Saturn heard from on Day 71

At 2:12 PM EDT, Saturn was heard from for the first time in over a month, and for the first time since Ms. Lajdziak received my letter of May 23, 2007. It seems the June 21, 2007 letter to Mr. LaNeve (GM North America's Vice President for Sales, Service and Marketing) had some effect in reopening the channels of communication.

A "Sheronda" called from the Saturn Customer Assistance Center in Tennessee, from 931-486-0012, although she would not identify any number other than the main queue number. Saturn acknowledged the open NHTSA investigation (ODI # EA06009). She claimed that the type of response given is unlike Saturn, and maintained that Saturn was on the forefront of taking care of issues or recall campaigns when the need arises. Obviously not, or else there would not be hundreds, if not thousands, of other2001 L-series owners facing the same problem.

I was told a new review of the case would begin, and promised an answer by 5pm Central Standard Time tomorrow, June 28, 2007. I was asked what I thought was "fair" - my reply was quite simply that Saturn needs to pay 100% of the cost, and issue a recall. Saturn knew about the timing chain problems in the 2001 L series before we purchased our vehicle on June 23, 2001. They most assuredly knew about the problems during the entire warranty and extended warranty periods. The 2003 service bulletin acknowledging the change in design was during that period, yet at no time while the vehicle was Serviced by a Saturn retailer (both Saturn of Fairfax and Saturn of Manassas, for the entire vehicle life) was the timing chain ever inspected or the design change implemented.

The Timing chain should have lasted well beyond 200,000 miles, well beyond the scheduled maintenance to replace it at 90,000 miles. It failed at 84,700. Entirely unacceptable.

We are 10 weeks and a day without the use of the L200. The loss use by the amount of the prior loan payment for that time would be $1000. ($400 per month x 2.5 months)

She did "apologize for the delay", and took pains to note that the car was outside of all warranties - true but irrelevant in light of Saturn's negligence in the matter. Had Saturn done due diligence from the start on the timing chain problem, it would have been fixed under warranty for myself and most others. The only reasonable course of action is for Saturn to issue a recall for the timing chain problems, and make it right for every Saturn owner who was forced to pay out of their own pocket for such repairs.

So the question looms - will Saturn and GM do the right thing? Or will they force the hand to further action?

Day 70 - LaNeve silent

Today marks 10 weeks since the timing chain failure, and last Sunday marked a month since Saturn received my letter and attachments. They still have yet to respond to that. LaNeve received the 2nd letter on Friday, June 22 - it was signed for by M. Gracey at 9:23 AM on Friday, tracking number 7923 6544 1198, addressed to Mr. LaNeve's mail code, 482-A39-D22.

Day 66: LaNeve received letter

The letter to Mark R. LaNeve, Vice President of GM North America for Sales, Service and Marketing, was delivered this morning at 9:23AM, tracking number 7923 6544 1198.

The clock is still ticking - will GM answer the call?

ODI open investigation

Our 2001 L200 falls right into the 4-month range of concern in the open investigation at NHTSA's ODI - ours was manufactured in November 2000. Our complaint was filed May 18, 2007 as ODI #10191174.

NHTSA Action Number:

NHTSA Recall
Campaign Number:

EA06009

N/A
Make: SATURN

Model: L-SERIES
Manufacturer :
GENERAL MOTORS CORP.
Year : 2001
Component : ENGINE AND ENGINE
COOLING
Date Investigation Opened : June 6, 2006
Date Investigation
Closed : Open
Summary: ON DECEMBER 12, 2005, ODI RECEIVED A DEFECT PETITION (DP05-008) REQUESTING THE INVESTIGATION OF TIMING CHAIN FAILURES THAT COULD CAUSE STALLING IN SATURN VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH THE 2.2L (L61) ENGINE. ODI OPENED PE06-006 ON JANUARY 24, 2006, WITH 24 VEHICLE OWNER COMPLAINTS THAT ALLEGED A BROKEN TIMING CHAIN CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO STOP OPERATING. ON APRIL 12, 2006, ODI RECEIVED INFORMATION FROM GENERAL MOTORS (GM) CONCERNING TIMING CHAIN FAILURES IN APPROXIMATELY 412,000 MODEL YEAR (MY) 2000 THROUGH 2003 SATURN L-SERIES AND ION VEHICLES WITH 2.2L ENGINES. GM'S RESPONSE INCLUDED 1,020 OWNER COMPLAINTS AND FIELD REPORTS CONCERNING TIMING CHAIN FAILURE, INCLUDING 228 THAT ALLEGED THE FAILURE CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO STALL WHILE DRIVING. GM ALSO PROVIDED WARRANTY CLAIM DATA THAT SHOWED 1,902 SUBJECT VEHICLES RECEIVING TIMING CHAIN REPAIRS, INCLUDING 261 WHICH INDICATED THAT A STALL WHILE DRIVING RESULTED FROM THE FAILURE. THE GM COMPLAINTS, FIELD REPORTS AND WARRANTY CLAIMS THAT DID NOT CONTAIN SUFFICIENT INFORMATION TO DETERMINE THAT A STALL WHILE DRIVING OCCURRED WERE CATEGORIZED AS "OTHER" INCIDENTS. GM STATED THAT THE MAJORITY OF THESE INCIDENTS PROBABLY OCCURRED WHILE THE VEHICLES WERE PARKED "SINCE THE TIMING CHAIN IS MORE LIKELY TO BREAK DURING HIGH CHAIN LOAD SITUATIONS, SUCH AS ENGINE STARTUP." GM'S DATA SHOWED ELEVATED FAILURE RATES IN APPROXIMATELY 20,500 MY 2001 L-SERIES VEHICLES PRODUCED DURING A FOUR MONTH PERIOD FROM NOVEMBER 2000 THROUGH FEBRUARY 2001. THE TIMING CHAIN FAILURE RATE IN THE VEHICLES BUILT DURING THIS RANGE IS OVER 10 TIMES GREATER THAN THE REMAINING SUBJECT VEHICLE POPULATION. OVER ONE-THIRD OF GM'S TOTAL COMPLAINTS AND FIELD REPORTS (34.3%) AND WARRANTY CLAIMS (38.2%) INVOLVED L-SERIES VEHICLES BUILT DURING THE 4-MONTH PERIOD, WHICH ARE ONLY ABOUT 5% OF SUBJECT VEHICLE PRODUCTION. FOR THE MY 2001 L-SERIES VEHICLES BUILT DURING THE 4-MONTH PERIOD, THE 36-MONTH FAILURE RATE FOR REPAIRS INVOLVING STALL WHILE DRIVING IS SLIGHTLY UNDER ONE PERCENT. HOWEVER, IF THE INCIDENTS CODED AS "OTHER" ARE ADDED, THE 36-MONTH FAILURE RATE RISES TO NEARLY FIVE PERCENT FOR THOSE VEHICLES. ODI AND GM ARE CONTINUING TO ASSESS THE NUMBER OF COMPLAINTS AND WARRANTY CLAIMS CODED BY GM AS "OTHER" THAT INVOLVE INCIDENTS OF STALL WHILE DRIVING. GM'S STATISTICAL MODELING OF THE FAILURE DATA INITIALLY CONCLUDED THAT THE FAILURE RATES WERE DECLINING WITH AGE AND MILEAGE FOR ANY SET OF WARRANTY DATA ANALYZED (E.G., STALL WHILE DRIVING, OTHER OR
COMBINED). HOWEVER, SUBSEQUENT ANALYSIS SHOWED THAT THE FAILURE RATES ARE INCREASING. BASED ON THE HIGH COMPLAINT AND WARRANTY RATES FOR TIMING CHAIN FAILURE IN THE 4-MONTH PRODUCTION PERIOD FOR THE MY 2001 L-SERIES VEHICLES, AN ENGINEERING ANALYSIS HAS BEEN OPENED TO FURTHER ASSESS THE FREQUENCY OF STALL INCIDENTS DUE TO TIMING CHAIN FAILURES IN THOSE VEHICLES.

http://nhthqnwws111.odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/acms/docservlet/Artemis/Public/Pursuits/2006/EA/INOA-EA06009-61690.pdf

More complaints

Many more complaints than those published by NHTSA appear on carsurvey.org, 86 separate comments worth. Most all had the timing chain break, engine damaged, and given a lame excuse by Saturn (failure to maintain). Saturn has not claimed that in our case, but as these others, they have dodged honing up to the responsibility to issue a recall.

3rd Mar 2007, 15:00
I want to encourage
everyone that had a timing chain issue with his or her Saturn to write to the NHTSA. When my chain broke last December (on a 50 MPH 2-lane highway), I wrote to the NHTSA to complain. Just this week (March 2 2007), the NHTSA responded for a request for additional information. They stated that the case has been re-opened do to the growing number of reported chain failures. They are especially interested in chains that broke while the car was on the road. (GM maintains it is not a safety issue as the chain usually breaks at start up.) While it cost ~$2500 to fix our car, I am more concern with the safety aspect. We came close on being hit when our chain broke. We need to give the NHTSA enough information to force GM to fix this
problem before someone gets hurt or worse. The NHTSA web site is
http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov.

http://www.carsurvey.org/viewmorecomments_review_56674_5.html

Day 65 - LaNeve does Hannity

GM North America's Vice President for Sales, Service & Marketing Mark R. LaNeve has the time to do the Sean Hannity Show - but GM/Saturn has remained silent. He was on in the 4pm hour, from about 4:33 to 4:45. The main topic was fuel economy standards, but Mr. LaNeve commented on how GM got a bad rap for its products, when, according to him, they lead the market in some areas, including their new crossover SUVs such as the Saturn Outlook. Customer Service is not one of the areas they excel in, or at least they have not come close to date.

Today marks four weeks since Jill Lajdziak, General Manager of Saturn Corporation, received a four-page letter by Fedex, along with a nine-page email thread, and several pages from NHTSA's ODI website, including my own complaint. Today, I sent a followup letter directly to Mr. LaNeve, also by Fedex, along with a copy of the complete prior letter and all attachments. Mr. LaNeve had received a copy of the prior letter on Tuesday, May 29th by certified mail, as had Mr. Wagoner and Mr. Clarke.

We shall see if Mr. LaNeve will respond - it will be delivered tomorrow, Friday, June 22, 2007.

Day 63 - 9 weeks

Tuesday marked the 9 week mark since the timing chain failure - April 17, 2007. Still nothing but silence.

USPS shows Saturn of Manassas received letter on May 29

Although the green return-receipt card has not yet been received near three weeks later, a check of USPS's system shows:

Label/Receipt Number: 7179 9941 7650 0902 0749

Detailed Results:
Delivered, May 29, 2007, 12:02 pm, MANASSAS, VA 20109
Acceptance (APC), May 25, 2007, 9:30 am, FAIRFAX, VA 22030

So it does not appear they refused the mail delivery, but one has to wonder why the return receipts from Detroit arrived two weeks ago, yet the local one is still missing. And it further illuminates the lack of communication from the local entity since then, with the only paper being an advertisement of lease rates on new vehicles that was received on June 12, 2007.

It is obvious that Mr. Tom Tellepson does not care about customer service - from the way he runs his dealership to the way he does not return calls, and does not return letters. It's a wonder he sells any cars at all.

Day 59 - more silence

In what is becoming a broken record... Day 59 finds more silence from GM and Saturn..

Day 58

Thursday brings silence in the mail yet again...

Day 56, silence again

Day 56 brings yet more silence from Saturn, GM and Saturn of Manassas - still no green return-receipt card from Saturn of Manassas for a certified letter they received on May 26, 2007.

The gall of Saturn on Day 55

Saturn of Manassas has continued their bombardment of large postcard advertisements aimed at selling new Saturns - yet they can't be troubled enough to respond to our certified letter, delivered May 26, 2007. The postcard is the first contact with Saturn of Manassas of any kind since a brief phone call from the Service Clerk on Wednesday, May 16, 2007. And it is perhaps more insulting that they continue to send advertisements, but they have done everything possible to deter us from buying another Saturn.

Day 53 - silence

Saturday, June 9th, 2007's USPS delivery came and went with nothing from GM or Saturn, and Saturn of Manassas's green return-receipt card is still AWOL...

Day 52 - silent again

Friday June 8, 2007 marks 52 days since the timing chain failed on the L200 in Richmond. It also marks 15 days since the General Manager of Saturn Corporation received a lengthy letter by Fedex, with no response. Still no green return-receipt card from Saturn of Manassas, likely first attempted to be delivered to them on Saturday, May 26, 2007. Nothing as yet out of GM in Detroit either - it has been 10 days since they received their copies of the Saturn letter.

Day 51, no green card from Saturn of Manassas; no reply from GM

Thursday June 7, 2007's mail delivery came and went with no items from Saturn, GM or Saturn of Manassas. Today is two weeks since Saturn's Jill Lajdziak received our letter, with still no response by like means. Saturn of Manassas is still AWOL on the green return-receipt card - they should have gotten their copy of the letter prior to the three Detroit GM addressees. GM received their copies 9 days ago and have not made any further contact. Perhaps it is time for a letter directly to GM about Ms. Lajdziak's failure to respond.

One begins to wonder if Saturn of Manassas is refusing to receive their mail - how else can one explain the overly extended delay on the green return-receipt card that should have been in hand a week ago or more.

Day 50, Awaiting response; GM receipt cards in, SoM AWOL

Two weeks ago today a letter was Fedexed to the General Manager of Saturn Corporation, Jill Lajdziak. No response has yet been received. Copies of this letter were sent certified, return receipt requested to three at GM in Detroit and Saturn of Manassas on Friday, May 25, 2007. The green reciept cards for the three at GM arrived today, Wednesday June 6, 2007. The one local, that of Saturn of Manassas, still has not arrived.

Now that receipt by the three at GM (Chairman & CEO G. Richard Wagoner, Jr; President of GM North America Troy A. Clarke & VP of GM North America for Sales, Service & Marketing Mark R. LaNeve) has been confirmed, now we await a response. All three were signed for by the same person, a D. Anderson, on Tuesday, May 29, 2007.

Day 49, GM silent still

Day 49, Tuesday June 5, 2007, saw still no return receipt cards from any of the GM Detroit addressees, nor the Saturn of Manassas local addressee.

Day 48, still no green cards from GM, Saturn of Manassas

Monday, June 4 passed with the four green return-receipt cards still out there, not yet delivered to my mailbox. GM's timing is almost understandable, as they would have gotten the letter copies on our about May 29-30. Saturn of Manassas's is not - as they would have gotten their copy on May 26, 2007, more than a week ago.

One begins to question whether they are refusing to sign for their mail - and in the process deepening their sink into poor customer service.

This story is getting around - to more people and in more states than GM would care to admit. The more I tell the story, the more it gets retold, by people here in Virginia, and as far away as Florida, New York, Pennsylvania and Illinois. It spreads from there to Maryland, California, Texas, Massachusetts and Georgia. GM's failure to make things right with one customer will end up costing GM hundreds or thousands.

Day 46, Still Awaiting GM's response

Just like day 45 (Friday), Saturday June 2, 2007 passes with no green return receipt cards in the mail, not even from local Saturn of Manassas, who should have received the letter on 5-26. (The copies of the Saturn letter were sent certified, return-receipt requested, from the Fairfax main post office, 22030, on Friday, May 25, 2007 - Saturn of Manassas is local at 20109)

One must wonder if Saturn of Manassas is refusing to pick up their mail.

Day 45, Still Awaiting GM's response

Friday June 1 makes day 45 in the saga, with no response yet from GM or Saturn of Manassas, and none of the green return receipt cards have arrived yet, not even from the local dealer, whose copy of the letter should have been delivered to them on Saturday, May 26, 2007.