NHTSA Complaint #10249652 — 2002 SATURN LS

I WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AT +/- 18:50, ON NOVEMBER 18TH 2008 WITH MY 2002 SATURN L200 WHEN THE ENGINE SUDDENLY STALLED OR CUT OUT. I HAD TO QUICKLY TRY AND SWITCH LANES TO GET TO THE RIGHT-HAND SIDE OF THE HIGHWAY WHILE THE CAR WAS LOSING SPEED. WHEN THE CAR STOPPED I TRIED TO START IT AGAIN BUT TO NO AVAIL. I CALLED MY INSURANCE COMPANY TO HAVE THE VEHICLE TOWED TO THE NEAREST SATURN DEALERSHIP I.E. SATURN OF PLANO. THE NEXT MORNING I PHONED THE DEALERSHIP TO CONFIRM THAT MY CAR WAS THERE AND THAT I WOULD LIKE THEM TO INVESTIGATE WHAT IS WRONG. THEY PHONED BACK EXPLAINING THAT MY TIMING CHAIN HAD BROKE AND THAT IT THERE IS A VERY GOOD CHANCE THAT MY VALVES WHERE DAMAGED AND A 50/50 CHANCE THAT MY PISTONS WERE DAMAGED AS WELL. THEY CAN'T TELL EXACTLY WHAT MIGHT BE DAMAGED UNTIL THEY OPEN THE ENGINE WHICH IS GOING TO COST ME $800 (ON TOP OF THE INVESTIGATION CHARGES ETC). THEY SAID I HAVE 2 OPTIONS: 1) LET THEM OPEN THE ENGINE AND DETERMINE TO SEE WHAT IS DAMAGED OF WHICH THE OUTCOME MIGHT BE: A. VALVES ARE DAMAGED - REPLACE ENGINE HEAD FOR AT LEAST $2491 B. PISTONS ARE DAMAGED - REPLACE ENGINE WITH SECOND HAND FOR AT LEAST $3800 OR 2) REPLACE THE ENGINE FROM THE BEGINNING THEN I WON'T HAVE TO FORK OUT THE INITIAL $800 AND IT WOULD ONLY COST ME AT LEAST $3800 WHEN I ASKED WHAT I COULD HAVE DONE TO PREVENTED THIS THE ANSWER WAS: "NOTHING" AND THAT THE CHAINS NORMALLY LAST LONGER THAN 100,000 (I THINK MY MILEAGE ON THE CAR NOW STANDS AT ABOUT 104,000). I SERVICED MY CAR AT LEAST 3 TIMES AT THAT DEALERSHIP IN THE PAST 12 MONTHS AND HAVE FORKED OUT ABOUT +/- $3000 ALREADY IN THE LAST 12 MONTHS - SO SPENDING ANOTHER $3000 OR MORE DOESN'T SOUND LIKE A WORTHY INVESTMENT. THE THING THAT UPSETS ME IS THE FACT THEY DON'T MENTION THAT HUNDREDS OF OTHER PEOPLE HAVE EXPERIENCED SIMILAR ISSUES AND OFFER TO FIX IT. THEIR CUSTOMER SERVICE SAID THAT I SHOULD FIRST PAY THE $800 FOR INVESTIGATION BEFORE THEY COULD COMMENT ON POSSIBLE ASSISTANCE ETC. YET IT IS THEIR FAULT. *TR