NHTSA Complaint #754158 — 2000 SATURN SL

FAILURE OF REVERSE AND 2ND GEAR CONSISTENT WITH SB612478, DATED 4/2000. 2ND GEAR FADED EFFECTIVENESS OVER TIME, WHILE REVERSE GEAR DISAPPEARED SUDDENLY ON 11/1/01. EXAMINATION BY MECHANIC FOUND THE GEAR RING FOR REVERSE (WHICH ALSO HOLDS 2ND GEAR) HAD DISINTEGRATED SPRAYING DEBRIS THROUGHT THE REST OF THE TRANSMISSION. MANUFACTURER WAS AWARE OF DEFECT WHILE VEHICLE WAS STILL UNDER WARRANTY, AND VEHICLE HAD BEEN SERVICED BY DEALER SUBSEQUENT TO THE 4/00 BULLETIN. THIS INFORMATION WAS NOT PRESENTED BY SATURN TO THE CUSTOMER, AND SATURN HAS TRIED TO CLAIM THE SERVICE BULLETIN MEANS NOTHING. DEALER/SATURN CORPORATE REQUIRE EXAMINTION BY THEIR REPRESENTATIVE (DEALER) PRIOR TO REMEDY, YET THEY WILL NOT DO IT WITHOUT REQUIRING LABOR BE PAID UPFRONT. I PURCHASED A 2ND SATURN IN JUNE 2001, A 2001 L200, THAT IS ALSO HAVING 2ND GEAR DIFFICULTY AT ONLY 9000 MILES. MY TRUST IN SATURN IS IN SHAMBLES -- I HAVE BEEN DRIVING THIS VEHICLE FOR A YEAR AND HALF SINCE THIS BULLETIN UNDER THE ASSUMPTION THAT THE VEHICLE WAS SAFE TO DRIVE, ONLY TO LEARN THAT INFORMATION HAD BEEN HIDDEN RELATING TO MY VEHICLE. I PURCHASED MY SECOND SATURN BASED ON THIS FALSE TRUST, AND I FEEL CHEATED. I EXPECT SATURN TO REMEDY THE DEFECT, PROMTLY AND AT THEIR COST.*AK