NHTSA Complaint #10324416 — 2008 SATURN OUTLOOK

SINCE DECEMBER 2007 WHEN I BOUGHT A 2008 SATURN OUTLOOK XR, I HAVE BEEN HAVING PROBLEMS WITH MY REAR (2ND ROW) FOLDING SEAT. THE PROBLEM PERSISTS AND I HAVE TAKEN IT TO THE DEALERSHIP PLENTY OF TIMES AND STILL NOT FIXED. THE PROBLEM WITH THE REAR FOLDING SEATS ARE AS FOLLOWS: WHILE THE VEHICLE IS IN MOTION OR STOPPED, THE REAR FOLDING SEATS POPS UP, WITH OR WITHOUT A PERSON SITTING ON THE SEATS. EVERY TIME I TAKE IT TO THE DEALERSHIP, THEY ADVISED THEY WERE UNABLE TO REPAIR IT, BECAUSE COMPANY POLICY STATES, "IF IT DOES NOT HAPPEN IN THE MECHANIC'S PRESENCE THEN IT CAN NOT BE FIXED". PLEASE UNDERSTAND, I HAVE TWO SMALL KIDS (2 1/2 YEAR OLD AND A 10 MONTH OLD) AND BOTH OF THE KIDS RIDE IN THE BACK SEAT IN THEIR CAR SEATS. AND EVEN WITH THE KIDS IN THEIR CAR SEATS AND MY WIFE SITTING IN BETWEEN THEM, THE SEATS POPS UP. I HONESTLY DO NOT KNOW WHAT TO DO ANYMORE. I HAVE BEEN SUGGESTED TO GO TO THE NEWS MEDIA AND SHOW THEM THE DANGER OF THIS MALFUNCTION AND IT SEEMS THAT THIS IS THE LAST BEST SUGGESTION FOR SATURN TO CONSIDER HELPING ME. MY WARRANTY ENDS IN DECEMBER 2010 AND WHAT WILL I DO THEN? I HAVE MET OTHERS AT THE DEALERSHIP WITH THIS PROBLEM AND ONE OF THEM WAS A SATURN MECHANIC (RAUL, WHO OWNS AN OUTLOOK) WHO HAD THE SAME PROBLEM AND HE CONFESSED TO ME THAT HE FIXED HIS BY HAVING ONE OF HIS EMPLOYEES ORDER THE PART (NEW 2ND ROW SEATS). I ASKED HIM WHY HE COULD NOT DO IT, AND HIS RESPONSE WAS, "SORRY, BUT IT DID NOT HAPPEN IN THE MECHANIC'S PRESENCE." I UNDERSTAND THAT POLICY, BUT YOU NEED TO UNDERSTAND MY CONCERNS FOR MY FAMILY AND THEIR SAFETY. I ALSO UNDERSTAND THAT SATURN IS OUT OF BUSINESS, BUT SOMEBODY NEEDS TO BE HELD RELIABLE FOR ANYTHING THAT HAPPENS TO ME OR MY FAMILY. I HOPE SATURN UNDERSTANDS THIS MAJOR CONCERN (DEFECT) AND I HOPE SATURN DOES NOT EXPERIENCE WHAT HAS HAPPENED TO TOYOTA IN THE PAST FEW MONTHS WITH THEIR DEATH DEFECT ON VEHICLES. *TR