NHTSA Complaint #10824612 — 2004 SATURN ION

AFTER STOPPING AT AN INTERSECTION AND PREPARING TO TURN LEFT, THE CAR COULD NOT STEER TO THE LEFT. AS HE CAR DRIFTED FORWARD THE STEERING BECAME EASIER AND THE CAR WAS ABLE TO NEGOTIATE THE TURN. AS THE CAR PICKED UP SPEED, THE STEERING APPEARED TO BE NORMAL UNTIL APPROACHING ANOTHER 90 DEGREE RIGHT HAND TURN (1/2 MILE AWAY FROM THE STOP IN WHICH IT WAS HARD TO TURN). NOT KNOWING WHAT WAS HAPPENING WITH THE VEHICLE, HE SLOWED DOWN TO NEGOTIATE THE RIGHT HAND TURN AND THE CAR FAILED TO STEER RIGHT LEADING HIM STRAIGHT THRU AND INTO AN ONCOMING VEHICLE. THIS VEHICLE WAS IN THE SHOP ONE WEEK AFTER WE PURCHASED IT TO HAVE THE IGNITION SWITCH REPLACED. AFTER HAVING THE IGNITION SWITCH REPLACED THE PROBLEM WITH THE STEERING OCCURRED. THERE WAS MUCH DAMAGE DONE TO THE CAR AND OUR INSURANCE PICKED UP THE COST OF THE OTHER DRIVERS DAMAGES. THIS WAS OUR SONS FIRST CAR AND A TERRIBLE EXPERIENCE. THE CAR WAS TOWED BY GM TO A DEALERSHIP THAT DEAMED THE CAR SAFE. HE SAID THAT THE STEERING SHAFT WAS RUSTY WHICH CAUSED THE ACCIDENT. WE HAD A CLAIM THRU GM DUE TO THE STEERING RECALL AND THEY DENIED US SINCE THE DEALERSHIP THAT LOOKED AT THE CAR DEEMED IT TO BE SAFE. WE TOOK IT TO ANOTHER GARAGE THAT TOLD US THAT IT IS NOT SAFE AND NOT TO PUT OUR SON BACK IN IT UNTIL WE SPEAK TO YOU ABOUT HOW TO MOVE FORWARD. THE VEHICLE CAN BE REPLACED, BUT OUR SON CANNOT!!! HE WAS VERY LUCKY THAT THE ACCIDENT WAS NOT MORE SEVERE. WE WILL NOT PUT HIM OR ANYONE ELSE BACK IN THAT CAR IF NOTHING IS DONE TO PREVENT IT AGAIN. WE DON'T FEEL THAT IT'S OUR FINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITY TO HAVE THE PARTS REPLACED. PLEASE LET US KNOW IF THERE ARE ANY OPTIONS AVAILABLE TO US IN REGARDS TO THIS SITUATION. WE ARE DISSATISFIED WITH GM AND THE DEALER THAT SAID THE CAR WAS SAFE. OUR SONS LIFE IS AT STAKE AND THE POOR DECISIONS OF THE DEALERSHIP AND GM HAVE CREATED A POTENTIALLY CRITICAL SITUATION. THANKS