NHTSA Complaint #10251421 — 2005 SATURN RELAY

WE PURCHASE THE VAN MARCH 2006 AS THE FIRST OWNERS. THE ORIGINAL PROBLEM STARTED IN JUNE OF 2007 WHEN THE PASSENGER SIDE POWER SLIDING DOOR WOULD OPEN BACK UP WHEN CLOSING. WE TOOK THE VAN TO THE DEALER AND THEY REPLACED THE DOOR JAM SWITCH. THE MILEAGE AT THE TIME WAS 11,584. FROM THAT TIME TO NOW DEC 2008, WITH 31,000 MILES, THE PROBLEM HAS CONTINUED AND ADDING IN THE DRIVER SIDE POWER SLIDING DOOR. THE PROBLEMS RANGED FROM DOORS CLOSING AND GETTING AN ALARM INDICATING THAT THE DOOR(S) WERE OPEN TO HAVING TO PLACE THE DOORS IN MANUAL IN ORDER TO CLOSE THEM AND STILL GETTING THE ALARM AS IF THE DOORS WERE OPEN. AFTER 15 VISITS TO THE DEALER AND ALL INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL PARTS REPLACED, THE PROBLEMS STILL COME BACK. THERE WERE TWO INSTANCES THAT WE FOUND, AFTER THE DOORS WERE REPAIRED, THEY WOULD NOT LOCK. THIS WAS FOUND BY ONE OF OUR CHILDREN OPENING THE DOOR BEFORE IT WAS UNLOCKED AND THE SECURITY SYSTEM SOUNDED. AFTER THE SECOND TIME, THE DEALER INFORMED US THAT IT WOULD NOT LOCK BECAUSE OF THE DOOR COMING OUT OF ALIGNMENT NOT ALLOWING IT TO ENGAGE. THIS MAKES ME WONDER IF THIS HAS HAPPENED BEFORE AND WE WERE NOT AWARE. ALSO THE FACT THAT IF IT DOES NOT LOCK, THEN IT COULD OPEN WHILE THE VEHICLE IS IN MOTION. I HAVE BEEN IN CONTACT WITH SATURN CUSTOMER SERVICE NUMEROUS TIMES WITH OUR CONCERNS TO NO RESOLVE OF THE PROBLEMS. ALL THEY COULD DO IS OFFER MINIMAL COVERAGE THAT DOES NOT CORRECT THE PROBLEMS WITH THE DOORS AND I HAVE NO PEACE OF MIND WHILE TRAVELING IN THE VAN WITH MY FAMILY. I HAVE READ OF NUMEROUS OTHER 2005 SATURN RELAY OWNERS WITH THE SAME PROBLEMS AS WE HAVE. I AM AFRAID THAT IT WILL TAKE A SERIOUS INJURY OR DEATH BEFORE GENERAL MOTORS TAKES THIS PROBLEM SERIOUSLY. THEY OBVIOUSLY KNOW THERE IS A DEFECT/DESIGN PROBLEM DUE TO THE FACT THAT EVEN THE DEALER ACKNOWLEDGES CONTINUOUS REPAIRS TO THIS MODEL OF GM VAN AND A DESIGN CHANGE IN THE 2008 MODELS OF GM VANS WITH POWER SLIDING DOORS. *TR