Saturn Ion Complaints (2004)

898 consumer complaints on file.

#10172389November 1, 2006
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
2004 SATURN ION III LOST 4 OF 5 QUARTS OF OIL AND THE OIL LIGHT DID NOT COME ON. THE ENGINE HAS TO BE REPLACED AT A COST OF $6,000. THE DEALER SAID, TOO BAD". *NM
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10171522October 22, 2006
AIR BAGS
DRIVING CAR IN FRONT STOPS FAST. I TURN TO MISS BUT NOT ENOUGH, SO WE CRASHED. NO AIR BAG COME ON, NO MOTOR KILL, NO FUEL KILL. AND WE WHERE GOING 35 AT THE MAX. *NM
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10169579September 29, 2006
STEERING:COLUMN
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE APPLYING BRAKE PRESSURE AT 35 MPH ON A STREET, THERE WAS A LOSS OF ALL POWER STEERING WITHOUT WARNING. AFTERWARDS, THE POWER STEERING FAILURE LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT TURNED THE IGNITION OFF AND RESTARTED THE ENGINE, BUT THE POWER STEERING RETURNED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHO DETERMINED THE STEERING COLUMN NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10167877September 11, 2006
SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM:LOWER ARM
2004 SATURN ION RIGHT FRONT TIRE WORN DOWN TO METAL. THEN RIGHT FRONT LOWER ARM BROKE INTO CAUSING A CRASH. NO CORRECTIONS WERE DONE. SATURN CO. SAID IT WASN'T A FAULTY PART. SAID PART BROKE WHEN HITTING A THE CURB. CURB WAS HIT BECAUSE NO CONTROL OF STEERING. *NM
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
2
Deaths:
0
#10163669July 27, 2006
LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:HOOD:LATCH
MY DAUGHTER HAS A 2004 SATURN ION COUPE. SHE IS A NEW DRIVER AND HAS TOLD ME AN SEVERAL OCCASIONS THAT THE HOOD ON HER VEHICLE KEEPS OPENING BY ACCIDENT. I ASKED IF IT WAS OPENING ALL THE OR JUST PART OF THE WAY. SHE SAID JUST POPPING UP PART OF THE WAY AND SHE HAS TO OPEN IT FROM THE FRONT AND CLOSE IT COMPLETELY. I ASKED HER TO LET ME KNOW THE NEXT TIME IT HAPPENED AND SHE DID. I TOOK A LOOK AND SAW IT HAD RELEASED AND WAS ONLY BEING HELD SHUT BY THE SECONDARY SAFETY LATCH. WHEN I LOOKED AT THE LOCATION OF THE HOOD RELEASE I NOTED IT WAS LOCATED VERY CLOSE TO THE FLOOR ON THE DRIVER'S LEFT. WHEN I TESTED IT, THE RELEASE ACTIVATE VERY EASILY. THE POSITION OF THE RELEASE IS RIGHT NEXT TO THE DRIVER'S FOOT AND IS LIKELY BEING ACTIVATED WHEN THE FOOT MOVES AROUND OR WHEN THE DRIVER IS GETTING OUT OF THE CAR. IN FACT, I DROVE HER CAR LAST WEEK AND HAD THE HOOD ACCIDENTALLY RELEASE 3 TIMES. ONE TIME I NOTICED WHEN I WAS ON THE EXPRESSWAY TRAVELING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. THIS CONDITION COULD EASILY LEAD TO A HOOD BLOWING UP AND OFF WHILE DRIVING IF THE SECONDARY SAFETY LATCH FAILS. THIS COULD CAUSE A CATASTROPHIC INCIDENT. I CALLED SATURN CUSTOMER SERVICE, EXPLAINED MY CONCERN, AND WAS BASICALLY TREATED AS IF I WAS CRAZY. I ASKED FOR MY CONCERN TO BE SENT TO THE PRODUCT DESIGN AND SAFETY GROUP FOR REVIEW AND ASKED FOR A FOLLOW UP CALL. THEY TOLD ME "THAT'S THE WAY THE CAR IS DESIGNED AND NO ONE WOULD BE GETTING BACK WITH ME." *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10157935May 20, 2006
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE, POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
SATURN ION 2004. TWO MAJOR DEFECTS. I PURCHASED THE CAR NEW IN OCTOBER 2004. IN OCTOBER 2005, THE TRANSMISSION FAILED, AND REQUIRED COMPLETE REPLACEMENT. SATURN STATED THERE HAD BEEN MANY CONCERNS ABOUT THE TRANSMISSION, SO REPLACED IT FOR FREE. (MINUS MY INCURRED COSTS OF TRAVEL). SECOND MAJOR DEFECT: MAY 2006, A CYLINDER HEAD CRACKED. SATURN HAS AGREED TO "REPLACE" THE CYLINDER HEAD, BUT I HAVE TO PAY FOR $800.00 OF THE REPAIRS. A 2 YEAR OLD VEHICLE SHOULD NOT HAVE THESE TWO MAJOR DEFECTS. THE CAR CURRENTLY HAS 79K MILES. I KNOW THAT "REPLACING" THE CYLINDER HEAD WILL GET THE CAR RUNNING AGAIN, BUT IT WILL NEVER BE THE SAME...AND I STILL OWE 10,000 DOLLARS ON THE CAR. THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION. *NM
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10151765March 14, 2006
TIRES
OEM TIRES ON 2004 SATURN ION RED LINE UNSAFE TO USE ON WINTER DRIVING CONDITIONS. HAD TO REPLACE TIRES WITH WINTER RATED ONES. *JB THE CONSUMER EXPERIENCED EXCESSIVE STOPPING DISTANCE WHILE ON SLIPPERY SURFACE. ON ONE OCCASION THE VEHICLE WENT A HALF A BLOCK PAST THE CONSUMER'S TURN WHEN THE ABS ACTIVATED BUT COULDN'T FIND A TIRE WITH ENOUGH TRACTION TO STOP THE VEHICLE. THE CONSUMER FOUND THAT THE OEM TIRES, DUNLOP SP9000, WERE THE CAUSE OF THE EXCESSIVE STOPPING DISTANCE. *NM
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10151760March 4, 2006
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION
STARTER FAILURE SATURN ION IN COLD WEATHER. HALF HOUR TO 45 MINUTES TO CRANK - BACKFIRING IN A CLOSED SYSTEM WITH FUEL INJECTION OCCASIONALLY, TWICE BLOWING LID OFF OF AIR-FILTER COMPARTMENT - NOT A JOY. "SERVICE ENGINE" LIGHT GOES ON - LATE TO WORK - COMMON PROBLEM - LOTS OF ONLINE COMPLAINTS. REPLACED BATTERIES BELIEVING THIS TO BE PROBLEM. NEW BATTERIES WITH HIGHER CRANKING AMPS DOES NOT SOLVE. NOT A BATTERY PROBLEM. DATE GIVEN IS MOST RECENT OCCURRENCE, WITH ONLY ONE EVENT ON THAT DATE. IT ALSO OCCURRED ON 2/19/06, MANY TIMES IN 01/06, A FEW TIMES IN 12/05, AND SEVERAL TIMES IN 12/04, 01/05, AND 02/05. IT DID NOT HAPPEN WHEN I BOUGHT THE CAR IN 02/04 - BUT THAT WAS A MUCH MILDER WINTER THAN YEARS THAT FOLLOWED. TREATMENT OF GASOLINE WITH "HEAT" DOES NOT SOLVE. CAR RUNS LIKE A DREAM WHEN WARMER WEATHER - UTTERLY INCONVENIENT AND EMBARRASSING ("WHAT? THIS IS A SATURN? NEW AND WON'T START? LESS THAN 16,000 MILES ON IT?") WHEN COLD. BAD ADVERTISING FOR THE COMPANY TOO. *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10151601March 2, 2006
VISIBILITY:REARVIEW MIRRORS/DEVICES:EXTERIOR
NO SPECIFIC ACCIDENT HAS OCCURRED BUT NUMEROUS CLOSE CALLS HAVE OCCURRED AS A RESULT OF WHAT APPARENTLY IS A DESIGN FLAW. THE DRIVER-SIDE OUTSIDE REAR-VIEW MIRROR CANNOT BE ADJUSTED (ELECTRICALLY OR MANUALLY) OVER THE ANGLE RANGES NEEDED FOR SAFE DRIVING AND ALWAYS AVAILABLE ON PREVIOUSLY OWNED VEHICLES. THE MIRROR CAN BE ADJUSTED SO THAT THE DRIVER CAN SEE WELL BACK INTO THE VEHICLE (WHICH IS WORTHLESS) AND ONLY OUTWARDLY TO THE POINT THAT THE LEFT SIDE OF THE CAR IS STILL VISIBLE. ADJUSTMENT TO ALLOW VISIBILITY OTHER THAN STRAIGHT BACK IS NOT POSSIBLE. THE SERVICE PERSON SAID THAT A PHYSICAL STOP INSIDE THE HOUSING PREVENTED ANY MOVEMENT FURTHER OUT AND THERE WAS NOTHING THAT COULD BE DONE. ENTERING A FREEWAY THIS WAY IS VERY HAZARDOUS SINCE THE ON-COMING TRAFFIC IN THE NEAR LANE CANNOT BE SEEN. IN AN ATTEMPT TO SHOW THE SERVICE PERSON HOW IT SHOULD WORK WE WENT TO ANOTHER MODEL OF SATURN AND THE RESULTS WERE EXACTLY THE SAME INDICATING THAT (AT LEAST) MORE THAN ONE MODEL OF SATURN HAS THIS SAME VISIBILITY PROBLEM. *NM
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10150666February 20, 2006
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FUSES AND CIRCUIT BREAKERS, EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL
I HAVE TAKEN MY SATURN ION3 IN TO THE DEALERSHIP THREE TIMES NOW FOR THE BODY CONTROL MODULE KEEPS BLOWING FUSES. THE FIRST TIME WAS THE WEEK AFTER CHRISTMAS 2005, THE SECOND WAS EXACTLY A MONTH LATER AND THE THIRD TIME WAS O WEEK AFTER THAT. ON THE FIRST VISIT THEY SAY THAT THEY REPLACED THE (BCM), ON THE SECOND VISIT THEY JUST REPLACED THE FUSE AND SENT ME ON MY WAY AND THE THIRD VISIT THEY SAID THAT THEY COULD NOT RE-CREATE THE PROBLEM AND TOLD ME TO PICK UP MY CAR AFTER A WEEK. I PICKED MY CAR UP ON THURSDAY EVENING AND NOT 3 DAYS LATER AND THE FUSE IS BLOWN AGAIN. THEIR ONLY ANSWER WAS TO GIVE ME A COUPLE EXTRA FUSES IN THE PANEL AREA SO THAT I COULD CHANGE THEM MYSELF. *NM
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10149931February 10, 2006
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
SINCE NOV. 2,2005 MY SATURN ION OF 20,000 MI. HAS BEEN TAKEN TO THE SHOP 5 TIMES,TOWED TWICE. I'VE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM OF NO ACCELERATION OR DROP OF SPEED FROM 60 MPH TO 10 OR 30 MPH WHILE ON THE FREEWAY. THIS LAST VISIT TO THE SHOP THEY FOUND "POWDER" IN MY FUEL TANK AND CLAIMS IT TO BE TALCUM POWDER. COULD THIS BE SUCH A THING OR HAS MY CAR BEEN TAMPERED WITH? OVERALL I AM NOT SATISFIED WITH THE CUSTOMER SERVICE AND HAVE LOST FAITH IN SATURN CARS. *NM
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10149806February 8, 2006
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION
2004 SATURN ION NO CRANK AND NO START WHEN THE OUTSIDE TEMPERATURE IS COLD. LOTS OF COMPLAINTS ON THE WEB. LOTS OF IONS HAVE THIS ISSUE. *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10146924January 4, 2006
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL, ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING, POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
MULTIPLE EPISODES WITH THIS CAR OF SUDDEN ACCELERATION ESPECIALLY WHEN PUTTING CAR INTO DRIVE OR REVERSE. ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE HAS HAD TO START CAR FOR ME 2 TIMES. ANOTHER TIME THE CAR STALLED WHILE IDLING 4 TIMES WITHIN 30 MINUTE DRIVE. TONIGHT THE CAR LOST POWER COMPLETELY WHILE I WAS DRIVING. I SEE MULTIPLE COMPLAINTS ON THIS PAGE FOR THE SAME PROBLEM. SATURN HAS NOT BEEN ABLE TO FIND ANY PROBLEMS ON THEIR COMPUTER. I WOULD LIKE TO FIGHT THIS WITH THE LEMON LAW BUT I AM SO AFRAID TO DRIVE THIS CAR NOW THAT I WANT TO JUST GET RID OF IT AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10146307December 28, 2005
WHEELS:RIM
INSIDE OF RIM ON 2004 ION 3 BROKE OFF BREAKING SEAL TO TIRE WHILE TRAVELING ON HIGHWAY CAUSING A FLAT TIRE. RIM WAS CAST BY DESIGN. *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10145822December 21, 2005
WHEELS:LUGS/NUTS/BOLTS/STUDS
I HAD MY 2004 ION 3 IN TO REPLACE A TIRE ON 11/19, THEN ON 11/30 HAD TIRES ROTATED COMPLAINED TO DEALER ABOUT A RATTLE. PER DEALER THE HEAT SHIELDS WERE CRACKED AND THE PARTS HAD TO BE ORDERED. WHEN I LEFT THE DEALER ON THAT DAY THE RATTLE IN THE FRONT SOUNDED WORSE, BUT I WAS TOLD HEAT SHIELDS WERE THE PROBLEM AND I KNEW THEY WOULD BE FIXED SOON. RATTLE PROCEEDED TO GET WORSE, CONTACTED DEALER ABOUT PART INFORMED THEM OF RATTLE GETTING WORSE, GOT APPOINTMENT TO BRING BACK SINCE PART WAS IN (APPT WOULD HAVE BEEN 12/26). DRIVING HOME FROM WORK ON THE EVENING OF 12/20, I WAS GETTING OFF THE INTERSTATE AND THE STEERING WHEEL STARTED JERKING TO THE RIGHT, HEARD HORRIBLE CLUNKING SOUND COMING FROM FRONT END. PULLED INTO GAS STATION, DID NOT NOTICE ANYTHING, SOUND QUIETED. WHILE LEAVING GAS STATION I HEARD A HORRIBLE CLUNKING SOUND PULLED OVER IN PARKING LOT, THOUGHT MAYBE I HAD A BLOWOUT. WHEN I LOOKED AT THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE TIRE, THERE WAS ONE LUG NUT LEFT IN IT AND ONE LUG NUT HANGING OFF. CALLED ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE, UPON FURTHER EXAMINATION THE SCREWS HAD SNAPPED OFF THE WHEELS, FORTUNATELY THERE WERE TWO SCREWS LEFT OTHERWISE I DON'T THINK THE TOW TRUCK COULD HAVE TOWED IT. WHEN I ADDRESSED CONCERNS WITH THE SERVICE MANAGER, HE WAS VERY HELPFUL AND FIXED THE CAR FOR FREE, SAID THE STUDS(SCREWS) WERE PROBABLY DEFECTIVE. WAS ADVISED BY HIM THIS IS MOST LIKELY SCENARIO AS OPPOSED TO SOMEONE NOT TIGHTENING THE LUG NUTS ON THE 11/30 TIRE ROTATION (BECAUSE ACCORDING TO HIM I WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN ABLE TO DRIVE 900 MILES IF THAT WERE THE CASE). THE DEALERSHIP WENT OUT OF THEIR WAY TO HELP, BUT WORRIED IF ITS A DEFECT THIS COULD HAPPEN AT ANY POINT TO THE OTHER 3 TIRES. *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10145563December 18, 2005
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
2004 SATURN ION 2, CAR STALLS AND DOORS LOCK THE PERSONS IN THE VEHICLE. CAR HAS BEEN IN THE SHOP 5 TIMES FOR THESE 2 ISSUES AND HAS YET TO BE FIXED, CAR WILL STALL OUT WHILE DRIVING AT ANYTIME, SOMETIMES AT SPEEDS OF 65 MPH ON THE HIGHWAY OR TURNING INTO A PARKING LOT OR TURNING A CORNER. *NM
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10146419December 14, 2005
WHEELS, EQUIPMENT:APPLIANCE:AIR CONDITIONER
CONSUMER COMPLAINT CONCERNING SATURN ION ALUMINUM WHEELS. CONSUMER HAS REPLACED SEVERAL WHEELS DO TO THEM BENDING. *TS ***NO ANSWER REQUIRED*** THE CONSUMER HAD A PROBLEM WITH THE AIR CONDITION LEAKING WATER ON THE FLOOR OF THE VEHICLE. *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10144740December 8, 2005
TIRES
WHILE TRAVELING ON AN INTERSTATE HIGHWAY, OBSERVED A SOFT FLAPPING SOUND THAT CAUSED CONCERN. BEFORE I COULD SLOW DOWN OR TAKE ANY ACTION THE LEFT REAR TIRE TREAD SEPARATED FROM THE WHEEL AND THEN THE COMPLETE TIRE WAS EJECTED FROM THE VEHICLE. I WAS ABLE TO EXIT THE ROADWAY AND CALLED THE STATE HIGHWAY PATROL. TO REPORT THE INCIDENT AND REQUEST ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE. *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10144430December 5, 2005
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
2004 ION 3 QUAD PURCHASED NEW IN 2004 CURRENTLY HAVE 18K MILES ON IT. SO FAR WE HAVE HAD TO REPLACE FRONT STABILIZER BUSHING, HEATER BLOWER MOTOR AND WINDSHIELD WIPERS. ALL HAVE BEEN UNDER WARRANTY. THE ELECTRIC STEERING STILL DOESN'T SEEM CORRECT. SOMETIMES THE CAR PULLS WHEN YOU RAPIDLY ACCELERATE AND IS VERY TOUCHY. I DID READ THAT GM MADE SOME CHANGES TO THE ELECTRIC STEERING FOR 2005 ION, BUT DEALERSHIP WILL NOT (SAYS CAN NOT) MAKE THE CHANGES TO THE 2004. NOW WE HAVE THE LOSS OF POWER PROBLEM. HAS DONE IT WHEN CAR IS COLD AND HOT, USUALLY WHEN ACCELERATING, BUT ONCE JUST DRIVING 35 MPH. IT'S NOT A STALL JUST LIKE A LOSS OF POWER. CAR DOESN'T SHAKE OR JERK. ALMOST LIKE YOU TOOK YOUR FOOT OFF THE GAS FOR A SECOND. I'VE TAKEN IT BACK TO THE DEALER ONCE FOR THIS AND THE DEALER RESPONSE IS THE SAME AS OTHERS HAVE REPORTED "NO COMPUTER CODES, COULD NOT REPRODUCE, NO PROBLEM FOUND". IT'S AT THE SHOP NOW BECAUSE THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON 12/2 AND WE AGAIN COMPLAINED THAT THE CAR LOST POWER AFTER PICKING IT UP THE LAST TIME. THE LAST TIME IT FAILED MY WIFE WAS TAKING OFF FROM A RED LIGHT AND THE GUY BEHIND ALMOST HIT HER WHEN THE SATURN LOST POWER. LOOSING FAITH IN SATURN'S ENGINEERING. *NM
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10144133December 1, 2005
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
DT: THE CONTACT STATED DIGITAL CLOCK WAS LOSING ONE MINUTE OF TIME PER MONTH. HE HAD TO LOOK AT HIS WRIST WATCH TO KEEP ACCURATE TIME. CONTACTED THE DEALER, AND THEY OFFERED NO FREE REMEDY. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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