Saturn Ion Complaints

4,344 consumer complaints on file.

#10250625December 3, 2008
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
I AM THE OWNER OF A 2004 SATURN ION 3. I HAVE NOW HAD IT FOR THREE WINTERS IN WHICH I HAVE HAD STARTING PROBLEMS EVERY WINTER. I HAVE REPLACED THE BATTERY ALL THREE WINTERS, TO FIND THAT WAS NOT THE PROBLEM. AFTER MANY READING MANY BLOGS AND WEBSITES I HAVE FOUND THAT SATURN USES AN IGNITION SWITCH THAT FREEZES IN THE COLD. SATURN ALSO DOES NOT CLAIM TO THIS ISSUE. WE HAVE TAKEN OUR CAR TO THE LOCAL DEALERSHIP WITH THIS PROBLEM, BUT NO MECHANIC KNEW WHAT THE PROBLEM WAS. I LIVE IN A PLACE THAT IS KNOWN FOR COLD WINTERS SO I KNOW NOW (ESPECIALLY AFTER READING COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS ON THE NET) THAT THE MECHANICS HAVE TO BE AWARE OF THIS SITUATION WITH THE CARS. MY HUSBAND HAS REPLACED THE IGNITION SWITCH TO FIND THAT IT DID NOT HELP (OBVIOUSLY IF WE ARE USING THE SAME FREEZING PART)! THIS IS NOT LISTED AS A RECALL, BECAUSE IT IS NOT A SAFETY ISSUE. I AM SORRY, BUT IF I GET STUCK OUT AT A REST STOP ON SOME HIGHWAY BY MYSELF OR WITH MY YOUNG CHILD IN BELOW 30 DEGREES, THAT BECOMES SAFETY ISSUE TO ME!!! ANOTHER SAFETY ISSUE THAT HAS PRESENTED ITSELF IN THE ION IS MY SEAT BELTS. THEY DO NOT LOCK OR RETRACT. THERE HAS BEEN NO TAMPERING OR CHANGING OF ANYTHING THAT WOULD CAUSE THIS TO HAPPEN. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10250640December 3, 2008
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
I HAD THE CAR IN MARCH 2008 FROM A CERTIFIED DEALERSHIP, AND NEEDED A HEAD GASKET IN LESS THAN A YEAR. IF THE CAR WAS CERTIFIED HOW THE CAR CAN HAVE A MAJOR PROBLEM SO MUCH. I HAVEN'T HAD ANY ACCIDENT, OR ANY OTHER PROBLEMS WITH THE CAR. THEN THE LIGHT BLEW OUT IN THE DASH BOARD. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10250482December 2, 2008
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
I HAVE A 2006 SATURN ION. APPROX 20% OF THE DAYS WHEN THE WEATHER IS COLD THE CAR WILL NOT START. IF I WAIT FOR 10 MINUTES, IT WILL START. SEARCHING ON-LINE DISCUSSION FORUMS INDICATES THIS IS A COMMON ION PROBLEM RELATED TO THE SECURITY SYSTEM'S FAILURE TO RECOGNIZE THE KEY. TODAY'S OCCURRENCE PROMOTED ME TO FILE THIS COMPLAINT. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10250500December 2, 2008
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 SATURN ION. THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD INTERMITTENTLY FAIL TO START AFTER THE FIRST ATTEMPT. THE VEHICLE WOULD TURN OVER WITHOUT POWER. AFTER WAITING APPROXIMATELY TEN MINUTES FOR THE SECURITY SYSTEM TO RESET, THE VEHICLE WOULD SUCCESSFULLY START. AFTER ATTEMPTING TO RESTART THE VEHICLE AFTER IT STALLED OR WAS TURNED OFF, IT WOULD OCCASIONALLY NOT FUNCTION PROPERLY UNTIL WAITING TEN MINUTES FOR THE SECURITY TO ACTIVATE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE IGNITION SWITCH WAS FAULTY. THE DEALER REPLACED THE IGNITION SWITCH AT THE CONTACT'S EXPENSE, WHICH REMEDIED THE ISSUE ACCORDING TO A TSB. HE CALLED THE MANUFACTURER TO INQUIRE ABOUT REIMBURSEMENT AND THEY REFERRED HIM TO NHTSA. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THEY COULD NOT PROVIDE REIMBURSEMENT DUE TO THE EXTENDED WARRANTY. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 65,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 40,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10250224December 1, 2008
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
FAILURE OCCURS ONLY WHEN IT IS COLD OUTSIDE. THE CAR STARTS THEN DIES OR SOMETIMES DOESN'T START AT ALL. IT USUALLY TAKES BETWEEN 20 MIN TO SEVERAL HOURS IN THE FREEZING COLD TO GET THE CAR STARTED. SO FAR THIS WEEK IT HAS REFUSED TO START 4 TIMES 2 OF THOSE TIMES WHEN I WAS AWAY FROM HOME OR FRIENDS LEAVING ME STRANDED IN THE COLD. I WAS ONCE FOR 2 DAYS AT A COWORKERS HOUSE BECAUSE I WAS UNABLE TO GET THE CAR TO START IN THE FREEZING COLD LAST WINTER AND I LIVED 30 MILES AWAY. I HAVE RESEARCHED THIS AND IT IS AN EXTREMELY COMMON PROBLEM FOR MY CAR THAT SATURN REFUSES TO RECALL. ONE DAY SOMEONE LIKE ME IS GOING TO GET STRANDED IN THE MIDDLE OF NOWHERE AND POSSIBLY FREEZE IF THEY DON'T HAVE A CELL PHONE. I'VE TAKEN MY CAR SEVERAL DIFFERENT REPAIR PLACES AND THE PROBLEM PERSISTS. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
1
Deaths:
0
#10250369December 1, 2008
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
KEY WAS STUCK IN THE "ON" POSITION AND IGNITION WOULD NOT TURN OFF. CALLED ONSTAR, THE REPRESENTATIVE CALLED ALL SATURN DEALERS IN MY AREA BUT ALL WERE CLOSED. WE FIGURED OUT WHICH FUSE WAS REPLACED. TOOK CAR INTO SATURN DEALER THE NEXT DAY AND WAS TOLD I WOULD NEED A NEW IGNITION HOUSING AND KEY CODE. TOTAL REPAIR COST WAS $500. THE CAR WAS OUT OF WARRANTY RANGE. I AGREED TO THE FIX AND CALLED SATURN CORPORATE TO ASK ABOUT THIS AND WAS TOLD I SHOULD HAVE BOUGHT THE EXTENDED WARRANTY. CORPORATE REPRESENTATIVE WAS RUDE AND OFFERED NO HELP OR SOLUTION. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10250133November 29, 2008
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
MY 2003 SATURN ION WILL NOT START IN COLD WEATHER. IT JUST MAKES A CLICKING NOISE. I HAVE HAD A NEW IGNITION INSTALLED LAST YEAR FOR A LOT OF MONEY LAST YEAR. THIS FIXED THE PROBLEM FOR THE REST OF THE WINTER, BUT AS SOON AS IT GOT COLD THIS WINTER THE PROBLEM IS BACK. IT WILL OCCUR ABOUT 1/4 OF THE TIMES IT IS PARKED OUTSIDE IN VERY COLD WEATHER (UNDER 25 F). I JUST WAIT 8 MINUTES AND TRY AGAIN. I CAN'T KEEP FIXING THIS WHEN SATURN IS AWARE THAT THIS IS A WIDE SPREAD PROBLEM. AT LEAST THE MONEY I SPENT LAST YEAR SHOULD HAVE FIXED THE ISSUE FOR GOOD. IT'S REALLY FRUSTRATING AND IF CAUGHT IN THE SEVERE COLD COULD RESULT IN A SERIOUS INJURY TO SOMEONE. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10250082November 28, 2008
STEERING
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 SATURN ION 2. SPORADICALLY, THE POWER STEERING FAILS WHILE DRIVING 10 MPH. THE FAILURE PREVENTS THE CONTACT FROM CONTROLLING THE VEHICLE PROPERLY. THE DEALER COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE FAILURE OR PROVIDE A REMEDY. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER AND THEY STATED THAT THE STEERING MODULE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AT THE COST OF $900. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE CONTACT IS IN THE PROCESS OF NOTIFYING THE MANUFACTURER. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 23,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 53,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10249904November 26, 2008
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:ANTI-THEFT:CONTROL MODULE
THIS IS THE SECOND COMPLAINT I HAVE FILED ON MY 2006 SATURN ION. I HAVE BEEN TRACKING A PROBLEM I HAVE BEEN HAVING WITH IT NOT STARTING IN THE MORNING. THE PROBLEM IS WITH THE PASSLOCK SYSTEM THAT ALLOWS FUEL TO PASS TO THE ENGINE, A SO CALLED ANTI THEFT DETERRENT. THIS MORNING I SAT IN MY CAR IN THE DRIVEWAY FOR 30 MINUTES WAITING FOR THE SYSTEM TO RESET ITSELF. LOOKING AT VARIOUS WEBSITES, GM HAS HAD THIS PROBLEM REPEATEDLY FOR QUITE SOME TIME. I HAVE CONTACTED SATURN CORPORATION, RECEIVED ASSISTANCE FROM A CUSTOMER SERVICE REP, TAKEN MY CAR TO THE NEAREST DEALERSHIP (70 MILES AWAY) AND THE DEALERSHIP "CAN'T DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM" AND SAYS THEY HAVE "NEVER HEARD OF THIS PROBLEM BEFORE". I TOOK OVER 20 PAGES OF DOCUMENTATION WITH ME SHOWING THOUSANDS OF GM CUSTOMERS THAT ARE EXPERIENCING THIS SAME PROBLEM. THE DEALERSHIP WOULDN'T EVEN LOOK AT THE PAPERWORK. SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE ABOUT THIS ISSUE. MY CAR IS ONLY 2 YEARS OLD. I WAS SOLD A DEFECTIVE PRODUCT, GM KNOWS THE PASSLOCK SYSTEM DOES NOT WORK PROPERLY BUT CONTINUES TO TREAT THEIR CUSTOMERS LIKE THEY ARE IDIOTS. IT IS DANGEROUS TO BE STRANDED IN A CAR THAT WILL NOT START WITH CHILDREN IN THE CAR AND RIDICULOUS TO HAVE A CAR DICTATE WHEN IT WILL START. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10249840November 25, 2008
LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES
2ND OCCURRENCE - UNABLE TO MOVE KEY OF RUNNING VEHICLE FROM "RUN" TO OFF. HAD TO REMOVE FUSE AND DISCONNECT BATTERY TO STOP CAR. STILL UNABLE TO REMOVE KEY - DEALER HAS TO REPLACE LOCK CYLINDER PARTS. WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN ABLE TO STOP ENGINE IN THE EVENT OF AN EMERGENCY SITUATION. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10249843November 25, 2008
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION
1ST OCCURRENCE - UNABLE TO MOVE IGNITION KEY FROM RUN TO OFF WHILE VEHICLE IS RUNNING. WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO STOP MOTOR IN THE EVENT OF AN EMERGENCY SITUATION. HAD TO REMOVE FUSE AND DISCONNECT BATTERY TO STOP ENGINE. DEALER REPLACED LOCK HOUSING. PROBLEM RE-OCCURRED IN LESS THAN A MONTH. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10249601November 23, 2008
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
SATURN ION WILL NOT COLD START ON COLD MORNINGS. THE KEY TURNS TO THE ON POSITION BUT WILL NOT START THE VEHICLE. IT DOES ABSOLUTELY NOTHING IN THE IGNITION MODE. NO CRANK-NOTHING. THIS IS THE FIFTH TIME THIS EVENT HAS OCCURRED. FIST OCCURRED AT 40K. STILL HAPPENS AT 49K. WHEN OUTSIDE TEMPERATURE RISES THE CAR WILL START NORMALLY. THE SATURN DEALERSHIP WHERE WE PURCHASED THIS ( OUR NINTH SATURN ) IS NOW CLOSED. WE WERE REFERRED TO A CHEVY DEALERSHIP. CAN'T HELP WONDERING HOW THIS COULD HELP. IT IS OBVIOUS, THAT DESPITE OUR BRAND LOYALTY, WE ARE NOW GETTING THE COLD SHOULDER IN MORE WAYS THAN ONE. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10249288November 19, 2008
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
I OWN A SATURN ION 2 2003 AND IT TAKES SPELLS WHERE IT WON'T START. TODAY I HAD TROUBLE. WHEN IT WON'T START THE LIGHTS AND RADIO, ETC WORK, A LIGHT COMES ON ON THE MESSAGE CENTER THAT SAYS TO SERVICE VEHICLE BUT IT WON'T TURN OVER. TODAY I LET IT SIT FOR ABOUT 10 TO 15 MIN AND IT STARTED.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10249102November 18, 2008
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
MY 2004 SATURN ION HAS PROBLEMS STARTING IN THE COLD AFTER ABOUT 10-15 MINUTES OF TRYING IT WILL START, EVERYTHING SUCH AS STARTER BATTERY FUEL PUMP HAS BEEN CHECKED. MY SECURITY LIGHT IS ON WHEN THIS IS HAPPENING. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10248891November 15, 2008
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
I PURCHASED A 2006 SATURN ION WHICH INTERMITTENTLY (ABOUT ONCE A WEEK) DOES NOT START. THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH SATURN IONS AS EVIDENCED BY A BASIC INTERNET SEARCH (SEE HTTP://WWW.CONSUMERAFFAIRS.COM/AUTOMOTIVE/SATURN_IGNITION_LOCK.HTML). I'M HAVING TO HAVE THE IGNITION SWITCH SENSOR REPLACED BUT THE PROBLEM REMAINS. THIS IS A VERY DANGEROUS DEFECT DURING WINTER MONTHS WHEN THE CAR MIGHT RANDOMLY NOT START IN AN ISOLATED AREA. THE DEALER FROM WHOM I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE IS NOT WILLING TO MAKE THE REPAIR AT HIS EXPENSE DESPITE IT IS A WELL-KNOWN FAILING OF THIS VEHICLE. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10248799November 14, 2008
STEERING
WE OWN 7 SATURN IONS. 3 OF THEM HAVE HAD THE POWER STEERING FAIL WHILE DRIVING. THEY ARE USED FOR OUR BUSINESS. THE CARS ARE NEARLY IMPOSSIBLE TO STEER WHEN THIS HAPPENS. IT MAY CAUSE A SERIOUS ACCIDENT. THE REPAIRS ARE NEARLY $1000 AT THE DEALERSHIP. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10248859November 14, 2008
AIR BAGS
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 (NA) SATURN ION 3. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO MAKE A LEFT TURN AT A STOP LIGHT, ANOTHER VEHICLE STRUCK THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE OF THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE. THE MOTOR AND RADIATOR WERE PUSHED INTO THE VEHICLE. THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY, BUT THE CONTACT WAS UNINJURED. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED BY THE INSURANCE COMPANY. THE SPEED OF THE OTHER VEHICLE WAS UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE LESS THAN 5,000.
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10248671November 13, 2008
VISIBILITY
MY 18 YR OLD DAUGHTER WAS DRIVING TO SCHOOL THIS MORNING DURING A HEAVY RAIN DOWNPOUR AND ALMOST HAD A WRECK DUE TO THE SUDDEN MALFUNCTION OF THE DRIVER'S SIDE WINDSHIELD WIPER ASSEMBLY. THE WIPER ARM SUDDEN BECAME "POSSESSED" WERE IT WAS MOVING ERRATICALLY CAUSING PRACTICALLY ZERO VISIBILITY ON A BUSY TWO-LANE HIGHWAY. SHE BARELY PULLED OFF THE ROAD AS A SCHOOL BUS ROUNDED THE CURVE. NEEDLESS TO SAY EVERYONE WAS LUCKY. A GOOD SAMARITAN MECHANIC STOPPED AND QUICKLY ASSESSED THAT A PLASTIC SUPPORT HAD BROKEN ON THE WIPER MOTOR ASSEMBLY. WE HAD TO LEAVE THE CAR IN A STRANGER'S DRIVEWAY UNTIL WE CAN MAKE ARRANGEMENTS TO MOVE IT DURING SAFER CONDITIONS. I GOT ON THE COMPUTER AND FOUND WHERE OTHERS HAD SUFFERED THE SAME ISSUE!! I KNOW PARTS WEAR OUT, BUT THIS IS A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE THAT GIVES NO WARNING. MY DAUGHTER WAS LUCKY NOT HAVE WRECKED OR INJURED THE SCHOOL CHILDREN THAT WERE STANDING ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, AWAITING THE BUS. ANGRY MOTHER *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10248580November 12, 2008
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:ANTI-THEFT:CONTROL MODULE
MY SATURN ION 03 WILL NOT START UP IN EARLY MORNING COLD TEMPERATURE. THE IGNITION SENDS NO SIGNAL TO THE ANTI-THEFT SYSTEM THAT SHUTS OFF FUEL TO THE CAR. IT TAKES, ON AVERAGE, TWENTY MINUTES FOR THE CAR TO ACTUALLY START. I NOTICED THE PROBLEM ONE YEAR AGO DURING THE WINTER MONTHS. AT FIRST, I SPECULATED IT WAS THE BATTERY, COOLANT/ANTI-FREEZE FLUID, LOW GAS BUT ALL CHECKED OUT FINE. AFTER RESEARCHING RECALLS AND SATURN ION PROBLEMS I FOUND THAT IT WAS THE ANTI-THEFT SYSTEM THAT WAS TRIGGERING THE PROBLEM. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10248613November 12, 2008
EQUIPMENT:OTHER:OWNERS/SERVICE/OTHER MANUAL, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION
MY 2003 SATURN ION 2 HAS HAD NOTHING BUT PROBLEMS. THE FIRST THING I HAVE EXPERIENCED HAS BEEN A PROBLEM WITH THE CAR NOT STARTING ON VERY COLD DAY BELOW 32 DEGREES. I HAD THE IGNITION SWITCH REPLACED LAST YEAR AS RECOMMENDED BY THE DEALERSHIP. SINCE THE WEATHER HAS GOTTEN COLD HERE IN INDIANA I HAVE BEGUN TO HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM. THE CAR JUST WILL NOT START ON VERY COLD DAYS AGAIN BELOW 32 DEGREES. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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