Writing a Letter
 

Laugh if you want, but I am writing a letter to GM with the $1000 repair bill for my Saturn attached. My sway bar broke on a hard right-hand turn for the second time. The first one was covered under warranty, this one took out my front axle as collateral damage. I had just replaced that axle last fall at the Saturn dealer. There is no reason for this to happen. It is a manufacturing error or at least a negligent design. I can't find one other person on the Saturn forums that this has happened to. The gentleman at the Saturn service also said that this was the first time he has seen this happen when I had brought it in the first time.

They obviously won't be cutting me a check, but I'd at least like some sort of acknowledgment of the issue and a promise to cover the repairs if it happens again. The letter will take me only 20 minutes to write, so it is worth a shot in my opinion. What are you guys' thoughts? Any advice on what to include?

Did you make any calls? I'd call the district manager. get the number from the dealer.

What Scott said, start making calls first. How was the dealer treating you? Include that(in a positive or negative light). Definitely try climbing the ladder via phone first.

FWIW, after I had an "experience" at Flemington GM I wrote an email and got a follow up phone call a week later. I was polite but firm and that's why I wasn't dismissed as a yahoo I guess.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v3...withstupid.gif
this guy can probably get you numbers :mrgreen:

wat year/model saturn

Crazy man! How the hell do you snap a sway bar?!!?
Send a letter, they are very active with customer service right now, stretching into forums and social media sections.
Real crazy...

bar or end-link?

i would deff. contact someone higher in the dealership they will hlep you out, they cant afford to lose a customer.

ive had the endlinks on my saturn replace twice already per warranty. it gets done per this tsb. theyve done the endlinks because they were worn prematurely because of the clunking.


Make / Models : Model/Build Years:
SATURN / ION 2003-2007

Service Bulletin Number : 040308006
NHTSA Item Number : 10007892
Summary Description :
CLUCK, THUMP OR RATTLE NOISE FROM FRONT SUSPENSION WHILE DRIVING OVER ROUGH ROAD CONDITIONS OR WHEN BRAKING (REPLACE FRONT LOWER CONTROL ARM REAR BUSHING). *MJ UPDATED 10/5/07. *NJ

the bar. Twice. The end-links I consider wear items, and replace them then they begin to clunk.

Dealer that did the work is now a used car lot. Called my local Chevy dealer and told them, and was told that the repair is no longer warrantied. Parts guy told me that sway bars on all cars break rather often. I'll make more phone calls this week.

Picked up the car today, and it is sputtering and the CEL is flashing and power is reduced. It shakes pretty violently on the highway too. I wish I had my scanner with me cause I am dying to know whats wrong with it.


It's an 06 Vue by the way with 91k miles.

I broke 3 bars in 3 years on my grand prix before the trans chit the bed and I traded it in. :nod:

whoa. how did that happen?

Having too much fun on highway on ramps. :mrgreen:

i've got to imagine its pretty rare to break the actual bar with normal use. i bet there could be an issue with an outside supplier. also, sounds like a misfire if you didn't already assume so.

I'd call the GM Customer Assistance number before writing a letter. They'll start a case for you and at least try to help. At the end of the day it's not up to the dealer. You could try getting the # to the district guy but your best bet is to start a case with GM. Let them make the calls, let them do the leg work...that's what they're there for.

I dunno man. I broke both ends of off the bar in my GTP.

Get solid bars, they're heavier, but less to worry about, and if your snapping solid bars, you need to tell GM to move their suspension facility from China to Taiwan so this don't happen again.

That's some hard driving! Shesh! I figure the link would snap first.

Smaller bar on a wide car, or just some bad casting. Only car I had that had that issue.

It is solid.

Tony- Thanks, I'm gonna start a case. I figure I'm going to start lofty and ask them to cover this repair too.

Al- It is hard driving, but its nothing that would constitute abuse or anything. It is NYC driving.

Sweetbmxrider- Yeah I had it scanned this morning. Multiple Misfire, Cyl 1 Misfire, and Cyl 3 misfire. Joy.

i'd guess plugs if they haven't been done or coil packs. could obviously be more but given the mileage....

Do you have any pics of the sway bar, and also, could you get an undershot between the endlinks and the bushings on th frame? either the manufacturing is defective, or the placement between those tw oare causeing too much stress on the member over a period of time and it just breaks.

You can probably find out the contact information for the zone rep for the dealer that last preformed the work.

Here is an e-mail address..

cac@saturn.com