NHTSA Complaint #10393109 — 2003 SATURN VUE

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 SATURN VUE. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING 10 MPH ON A SNOW AND ICE COVERED ROAD SURFACE WHEN HE APPLIED THE BRAKES AND THE ENTIRE INSTRUMENT PANEL ILLUMINATED. THERE WAS A COMPLETE LOSS OF THE POWER STEERING AND BRAKES. THE CONTACT ENGAGED THE BRAKES SEVERAL TIMES BEFORE THE VEHICLE STOPPED. WHEN ATTEMPTING TO EXIT THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE DOOR, THE AUTOMATIC DOOR LOCKS WOULD NOT RELEASE. ALL OF THE INTERIOR DOOR LOCKS BECAME INOPERATIVE. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO EXIT THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE DOOR BY APPLYING EXCESSIVE FORCE WITH A HAMMER TO THE DOOR LOCK MECHANISM. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE THEY INFORMED HIM THAT THE FAILURE WAS RELATED TO A COMPUTERIZED SYSTEM MALFUNCTION. THE TECHNICIAN ATTEMPTED TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE BUT TO NO AVAIL. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 172,000.