NHTSA Complaint #10303718 — 2002 SATURN LS

ON FRIDAY, JANUARY 29, 2010, MY DAUGHTER WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY, WHEN THE CAR STARTED KNOCKING AND THEN JUST CUT OFF. SHE WAS NOT ABLE TO RESTART IT AND STRUGGLED TO QUICKLY GUIDE IT TO THE SHOULDER OF THE ROAD. SHE THEN CALLED A WRECKER WHO TOWED IT TO A LOCAL GARAGE. THEY RAN AN ANALYSIS AND DISCOVERED THE TIMING CHAIN HAD BROKEN. HE SAID , IN HIS OPINION, THAT THIS WAS HIGHLY UNUSUAL WHICH SPURRED US TO SEARCH THE INTERNET TO LEARN IF THIS WAS A DOCUMENTED PROBLEM WITH OTHER 2002 SATURN L200'S WITH LESS THAN 100,000 MILES, AND APPARENTLY IT IS. WE CALLED THE ONLY SATURN DEALERSHIP LEFT IN OUR CITY AND WERE TOLD THAT HER VIN NUMBER WAS NOT ON THE RECALL LIST. WITH ALL THAT I HAVE READ IN THE PAST 24 HOURS, I FIND IT VERY HARD TO BELIEVE THIS PROBLEM IS ONLY LIMITED TO JUST THE 2001 L200 SERIES. SATURN SEEMS NOT TO WANT TO HELP IN ANY WAY, SHAPE OR FORM OTHER THAN TO BRING THE CAR IN AND REPLACE THE PARTS AND/OR ENGINE AT OUR EXPENSE! THIS IS NOT ACCEPTABLE FOR HER OR ANYONE ELSE WITH SIMILAR PROBLEMS! SHE HAS ALWAYS TAKEN GOOD CARE OF THIS VEHICLE. IF MY DAUGHTER HAD NOT HAD THE PRESENCE OF MIND TO GET THE CAR OFF THE ROAD WHEN SHE DID, THERE COULD HAVE BEEN A FAR DIFFERENT OUTCOME! *TR