NHTSA Complaint #10547827 — 2006 SATURN ION

I WAS DRIVING MY 2006 SATURN ION ON A LOCAL STREET, PICKING UP MY CHILD FROM SCHOOL, WHEN THE IGNITION WENT OFF. THE CAR HAD NO POWER & I HAD ONLY A FEW SECONDS TO STEER THE CAR OFF TO THE SIDE BEFORE THE POWER STEERING STOPPED WORKING. I PUT THE CAR IN NEUTRAL & COASTED TO A STOP. I TURNED THE CAR OFF, WAITED A MINUTE, & THEN TURNED THE KEY AGAIN. AT THAT TIME, THE CAR STARTED UP AGAIN & I TOOK IT DIRECTLY HOME. IN THE DAYS FOLLOWING THIS INCIDENT, SEVERAL DIFFERENT TIMES THE IGNITION WOULD GO OF BY ITSELF. IT FELT AS IF THE KEY WAS NOT STAYING IN THE ON POSITION. NOT BEING AWARE OF A WARRANTY FROM SATURN, I TOOK IT TO A LOCAL REPAIR SHOP. WHEN THE MECHANIC TRIED TO TAKE THE KEY OUT OF THE IGNITION, IT WOULD NOT TURN OFF OR COME OUT OF THE STEERING COLUMN. HE WAS FORCED TO DISCONNECT THE BATTERY IN ORDER TO TURN THE IGNITION OFF & NEEDED TO REPLACE THE PART IN THE STEERING COLUMN WHERE THE KEY GOES IN. BECAUSE THE MECHANIC HAD TO DISCONNECT THE BATTERY, I WAS ALSO FORCED TO TAKE THE CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP A FEW DAYS LATER TO HAVE MY REMOTE LOCK REPROGRAMMED. I HAD TO PAY OUT OF POCKET FOR BOTH OF THESE REPAIRS, BECAUSE I WAS UNAWARE THAT GM HAD A SPECIAL WARRANTY COVERING SUCH ISSUES. I NEVER RECEIVED A LETTER ABOUT THIS PROBLEM, BUT IT IS A RECALL ISSUE IN OTHER STATES. *TR