NHTSA Complaint #10618325 — 2007 SATURN OUTLOOK

ON SATURDAY JULY 5, 2014, WHILE TRAVELING N/B ON I-81 IN VIRGINIA MY 2007 SATURN OUTLOOK XR SUDDENLY BEGAN TO LOSE POWER TO THE ENGINE. AT THE TIME, I WAS IN THE LEFT LANE AND GOING APPROXIMATELY 70 MPH. AT NO TIME DID ANY CHECK ENGINE LIGHT OR OTHER SERVICE INDICATOR COME ON. FORTUNATELY I WAS ABLE TO STEER THE VEHICLE OVER TO THE RIGHT SHOULDER BEFORE IT COMPLETELY STOPPED. AFTER ABOUT 30 MINUTES ON THE SHOULDER THE VEHICLE LOST ALL ELECTRICAL POWER. I HAD MY WIFE AND 3 KIDS (8YR, 6YR AND 3 MONTH OLD) IN THE CAR WHEN THIS HAPPENED. IT TOOK AN HOUR FOR THE TOW TRUCK TO GET TO US. WE LOADED THE CAR SEATS AND ALL OF US INTO THE TOW TRUCK AND WERE TOWED TO A MECHANICS SHOP IN FRONT ROYAL, VA. SINCE ALL SHOPS WERE CLOSED AT THAT TIME, WE HAD TO LEAVE OUR CAR AND WENT TO A HOTEL. ON MONDAY JULY 7TH, WE WERE TOLD IT WOULD BE AT LEAST A FEW DAYS UNTIL THEY FIGURED OUT WHAT WENT WRONG. I RENTED A CAR AND DROVE HOME TO NJ. ON THURSDAY JULY 10TH, THE MECHANIC SHOP CALLED AND SAID THE ENGINE WAS COMPLETELY SHOT DUE TO A MISSING VALVE COVER INSIDE THE ENGINE, 1 OF THE CATALYTIC CONVERTERS NOT WORKING AND MULTIPLE PISTONS FAILING. ON JULY 24TH THE CAR WAS FINALLY PICKED UP AND TRANSPORTED TO ANOTHER MECHANIC BY MY RESIDENCE. THE NEXT DAY THAT SHOP CALLED WITH THE SAME DIAGNOSIS AND SAID I NEEDED A NEW ENGINE. I HAD TO PURCHASE A NEW ENGINE FROM GM FOR $5,000. THAT PURCHASE WITH LABOR AND TAX WILL COST ME $7,500. THIS WHOLE BREAKDOWN ENDED UP COSTING ME APPROX. $9,000 TOTAL AND I AM STILL WAITING TO GET MY CAR BACK. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN IN MY FAMILY SINCE IT WAS PURCHASED AND HAD ALL THE RECOMMENDED TUNE UPS/RECALLS PERFORMED. IT BOTHERS ME THAT GM PUTS FAMILIES AT RISK BY NOT ADDRESSING THIS ISSUE. BREAKING DOWN ON THE SIDE OF THE HIGHWAY PUTS PEOPLE IN DANGEROUS SITUATIONS. GM SHOULD OWN UP TO THIS PROBLEM AND TAKE ALL APPROPRIATE ACTION TO PREVENT A POTENTIAL TRAGEDY. *TR