NHTSA Complaint #10242745 — 2007 SATURN RELAY

I OWN A 2007 SATURN RELAY 3 MINIVAN. THE VAN HAS DUAL POWER ASSISTED REAR SLIDING CARGO DOORS. DURING MY FAMILY'S EVACUATION FOR HURRICANE GUSTAV THE PASSENGER SIDE POWER ASSISTED SLIDING CARGO DOOR DID NOT CLOSE PROPERLY (DID NOT LATCH). I ELECTRICALLY RE-CLOSED THE DOOR AND LOCKED THE VEHICLE. DURING THE WEEK OF SEPTEMBER 1ST THROUGH SEPTEMBER 7TH THE SAME DOOR WOULD NOT CLOSE PROPERLY, UNLATCHED WHEN THE FORWARD DRIVER OR PASSENGER DOOR WAS CLOSED AFTER ENTERING, AND UNLATCHED WHILE I WAS DRIVING ON INTERSTATE I-10 PASSING THROUGH THE MOBILE BAY TUNNEL. AFTER EXITING TO FIND A SAFE PLACE TO "RE-CLOSE" THE SLIDING DOOR I STOPPED & TRIED TO PUSH ON THE REAR EDGE TO SHUT THE DOOR. INSTEAD OF CLOSING THE DOOR OPENED COMPLETELY BY ITSELF (POWER ASSISTED). THE SLIDING DOOR HAS NOT OPENED ENTIRELY WHILE THE CAR IS IN MOTION, BUT REGULARLY UNLATCHED. IT DOES NOT MATTER IF THE DOOR IS LOCKED OR CONSOLE SLIDING DOOR SWITCHES TURNED OFF. THE PASSENGER SLIDING DOOR HAS UNLATCHED WITH THE CAR STOPPED AT A RED LIGHT, DRIVING AND HITTING A BUMP, AND DRIVING AND TURNING A CORNER. THE PROBLEM ONLY EXIST ON THE PASSENGER SIDE SLIDING DOOR. THE DRIVER SIDE POWER ASSISTED SLIDING DOOR CONTINUES TO WORK CORRECTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE SATURN OF NEW ORLEANS WESTBANK WHERE IT WAS PURCHASED FOR INVESTIGATION AND REPAIR ON SEPTEMBER 17, 2008 UNDER A WARRANTY CLAIM (I HAVE AN EXTENDED WARRANTY PLAN WITH THE VEHICLE). THE VEHICLE REMAINS THERE AFTER ONE DAY. I HAVE ALSO OPENED A COMPLAINT FILE WITH SATURN CORP, FILE NUMBER 71-663259600. SATURN HAS CALLED ME TO SAY THEY ARE WORKING TO RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. THE REPRESENTATIVE'S NAME IS LINDSEY, PHONE 866-290-5700, EXT. 21622. TO MY AMAZEMENT THE SATURN DEALER'S SERVICE DEPARTMENT TOLD MY WIFE "IT'S ONLY AN INTERMITTENT PROBLEM". OUR RATHER IMPOLITE REPLY WAS THAT ANSWER IS UNACCEPTABLE CONSIDERING OUR SON OWNS A 2006 RELAY 2 WITH EXACTLY THE SAME PROBLEM, AND THE DEALER HAS BEEN UNABLE TO REPAIR THIS LATENT DEFECT AFTER THREE TRIES. *TR