1997 Saturn Sl

WHILE DRIVING (VEHICLE IN MOTION) THE VEHICLE SHUTS DOWN COMPLETELY. AT TIMES WHEN THE KEY IS TURNED IN THE IGNITION SWITCH NOTHING HAPPENS; NO ELECTRICAL POWER BUT BATTERY IS FINE AND EVERYTHING ELSE CHECKS OUT OK EXCEPT THE IGNITION SWITCH. IT HAS ALL THE CHARACTERISTICS OF GM VEHICLES THAT EXPERIENCED FATALITIES WITH FAULTY IGNITION SWITCHES. THIS HAS OCCURRED ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS THE LAST INSTANCE WAS ON MAY 10, 2016.

I RECENTLY HAD A FRIGHTENING EXPERIENCE IN MY SATURN, ONLY TO BE HUMILIATED BY THE SERVICE MANAGER AND OWNER OF THE TORRANCE DEALERSHIP. SUNDAY NIGHT- I LEFT MY FRIENDS HOUSE TO GO HOME. UP UNTIL NOW MY SATURN ALWAYS RAN PERFECTLY AND I TOOK IT IN TO THE SATURN DEALERSHIP FOR REGULARLY SCHEDULED MAINTENANCE. AS SOON AS I STARTED DRIVING THE CAR DOWN THE STREET I HEARD A LOUD METAL BANG UNDER MY CAR. IT WAS INCREDIBLY FRIGHTENING - I THOUGHT I RAN OVER A BOMB. THEN I WANTED TO PULL OVER SO I CONTINUED TO DRIVE TO PULL OVER TO THE SIDE. THE CLUTCH WENT INTO FIRST AND THEN SECOND, THEN THE CAR STARTED TO DRIFT, I PUT IT BACK IN FIRST ONLY TO FIND IT STARTED PULLING BACKWARDS ALL ON ITS OWN. I WAS SCARRED OUT OF MY MIND AT THIS POINT. I COULD HAVE HIT OR KILLED SOMEONE -- THANK GOD IT WASN'T ON A FREEWAY - THIS WAS AN ACCIDENT WAITING TO HAPPEN. I IMMEDIATELY STOPPED THE CAR AND CALLED AAA TO HAVE IT TOWED TO THE SATURN OF TORRANCE DEALER. MY REGULAR SERVICE DEALER AS WELL AS THE DEALER I PURCHASED THE CAR FROM. NEXT MORNING, BORA CUMMINGS, THE SERVICE REP CALLED ME AT 7:30 AM TO TELL ME THAT IT WAS PROBABLY A CLUTCH OR GEAR PROBLEM AND THAT IT WAS "STILL COVERED UNDER WARRANTY" (THE CAR IS LESS THAN 3 YRS OLD AND ONLY HAS 27,690 MI ON IT) SHE THEN CALLED ME BACK 1 HOUR LATER AND TOLD ME THAT HER MANAGER SAID, "IT WOULD PROBABLY NOT BE COVERED AS THIS IS NORMAL WEAR, BUT THEY WOULD CALL ME AT 4 PM AND LET ME KNOW - SHE ALSO SAID THAT SHE DIDN'T THINK THE CAR COULD BE FIXED TODAY ANYWAY AS IT TAKES QUITE A NUMBER OF HOURS TO DO THIS. THEY NEVER CALLED. BY 5 PM I WAS WORRIED. I WAS AT LEAST GOING TO NEED A RENTAL FOR THE NEXT DAYS WORK IF THE CAR WASN'T GOING TO BE DONE. BORA TOLD ME SHE RESERVED A RENTAL CAR AND TO COME AND GET IT. WHEN I GOT TO THE STATION -- 5:45 PM I WAS TOLD, LO AND BEHOLD THAT MY CAR WAS ALMOST READY AND IF I COULD COME BACK IN HALF AND HOUR I COULD HAVE IT. I ASKED IF THEY KNEW WHAT THE PROBLEM WAS YET. NO SAFETY DEFECT LISTED IN SUMMARY