NHTSA Complaint #10277695 — 2003 SATURN ION

ON 16 JUNE, 2009, I TOOK MY 2003 SATURN ION IN TO HAVE A FAULTY IGNITION SWITCH REPLACED. THE DEALERSHIP DID A 29 POINT CHECKUP WHICH I DID NOT AUTHORIZE. THE TOTAL OF THE BILL WAS 2424.00. ONE OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS IS THAT I REPLACE MY TIMING CHAIN. I QUESTIONED HOW THEY KNEW MY CHAIN WAS BAD, SINCE THEY COULDN'T EXAMINE IT. THE REPAIR ASSOCIATE STATED BASED ON HIS EXPERIENCE AND THAT HE COULD HEAR IT "RATTLE". I ASKED THE ASSOCIATE HOW LONG BEFORE MY CHAIN WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. HE SAID WITHIN SIX MONTHS. THOUGH LATER HE RECANTED HIS STATEMENT, TO SAY THAT I HAVE MAYBE UP TO SIX MONTHS BUT IT CAN GO AT ANYTIME. I HAD MY SWITCH REPLACED. I DIDN'T DRIVE A TOTAL OF NINE MILES FROM THE DEALERSHIP AND MY TIMING CHAIN SNAPS! I REFUSED TO ALLOW THEM TO REPAIR MY CAR. THE HEAD HAD FOUR BENT VALVES. SATURN WANTED ME TO BUY A NEW HEAD FOR 885.00 AS PART OF THEIR NEW ESTIMATE TO FIX MY DAMAGED ENGINE,WHICH TOTALED 2442.00. THIS FACILITY, SATURN OF YORK, SHOULD BE INVESTIGATED. MY SATURN HAD 115796 MILES WHEN THE INCIDENT OCCURRED. I USE MOBILE ONE. MY FATHER HAD CHANGED THE OIL WITHIN A MONTH OF THIS INCIDENT. MY OIL LEVEL WAS GOOD, CONTRARY TO THEIR 29 POINT INSPECTION SAYING IT WAS LOW AND DIRTY. SUGGESTING I ALSO HAVE AN OIL CHANGE. *TR