NHTSA Complaint #11451017 — 2009 SATURN AURA

The power steering completely failed while driving. This made the car very difficult to turn and because it happened at a high speed, if there had been an immediate need to swerve, it would not have been possible due to the power steering failure. It is not as if the steering became like a car with "manual steering", as I have driven one without power steering before. It was much worse. Similar to how a handicap access door is very difficult to open manually as it can also be opened with the push of a button. In addition, it should be noted that normal alerts made by the car are supposed to play a chime through the speakers. For this car, it seems to be played through the driver speaker, which also stopped working some time ago. In fact both the front speakers have failed and I've only been able to replace the passenger one thus far. Therefore, when you are driving, when the power steering fails randomly, the warning chime is not heard. The only way you would know it has failed is if you look down at the information center in the dash and catch the alert - or you try to make a turn. As you can imagine, finding out your steering has failed in the middle of a turn is incredibly terrifying and it is only by the grace of God that we have not had a wreck up to this point. We immediately stopped driving this car once this issue presented itself as it is not safe to drive. The dealer just made me aware that the failure was caused by the steering torque angle sensor. I had just recently had the power steering motor replaced because of the same exact problem. As it turns out, there is an outstanding product safety recall for the steering torque angle sensor: 14116B. However, my Saturn Aura was manufactured in 2009 making it ineligible for the safety recall. The recall only covers Auras (and other similar GM cars) manufactured through mid-2008. It is clear that this recall should be expanded to cover my vehicle for both of the aforementioned failures.