NHTSA Complaint #10352710 — 2007 SATURN ION

I DROVE MY CAR TO WORK AND WHEN I GOT THERE REALIZED I COULD NOT TURN MY VEHICLE OFF OR TURN THE KEY IN THE IGNITION AT ALL. I DROVE TO THE NEAREST GM DEALERSHIP AND THE SERVICE EMPLOYEE IMMEDIATELY KNEW THE PROBLEM WHEN I TOLD HIM THE SYMPTOMS. HE ALSO INFORMED ME THAT THIS IS A PROBLEM HE SAW "AT LEAST ONCE A WEEK". THEY ORDERED THE PARTS AND TOLD ME IT COULD COST $300-$600 TO REPLACE THE IGNITION LOCK CYLINDER AND THE HOUSING COMPONENT, IF IT NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. AFTER HEARING HOW MUCH IT WOULD COST I STARTED RESEARCHING AND FOUND SEVERAL OTHER SATURN OWNERS HAVING THIS SAME PROBLEM. I CALLED THE SERVICE EMPLOYEE AND HE REDIRECTED ME TO GM'S CORPORATE OFFICE. I SAW ON THE PHONE FOR AN HOUR, MOSTLY ON HOLD, WHILE THE EMPLOYEES NEGOTIATED AND THEY CAME TO THE CONCLUSION THAT THEY COULD NOT HELP ME BECAUSE IT WAS A SATURN VEHICLE, NOT GM; THE CAR'S WARRANTY HAD EXPIRED; THE DEALERSHIP WAS UNFAMILIAR WITH MY VEHICLE; AND GM DID NOT WANT TO PAY OUT OF THEIR POCKET FOR THE PART AND LABOR. THEY ARE STILL GOING TO REPLACE THE PARTS BECAUSE I NEED TO HAVE MY VEHICLE IN ORDER TO COMMUTE TO SCHOOL AND WORK. I'M GOING TO PAY THE $300-$600 FOR THE REPAIRS AS WELL AS THE $50/DAY FOR THE RENTAL CAR. GM IS UNWILLING TO DO ANYTHING, OTHER THAN FIX THE PROBLEM AND CHARGE SATURN OWNERS THE FULL AMOUNT, UNLESS THERE'S A RECALL ISSUED FOR THE PART. *TR