2002 SATURN SC — Problems, Recalls & Safety Data

FRONT END ACCIDENT. NEITHER AIR BAG DEPLOYED. CAR WAS IN MOTION, WENT THROUGH A RAIL OVER A EMBANKMENT AND DOWN THE HILL INTO THE LAKE.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 SATURN SC. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE KEY FELL OUT OF THE IGNITION SWITCH WHILE DRIVING. AT TIMES, THE CONTACT HAD DIFFICULTY PLACING THE KEY IN AND OUT OF THE IGNITION SWITCH. THE IGNITION SWITCH WAS REPAIRED THREE TIMES. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

CAR HAS HAD ISSUES WITH THE STARTER OVER THE YEARS, REQUIRING COUNTLESS REPLACEMENTS BEFORE THE RECOMMENDED REPLACEMENT DATES. RECENTLY, A STARTER LASTED ONLY 6 MONTHS BEFORE FAILING. WHEN A MECHANIC LOOKED AT THE STARTER, HE SAID THAT THERE IS PROBABLY SOMETHING WRONG WITH THE IGNITION CAUSING THE STARTER TO CONTINUOUSLY RUN WHILE THE ENGINE IS ON. THIS RESULTED IN THE STARTER COMPLETELY BURNING UP ON THE INSIDE. SMOKE WAS VISIBLE FROM THIS STARTER. THE KEY ALSO SLIPS OUT OF THE IGNITION IN ANY POSITION, INCLUDING WHEN THE ENGINE IS ON AND CAR IS MOVING. THERE IS A RECALL FROM GM AFFECTING SATURN IGNITION SWITCHES AND IGNITION CYLINDERS, BUT IT DOES NOT INCLUDE 2002 SATURNS EVEN THOUGH THE PROBLEM IS THE SAME.

I CONTACTED GM'S CUSTOMER SERVICE REGARDING MY IGNITION SWITCH WHICH IS STUCK ON ACCESSORY AND HAS BEEN DRAINING MY BATTERY. MY CAR WAS A YEAR BEFORE THE RECALLED IGNITION SWITCHES IN OTHER SATURN BUT AFTER SIGNIFICANT RESEARCH IT APPEARED TO BE SIMILAR ISSUES THAT THE MAJORITY OF THE RECALLS HAD. THEY REFERRED ME TO A CHEVY DEALERSHIP FOR A QUOTE AND SAID THAT THEY WOULD DETERMINE IF IT WOULD BE COVERED. WHEN I ARRIVED THE DEALERSHIP SAID THEY HAD SEEN MANY OF THESE ISSUES BUT GM ALWAYS REFUSED TO COVER AND THAT I SHOULD CALL THEM TO GET A CASE NUMBER. AFTER SPENDING 45 MINUTES ON THE PHONE WITH A REPRESENTATIVE TO DETERMINE IF I WAS ELIGIBLE I WAS THEN PASSED TO ANOTHER REPRESENTATIVE WHO TOLD ME THAT BECAUSE THE IGNITION SWITCH DID NOT TURN WHILE DRIVING, IT WAS MY PROBLEM BECAUSE MY CAR IS OVER 10 YEARS OLD AND PARASITIC DRAINS WERE NOT THEIR REMIT. I ASKED IF THESE WERE IN THE SAME BATCH AS THE RECALLED SWITCHES BECAUSE THEY SHOULD TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR ALL FAULTY SWITCHES WITHIN THAT TIME FRAME AND THEY TOLD ME TO FILE A COMPLAINT WITH NHTSA. I REACHED OUT TO THEIR DIGITAL CUSTOMER SERVICE REPS WHO WERE ABLE TO ISSUE ME A CASE NUMBER AND SAID THAT SOMEONE WOULD CALL ME WITHIN 24 HOURS AND NO ONE CALLED. I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT 2002 SWITCHES ARE INVESTIGATED FOR POSSIBLE RECALL ISSUES AND I HAVE MY CASE NUMBER ON FILE IN CASE ANYONE ACTUALLY HELPS ME THERE. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 SATURN SC. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE FAILED TO START UNTIL AFTER AWAITING SEVERAL HOURS LATER. THE FAILURE RECURRED ON A SEPARATE OCCASION. ALSO,THE KEY BECAME EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO TURN IN THE IGNITION SWITCH. IN ADDITION, THE KEY RELEASED INDEPENDENTLY FROM THE IGNITION SWITCH ON NUMEROUS TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 134,000.