NHTSA Complaint #10269131 — 2002 SATURN LS

ON AUGUST 18, 2005 AT 72,863 MILES, I PAID $2360.71 TO HAVE MY TIMING CHAIN REPLACED. NOT REPAIRED BUT REPLACED DUE TO ITS MALFUNCTION. THE CAR HAD BEEN SERVICED AS DICTATED BY SATURN'S MAINTENANCE SCHEDULE AND VIA SATURN OF ROSWELL PRIOR TO THIS ISSUE. I HAVE EVERY RECEIPT FROM EACH SERVICE APPOINTMENT SINCE I DROVE THE CAR OFF THE LOT. I COULDN'T BELIEVE SOMETHING THIS MAJOR WENT WRONG WITH MY VEHICLE AT SUCH AN EARLY POINT IN TIME. THE CAR SIMPLY QUIT RUNNING. THE ENGINE DIED AND I COULD GET NO RESPONSE FROM BRAKE PRESSURE OR STEERING. LUCKILY I WAS ABLE TO COAST TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD WITHOUT CAUSING HARM OR INJURY. I HAD THE CAR TOWED BACK TO SATURN OF ROSWELL WHERE THEY TOOK 10 DAYS TO FIND THE ISSUE AND WHEN IT WAS FOUND THEY DECLINED ANY WARRANTY COVERAGE OR THE OPPORTUNITY TO NEGOTIATE THE PRICE OF THE REPAIR THOUGH I BOUGHT THE CAR FROM THEM AND HAD MAINTAINED THE CAR WITH THEM. I WAS FORTUNATE THAT MY TIMING CHAIN WENT OUT AT 1:00 AM ON GA-400 WITH NO TRAFFIC AROUND ME. AT THE AVERAGE SPEED OF 70 MPH HAD THIS OCCURRED AT 1:00 PM OR ANY OTHER TIME WITH A GREATER LEVEL OF TRAFFIC I OR SOMEONE ELSE WOULD'VE BEEN DEAD. MY FEAR IS THAT SATURN IS WAITING FOR SOMEONE TO DIE AND ONLY THEN WILL THERE BE A MASS RECALL FOR ALL VEHICLES NOT JUST A RELATIVELY ISOLATED FEW. *TR