NHTSA Complaint #10439883 — 2003 SATURN VUE

MY SATURN VUE 2003 EXPERIENCES SERIOUS HESITATION IN POWER WHEN TRAVELING OVER 45 MPH. THE DANGEROUS SPUTTERING GETS HARDER WHEN I NEED TO DRIVE MORE THAN 45 MPH SUCH AS WHEN I HAVE TO TRAVEL ON PARKWAYS OR EXPRESSWAYS. ON DECEMBER 3, 2011, I ENTERED EXIT 36 OF THE GRAND CENTRAL PARKWAY AND MAINTAINED A STEADY SPEED OF 55 MPH IN LIGHT TRAFFIC. AS THE TRAFFIC INCREASED TO EXIT 17, THE CAR BEGAN TO HESITATE AND APPEAR TO WANT TO COME TO A STOP. IT WAS DIFFICULT TO MAINTAIN A DECREASED SPEED OF 45 MPH TO AVOID THE SPUTTERING AND HALTING. I GOT INTO THE RIGHT LANE AND EXITED THE PARKWAY AS MY CAR JOLTED THEN CAME TO A SUDDEN HALT. I TURNED THE CAR OFF, WAITED 15 MINUTES, PUT MY CAR IN DRIVE AND IT WOULD NOT DRIVE FORWARD. I PUT IT IN REVERSE AND MANEUVERED IT INTO AN OPEN SPACE ALONG THE CURB ON 78TH AVENUE. I TRIED AGAIN AND ONLY WITH HEAVY PRESSURE ON THE GAS PEDAL WAS THE CAR ABLE TO MOVE FORWARD ENOUGH TO ALLOW ME TO STRAIGHTEN INTO A POSITION TO BE TOWED. I CALLED AAA AND WAS TOWED TO A SATURN AUTHORIZED SERVICE PROVIDER, NORTHSHORE CHEVROLET OF SMITHTOWN, WHERE IT SITS TO THIS DAY. THE BRAND NEW 2010 VT1 TRANSMISSION NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. *TR