I ARRIVED AT THE DEALERSHIP, THEY TOLD ME THE SITUATION AND HOW THEY CAN FIX IT AT A COST OF $300+. WITH NO OTHER OPTIONS, I AGREED AND THEY PROMPTLY FIXED IT WITHIN THE HOUR. HOWEVER, AS I PAID MY BILL I ASKED THE SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE WHAT THE CAUSE OF THE IGNITION LOCK WAS AND HE SAID IT WAS A FAULTY PART FROM SATURN AND THAT IT IS A COMMON PROBLEM. TO ME, THAT MEANS SATURN SHOULD BE TAKING CARE OF THE CHARGES AND THESE FAULTY PARTS!! THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL AND A REPLACEMENT MADE BY SATURN!! I HAVE HAD TWO SATURNS AND HAVE ALWAYS HAD GOOD EXPERIENCES AND WAS VERY DISAPPOINTED WITH HOW THEY HANDLED THIS "FAULTY" SITUATION! AND TO TOP IT OFF, ON MY RECEIPT, PARTS WERE LESS THAN $40 SO LABOR WAS HUNDREDS OF DOLLARS FOR LESS THAN 1 HOUR OF WORK FOR THEIR OWN FAULTY PART. UNREAL! *TR