NHTSA Complaint #10257803 — 2004 SATURN ION

2004 SATURN ION INTERMITTENTLY WILL NOT START. HAPPENED ONE TIME LAST WINTER, BUT HAS PROGRESSED THIS WINTER. IF YOU ALLOW THE CAR TO SIT FOR 10-12 MINUTES IT STARTS RIGHT UP. I CALLED SATURN AND MADE AN APPOINTMENT TO LEAVE THE CAR WITH THEM WHILE I VISITED FAMILY IN FLORIDA. I SINCE WENT ONLINE AND DISCOVERED THAT HUNDREDS (MAYBE THOUSANDS) OF SATURN OWNERS HAVE THIS SAME PROBLEM. I CALLED SATURN SERVICE AND TOLD THEM WHAT I HAD DISCOVERED. THEY MADE NO COMMENT BUT SAID THEY HAD REPLACED THE IGNITION SWITCH. I CALLED A TOLL FREE NUMBER THAT A SATURN OWNER HAD LEFT ON AN ONLINE FORUM AND FILED A FORMAL COMPLAINT WITH SATURN OF AMERICA. SHE WAS VERY POLITE AND ASSURED ME SHE WOULD CALL SATURN AND "SEE WHAT SHE COULD DO FOR ME." THE NEXT DAY SHE SAID THEY COULD ONLY GIVE ME 10% OFF THE COST OF THE IGNITION SWITCH WHICH AMOUNTS TO $12. I CALLED THE SERVICE MANAGER TO TELL HIM THAT I EXPECTED MORE BECAUSE THIS IS SUCH A COMMON PROBLEM AND SHOULD ACTUALLY HAVE BEEN A RECALL. I COULD NEVER REACH HIM. HE WAS NEVER AVAILABLE (AS THEY SAID--GONE FOR THE DAY). I THEN EMAILED SATURN OF CHARLESTON/HUNTINGTON WV AND EXPLAINED. A SALE PERSON ACKNOWLEDGED MY EMAIL AND ASSURED ME SHE WOULD GIVE THE EMAIL COMPLAINT TO SERVICE AND SOMEONE IS SERVICES WOULD CONTACT ME. TWO DAYS LATER AND THEY STILL HAVE NOT CONTACTED ME. I TOLD THE SALES PERSON THAT IT SADDEN ME THAT $240 WAS MORE IMPORTANT THAN MY FUTURE BUSINESS. WHY SHOULD SATURN OWNER PAY FOR A COMMON PROBLEM THAT THEY HAVE KNOWN EXIST? AND FROM WHAT I'VE READ A NEW IGNITION IS NOT THE SOLUTION. OFTEN IT WORKS FOR A YEAR AND THEN SAME PROBLEM COMES BACK. IT HAS BEEN MENTIONED THAT IT COULD BE A PASSLOCK SYSTEM PROBLEM OR GEL INSIDE THE IGNITION SWITCH THAT AGES AND LOSES CONDUCTIVITY OVER TIME. WHO KNOWS? ANY HELP WOULD BE APPRECIATED. *TR