Saturn Ion Complaints (2003)

758 consumer complaints on file.

#10573015March 17, 2014
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
I HAVE OWNED THIS VEHICLE FOR 4 YRS AND HAVE HAS MULTIPLE INSTANCES OF THE VEHICLE REVVING AND SPEEDING UP WITHOUT EVER HITTING THE GAS. WHEN THIS OCCURS I HAVE REACHED SPEEDS OVER 25MPH WITHOUT EVER HITTING THE GAS PEDAL WHEN TAKING OFF FROM A STOPPED POSITION. USUALLY THIS HAPPENS WHEN I START THE VEHICLE INITIALLY BUT HAS OCCURRED WHILE DRIVING ALSO. THE RPM'S WILL GO HIGH AND IF I PUT IN GEAR THE CAR WILL JUST TAKE OFF. IT SOMETIMES WILL REV DOWN AFTER IDLING FOR A FEW MINUTES OR IF I SHUT OFF AND RESTART AFTER A COUPLE MINUTES. WHEN IT HAPPENS WHILE DRIVING I HAVE HAD TO PUT IN NEUTRAL AND COAST TO A STOP AND SHUT CAR DOWN. THIS IS JUST A VERY UNSAFE SITUATION ALTOGETHER, AND FROM WHAT I HAVE SEEN THERE ARE MANY MORE WHO HAVE EXPERIENCED THIS SAME ISSUE. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10569360March 14, 2014
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 SATURN ION. THE CONTACT STATED THAT ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS SHE EXPERIENCED DIFFICULTY IN REMOVING THE KEY FROM THE IGNITION SWITCH. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT WHILE ATTEMPTING TO SHUT THE ENGINE OFF, SHE WAS UNABLE TO REMOVE THE KEY FROM THE IGNITION SWITCH. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THE IGNITION SWITCH WAS REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE DEFECT. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 60,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10568997March 13, 2014
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, AIR BAGS, STEERING
IN EARLY JANUARY MY MOTHER WAS INVOLVED IN A SERIOUS CAR ACCIDENT WHILE DRIVING A 2003 SATURN IRON. "I HAD NO CONTROL OVER THE CAR AND IT ALL HAPPENED SO FAST" MY MOTHER SAID. SHE HIT A TELEPHONE POOL THEN PROCEEDED TO ROLL DOWN OVER A SMALL HILL AND FLIPPED, COMING TO A REST ON A CONCRETE DIVIDER. WHEN RESPONDERS ARRIVED HER IGNITION WAS OFF AND THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. SHE WAS HANGING UPSIDE DOWN FOR ALMOST AN HOUR UNTIL THEY WERE ABLE TO CUT HER OUT OF THE CAR. I HAVE CONTACTED GM AND THEY CONFIRMED THAT HER CAR IS PART OF THE RECENT IGNITION SWITCH RECALL. PLEASE TAKE THE RECALL SERIOUS, IT COULD SAVE YOUR L LIFE, AND OTHERS! *TR
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
1
Deaths:
0
#10569001March 13, 2014
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES
THE LOCKED AND COULDN'T GET IT TO TURN. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10568871March 12, 2014
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
I CAN NOT PROVIDE EXACT DATES AS THIS HAS GONE ON FOR YEARS. I BOUGHT THE CAR IN 2006. IT STARTED OUT, IN FREEZING TEMPS, THE CAR WOULD NOT START. I WOULD HAVE TO TRY JUMPING IT OR WAIT TILL 10 MINUTES HAD PASSED AND TRY AGAIN. THIS HAPPENED A LOT THROUGH WINTER MONTHS. I EVENTUALLY HAD TO CHANGE OUT MY STARTER AND IGNITION SWITCH BACK IN 2012. I ALSO HAVE NOTICED THE KEY WILL NOT TURN TO OFF COMPLETELY SOMETIMES AND SOMETIMES THE KEY WONT TURN AT ALL. THIS IS ALSO AFTER CHANGING OUT THE SWITCH. I AM A MOTHER OF TWO YOUNG CHILDREN AND AFTER SEEING THE OTHER PROBLEMS WITH THE SWITCH I DON'T FEEL SAFE DRIVING MY FAMILY DOWN THE STREET A BLOCK. THE RECALL SAYS TO NOT DRIVE ON JARRING ROADS, BUT I LIVE IN A TINY TOWN OF NOTHING BUT JARRING ROADS. SIGH. I FEEL THE NOT STARTING IS ALSO A SAFETY ISSUE BECAUSE IT CAN LEAVE PEOPLE STRANDED IN BAD WEATHER AND UNABLE TO GET TO WHERE YOU NEED TO GO IN EMERGENCIES. ALL ANYONE NEEDS TO DO IS SEARCH THE INTERNET ABOUT SATURN'S NOT STARTING AND THERE IS HOURS OF READING ON THE SUBJECT. THE COMPANY KNEW ALL ALONG. THANK YOU *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10568299March 10, 2014
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
AFTER MY CAR WOULDN'T START I CALLED CARR CHEVROLET TO ASK QUESTIONS AND THEY WERE VERY RUDE. I CALL THE DEALERSHIP WHERE I BOUGHT THE CAR AND WAS TOLD THAT THERE IS A RECALL ON THAT PROBLEM. HOWEVER I BOUGHT THE CAR IN CALIFORNIA BUT I LIVE IN OREGON. THE CAR IS STILL NOT RUNNING AND I'M STILL PAYING ON IT. IF THIS IS A PROBLEM ON A RECALL I NEED HELP. [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10567151March 5, 2014
AIR BAGS
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 SATURN ION. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AN UNKNOWN SPEED, SHE CRASHED INTO THE REAR OF ANOTHER VEHICLE AND THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. THE CRASH WAS SO SEVERE THAT THE ENTIRE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT FILED AND THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE CONTACT WAS ALSO INVOLVED IN A SECOND CRASH IN WHICH THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR REPAIRS AND THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 90,000. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 132,000.
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10567379March 5, 2014
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 SATURN ION. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE PARKED, THE IGNITION KEY WAS REMOVED HOWEVER, THE ENGINE CONTINUED TO OPERATE. IN ADDITION, THE IGNITION SWITCH TURNED INTO THE OFF POSITION WHEN THE KEY WAS JARRED. THE FAILURE RECURRED INTERMITTENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER. THERE WAS A RECALL UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 14V047000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM) AND THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE PROBLEM. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 128,101.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10566928March 4, 2014
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
WHEN DRIVING CAR SHUTS OFF COMPLETELY. HAPPENED TWICE IN THE PAST AND DIDN'T THINK ANYTHING ABOUT IT. HEARD ABOUT GM'S RECALL WITH VEHICLES SHUTTING OFF. MY CAR LAST NIGHT SHUT OFF ON ME AND AGAIN THIS MORNING. THERE'S PLENTY OF GAS IN THE TANK IT JUST SHUTS DOWN AND WON'T LET ME START. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10566736March 3, 2014
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
MY WIFE WAS HAVING PROBLEMS WITH HER SATURN JUST BEFORE THE DATE OF 12/24/07, THE CAR WOULD SHUT OFF FOR NO REASON OR SHE WOULD HAVE A HARD TIME STARTING IT. WE MADE AN APPOINTMENT WITH, AT THE TIME, SATURN OF EATONTOWN, NJ, AND THEY TOLD US THAT THE IGNITION SWITCH WOULD HAVE TO BE REPLACED. IT COST $324.30 TO REPLACE THE PART. THERE WAS A RECENT DELAYED RECALL ABOUT THE IGNITION SWITCH FROM GM, 13 PEOPLE WERE KILLED DUE TO THIS DEFECT, I FEEL GM SHOULD REFUND THIS MONEY TO ME SINCE THEY KNEW THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITH IT BACK THEN. I HAVE THE RECEIPT FOR THIS REPAIR IF YOU NEED COPY. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10566908March 3, 2014
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
TO FORMALLY ADD THIS INCIDENT TO YOUR RECORDS, ON 2/22/13, AT ABOUT 9AM, I WAS STARTING TO BRAKE UPON APPROACHING A TRAFFIC LIGHT ON A HIGHWAY NEAR MY HOME IN ICY CONDITIONS, ONLY TO FIND THAT I APPARENTLY HAD NO BRAKING CAPABILITY, (AT LEAST ALL EFFORTS SHORT OF STANDING ON THE BRAKE, WHICH WOULD LOCK UP THE WHEELS), AND THE DASH LIGHTS SEEMED TO INDICATE THE ENGINE HAD STOPPED. AFTER SLIDING INTO THE PICK-UP TRUCK AHEAD OF ME AT THE LIGHT, THE COLLISION WAS AT A HIGH ENOUGH SPEED TO ENOUGH TO CRUMPLE THE FRONT HALF OF THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT, BUT THE AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY, (I THOUGHT MY SPEED AT POINT OF IMPACT WAS ABOUT 25MPH, BUT THE TROOPER TAKING THE ACCIDENT REPORT FELT THAT IT HAD TO BE FASTER THAN THAT). I WAS WEARING MY SEAT BELT, AND HAVE SUFFERED ONLY BRUISING AND PULLED MUSCLES. ONLY AFTER READING LAST WEEK OF THE EXPANSION OF THE RECALL REGARDING GM CARS, INCLUDING MY SATURN, DID I CONNECT THE PIECES REGARDING WHY MY CAR BEHAVED AS IT DID. *TR
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10566445February 28, 2014
AIR BAGS, STEERING
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 SATURN ION. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH, THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME INOPERABLE. THE CONTACT LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND THE VEHICLE FLIPPED UPSIDE DOWN. THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED INJURIES TO THE HEAD AND LEFT LEG, AND A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED OF THE INCIDENT. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A SALVAGE YARD. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 136,000.
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
1
Deaths:
0
#10567193February 27, 2014
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
WHILE DRIVING NOTICED INCREASE OF SPEED. CHECKED ACCELERATOR PEDAL, NOT STUCK. TAPPED ACCELERATOR WITH NO CHANGE. DEPRESSED THE BRAKE AND SLOWED DOWN AND STOPPED. SHUT VEHICLE OFF AND VERIFIED THE THROTTLE BODY WAS IN IDLE POSITION. RESTARTED CAR AND VEHICLE RPM WENT UP TO 4000 AND STARVED FOR AIR AND SURGED UP AND DOWN AT THAT LEVEL. SHUT VEHICLE OFF AGAIN AND CONTACTED GM. SAME VEHICLE ALSO HAS PASSLOCK PROBLEMS.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10565927February 26, 2014
ENGINE, VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS OVER THE LAST 2-3YRS, THE CAR WAS TURNED ON AND THE ENGINE REVVED UP TO 3,500RPM WITHOUT PRESSING ON THE GAS PEDAL. IF I PUT THE CAR IN DRIVE WHILE THIS WAS HAPPENING, THE CAR WOULD ACCELERATE ON ITS OWN (UP TO 25MPH). I'VE HAD MULTIPLE AUTO SHOPS INSPECT AND TRY TO DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM BUT NONE CAN TELL ME WHAT THE PROBLEM IS. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10566017February 26, 2014
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
KEY GETS STUCK IN IGNITION AND VEHICLE WILL NOT SHUT OFF. HAVE HAD TO REPLACE IGNITION SWITCH TWICE FIRST IN 2005 WITH APPROX 12,000 MILES AND AGAIN IN 2010 WITH APPROX 52,000 MILES. NOW VEHICLE HAS 73,000 MILES AND IS HAVING SAME ISSUE,WHICH DRAINS DOWN BATTERY. NO OTHER KEYS ARE ON KEY RING. THIS NEEDS TO BE FIXED IMMEDIATELY AND INCLUDED IN GM RECALL AS MY VIN IS NOT SHOWING AS AFFECTED, AND THIS SHOULD NOT BE AN OUT OF POCKET EXPENSE TO ME AGAIN AS IT IS A KNOWN ISSUE. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10566116February 26, 2014
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 SATURN ION. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED WHILE THE DRIVER ATTEMPTED TO CROSS AN INTERSECTION. THE DRIVER WAS ABLE TO SHIFT THE GEAR INTO NEUTRAL, MOVE ONTO THE ROAD SHOULDER AND RELEASE THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL THAT WAS STUCK TO THE FLOOR BOARD. THE VEHICLE RETURNED TO NORMAL FUNCTION AFTER RESTARTING BUT ONLY FOR A BRIEF MOMENT. THE FAILURE WAS EXPERIENCED SEVERAL TIMES. THE CONTACT'S MECHANIC CLEANED THE THROTTLE HOWEVER, THE FAILURE WAS NOT CORRECTED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO DEALER TO HAVE A DIAGNOSTIC PERFORMED. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 80,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10566175February 26, 2014
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL, SERVICE BRAKES, ENGINE, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS THIS VEHICLE HAS ACCELERATED WITHOUT PUSHING THE GAS PEDAL, WITH NO CRUISE CONTROL OPTION, IT'S UNSOLVED BY MULTIPLE MECHANICS. SOMETIMES THE BRAKE WORKS WHILE IT'S HAPPENING, SOMETIMES IT DOESN'T, THE MOST RECENT TIME I PULLED INTO A PARKING LOT WHERE I HAD TO HOLD THE BRAKE DOWN TO SHUT THE CAR OFF, I COULD SMELL THE TRANSMISSION, I TURNED VEHICLE OFF, TURNED IT BACK ON AND IT WENT TO OVER 5 RPM STILL, TURNED BACK OFF, SAT AND WAITED, IT WAS 2AM SO I COULDN'T CALL ANYONE. AFTER 10 MINUTES IT FINALLY WENT BACK TO NORMAL. THAT WAS THE MOST SEVERE, IT'S HAD SLIGHTLY SIMILAR ISSUES AT LEAST 4 TIMES. FIRST MECHANIC SAID IT WAS A CRUISE CONTROL ISSUE, THEN I TOLD HIM I WAS LEAVING SINCE THE VEHICLE DOESN'T HAVE CRUISE CONTROL AT ALL. DON'T WANT HIM WORKING ON IT. 2ND ONE RAN COMPUTER CHECK, NO ISSUE FOUND. HOPEFULLY GM RECALLS THIS BEFORE IT KILLS SOMEONE. THIS CAR HAS HAD MANY ISSUES ME AND MY FATHER COULD FIX, IGNITION SWITCH, WIPER BLADE TRANSMISSION, COOLANT LIGHT BUT THIS ONE ISN'T EASY. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10566189February 26, 2014
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
MY CAR WOULDN'T SHUT OFF. THE KEY WAS STUCK AND IT WOULD NOT TURN. I TOOK IT TO A LOCAL MECHANIC TO FIX AND THEY HAD TO REPLACE IT. I'VE HAD A TOTAL OF 3 NEW ONES DONE SINCE THEN. I JUST FOUND OUT THAT GM ARE RECALLING SOME CARS BECAUSE OF THE IGNITION PROBLEM. I HAVE NOT HEARD A THING ABOUT IT AND THEY KNEW ABOUT THIS FOR YEARS. I'VE HAD MY CAR FOR 11 YEARS NOW AND HAD TO PAY FOR ALL THE REPAIRS MYSELF, BUT I DIDN'T KNOW HOW DANGEROUS THIS COULD BE SINCE I'VE LEARNED ABOUT 7 PEOPLE HAVE DIED BECAUSE THE AIR BAG DIDN'T DEPLOY BECAUSE OF THIS MALFUNCTION. SO I'M VERY UPSET THAT I HAD THIS CAR FOR ALL THIS TIME AND I DIDN'T KNOW HOW DANGEROUS MY CAR REALLY IS. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10565038February 19, 2014
POWER TRAIN, ENGINE
ON 4 SEPARATE OCCASIONS (DIFFERENT DATES, MOST RECENT WERE 1-26-2014 & 2-19-2014) ENGINE REVVED AND CAR ACCELERATED BY ITSELF WITHOUT GAS PEDAL DEPRESSED. MOST SERIOUS OCCURRENCE, CAR ACCELERATED, BRAKES HAD NO EFFECT (PUSHED TO THE FLOOR), RAN RED LIGHT, WENT OFF ROAD, SLAMMED TRANSMISSION INTO PARK TO STOP. SHUT OFF CAR, THEN STARTED IT AGAIN, AND IT RAN NORMAL. TOOK CAR TO MECHANIC. NO COMPUTER CODES. NOTHING MECHANICAL WAS FOUND TO BE WRONG. THIS IS AN EXTREMELY SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE DUE TO THE INEVITABILITY OF A COLLISION WITH SOMETHING OR SOMEONE. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10563798February 10, 2014
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
THE GAS PEDAL GETS STUCK WHEN PRESSED MORE THAN ROUGHLY 50% OF THROTTLE (~I.E. ACCELERATING TO MERGE OR PASS ANOTHER VEHICLE). WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY, WHEN I RELEASED THE GAS PEDAL, I NOTICED THE CAR DID NOT SLOW DOWN. I USED THE BRAKE AND STILL COULD NOT SLOW THE CAR DOWN. THEN I PROCEEDED TO REACH WITH MY HAND TO PULL UP THE GAS PEDAL, BUT I COULD NOT. AT THIS POINT, FACING AN IMMINENT CRASH INCIDENT, I QUICKLY TURNED ON MY HAZARD LIGHTS, SHIFTED THE CAR INTO NEUTRAL, AND LET THE CAR ROLL TO A STOP. I THEN PROCEEDED TO ATTEMPT TO PULL THE GAS PEDAL UP BY HAND AND IT DID NOT WORK. RPMS WERE STILL RUNNING HIGH UNTIL FINALLY AFTER WAITING ABOUT 30 SECONDS, I HEARD A 'POP' AND THE GAS PEDAL CAME OUT. I WAS THEN ABLE TO DRIVE NORMALLY, AS LONG AS I DON'T PRESS THE PEDAL DOWN TOO FAR. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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