NHTSA Complaint #10325253 — 2003 SATURN VUE

I HAD A 2003 SATURN VUE WITH A VTI TRANSMISSION. IN APRIL 2007 THE TRANSMISSION FAILED WHILE DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY, AND I PAID $4773 TO REPAIR IT. ON APRIL 3, 2010, THE VUE SUDDENLY MADE A LOUD NOISE AND STOPPED WORKING ON THE RAILROAD TRACKS. LUCKILY, I WAS ABLE TO GET HELP PUSHING THE VEHICLE OFF THE TRACKS. THE SATURN ASSISTANCE CENTER INDICATED THAT ASSISTANCE MIGHT BE AVAILABLE TO REPAIR THE TRANSMISSION BECAUSE IT HAD FAILED ONCE BEFORE. I FOLLOWED THEIR DIRECTION TOWING THE VEHICLE TO SATURN OF ROSEVILLE TO HAVE THEM DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM. SATURN OF ROSEVILLE DIAGNOSED AN INTERNAL TRANSMISSION FAILURE. AFTER TALKING TO THE SERVICE MANAGER AT SATURN OF ROSEVILLE, THE ASSISTANCE CENTER SAID THEY COULD OFFER ME NO ASSISTANCE BECAUSE THE SERVICE MANAGER SAID IT WAS A DIFFERENT PART OF THE TRANSMISSION THAT FAILED THAN THE FAILURE IN 2007. I WAS VERBALLY INFORMED THAT THE BILL TO REPAIR THE TRANSMISSION WOULD BE WELL OVER $5000. BECAUSE THE TRANSMISSION FAILED TWICE, I DID NOT WANT TO SPEND A TOTAL OF OVER $10,000 IN TOTAL TRANSMISSION REPAIR COSTS BECAUSE THE TRANSMISSION IS KNOWN TO BE DEFECTIVE. SINCE GM DID NOT REPAIR THE PROBLEM THE FIRST TIME AND OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE FOR A REPEAT REPAIR, I DONATED THE CAR TO A CHARITY. *TR