NHTSA Complaint #10345898 — 2001 SATURN LS

IN 9/2007 I WAS DRIVING MY 2001 SATURN L200 ON A CITY STREET, PULLING OUT ONTO A BUSY STREET NEAR A SCHOOL. THE CAR LOST POWER AND DIED. I WAS ABLE TO PULL TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. I HAD THE CAR TOWED TO A LOCAL MECHANIC WHO STATED THAT THE TIMING CHAIN SEPARATED AND DAMAGED THE VALVES ETC. AND THE CAR NEEDED THE ENGINE REPLACED. I AGREED TO LET THE MECHANIC REPLACE MY RUINED ENGINE WITH A NEWER, BUT USED, ENGINE, AS IT WAS ALL I COULD AFFORD. RECENTLY I DISCOVERED THE RECALL OF FEB '08, AND MY VEHICLE FALLS WITHIN THE RANGE OF RECALLED VEHICLES. HOWEVER, WHEN I TRIED TO GET REIMBURSED, GM CLAIMED MY CAR DID NOT ACTUALLY FALL UNDER THE RECALL BECAUSE THE ISSUE WAS ATTRIBUTED TO A SMALL PART THAT APPARENTLY MY CAR DID NOT HAVE. FROM THE INFORMATION I HAVE GATHERED ON THE INTERNET, I AM NOT THE ONLY ONE WHO HAS FACED THIS ISSUE. I AM REQUESTING THAT THE RECALL BE EXPANDED TO INCLUDE ALL CARS IN THE RANGE. REGARDLESS OF THE SMALL PART ISSUE, MY CAR MET THE SAME REPAIR ISSUES - TIMING CHAIN SEPARATING AND DESTROYING THE ENGINE. *TR