NHTSA Complaint #10405231 — 2001 SATURN LS

MY INSURANCE COMPANY NOTIFIED ME THAT MY VEHICLE TYPE (2001 SATURN L200) HAD A RECALL FOR THE TIMING CHAIN (NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NO. 07V519000 & GM RECALL NO. 06074) . I CALLED SATURN AND THEY SAID ALTHOUGH THE RECALL WAS FOR MY VEHICLE MAKE, MODEL, AND YEAR, THAT THE RECALL WAS VIN # SPECIFIC, AND MY VIN # WASN'T INCLUDED. MY 2001 SATURN L200 TIMING CHAIN BROKE SHORTLY AFTER THAT (DIAGNOSED BY CERTIFIED AUTO TECHS AT TIRE KINGDOM), WHILE I WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY DOING ABOUT 70 MPH. AFTER THIS DANGEROUS EVENT OCCURRED (ENGINE CUTOFF, LOST POWER, CONTROL), I WAS FORTUNATELY ABLE TO COAST TO A STOP ON THE SIDE OF THE HIGHWAY IN THE MEDIAN. IT' S POSSIBLE THE TIMING CHAIN FAILURE CAUSED MORE INTERNAL DAMAGE TO THE ENGINE, BUT THAT WILL HAVE TO BE LOOKED AT. IT'S ESTIMATED TO COST AROUND $1400 TO REPAIR THE TIMING CHAIN, BUT THAT MAY OR MAY NOT BE THE ONLY DAMAGE NOW. IF THERE'S MORE DAMAGE, I MAY NEED A REBUILD OR NEW ENGINE RANGING UP TO $6500. GM/SATURN SAID THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO ABOUT THE MY VIN NOT BEING INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. I HAVE RESEARCHED NUMEROUS SATURN L200 OWNERS THAT HAVE THE SAME ISSUE. NO ONE KNOWS HOW EXACTLY GM/SATURN CAME UP WITH WHAT VIN #'S WOULD OR WOULDN'T BE INCLUDED IN THAT RECALL, BUT IT SEEMS THEY ONLY INCLUDED A FEW VIN #'S JUST TO "SAVE FACE." SOMEONE COULD GET HURT DUE TO THE UNRELIABLE DESIGN OF THEIR TIMING CHAIN, NOT TO MENTION THE COST ASSOCIATED WITH THIS PROBLEM. THE RECALL NEEDS TO INCLUDE MORE VIN #'S. IT'S NOT RIGHT WHAT GM IS DOING, GETTING OVER ON MANY CONSUMERS WITH A PROBLEM DESIGN.