NHTSA Complaint #10693619 — 2008 SATURN AURA

I PURCHASED A USED 2008 SATURN AURA, FOR MY SON. THE DRIVER'S SEAT WOULD RUB AGAINST THE CENTER CONSOLE WHEN IT WOULD BE MOVED BACK/FORTH. I HAD A GM DEALER LOOK AT IT, AND THEY SHOWED ME THAT THE FRAME OF THE DRIVER'S SEAT IS CRACKED. THEY HAD SEEN THIS BEFORE ON THE AURA, AS WELL AS OTHER SIMILAR CARS IN THE GM FAMILY (PONTIAC G6, FOR EXAMPLE). THE CONCERN I HAD IS IF THE CR IS IN AN ACCIDENT, THE IMPACT COULD BREAK THE SEAT FROM THE FRAME, THUS BEING DANGEROUS FOR THE DRIVER, AND POSSIBLY THE PASSENGERS. I HAVE SEEN IN VARIOUS ONLINE FORUMS, COMPLAINTS FOR THE SAME ISSUE. IN SOME CASES, GM HAS REPLACED THE SEAT--EVEN IF THE CAR IS OUT OF WARRANTY. IN SOME CASES, GM DID NOTHING. I SPOKE WITH GM, AND THE BEST THEY HAVE OFFERED ME IS A VOUCHER FOR A FEW THOUSAND DOLLARS TOWARDS A NEW CAR, OR 10% THE INSTALLATION COST OF NEW SEAT. YESTERDAY (03/10/15), MY SON CALLED ME TO TELL ME THAT THE SEAT FRAME BROKE ALL THE WAY THROUGH, AND THE SEAT IS NOW VERY UNSTABLE--AND HE IS NO LONGER ABLE TO DRIVE THE CAR. FRANKLY, I WILL NOT LET HIM DRIVE THE CAR NOW THAT THIS HAS HAPPENED, AS IT IS VERY UNSAFE. REPLACING THE SEAT COSTS APPRX. $800--I ONLY SPENT $5,000 ON THE CAR WHEN I BOUGHT IT. WITH ALL OF THE ISSUES GM HAS FACED THIS PAST YEAR WITH RECALLS, I THINK IT IS WORTH LOOKING INTO THIS ISSUE--ESPECIALLY SINCE SO MANY OTHER PEOPLE HAVE REPORTED THE SAME PROBLEM. I DO NOT HAVE THE VIN AVAILABLE RIGHT NOW, AS I AM OUT OF TOWN FOR WORK. I CAN GET YOU THE INFO ON FRIDAY OF THIS WEEK (03/13/15), IF YOU NEED IT FOR REFERENCE. ANY HELP THAT YOU CAN PROVIDE IS GREATLY APPRECIATED. THANK YOU. [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR