1995 Saturn Sl

DRIVER'S SEAT BACK RECLINER GEAR TEETH ARE WORN EXCESSIVELY AND THE SEAT-BACK SLIPS REARWARD WHEN MINOR FORCE IS APPLIED. I CONTACTED SATURN (ROBERT HALL) REGARDING REMEDY FOR THIS PROBLEM UNDER THE NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER 99V045000. HE STATED THAT BECAUSE MY VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE ORIGINAL RECALL, THEY WOULD NOT FIX IT AT THEIR COST. HE FURTHER STATED THAT THE COMPANY'S POSITION IS THAT THE SEAT-BACK RECLINER MECHANISM IS A "WEAR PART" AND THAT BECAUSE MY CAR IS 5-YEARS OLD, THIS KIND OF WEAR IS EXPECTED. I DISAGREE. MY CAR WAS MANUFACTURED IN 11/94. THE ORIGINAL RECALL COVERED VEHICLES MANUFACTURED 1/94 -8/94. IF ANYTHING, MY CAR IS NEWER AND THE MECHANISM SHOULD HAVE LESS WEAR. MR HALL FURTHER STATED THAT THE HIGH MILES INDICATED THAT THE PART WOULD BE EXPECTED TO FAIL. AGAIN, I DISAGREE. THE SEAT-BACK MECHANISM IS GENERALLY ADJUSTED ONLY ONCE EACH TRIP (OFTEN NOT AT ALL). UNLESS THE PART IS DESIGNED TO FAIL THROUGH NORMAL WEAR, IT SHOULD NOT FAIL SIMPLY BECAUSE THE AVERAGE TRIP LENGTH IS LONGER, AS OCCURS ON THE RELETIVELY LONG COMMUTES IN ALASKA. MR HALL STATED THAT THE PROBLEM "LOT" OF FAULTY SEAT-BACK MECHANISMS WAS FOUND AND THAT THE PROBLEM WAS FIXED AT THE FACTORY ON MY CAR. ONE MORE TIME, I DISAGREE. I BELIEVE THE ORIGINAL PROBLEM WAS NOT RESOLVED AND THAT THE MANUFACTURER CONTINUED TO INSTALL FAULTY SEAT-BACK RECLINER MECHANISMS AFTER AUGUST 1994. I REQUEST THAT THE ORIGINAL RECALL BE EXPANDED TO INCLUDE MY VEHICLE AND ANY OTHER THAT SUFFER FROM THE SAME SAFETY DEFECT AND THAT THIS SAFETY DEFECT BE REPAIRE AT NO COST TO ME.*AK

ON FEB. 24, I WAS REAR-ENDED WHILE STOPPED AT A RED LIGHT. THE IMPACT PUSHED MY CAR INTO THE INTERSECTION AHEAD OF ME. FORTUNATELY, THERE WERE NO INJURIES. HOWEVER, MY DRIVER'S SEAT WAS FORCED INTO THE FULLY RECLINING POSITION AS A RESULT OF THE IMPACT. THERE WAS NO OTHER DAMAGE - NOT EVEN A SCRATCH. MY 2-YEAR DAUGHTER WAS SEATED IN HER CAR SEAT, LOCATED IN THE REAR PASSENGER SIDE. IF THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT WAS OCCUPIED, OR IF THE CHILD CAR SEAT WAS POSITIONED BEHIND THE DRIVERS SEAT, SHE COULD HAVE BEEN SERIOUSLY INJURED BY THE FORCE OF THE FRONT SEAT SUDDENLY AND FORCEFULLY RECLINING ONTO HER LEGS. I AM DEEPLY CONCERNED ABOUT THE SAFETY OF TRANSPORTING MY DAUGHTER IN MY SATURN. AS A RESULT OF THIS EXPERIENCE, I HAVE MOVED THE CAR SEAT TO THE CENTER POSITION. BUT THE SEAT DOES NOT FIT TIGHTLY THERE - IT MOVES FROM SIDE TO SIDE. EVEN IN THE CENTER POSITION, BOTH FRONT SEAT BACKS HIT THE EDGES OF THE CAR SEAT WHEN THEY ARE RECLINED. *AK