NHTSA Complaint #10559683 — 2006 SATURN ION

MY CAR WAS BEING PARKED IN MY DRIVEWAY ON JANUARY 4TH AROUND 12:30 A.M., WHEN THE KEY WOULD NOT TURN THE CAR OFF, NOR WOULD IT COME OUT OF THE IGNITION. THAT JUST SO HAPPENED TO BE THE WEEKEND OF THE FAMOUS POLAR VOPRTEX, FEATURING A SNOW STORM AND RECORD-BREAKING FREEZING TEMPERATURES. I DROVE MY CAR TO THE NEAREST REPAIR SHOP, AND REQUESTED AN EMERGENCY ROAD SERVICE TECHNICIAN THROUGH MY INSURANCE COMPANY. WHEN HE ARRIVED, THE ONLY WAY HE COULD TURN THE CAR OFF WAS TO REMOVE A FUSE. ONCE EXAMINED ON 1/8/14 BY THE REPAIR SHOP, IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE CAR WOULD THEN HAVE TO BE TOWED TO THE NEAREST GENERAL MOTORS DEALER, ADVANTAGE CHEVROLET IN BOLINGBROOK, IL. AFTER BEING NOTIFIED BY THE DEALERSHIP OF WHAT THE PROBLEM WAS, BEING QUOTED THE PRICE OF $431.00 TO REPAIR IT, I RESEARCHED THE IGNITION SWITCH PROBLEM AND DISCOVERED OVER 500 COMPLAINTS ON THE SAME ISSUE, MAKE, AND MODEL CAR AS MINE. I THEN NOTIFIED GENERAL MOTORS' CUSTOMER SERVICE DEPARTMENT TO TRY AND AT LEAST GET SOME MONEY OFF THE REPAIR BILL, BUT TO ALSO NOTIFY THEM THAT THERE IS A DEFECT WITH THE 2006 SATURN ION IGNITION SWITCHES. NEEDLESS TO SAY, I GOT NO ASSISTANCE FROM GM WITH THE BILL, AND THERE ARE STILL OTHER CONSUMERS OUT THERE WHO WILL BE MILKED FOR HUNDREDS OF DOLLARS FOR THIS SAME REPAIR. *TR