NHTSA Complaint #10537190 — 2003 SATURN L200

PARKED CAR AND LOCKED WITH REMOTE. UPON RETURN TO VEHICLE SMELLED GAS AND WAS LOCKED OUT OF 2003 SATURN LS200 AFTER ONLY 17,500 MILES DRIVEN. PURCHASED NEW IN 2003. STRANDED UNTIL AAA TOW TO LAS VEGAS FINDLAY GM DEALERSHIP. OPENED MANUALLY WITH KEY INSTEAD OF REMOTE. ATTEMPTED TO START CAR ENGINE. TURNED OVER FOR A FEW SECONDS AND DIED. ALL DASHBOARD GAUGES NOT WORKING. PROBLEM PER GM DEALER WAS TWOFOLD: (1) FAULTY BODY CONTROL MODULE (BCM) THAT CONTROLS VEHICLE'S ENTIRE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM FAILED AND REQUIRED COSTLY REPLACEMENT PART AT $614 PLUS LABOR; ALSO (2) FUEL PUMP FAILED AND REQUIRED COSTLY PART REPLACEMENT AT $498 PLUS LABOR AND CLEANING OF FUEL SYSTEM. AFTER BRIEF INTERNET SEARCH I FOUND THESE TWO PARTS ARE NOTORIOUS FOR FAILURES IN SATURN VEHICLES. HAVE BEEN FAILING SINCE 2003 AND CONTINUE TO FAIL. COMPLAINTS HAVE BEEN MADE BY SATURN OWNERS TO GM AND THE NTSB. GAUGES AND LIGHTS HAVE REPORTEDLY FAILED EVEN WHEN DRIVING BECAUSE OF FAULTY BCM. AN INITIAL BODY CONTROL MODULE (BCM) RECALL (SATURN RECALL #03C06) IS NOTED BY OTHER OWNERS, BUT I NEVER RECEIVED A NOTIFICATION. THE BCM AND FUEL PUMP SHOULD NOT FAIL AT 17,500 MILES!! THIS IS A MANUFACTURER DEFECT. THE BCM AND FUEL PUMP ARE VERY EXPENSIVE TO REPAIR! *TR