NHTSA Complaint #703516 — 1996 SATURN SL

THE ENGINE HEAD HAS AN INTERNAL CRACK IN IT WHICH ALLOWS THE ENGINE OIL TO LEAK INTO THE COOLANT. I REALIZED THIS BECAUSE THERE WAS OIL IN THE COOLANT RESERVOIR. I WENT TO SATURN OF FT. LAUDERDALE, WHERE I BOUGHT THE CAR AND WAS TOLD THAT IT IS NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTY(I HAVE53,000MILES). I WAS ALSO TOLD IF I WANTED THEM TO FIX IT THEY WOULD CHARGE ME $300 TO DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM, AND IF IT WAS A CRACKED HEAD, IT WOULD COST ME AT LEAST $1200. IF I DIDN'T LIKE THEIR DIAGNOSES I WOULD HAVE 24 HOURS TO HAVE THE CAR TOWED OFF THEIR PROPERTY , DISASSEMBLED. THIS WAS TOLD TO ME BY DENNY MCGEE (954)760-6340, SERVICE MANAGER FOR SATURN. I WAS ALSO TOLD THAT IF I HAD NOT FOLLOWED EVERY SERVICE REQUIREMENT THAT SATURN DESCRIBES IN THEIR HAND BOOK I WOULD NOT BE ELIGIBLE FOR ANY COMPENSATION. AT THE MOST THEY MIGHT PAY FOR PARTS AND I WOULD HAVE TO PAY FOR LABOR. I AM VERY ANGRY! I AM A TEACHER, AND I COULD NOT AFFORD TO GAMBLE THAT SATURN "MIGHT PICK UP PART OF THE PRICE" MR. MCGEE SAID THEY MAY ONLY PICK UP 10%. I TOOK THE CAR TO MY PRIVATE MECHANIC WHO HAS TOLD ME THAT THIS IS CLEARLY A DEFECT IN THE PART. THE CAR HAS NEVER OVERHEATED AND MY MECHANIC SAID THAT THE CRACK IS BETWEEN TWO CHAMBERS WHERE THE OIL AND COOLANT CIRCULATE THROUGH THE ENGINE. HE OBTAINED USED REPLACEMENT PART AND BELIEVE IT OR NOT THIS PART ALSO HAD A SIMILAR CRACK IN THE SAME PLACE. IS THERE A RECALL FOR THIS ENGINE PART? I AM VERY DISILLUSIONED WITH THE SATURN COMPANY. THEY WERE VERY UNHELPFUL AND RUDE IN ADDRESSING THE PROBLEM WITH MY CAR AND I WANT THEM TO HELP PAY FOR A DEFECTIVE PART ON THE CAR THAT THEY SOLD ME! PLEASE GET IN TOUCH WITH ME IF THERE IS ANYTHING YOU CAN DO. THANK YOU, SINCERELY, HEATHER RYAN. *AK