NHTSA Complaint #10315750 — 2003 SATURN VUE

IN 2007 I WAS DRIVING MY SATURN VUE AWD 4CL EQUIPPED WITH A VTI TRANSMISSION DOWN THE HWY 401 IN ONTARIO. I WAS GOING A SPEED OF 100KM/HR. WITHOUT WARNING MY SERVICE ENGINE SOON LIGHT AND REDUCED POWER LIGHT WENT ON AND CAUSE MY POWER TO DROP FROM A SPEED ON 100KM/HR TO 0 IN ABOUT 3 SECONDS. I WAS ABLE TO PULL OF THE HIGHWAY AS MY SPEED WAS DECREASING BUT HAD TO SWERVE TO AVOID TRAFFIC AND GET MYSELF TO SAFETY. I TOOK THE VEHICLE BACK TO THE DEALER WHO HAD IT TAKEN TO A TRANSMISSION SHOP WHO INFORMED ME DUE TO THIS SPECIFIC TRANSMISSION (VTI) THIS WAS A COMMON PROBLEM. I HAD IT FIXED AT COST OF $4500. I RECEIVE A LETTER IN THE MAIL IN NOVEMBER OF 2009, FROM GM CANADA ADMITTING THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITH THIS VEHICLE AND THEY WERE OFFERING VARIOUS INCENTIVES. (EX A $5000 VOUCHER TOWARDS A BRAND NEW VEHICLE OR 50% REIMBURSEMENT TOWARDS A PREVIOUS REPAIR OR 50% TOWARDS A REPAIR AT PRESENT. WHEN I CALLED THEY TOLD ME BECAUSE MY VEHICLE WAS OVER 160, 000 KM I WOULD NOT QUALIFY FOR ANY OF THESE INCENTIVES EVEN THOUGH AT THE TIME THE TRANSMISSION WENT THE CAR WAS AT 104,000. THEY OFFERED ME A $700 REIMBURSEMENT. AS THIS WAS GOING THROUGH THE TRANSMISSION WENT AGAIN,FORTUNATELY NOT OF THE HIGHWAY. IT AGAIN NEEDS TO BE REPAIRED FOR $5000, BUT I AM CONCERNED ABOUT THE SAFETY OF THE VEHICLE AND I AM UNSURE IF I WANT TO HAVE IT REPAIRED. I WAS EVEN TOLD WHEN BY AN AGENT AT GM NAMED ALEXIS WHEN I SAID THE VEHICLE WAS UNSAFE AND IT SHOULD BE RECALLED OR THE TRANSMISSION FIXED PROPERLY SHE STATED"REGARDLESS OF IF THE VEHICLE IS SAFE OR NOT THIS IS OUR POLICY" . THIS IS A KNOW PROBLEM WITH THE VTI TRANSMISSION AND IT HAS TO DO WITH THE BELT. THE ONLY RECTIFYING GM DOES IS TO PUT IN ANOTHER TRANSMISSION EXACTLY THE SAME. THIS CAR IS A HUGE SAFETY LIABILITY ESPC WHEN DRIVING AT HIGH SPEEDS ON A HIGHWAY, NOT TO MENTION THE FINANCIAL LIABILITY. GM'S SOLUTION FOR THE $5000 VOUCHER FOR A NEW VEHICLE WAS A COBALT (HOW IRONIC AS THEY ARE NOW BEING RECALLED). THIS CAR IS VERY UNSAFE!!! *TR