NHTSA Complaint #10476658 — 2005 SATURN ION

DRIVING ON THE WAY TO WORK THIS MORNING, THE POWER STEERING WENT OUT THREE TIMES! TWICE ON A REGULAR HIGHWAY AND ONCE ON THE INTERSTATE. GOING 45 MPH SUDDENLY BELL SOUNDED AND PWR STEER LIGHT CAME ON AND IMMEDIATELY THE POWER STEERING WENT OFF. I WAS ABLE TO GET THE CAR TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, BUT WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN ABLE TO TURN IT, BECAUSE THE STEERING BECOMES, NOT QUITE MANUAL, SURELY MUCH HARDER THAN THE MANUAL MODE I WELL REMEMBER. WHEN I CUT OFF THE MOTOR AND RESTARTED, THE STEERING RETURNED TO NORMAL. ON THE INTERSTATE, I WAS GOING 62 MPH WHEN THE STEERING WENT OUT. PULLED OVER TO AN EXIT LANE, STOPPED AND RESTARTED AND EVERYTHING WORKED AGAIN. VERY DANGEROUS! I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY CARS HAVE BEEN STOPPED ON THE ROAD, AND A CAR COMING FAILED TO SEE THAT THEY WERE STOPPED AND SLAMMED INTO THEM... I JUST BOUGHT THIS CAR IN APRIL. IN CHECKING ONLINE BEFORE BUYING, I SAW THE COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE KEY STICKING, BUT DIDN'T SEE ANYTHING ABOUT THE STEERING AT ALL. I'M A WIDOW, STILL WORKING, AND REPAIRS WOULD BE VERY DIFFICULT. ESPECIALLY WHEN THIS SHOULD BE A RECALL, AND DONE FOR FREE, SINCE IT WAS/IS DEFECTIVE AND POSSIBLY INJURIOUS. AGAIN, I FEEL VERY VULNERABLE AND IN DANGER WHEN THIS IS GOING ON, AND IT'S HAPPENING MORE AND MORE EVERY DAY OVER THE LAST TWO WEEKS (SEPT 11TH WAS THE FIRST TIME). *TR