NHTSA Complaint #10735917 — 2009 SATURN AURA

CAR HAS HAD INTERMITTENT TRANSMISSION ISSUES FOR YEARS, MAINLY STUTTERS AND SLIPPING. AT THE DEALERSHIP, WE'D JUST GET A SHOULDER SHRUG AND WERE TOLD IT WAS NOT REPEATABLE, DESPITE OUR SEVERAL VISITS FOR THE SAME ISSUE. WELL IT ACTED UP MORE THAN NORMAL AS MY WIFE WAS DRIVING AROUND TOWN (BUCKED AND RACED WITH NO POWER), BARELY MAKING IT HOME. SHE REFUSED TO DRIVE IT THE NEXT DAY, SO I DID. IT DROVE TO WORK FINE. WHILE RUNNING ERRANDS ON THE WAY HOME (2 MILES, NO HIGHWAY, 35 MPH), IT REALLY HESITATED FROM THE GREEN LIGHT AND THE ENGINE WOULD RACE AS POWER TO THE WHEELS WAS LOST (COASTING SLOWLY THROUGH THE INTERSECTION). THEN SUDDENLY IT WOULD ENGAGE AND ACT NORMAL UNTIL IT SHIFTED TO THE NEXT GEAR....AND REPEAT. SO, I FOUND A WIDE SPOT IN THE ROAD WITH NO TRAFFIC AND ATTEMPTED TO TURN AROUND, BUT THE TURNING RADIUS WAS NOT TIGHT ENOUGH FOR THE AVAILABLE SPACE AND I STOPPED AT THE EDGE OF THE ROAD AND PUT IT INTO REVERSE. IT WAS AS IF I PUT IT INTO NEUTRAL. THE ENGINE RACED AND BEFORE I REALIZED WHAT WAS HAPPENING AND CATCH IT, THE FRONT END OF THE CAR HAD FALLEN OFF THE EDGE OF THE ROAD INTO THE DITCH WITH THE CAR'S REAR END 90 DEGREES TO ONE LANE OF TRAFFIC. THE FRONT END WAS EMBEDDED INTO THE FAR BANK OF THE DITCH, BUT IT WAS RETRIEVABLE BY THE TOWTRUCK. THE GARAGE SAID IT WAS THE 35R CLUTCH PLATES AND NEEDED AN ENTIRELY NEW/REBUILT TRANSMISSION TO THE TUNE OF $4900 INSTALLED!!!!