NHTSA Complaint #10629171 — 2002 SATURN LS

I WAS BACKING OUT OF A SPOT AND THERE WAS A CLANKING SOUND FROM BEHIND THE DASH FOLLOWED BY A STALL. THE CAR WAS INOPERABLE FROM THAT POINT. I HAD TO PUSH THE CAR OFF OF THE STREET TO AVOID TRAFFIC. MY VEHICLE WAS BROUGHT INTO SATURN OF MARIETTA AND I WAS TOLD THAT THE TIMING CHAIN HAD BROKEN. IT WAS STATED TO ME THAT THERE WAS A DESIGN FLAW IN THE ENGINE AND THEY WERE AWARE OF IT. IT WAS STATED THAT THERE WAS A RECALL FOR IT BUT MY CAR, CURRENTLY, WASN'T INCLUDED. I INQUIRED WHY AND WAS TOLD IT WOULD PROBABLY BE EXPANDED. I WENT AHEAD AND PAID FOR AN ENGINE TO BE INSTALLED FOR $2983.53. I WENT ABOUT MY LIFE, WAITING FOR THE RECALL TO BE EXPANDED. THE REPLACEMENT ENGINE RECENTLY REACHED THE SAME MILEAGE THAT MY OLD ENGINE WAS AT WHEN IT FAILED AND IT DID LIKEWISE. SAME ISSUE WITH THE DEFECTIVE TIMING CHAIN. I WAS NOT NOTIFIED IF THE REPLACEMENT ENGINE WAS AFFECTED BY THE RECALL OR NOT, I BELIEVE IT WAS. I TRIED TO FIND DETAILS BUT THE DEALERSHIP HAS CLOSED AND RECORDS ARE LOST (SO I'VE BEEN TOLD). I HAVE THE PAPERWORK FROM THE REPLACEMENT AND GM IS UNWILLING TO HELP. I'VE SEEN NUMEROUS SIMILAR COMPLAINTS ONLINE CONCERNING THE SAME ISSUE. THE RECALL WAS FOR CARS BUILT 11/00 - 2/01 AND A NEW DESIGN WENT INTO EFFECT IN 5/02, MY CAR WAS BUILT IN 8/01...NINE MONTHS BEFORE THE NEW DESIGN WAS IMPLEMENTED. WHAT ABOUT ALL OF THE CONSUMERS WITH VEHICLES MADE BETWEEN 3/01 AND 4/02? OVER A YEAR WORTH OF PURCHASERS THAT WERE LEFT OUT AND PUT IN A DANGEROUS POSITION. GM IS RUNNING OVER US AND WE NEED HELP. *TR