NHTSA Complaint #10316128 — 2004 SATURN ION

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 SATURN ION. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE ELECTRIC POWER STEERING WOULD FAIL. IF UNDER 15 MPH, IT WOULD BE EXTREMELY HARD TO TURN WITHOUT THE ELECTRIC STEERING. WHEN HE TURNED THE VEHICLE OFF AND RESTARTED IT, THE PROBLEM SEEMED TO CORRECT ITSELF. THE PROBLEM WAS INTERMITTENT AT FIRST BUT BECAME MORE FREQUENT OVER TIME TO THE POINT WHERE IT MAY HAPPEN 4-5 TIMES WHILE DRIVING. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALERSHIP SEVERAL TIMES AND WAS TOLD THAT THE ENTIRE STEERING COLUMN NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. HE CALLED THE MANUFACTURER AND WAS TOLD THAT THEY COULD NOT ASSIST HIM BECAUSE THERE WAS NO RECALL. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED AT THE TIME OF THE COMPLAINT. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 170,000. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 92,000.