Saturn Ion Complaints

4,344 consumer complaints on file.

#10330014May 11, 2010
STEERING
POWER STEERING FAILURE ON SATURN ION 2 SEDAN (4 DOOR). CAR PURCHASED 12/06/04. CURRENT MILEAGE IS 116,000. TWO FAILURES HAVE OCCURRED DURING THE LAST MONTH WHEN CAR WAS IDLING AT AN INTERSECTION AFTER BEING DRIVEN A SHORT TIME. POWER STEERING WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATES AND POWER STEERING FAILS. CAR MUST BE STOPPED AND IGNITION SWITCHED OFF AND RESTARTED AFTER WHICH POWER STEERING WORKS. OCCURRENCE IS UNPREDICTABLE AND WE ARE REALLY WORRIED! OUR MECHANIC REPLACED THE POWER STEERING MOTOR FUSE THE FIRST TIME BUT THE PROBLEM HAS RECURRED AGAIN. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10329533May 10, 2010
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
I CURRENTLY OWN A 2006 SATURN ION, WHICH I BOUGHT BRAND NEW IN 2005 AND HAS 52000 MILES ON IT. ALL WINTER LONG, DURING DAYS WITH TEMPERATURES BELOW 40 DEGREES, MY VEHICLE WOULD NOT START. UPON PLACING THE KEY INTO THE IGNITION AND TURNING, THE "PASSLOCK" THEFT DETERRENT SYSTEM IS ACTIVATED AND LOCKS MY CAR'S STARTER FROM FIRING FOR 10 MINUTES. THE REST OF THE ELECTRICAL DEVICES IN MY CAR WORK, BUT THE STARTER BECOMES LOCKED OUT FOR 10 MINUTES BEFORE I CAN TRY AGAIN. I HAVE READ ONLINE THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH SATURN IONS. APPARENTLY THE GREASE WHICH IS LOCATED WITHIN THE IGNITION SYSTEM FREEZES AT COLDER TEMPERATURES AND THUS THE IGNITION SWITCH DOES NOT RECOGNIZE MY KEY. SINCE IT DOES NOT RECOGNIZE MY KEY, THE ANTI-THEFT SYSTEM LOCKS MY CAR OUT FOR THE 10 MINUTE LOCK OUT PERIOD. SOMETIMES I CAN TRY 6 TIMES OVER THE COURSE OF 1 HOUR AND THE CAR STILL WILL NOT START. THIS IS A DANGEROUS SITUATION ON VERY COLD DAYS. I LIVE IN THE NORTHEAST AND THIS PAST WINTER WE HAD RECORD SNOWFALL WITH MANY DAYS DIPPING INTO THE 0'S, 10'S, 20'S AND 30'S. IT WOULD BE VERY UNFORTUNATE IF SOMEONE WERE TO DIE OF EXPOSURE TO THE ELEMENTS SINCE A CAR HAS NO HEAT WITHOUT THE ENGINE RUNNING. SOMEONE COULD DIE FROM BEING STRANDED IN THE COLD DUE TO AN IGNITION SWITCH WHICH GM/ SATURN COULD REPLACE FOR $50. I KNOW I SPENT MANY COLD DAYS (~5-6 PER WEEK) SITTING IN MY FREEZING COLD CAR FOR SOMETIMES OVER AN HOUR JUST PRAYING THAT MY CAR WOULD START SO I COULD GET SOME HEAT. PLEASE MAKE GM/ SATURN FIX THIS PROBLEM SO WE ARE NO LONGER LEFT OUT IN THE COLD!!!! *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10329528May 10, 2010
STEERING
I CURRENTLY OWN A 2006 SATURN ION, WITH 52,000 MILES ON IT. I BOUGHT THIS VEHICLE BRAND NEW IN 2005. IN WARM WEATHER CONDITIONS, MY CAR'S ELECTRIC POWER STEERING UNEXPECTEDLY CUTS OUT IN THE MIDDLE OF DRIVING. THE ALARM SOUNDS IN THE DASH AND THE CODE "PWR STR" APPEARS IN THE MESSAGE WARNING INDICATOR. THE ONLY WAY TO GET THE POWER STEERING TO RETURN IS TO PULL OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, TURN THE CAR OFF, AND RESTART IT. THIS HAPPENED ONCE ON THURSDAY AND IS BECOMING MORE AND MORE FREQUENT EACH DAY. IT HAPPENED TWICE FRIDAY, THEN ABOUT 20 TIMES IN THE COURSE OF A 15 MILE DRIVE ON SATURDAY. THIS IS A VERY DANGEROUS THING TO CUT OUT ON YOU BECAUSE IT JUST HAPPENS RANDOMLY AND UNEXPECTEDLY. ONE OF THE TIMES IT HAPPENED I WAS MAKING A TURN ONTO A RAMP AS I WAS COMING OFF OF THE HIGHWAY. LUCKY FOR ME THE TURN WAS GRADUAL ENOUGH THAT I WAS ABLE TO STEER, BUT HAD THIS HAPPENED ON A SLIGHTLY SHARPER TURN, I MAY HAVE CRASHED INTO THE GUARD RAIL. ADDITIONALLY, IT CANNOT BE SAFE FOR ME TO CONTINUE TO PULL OVER ON THE INTERSTATE (GOING 55 MPH) 10 TIMES IN A 20 MINUTE TIME FRAME JUST TO TURN MY CAR OFF AND ON TO RESET THE POWER STEERING. IT'S QUITE DANGEROUS TO CHANGE LANES JUST TO GET IN AND OUT OF TRAFFIC WHEN YOU HAVE POWER STEERING. IT'S EVEN MORE DANGEROUS TO DO SO WITHOUT POWER STEERING. HOPEFULLY YOU CAN HELP MAKE GM/ SATURN DO SOMETHING ABOUT THIS BECAUSE I HAVE READ MANY COMPLAINTS ONLINE ABOUT THIS SAME PROBLEM. PLEASE HELP! *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10329683May 10, 2010
STEERING
POWER STEERING MOTOR DEFECT CAUSES CAR TO HOW TIGHT STEERING AT TIMES. EVERYTIME I TRY TO GET IT SERVICED I GET THE RUN AROUND AT DEALER. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10329730May 10, 2010
STEERING
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 SATURN ION. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING AT SPEEDS OF 65 MPH, THE POWER STEERING WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWED BY A LOSS OF POWER STEERING ASSIST. THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME EXTREMELY HARD AND THE CONTACT HAD EXTREME DIFFICULTY IN MAINTAINING CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. SHE WAS ABLE TO MANEUVER THE VEHICLE OFF THE ROADWAY WITHOUT INCIDENT AND SHUT OFF THE ENGINE. WHEN RESTARTING, THE VEHICLE WAS STILL WITHOUT POWER STEERING ASSIST. NEITHER THE DEALER NOR MANUFACTURER HAD YET BEEN CONTACTED. THIS WAS THE FIRST INCIDENT OF THE FAILURE IN THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 92,890.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10329746May 10, 2010
STEERING
MY 2007 SATURN ION ONLY HAS $19,000.00 MILES ON IT THE POWER STEERING KEEPS GOING OUT, I SAW MANY OTHERS ARE HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM, PLEASE RECALL. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10329469May 9, 2010
STEERING, STEERING:ELECTRIC POWER ASSIST SYSTEM
THERE IS A RECALL ON CHEVROLET COBALT'S AND PONTIAC G5'S NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 10V073000 FOR ELECTRIC POWER STEERING LOSS OF POWER. THAT OCCURS ANY TIME AND IS BECOMING MORE FREQUENT ON MY 2007 SATURN ION IT HAS THE SAME POWER STEERING ASSIST. WHY IS MY CAR NOT LISTED WHEN IT IS A GM PRODUCT AS WELL WITH THE SAME COMPONENT. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10329380May 8, 2010
STEERING
POWER STEERING LIGHT COMES ON OUR 2006 SATURN ION AND IT BECOMES VERY DIFFICULT TO STEER. IT WILL DO IT WHILE YOU ARE DRIVING. IF YOU ARE LUCKY ENOUGH TO HAVE SOMEWHERE TO PULL OVER YOU CAN SHUT THE CAR OFF AND TURN IT BACK ON AND THE LIGHT GOES OFF AND IT STEERS FINE. WE ARE WORRIED THAT THIS IS EVENTUALLY GOING TO CAUSE AN ACCIDENT. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10329414May 8, 2010
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
I BOUGHT MY 2004 SATURN ION USED WITH LESS THAN 60,000 MILES ON IT, I HAD IT LESS THAN A YEAR WHEN ONE DAY IT WOULDN'T START, I THOUGHT IT WAS THE BATTERY OR THE ALTERNATOR, BUT NONE OF THAT FIXED THE PROBLEM. THIS PROBLEM PROGRESSIVELY GOT WORSE AND STARTED HAPPENING VERY FREQUENTLY, MORE OFTEN WHEN IT GOT COLD OUT. AFTER ABOUT 10-15 MINUTES THE CAR WILL START, I HAVE HAD TO WAIT UP TO 45 MINUTES FOR THE CAR TO START SOMETIMES. THIS PROBLEM HAS MADE ME LATE FOR WORK, LEFT MY CHILDREN WAITING FOR ME AND LEFT MYSELF AFTER WORK CLOSING A BAR ONE NIGHT AT 3:00 IN THE MORNING. THE MORE I MENTIONED THIS PROBLEM TO PEOPLE THE MORE I FOUND OUT I AM NOT THE ONLY ONE WITH THIS PROBLEM, IT HAS TO DO WITH THE SECURITY PASS LOCK SYSTEM AND IGNITION. IF THIS IS SUCH A FREQUENT PROBLEM FOR SATURNS WHY HASN'T THERE BEEN A RECALL EVER TO HAD IT FIXED, AND WHY ARE DEALERSHIPS ALLOWED TO SELL USED SATURNS WITHOUT CORRECTING THE PROBLEM OR MAKING BUYERS AWARE OF THIS POTENTIAL PROBLEM, IT IS SIMPLY DISHONEST! *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10329332May 7, 2010
STEERING
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 SATURN ION. THE POWER STEERING LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND THE POWER STEERING MALFUNCTIONED. WHEN THE CONTACT TURNED OFF THE VEHICLE AND RESTARTED IT, THE POWER STEERING FUNCTIONED NORMALLY; HOWEVER, THE FAILURE REOCCURRED CONSTANTLY. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE APPROXIMATELY 68,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10329097May 6, 2010
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION, STEERING
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 SATURN ION. WHILE DRIVING AT SPEEDS OF 70 MPH, THE POWER STEERING WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE POWER STEERING ASSIST THEN FAILED AND THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO MOVE THE VEHICLE OFF THE ROADWAY. WHEN RESTARTING THE VEHICLE, THE POWER STEERING ASSIST RESUMED NORMAL OPERATION. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE UNKNOWN REPAIRS WERE MADE. THE FAILURE DID NOT RECUR. IN ADDITION, THE IGNITION ALSO FAILED AND IN ORDER TO SHUT OFF THE ENGINE, THE BATTERY AND A FUSE HAD TO BE DISCONNECTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR A DIAGNOSIS OF THE IGNITION FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 65,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 76,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10329145May 6, 2010
STEERING
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 SATURN ION. WHILE DRIVING AT SPEEDS OF 55 MPH, THE POWER STEERING WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. IMMEDIATELY, THE STEERING BECAME INCREASINGLY DIFFICULT TO CONTROL. THE CONTACT WAS CABLE TO MOVE THE VEHICLE TO THE SHOULDER AND SHUT OFF THE ENGINE. WHEN RESTARTING, THE FAILURE OCCURRED ONCE MORE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 91000. UPDATED 7/16/10 UPDATED 07/21/10*JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10329226May 6, 2010
STEERING
MY 2007 SATURN ION STEERING LOCKS UP. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10329234May 6, 2010
POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION
I WAS AT A STOP SIGN AND MY CLUTCH PEDAL DISCONNECTED FROM ITS SOCKET JUST AS I WAS ABOUT TO BEGIN DRIVING. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10328960May 5, 2010
STEERING
POWER STEERING LIGHT CAME ON AND POWER STEERING WENT OUT WHILE DOING 65 ON THE INTERSTATE. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10328959May 5, 2010
STEERING
I HAVE A SATURN ION 2007 WITH 54433 MILES AND THE POWER STEERING PUMP WENT OUT. THERE IS NO RECALL ON THIS. BUT THERE IS ON THE COBALT WHICH HAS THE SAME PUMP. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10328757May 4, 2010
STEERING
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 SATURN ION. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH, THE POWER STEERING LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL, THE POWER STEERING MALFUNCTIONED, AND IT BECAME DIFFICULT TO CONTROL THE STEERING WHEEL. HE DROVE ONTO THE EMERGENCY LANE AND TURNED THE VEHICLE OFF. WHEN HE RESTARTED THE VEHICLE, THE POWER STEERING BEGAN TO FUNCTION NORMALLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHERE THE CONTACT WAS ADVISED TO REPLACE THE STEERING COLUMN AT HIS OWN EXPENSE. THE FAILURE BECAME PROGRESSIVELY WORSE AND THE DEALER ADVISED THE CONTACT TO REPLACE THE POWER STEERING MOTOR. THE PARTS WERE NOT AVAILABLE TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 60,000. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 75,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10328818May 4, 2010
STEERING
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 SATURN ION. WHILE DRIVING 15 MPH, THE POWER STEERING SUDDENLY SHUT OFF. UPON RESTARTING THE VEHICLE, THE POWER STEERING FUNCTIONED PROPERLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHO STATED THAT THE POWER STEERING MOTOR HAD FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS BEING REPAIRED WHEN THE COMPLAINT WAS FILED. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE APPROXIMATELY 51,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10328868May 4, 2010
STEERING
1ST TIME MY POWER STEERING WENT OUT I WAS BACKING OUT OF A PARKING SPACE AT MAYBE 5MPH AND WHEN I PUT THE CAR IN DRIVE THE CAR STARTED DINGING, THE PWR STEERING LIGHT CAME ON AND THE WHEEL LOCKED UP. TURNED THE CAR OFF, LET IT SIT FOR A BIT, TURNED IT BACK ON AND IT WAS BACK TO NORMAL. HAS DONE IT 3 OTHER TIMES WHILE ON THE ROAD AT NO MORE THAN 45 MPH. I HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT THE ENTIRE STEERING COLUMN MAY HAVE TO BE REPLACED BUT THE DEALERSHIP IS TELLING ME THAT THERE IS NO RECALL AT THIS TIME. HAVEN'T HAD IT REPAIRED YET. THIS IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS AND WAS VERY SCARY AS I HAD 2 SMALL CHILDREN IN THE CAR EACH TIME IT'S HAPPENED. CURRENT MILEAGE IS 46,700. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10328894May 4, 2010
STEERING
2005 SATURN ION 3 QUAD. VIN# [XXX] , MILEAGE 54,698 VERY UNEXPECTED POWER STEERING FAILURE. THIS WAS THE FIRST TIME IT HAS HAPPENED AND I BOUGHT THE CAR 1 MONTH BEFORE SATURN SHUTDOWN. THUS I HAVEN'T OWNED THE CAR EVEN A YEAR. 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

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