Saturn Ion Is Investigated Following Power Steering Failures

The 2007 Saturn Ion is being investigated after numerous drivers reported electric power steering failures.

After fielding more than 600 complaints, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is investigating whether General Motors should have recalled 384,000 Saturn Ion coupes and sedans as part of a larger recall earlier this year.


The recall of 1 million cars in March was prompted by a N.H.T.S.A. investigation in January, which concerned the electric power steering on 2005-10 Chevrolet Cobalts and 2007-10 Pontiac G5s.
At the time of the recall, G.M. argued that a driver would still be able to control the car in the event the electric assist failed, although increased steering effort would be necessary, especially at low speeds. The safety agency disagreed and described the defect as “increasing the risk of a crash.”


In April, about six weeks after G.M. agreed to the recall, N.H.T.S.A. received a letter from the automaker stating that Ions, too, were affected. The letter was sent in response to questions raised in January by the agency when it first began investigating the Cobalt and G5.

The agency summarized and recently posted this information on its Web site. It says, in part, that G.M. “had identified 638 complaints and 1,444 warranty claims for loss of E.P.S.” on 2005-7 Saturn Ions. The complaints also included seven crash claims that indicated electric power assist failures, “including two incidents involving a total of three injury allegations.” G.M. did not recall the vehicle.

Alan Adler, a G.M. spokesman, said the failure rate on the Ions was significantly lower than that of the Cobalts and G5s, adding that the automaker provided 2004-7 Ion owners with a 10-year or 100,000-mile warranty from the time the car was new. The warranty also covered vehicles purchased used.

The agency also did not demand a recall at the time. Eric Bolton, a spokesman, said the agency cannot simply order a recall without “first demonstrating a safety-related defect.” The automaker had said that the Ion was safe, and in such cases the agency’s position is to “closely monitor” complaints. But this month, the agency decided that complaints and accidents related to the Ion had reached a level that warranted action. The agency’s record reflected 11 crashes resulting in three injuries, although it was not clear how serious those injuries were.

Many drivers who filed reports on the N.H.T.S.A. Web site urged an Ion recall. One report, filed in 2004, said the vehicle was traveling at “interstate speed” when the driver “lost control of car due to sudden jerk of wheel” and “came to stop against median guard rail after crossing two lanes.”

Mr. Adler, the G.M. spokesman, said the automaker was cooperating with N.H.T.S.A.

source : wheels.blogs.nytimes.com