GM Standard Operating Proceedure

Saturn (GM) STANDARD OPERATING PROCEEDURE

When we at GM discover an epidemic costly flaw in our cars (like
casting flaws in our cylinder heads that will cause the head to
eventually CRACK); and before we become aware of the problem, tens of
thousands of cars with the flaw have gone off the assembly line to
dealers:

We withold that information (sending out a service notice) for as long
as we can- so as to get as many of those cars affected, OVER the
warranty period. That way, we are not liable to cover the cost of the
repair or replacement and we are able to cut our loses!

Also: If a new car customer who has been taking his car to the dealer
for regular scheduled maintainance, CHANGES ADDRESS, and the dealer
fails to notify the company of the new address and because of this
dealer failure- we send out a service notice to the old address and
thus the notice never reaches the customer:

When the service notice is returned to us as "undeliverable"; we will
NOT make any attempt to reach the customer at his new address and
notify him of the service notice. We are not liable for our dealer's
failure nor will we take any action against our dealer for this failure
in an attempt to compensate the customer,should he have been unaware of
the notice and suffers a costly repair bill after his warranty has run
out!

Anyone who doubts the above policy can contact (among many others):
Grand Rapids (Michigan) Saturn.

(That is; if anyone there admits his knowledge of and has the COURAGE
to verify the above policy)
signed.

Michael Cohrman


The above policy is known by many but I have never seen it posted
anywhere. If you want to verify or deny the above policy from your own
experience- please do!


Patricia of Bath ME (9/15/03):
Cylinder head cracked, Saturn is aware there is a problem but their
position is, if it didn't happen in 6 years or 100,000 miles (whichever
came first) I'm out of luck. Of course the local dealer will fix it for
$1,800. I own a 1994 Saturn SW1 with 94,502 miles. The service
bullentin came out in 1999. I believe that they knew it to be a defect
in the parts they used and it should be fixed no matter what the age of
the car.

Of couse they would like the public to think that after their timeframe
the car will never have the problem or by magic it will repair itself.
If the only humans worked this way after 6 years all birth defects
would just disappear. What a wonderful world it would be. All I have to
say is -- dream on, Saturn. I can't wait to get the car fixed and trade
it in for another car.

Damage Resulting: Loss of my sanity, cost - priceless new engine
$1,800, junk yard version $100, but it will take me a week or so to get
the two engines out, never mind the time to figure out how to get it
all back together and still have the car run. I have a full-time job
and I'm the mother of an eleven-year-old, not much free time here to
spare. I just knew I should have taken a shop class in high school, but
at 50 I'm not to old to learn. I build Navy DDG's at Bath Iron Works --
fixing a car should not be as complicated LOL.