2005 Saturn Vue

ON AUGUST 22, 2014, THE IGNITION SWITCH ON MY 2005 SATURN VUE FAILED AND WOULD NOT ALLOW CAR KEY ENTRY TO START THE CAR. I HAD TO HAVE AAA TOW THE CAR ON A FLATBED TRUCK. I CONTACTED GENERAL MOTORS REGARDING THEIR RECENT IGNITION SWITCH RECALL (DATED 08/11/14) AND EXPLAINED THE CAR'S PROBLEM. GM INFORMED ME THAT MY 2005 SATURN VUE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THEIR RECALL LIST, AND THEREFORE, THEY COULD NOT HELP ME. I CONTACTED THE ONLY GM DEALERSHIP IN RI TO SEE IF THEY COULD HELP. THE MANAGER TOLD ME THAT IF THE IGNITION IS DEFECTIVE, GM WOULD COVER THE COST OF REPAIR OR REPLACEMENT. HOWEVER, IF IT IS DETERMINED TO BE THE RESULT OF NORMAL "WEAR AND TEAR," I WOULD HAVE TO ASSUME RESPONSIBILITY FOR REPAIR. THE DEALERSHIP WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM UNTIL SOMETIME NEXT WEEK. I BELIEVE THAT MY 2005 SATURN SHOULD HAVE BEEN INCLUDED IN THE IGNITION SWITCH RECALL. IS THERE A WAY THAT THIS CAN BE DONE? [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

I WAS LEAVING WORK, I ENTERED MY CAR, PUT THE KEY INTO THE IGNITION AND ATTEMPTED TO TURN THE KEY. THE KEY WOULD NOT TURN. THE IGNITION WAS LOCKED AND THERE WAS NO UNLOCKING IT. I CALLED SEVERAL TOW COMPANIES AS THIS HAD HAPPENED A YEAR EARLIER AND A TOW COMPANY CAME OUT, SPRAYED THE IGNITION WITH WD-40 AND IT TURNED RIGHT AWAY. I TRIED THE WD-40 BEFORE CALLING THE TOW COMPANY AND IT DID NOTHING. WHEN THE TOW TRUCK ARRIVED, HE HAD MADE A STATEMENT THAT HE HAD SEEN THIS A LOT WITH THESE SUV'S. HE GOT THE KEY INTO THE AUXILIARY POSITION AND HIT IT THE KEY WITH THE HARD END OF A BUTT OF A KNIFE. THIS MADE THE IGNITION SLIP TO THE "ON" POSITION. I COULD THEN TURN THE KEY AND START THE TRUCK. I DO NOT HAVE THE MONEY TO HAVE THIS IGNITION REPLACED. I FEEL THAT THIS IGNITION SHOULD BE REPLACED AS JUST BECAUSE IT HAS NOT HAD AN ACCIDENT YET, THERE IS OBVIOUSLY A DEFECT WITH THIS IGNITION. THE STEERING COLUMN WAS LOCKED UNTIL THE KEY COULD BE TURNED TO THE "ON" POSITION. I HAVE TO LEAVE THE KEY IN THE IGNITION AT THIS TIME SO, THAT I CAN START THE TRUCK AND GET TO WORK. I AM TOLD IT WILL BE CLOSE TO $300 TO REPAIR THIS DEFECT!. *TR

THE IGNITION KEY BECAME VERY HARD TO TURN ON I HAD TO WIGGLE KEY AROUND TO FINALLY GET IT TO TURN. SINCE THAT TIME THE KEY HAS TO BE WIGGLED AROUND EVERY TIME YOU WANT TO START THE VEHICLE. ALSO THE KEY CAN BE PULLED OUT WITHOUT SHUTTING THE VEHICLE OFF. IF YOU ARE NOT CAREFUL TO TURN THE IGNITION SWITCH COMPLETELY OFF BEFORE REMOVING THE KEY IT IS VERY DIFFICULT TO GET THE KEY SLOT REALIGNED IN ORDER TO PLACE THE KEY INTO THE IGNITION. THE KEY HAS ALSO FALLEN OUT OF THE IGNITION WHILE DRIVING. *TR