Saturn Ion Complaints

4,344 consumer complaints on file.

#10214905January 15, 2008
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH
I BOUGHT A 2003 SATURN ION ABOUT 6 MONTHS AGO, AND AS SOON AS IT BECAME COLD HERE IN COLORADO MY CAR STARTED HAVING A PROBLEM STARTING. I WAS STRANDED IN THE MIDDLE OF NO WHERE WITH NO CELL PHONE COVERAGE IN THE FREEZING COLD. I HAVE NOW COME TO FIND OUT THAT THIS IS A PROBLEM WITH ALL 2003 SATURNS AND THAT THEY REFUSE TO RECALL THEM AND FIX THE PROBLEM BECAUSE IT IS NOT A SAFETY ISSUE. THE IGNITION SWITCH AND THE GREASE NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE! I WAS STRANDED IN THE MIDDLE OF NO WHERE IN THE FREEZING COLD WITH MY YOUNG DAUGHTER. I WANT THIS PROBLEM TO BE ADDRESSED AND FIXED BY SATURN. THERE IS NO REASON FOR THEM TO NOT RECALL THIS PROBLEM. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10215078January 15, 2008
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH
I HAVE BEEN HAVING A PROBLEM WITH MY CAR NOT STARTING. THE FIRST ISSUE BEGAN WHEN I STARTED MY CAR AND THE PASSLOCK SYMBOL WAS FLASHING ALL THE WAY HOME FROM THE STORE. WHEN I GOT HOME AND TURNED THE CAR OFF AND TRIED RESTARTING IT, IT WOULDN'T START. AFTER LOOKING AT MY OWNERS MANUAL AND READING ABOUT PASSLOCK I WENT OUTSIDE AND TRIED STARTING IT AND IT STARTED RIGHT UP. A LITTLE LESS THAN A WEEK LATER I WAS OUT RUNNING AN ERRAND AND MADE A QUICK STOP FOR MAYBE 5 MINUTES, WHEN I GOT BACK TO THE CAR IT WOULD NOT START. I TRIED A FEW MORE TIMES AND WAS STARTING TO PANIC WHEN IT STARTED AGAIN. I TOOK IT TO A MECHANIC AND HE COULDN'T GET THE CAR TO REPLICATE THE PROBLEM BUT RECOMMENDED FINDING MY OTHER KEY FOR THE CAR AND START USING THAT. THE CAR WAS FINE FOR ANOTHER WEEK AND WHILE I WAS PICKING UP MY KIDS FROM SCHOOL THE PASSLOCK LIGHT CAME ON AGAIN AND BLINKED ALL THE WAY HOME. ONCE AGAIN, I TRIED TO START AFTER WE GOT HOME AND NOTHING, I WENT OUT ABOUT 10 MINUTES LATER AND IT WAS FINE. YESTERDAY I NEEDED TO RUN AN ERRAND AND SURE ENOUGH I WENT OUTSIDE TO LEAVE AND THE STUPID CAR WOULDN'T START AGAIN. I WENT INSIDE AND WAITED 10 MINUTES, CAME BACK OUTSIDE AND IT STARTED RIGHT UP. I AM A MOTHER WITH 3 KIDS AND I HAVE A HUSBAND WHO DOES NOT DRIVE. I HAVE ONLY ONE CAR AND I CANNOT HAVE IT BE UNRELIABLE. I GET NERVOUS EVERY TIME I HAVE TO GO SOMEWHERE. THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE AND IT SEEMS LIKE THERE ARE MANY SATURN OWNERS WHO ARE JUST AS FRUSTRATED AS ME AND SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE ABOUT IT, AT NO COST TO THE OWNERS. THIS IS NOT WEAR AND TEAR!!! *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10214728January 14, 2008
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:ANTI-THEFT:CONTROL MODULE
DURING COLD WEATHER, MY 2003 SATURN ION WILL NOT START. REPLACED THE BATTERY 12/07, AND A DIAGNOSTIC CHECK OF THE STARTER AND ALTERNATOR WAS FINE. IT APPEARS TO BE AN IGNITION SWITCH ITEM FROM READING SIMILAR COMPLAINTS ONLINE. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10214675January 13, 2008
UNKNOWN OR OTHER, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:HORN
HORN IS VERY DIFFICULT TO ACTUATE, REQUIRING HARD PRESSING ONE OF TWO SPECIFIC SMALL HORN LOGOS ON THE STEERING WHEEL AIR BAG COVER. THESE ARE HARD TO FIND IN AN EMERGENCY, AND IMPOSSIBLE TO QUICKLY FIND WHEN DRIVING AT NIGHT. THIS HAS RESULTED IN A FEW NEAR MISSES, BECAUSE THE HORN COULD NOT BE ACTIVATED QUICKLY ENOUGH TO ALERT ANOTHER DRIVER THAT THEY WERE LEAVING THEIR LANE. I HAD TO SWERVE EVASIVELY TO PREVENT THE ACCIDENT. SATURN DEALER IN PAST HAS SAID THAT HORN WORKS NORMALLY. THIS IS THE ONLY VEHICLE THAT MY WIFE OR I HAVE DRIVEN IN THIRTY YEARS THAT HAS THIS PROBLEM. IT APPEARS TO BE A POOR DESIGN, AND SOMETHING SHOULD BE DONE TO RECTIFY IT. THE HORN IS USELESS IN A SUDDENLY DEVELOPING EMERGENCY SITUATION. DATE IS NOT SPECIFIC; AS FORM WOULD NOT ALLOW SUBMISSION WITHOUT A DATE. I HAVE NOT HAD AN ACCIDENT YET, BUT THIS SHOULD BE RECTIFIED BEFORE SOMEONE HAS A SERIOUS ACCIDENT. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10214597January 12, 2008
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:ANTI-THEFT:CONTROL MODULE
MY 2003 SATURN ION WOULD NOT START AFTER BEING OUT IN COLD WEATHER. THIS HAS HAPPENED BEFORE AND I AM TIRED OF IT. BASED ON RESEARCH I HAVE DONE ON THE NET, IT APPEARS SATURN IS AWARE OF THIS AND DOESN'T SEEM TO CARE. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10214428January 10, 2008
STEERING:COLUMN
POWER STEERING TURNS OFF WHILE DRIVING. COMES BACK ON IF CAR IS TURNED OFF AND RESTARTED. DEALERSHIP CHARGING @ $920.00 TO REPLACE STEERING COLUMN. NUMEROUS REPORTS ONLINE OF SAME ISSUE. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10214329January 9, 2008
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
POWER STEERING CONTINUOUSLY GOES OUT WHILE DRIVING. FOUND OTHERS ONLINE HAVING SAME PROBLEM. RESTART THE CAR AND IT COMES BACK ON MOST OF THE TIME. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10214222January 8, 2008
VISIBILITY:POWER WINDOW DEVICES AND CONTROLS, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH
I HAVE AN 06 SATURN ION THAT HAS HAD THE IGNITION SWITCH GO OUT ON IT RIGHT AS WE HAVE NO WARRANTY ON IT, OF COURSE. WE CONTACTED SATURN HEAD OFFICE AND TRIED TO EXPLAIN TO THEM THAT THERE SEEMS TO BE A NEED FOR A RECALL ON THIS VEHICLE. NOT ONLY HAS THE IGNITION SWITCH GONE OUT THE WINDOW TO THE DRIVER SIDE NO LONGER WILL GO UP. WE OWNED THE CAR ONLY TWO DAYS WHEN THE SAME WINDOW FELL OFF THE TRACK FOR NO REASON AND THEY HAD TO FIX IT. MY FATHER ALSO OWNS THE SAME YEAR MAKE AND MODEL CAR AND THE WINDOW ON HIS DRIVER SIDE ALSO WENT OUT JUST A COUPLE OF MONTHS AGO. THERE SEEMS TO BE SEVERAL RECURRING ISSUES WITH THIS VEHICLE THAT I SEE NOT ONLY ONE PERSON IS HAVING. THEY RECALLED THE OLDER MODEL OF THIS CAR FOR THE SAME PROBLEM WITH THE IGNITION. THIS VEHICLE IS TOO NEW TO HAVE THIS MANY INCIDENTS OCCUR. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10213825January 5, 2008
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL
ON 12/03/2007 AT 8:41 AM I WAS INVOLVED IN AN AUTOMOBILE ACCIDENT ON I-240 EAST IN MEMPHIS TN. I WAS TRAILING TRAFFIC IN THE PASSING LANE, WHEN TRAFFIC CAME TO A COMPLETE STOP. I DIDNT REACT IN TIME AND SUFFERED A FRONTAL COLLISION TO A 2004 SATURN ION THAT I OWN. I WAS TRAVELLING APPROX 30-35 MPH WHEN I STRUCK THE BACK OF THE VEHICLE. THE AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY AND THE SEATBELT TENSIONER FAILED RESULTED IN MY GOING HEADFIRST INTO THE STEERING WHEEL. I HAVE SINCE HAD TO HAVE TESTS AT THE DOCTOR FOR MIGRAINES AND STILL EXPERIENCE THE AFTEREFFECTS OF THIS ACCIDENT. *CN
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
1
Deaths:
0
#10213826January 5, 2008
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL
ON 12/03/2007 AT 8:41 AM I WAS INVOLVED IN AN AUTOMOBILE ACCIDENT ON I-240 EAST IN MEMPHIS TN. I WAS TRAILING TRAFFIC IN THE PASSING LANE, WHEN TRAFFIC CAME TO A COMPLETE STOP. I DIDNT REACT IN TIME AND SUFFERED A FRONTAL COLLISION TO A 2004 SATURN ION THAT I OWN. I WAS TRAVELLING APPROX 30-35 MPH WHEN I STRUCK THE BACK OF THE VEHICLE. THE AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY AND THE SEATBELT TENSIONER FAILED RESULTED IN MY GOING HEADFIRST INTO THE STEERING WHEEL. I HAVE SINCE HAD TO HAVE TESTS AT THE DOCTOR FOR MIGRAINES AND STILL EXPERIENCE THE AFTEREFFECTS OF THIS ACCIDENT. *CN
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
1
Deaths:
0
#10213683January 4, 2008
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH
WONT START IN SUB FREEZING WEATHER FOR AT LEAST 15 MINUTES. *CN
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10213716January 4, 2008
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH
DURING COLD WEATHER (AROUND 32 DEGREES F AND BELOW), CAR WILL NOT START FOR 8-10 MINUTES. ON INITIAL ATTEMPT TO START CAR, ENGINE BEGINS TO TURN OVER FOR LESS THAN 1 SECOND, THEN STOPS. A LOCK SYMBOL FLASHES ON THE DASH AND THE MESSAGE READOUT STATES "SERVICE ENGINE". ANY ADDITION ATTEMPS TO START THE CAR WILL RESULT IN ABSOLUTELY NO TURNOVER OF THE ENGINE. AFTER 8-10 MINUTES, THE CAR WILL START RIGHT UP WITH NO PROBLEM. ATTEMPS TO JUMP START THE CAR WILL ARE NOT SUCESSFUL UNTIL AFTER THE 8-10 MINUTE PERIOD. THE BATTERY HAS BEEN CHECKED OUT AND FOUND TO BE FINE. I HAVE NOT ATTEMPTED A REPAIR YET. THIS FIRST HAPPENED IN NOVEMBER OF 2005 AND HAS OCCURRED OFF AND ON FOR THE PAST 2 YEARS. *CN
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10213598January 3, 2008
STEERING
AROUND 15000 MILES, MY POWER STEERING QUIT WORKING, I TOOK IT TO THE SATURN DEALERSHIP, THEY SAID THEY FIXED THE PROBLEM. THE NEXT TIME I DROVE MY CAR, I GOT TO THE END OF MY STREET, AND THE POWER STEERING POPPED AND WENT OUT AGAIN. I AGAIN TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY SAID THERE WAS A SHORT IN THE STEERING COLUMN. THEY SAID THEY REPAIRED THE PROBLEM, BUT I WILL BE MAKING ANOTHER TRIP TO SATURN AS THE POWER STEERING QUITS WORKING AND THEN STARTS WORKING AGAIN WITHOUT WARNING. ONE DAY, AS I WAS TURNING ACROSS A 2 LANE HIGHWAY, THE STEERING POPPED IN THE MIDDLE OF MY TURN. THIS IS HAPPENING TO ME DURING WHAT COULD BECOME VERY DANGEROUS CIRCUMSTANCES.*CN
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10213620January 3, 2008
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:ANTI-THEFT:CONTROL MODULE
2003 SATURN ION. THIS CAR WILL NOT START IN THE COLD WEATHER. IF THE TEMPERATURE IS BELOW 32 DEGREES F FOR AN EXTENDED PERIOD OF TIME, THE CAR WILL STALL. THIS WILL BE A RECALL ITEM ONCE WE GET TOGETHER AND SUE SATURN FOR THIS OBVIOUS NEGLIGENT BEHAVIOR. THIS PROBLEM IS WELL KNOWN AND IS CONTINUAL. PERHAPS WHEN SOME UNFORTUNATE SOUL IS STRANDED IN THE WILDERNESS AND DIES, THEN THE MANUFACTURER WILL PAY ATTENTION TO THIS COLD WEATHER START PROBLEM. THE PUBLIC IS WELL AWARE OF THE PROBLEM AND SO IS SATURN. IT WOULD BE WELL WORTH IT FOR THE CORPORATE OFFICE TO CRUNCH THE NUMBERS AND DECIDE TO RECALL THE VEHICLE FOR THIS PROBLEM. I HAVE READ THAT THE DIFFICULTLY MAY HAVE TO DO WITH A TYPE OF LUBRICANT ON THE STARTER, WHICH HARDENS IN THE COLD WEATHER. THE CAR STALLS AS A RESULT, AND THEN THE PASS-LOCK KICKS IN. AFTER 8 MINUTES, THE CAR MAY START, OR ONE MAY HAVE TO WAIT AN ADDITIONAL 8 MINUTES (OR MORE) FOR THE IGNITION SWITCH TO LOOSEN UP ENOUGH TO START THE ENGINE. HOWEVER, THE CAR MAY STALL YET AGAIN---AND SET OFF THE PASSLOCK SYSTEM YET AGAIN. SATURN IS NEGLIGENT AT THE VERY LEAST--AND CRIMINALLY NEGLIGENT IF THEY KNOW OF THIS PROBLEM---THE POTENTIAL DANGERS OF IT---AND DO NOTHING. SERVICE BULLETIN:040845005 NHTSA ITEM NUMBER:10007431 MFG BULLETIN DATE: 20060301 COMPONENT: ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH BULLETIN SUMMARY: NO CRANK, NO START WHEN AMBIENT TEMPERATURES IS COLD - DIAGNOSTIC TROUBLE CODES (DTCS) B2960 AND OR B3033 ARE SET. *CN
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10213446January 2, 2008
STEERING:COLUMN
WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY, THE POWER STEERING LIGHT WOULD COME ON AND I COULD BARELY STEER THE VEHICLE AND I HAD TO GET OFF THE HIGHWAY IMMEDIATELY. AFTER I PULLED OFF THE HIGHWAY, I WOULD TURN THE VEHICLE OFF AND THEN TURN IT BACK ON AND I WOULD PROCEED TO MY DESTINATION.*CN
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10213254December 31, 2007
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS:HIGH/LOW BEAM DIMMER SWITCH, EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS
I WAS DROVE MY CAR HOME ONE NIGHT AND THE HEADLIGHTS WERE WORKING FINE. I WENT IN THE HOUSE CHANGED AND GOT READY TO LEAVE AGAIN WHEN I TURNED ON MY HEADLIGHTS THEY DID NOT COME ON. THOUGHT MAYBE IT WAS THE BULBS THAT WENT OUT BUT THE BRIGHT LIGHTS WORKED. HAD THE BULBS CHECK THEY WERE FINE, I ALSO CHECKED THE FUSES TO MAKE SURE THAT WAS BURNT OUT. AFTER A WEEK THE LIGHTS STILL WERE NOT WORKING TOOK IT TO A CAR MECHANIC AND THE ANALYSIS SHOWED SOME SENSOR. HE REPLACED THE SENSOR AND IT DID NOT FIX THE PROBLEM MY LOW BEAM HEADLIGHTS ARE STILL NOT WORKING. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10213215December 30, 2007
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:12V/24V/48V BATTERY
COLD WEATHER / AROUND FREEZING TEMPERATURE. CAR DOES NOT START AT ALL IN COLD WEATHER. HAVE REPLACED BATTERY AND IT HAS REPEATED THE SAME PROBLEM. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10213147December 29, 2007
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
2004 SATURN ION 1 THE CAR REVS IT'S ENGINE TO OVER 3000 RPMS WHEN YOU PUT THE CAR INTO PARK AND IDLE. IF YOU SHUT OFF THE CAR IT IS OK, BUT IF YOU PUT IT INTO GEAR THE CAR THE LURCHES FORWARD UNSAFELY. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10212936December 27, 2007
VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER
FOLLOWING SEVERAL WEEKS OF HEAVY SNOWFALL THE WINDSHIELD WIPER TRANSMISSION ON MY 2004 SATURN ION FAILED. THE FAILURE OCCURRED ON A CLEAR DAY WHILE USING THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS TO CLEAN OFF THE WINDSHIELD. THE FAILURE CAUSED A POTENTIALLY UNSAFE CONDITION DUE TO THE ACCUMULATION OF SALT RESIDUE ON THE WINDSHIELD CAUSED BY DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY. DEALER REPLACED THE WINDSHIELD WIPER TRANSMISSION AND SAID THAT THE FAILURE WAS CAUSED BY "ICE LOADING" AND CAUTIONED ME TO MAKE SURE AND CLEAR AWAY ICE AND SNOW BEFORE ACTIVATING THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10212731December 26, 2007
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION
OUR SATURN ION 3 WOULD NOT TURN OFF. APPARENTLY THERE IS A SERIOUS PROBLEM WITH THE IGNITION IN THESE CARS. WHY HASN'T SATURN/GENERAL MOTORS RECALLED THIS PART. SOMEONE COULD GET KILLED. WE HAVE HAD IT REPAIRED ONLY TO HAVE IT HAPPEN A SECOND TIME. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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