NHTSA Complaint #10583477 — 2006 SATURN ION

AS I WAS DRIVING TO THE STORE I MADE IT ABOUT TWO MINUTES FROM MY HOUSE WHEN I MADE MY FIRST LEFT TURN. AS I STARTED TO TURN I NOTICED MY STEERING WAS GETTING DIFFICULT, THEN THE THREE BEEPS AND A DISPLAY OF PWR STR WENT OFF ON MY CAR. LUCKY I WASN'T ON A BUSY ROAD OR THRUWAY ON MY WAY TO WORK OR SCHOOL BECAUSE AS I TURNED INTO THE NEAREST PARKING LOT THE STEERING WAS ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE. I HAD IT TOWED TO MY REPAIR ASAP AND WAS TOLD MY POWER STEERING MOTOR HAD TO BE REPLACE. THIS REPAIR LIKE ANY OTHER COST A FEW HUNDRED DOLLARS THAT I WAS SURELY VERY UNHAPPY TO DISH OUT. I AM THE SECOND OWNER OF THIS CAR AND AFTER ALREADY RECEIVING THE RECALL NOTICE OF THE IGNITION SYSTEM I WENT ONLINE AND CHECKED IF THERE WAS ANY RECALL IN THE PAST ON THE STEERING. I WAS SURPRISED TO SEE MY WEBSITES WITH PEOPLE WHO HAD THE SAME PROBLEM AS ME HOWEVER THERE WAS NO OFFICIAL RECALL JUST GM WOULD REPAIR THE STEERING IF BROUGHT TO THEIR DEALERSHIP, HAD I KNOWN THIS I WOULD OF TAKEN IT THERE. SO THE NEXT DAY I CALLED GM'S CUSTOMER SERVICE LINE TO HOPEFULLY GET REIMBURSED MY REPAIR BILL SINCE IF THEY ARE AWARE OF THE PROBLEM THEY SHOULD BE RESPONSIBLE TO REPAY FOR IT INSTEAD OF JUST OFFERING TO MAKE A SCHEDULED APPOINTMENT WITH THEIR DEALERSHIP TO PERFORM THE MAINTENANCE WHENEVER THEY'RE AVAILABLE. I WAS TOLD SINCE THERE ARE FOUR REASONS FOR THE STEERING TO FAIL THERE HASN'T BEEN A FINAL RECALL MADE AND THEREFORE THEY ARE UNABLE TO REIMBURSE ME. THE ONLY ADVICE I GOT WAS TO WAIT AROUND FOR THE OFFICIAL RECALL AND THEN ONCE I RECEIVE IT THEN GO THROUGH THE REIMBURSEMENT CYCLE. I AM NOT HAPPY ABOUT THIS AT ALL, IF GM KNOWS THERE IS A PROBLEM THEY SHOULD TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR IT. MY STEERING WENT OFF COMPLETELY WITHOUT NOTICE AND I EASILY COULD OF BEEN IN AN ACCIDENT! *TR