NHTSA Complaint #10278155 — 2006 SATURN ION

1. FOR ABOUT A YEAR BEFORE THE INCIDENT, MY KEY ON MY VEHICLE WOULD GET STUCK IN THE IGNITION SOMETIMES (JUST A STICKING FEELING, NOTHING MAJOR). A COUPLE WEEKS AGO, I PUT THE KEY IN THE IGNITION AND IT WOULD NOT COME OUT. THE CAR WOULDN'T TURN OFF B/C THE KEY WAS COMPLETELY STUCK. WHEN I RESEARCHED THE PROBLEM, I FOUND OUT MANY PEOPLE HAVE HAD THIS SAME PROBLEM WITH THEIR NEWER SATURN IONS. I WAS UPSET B/C I BOUGHT THIS CAR NEW IN 2006 AND MY WARRANTY HAD JUST EXPIRED. SATURN WOULD NOT PAY FOR THE REPAIR, EVEN THOUGH THEY COULD NOT EXPLAIN WHY THE IGNITION CYLINDER BROKE AND SEVERAL EMPLOYEES ADMITTED THIS WAS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM. 2. THE FAILURE WAS THE IGNITION CYLINDER, WHICH BROKE AFTER ONLY HAVING THE CAR FOR 3 YEARS-I TOOK AUTO SHOP, SO I KNOW NOT TO PUT TOO MANY KEYS ON MY KEY RING. A PART SHOULD NOT BREAK THAT SOON ON A 3-YEAR OLD CAR. I NOTICED THE KEY GETTING SLIGHTLY STUCK EVERY FEW WEEKS OR SO. THE DAY MY KEY GOT STUCK, THE CONSEQUENCE WAS THAT I WAS BASICALLY HOSTAGE TO MY CAR-I COULD NOT TURN OFF MY CAR, & COULD NOT GO TO WORK AND LEAVE MY CAR ON THE STREET. IT WAS UNSAFE FOR ME TO DRIVE AROUND UNTIL I RAN OUT OF GAS ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. SO, I HAD TO AGREE TO THE REPAIR, EVEN THOUGH SATURN REFUSED TO PAY FOR IT. 3. THE IGNITION CYLINDER WAS REPLACED AND IT COST ME $250. (ANOTHER $100 FOR A DAY'S MISSED WORK) *I GREATLY HOPE YOU RECALL THIS DEFECTIVE ITEM. I CALLED THE SATURN NATIONAL HOTLINE AND THEY WOULD NOT HELP IN ANY WAY AND SAID THE RECALL PROCESS TAKES "A LONG TIME" AND UNTIL THEN, CUSTOMERS WOULD HAVE TO PAY FOR THE REPAIRS TO THIS PART. I ONLY HAD TO "GOOGLE" THIS ISSUE AND FOUND COUNTLESS PEOPLE WITH 1-3 YEAR OLD SATURNS WHO WERE STUCK WITH THIS SAME PROBLEM. I AM A 33-YEAR OLD STUDENT WHO CARES FOR MY BROTHER WHO'S DISABLED. I DO NOT HAVE THIS KIND OF MONEY. IT SCARES ME TO THINK ABOUT WHAT I WOULD HAVE DONE HAD I BEEN OUT IN AN UNFAMILIAR ROAD/AREA AND BEEN UNABLE TO TURN OFF MY CAR. :/ THANKS VERY MUCH FOR YOUR TIME. *TR