Saturn Ion Complaints (2003)

758 consumer complaints on file.

#10255471January 18, 2009
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:TURN SIGNAL, FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
FAILURE OF GM TO NOTIFY ME OF 3 RECALLS ON 2003 SATURN ION. IT IS POSSIBLE THAT THIS WORK HAS ALREADY BEEN DONE, BUT I CANNOT TELL AT THIS TIME AND WOULD LIKE THIS PROBLEM INVESTIGATED. RECALLS ARE: NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 04V547000 NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 04V003000 *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10255476January 18, 2009
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
CAR WILL NOT START WHEN ALL COMPONENTS ARE GOOD. FAULTY ANTI THEFT DEVICE. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10255289January 16, 2009
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION
MY CAR WILL NOT START WHEN IT IS COLD. IT IS DUE TO THE FAULTY DESIGN OF THE IGNITION SWITCH/PASSLOCK ERROR. IT HAPPENS AT LEAST THREE OR FOUR TIMES A WEEK, END EVERY MORNING IT IS BELOW 34 DEGREES. I HAVE HAD A NEW BATTERY, FUEL FILTER AND STARTER REPLACED IN THE PAST WEEK. AFTER TEN TO FIFTEEN MINUTES IT STARTS, BUT TODAY AFTER FORTY FIVE MINUTES IT STILL DID NOT START. I WENT ONLINE AND FOUND THAT THOUSANDS OF OTHER SATURN OWNERS HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM. THIS PART NEEDS TO BE RECALLED. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10255321January 16, 2009
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:STARTER ASSEMBLY
I HAVE 2 2003 SATURN ION'S WHICH HAVE STARTER PROBLEMS WHICH BOTH HAVE HAD STARTERS REPLACE BECAUSE OF THIS PROBLEM THAT GM/SATURN CONTINUE TO IGNORE. WHEN YOU GET A TEMPERATURE CHANGE THE CARS SOMETIMES START AND SOMETIMES DON'T. SATURN SHOULD RECALL. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10255350January 16, 2009
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
THE TEMPERATURES IN FORT WAYNE HAVE BEEN BELOW FREEZING LATELY (WIND-CHILL WAS -35 TODAY), AND MY 2003 SATURN ION HAS HAD A LOT OF TROUBLE STARTING. WHEN I TURN MY KEY IN THE IGNITION, IT TURNS OVER BUT WON'T START. AFTER LETTING IT SIT FOR A MINUTE, I TRY TO START IT AGAIN, ONLY NOW IT WON'T EVEN TURN OVER; IT JUST CLICKS. I THOUGHT MY BATTERY NEEDED TO BE REPLACED, BUT I HAVEN'T HAD MUCH HELP TODAY IN DEALING WITH IT. I SEARCHED THE INTERNET FOR ADVICE, AND I CAME ACROSS A CAR REVIEW WEBSITE WITH SEVERAL REVIEWS AND COMMENTS COMPLAINING ABOUT THE SAME 2003 SATURN ION PROBLEM I'M HAVING. FROM THE REVIEWS AND COMMENTS, I FIGURED OUR PROBLEMS ARE ONE IN THE SAME- THE CARS HAVE FAULTY IGNITION SWITCHES. I TRIED TO GET MY CAR FIXED WHEN I FIRST BOUGHT IT LAST YEAR, AND THE DEALER TOLD ME IT WAS AN IGNITION PROBLEM. I'M JUST NOW DISCOVERING THAT IT'S A PROBLEM WITH ALL 2003 IONS- NOT JUST MINE. AS FAR AS I KNOW, SATURN IS DOING NOTHING TO HELP ITS CUSTOMERS IN THEIR GREATEST TIME OF NEED. THANK GOD MY CAR DIED IN THE PARKING LOT AT WORK AND NOT IN SOME LOCATION WHERE I WOULD BE STRANDED IN THE FRIGID TEMPERATURES. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10255177January 15, 2009
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 SATURN ION. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE FAILED TO START IN COLD WEATHER. IT TAKES APPROXIMATELY 30 MINUTES OR LESS FOR THE VEHICLE TO START. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN IN FOR INSPECTION, BUT THEY COULD NOT FIND ANY FAILURES. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT NO RECALLS WERE AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 72,000. UPDATED 020209 *BF UPDATED 02/03/09.*JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10255006January 14, 2009
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
OIL STARTED LEAKING ON SATURDAY, TOOK TO SHOP ON SUNDAY, THEY THOUGHT CRACKED HEAD GASKET. WENT TO SATURN DEALER ON MONDAY, THEY COULD NOT ID LEAK, DIRECTED ME TO BRING BACK IN A COUPLE DAYS. TODAY THEY IDENTIFIED CRACKED CYLINDER HEAD. CAR HAS ONLY 67,000 MILES AND HAS NEVER OVERHEATED TO THE BEST OF MY KNOWLEDGE. BLOCK IS CAST IRON, CYL HEAD IS ALUMINUM. QUOTED COST TO REPAIR: $2600, NOT UNDER WARRANTY AND NOT COVERED BY DEALER. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10255055January 14, 2009
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION
WE HAVE A 2003 SATURN ION THAT WONT START IN COLD WEATHER DUE TO IGNITION SWITCH PROBLEMS. SATURN DEALER WANTS $100 JUST TO DIAGNOSE IT ON A COMPUTER BUT MANY FORUMS HAVE INFORMATION STATING THAT THE DEALER ALREADY KNOWS THAT THE IGNITION SWITCH IS FAULTY. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10254877January 13, 2009
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 SATURN ION. IN COLD WEATHER CONDITIONS, THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT START. USUALLY AFTER REPEATED ATTEMPTS OF TURNING THE KEY IN THE IGNITION, THE VEHICLE WILL START. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 36,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 48,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10254483January 10, 2009
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
I DRIVE A 2003 SATURN ION 3 - AND EVERY WINTER I GO THROUGH THE SAME ISSUE. THE CAR WILL RANDOMLY NOT START. AFTER ABOUT 10-20 MINUTES OF ATTEMPTING TO START THE VEHICLE WILL FINALLY TURN OVER AND START JUST FINE. I BEGAN TO RESEARCH THIS ISSUE LAST WINTER AND FOUND THIS: HTTP://WWW.CARSURVEY.ORG/VIEWMORECOMMENTS_REVIEW_97727_6.HTML THIS WEBSITE HAS PAGES AND PAGES OF PEOPLE OWNING THE SAME CAR AND HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM. THE PROBLEM HAPPENS ONLY WHEN IT'S COLD OUT AND IT STARTED OFF HAPPENING ONCE IN A GREAT WHILE...UP UNTIL THIS WINTER. I LIVE IN WISCONSIN AND IT'S COLD FOR A GOOD 4 OR 5 MONTHS. THIS WEEK MY CAR HAS NOT STARTED 5 TIMES RESULTING IN ME BEING LATE FOR WORK AND LATE FOR SCHEDULED EVENTS....5 TIMES. I WORK FOR A HIGHLY RESPECTED COMPANY AND AM AN OFFICE MANAGER. I AM EXPECTED TO BE ON TIME TO OPEN THE OFFICE AND GET THINGS GOING IN THE MORNING. I'M HOPING THAT WITH THE MILLIONS OF SATURN CUSTOMERS WHO ARE NOT SATISFIED THAT A RECALL WILL BE ISSUED AND I CAN HAVE THIS PROBLEM FIXED. I CAN NOT JUSTIFY PAYING FOR A PROBLEM THAT A MULTI MILLION DOLLAR CAR COMPANY IS AWARE OF AND IS CHOOSING TO DO NOTHING ABOUT. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10254339January 9, 2009
STEERING, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 SATURN ION. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO REMOVE THE KEY FROM THE IGNITION WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS IN ANY GEAR, INCLUDING DRIVE OR REVERSE. SHE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER AT LEAST TWICE AND EACH TIME THEY STATED THAT THERE WAS A DIFFERENT FAILURE. THE DEALER WANTS TO REPLACE THE STEERING COLUMN ALL THE WAY THROUGH THE ENGINE TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE. THE KEY WOULD NOT TURN ALL THE WAY BACK TO THE ACC POSITION UNLESS THE VEHICLE HAD BEEN IDLING FOR AT LEAST 3-5 MINUTES. THE CONTACT FOUND NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 97V055000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH) FOR THE SAME MAKE, BUT A DIFFERENT MODEL AND THE PREVIOUS YEAR. THE CONTACT FEELS THAT THE RECALL SHOULD BE EXPANDED FOR HER YEAR, MAKE, AND MODEL VEHICLE. SHE FOUND HUNDREDS OF COMPLAINTS ONLINE REGARDING THIS FAILURE. THE FAILURE BEGAN WITHIN A WEEK OF PURCHASING THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 40,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 41,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10254404January 9, 2009
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
ONLY WHEN IT'S COLD OUTSIDE, MY CAR WON'T START. I'VE REPLACED THE STARTER AND FOUND OUT THAT IT WAS NOT THE PROBLEM. AFTER RESEARCHING MY ISSUE ON THE INTERNET, I FOUND THAT THOUSANDS OF OTHER PEOPLE HAVE THE EXACT SAME PROBLEM AS ME. SINCE THE PROBLEM IS THE IGNITION SWITCH, AND EVERYONE THAT REPLACES IT SAYS THE PROBLEM PERSISTS, I'M NOT GOING TO WASTE MONEY ON AN ISSUE THAT CAN'T BE RESOLVED UNLESS YOUR ORGANIZATION PUTS A RECALL ON THAT PART. I'M SURE YOU'VE RECEIVED NUMEROUS OF EMAILS REGARDING THIS PROBLEM, SO THE ONLY SOLUTION WOULD BE TO RECALL THAT ITEM. SINCE WE HAVE GIVEN YOU BUSINESS BY PURCHASING YOUR VEHICLES, THE ONLY THING TO DO IS TO HELP OUT YOUR LOYAL CUSTOMERS. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10253525January 1, 2009
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
MY SATURN 2003 ION CONTINUES TO HAVE INTERMITTENT STARTING PROBLEMS(NOT RELATED TO THE BATTERY), AND PROBLEMS WITH THE KEY GETTING STUCK IN THE IGNITION CYLINDER, EVEN AFTER THE IGNITION CYLINDER WAS REPLACED. THEY CANNOT DETECT A PROBLEM YET IT STILL KEEPS HAPPENING! *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10252638December 23, 2008
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
CAR WILL NOT START IN TEMPERATURES NEAR 32 DEGREES OR LESS. IGNITION SWITCH AND BATTERY HAVE ALREADY BEEN REPLACED. CAR STARTS TO CRANK THEN STALLS OUT AND SERVICE LIGHT COMES ON. MUST WAIT 10-15 MINUTES TO TRY AGAIN. IF LUCKY IT WILL START ON 2ND TRY, OTHERWISE 3RD. THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR PAST 3 WEEKS WHEN TEMPS DROPPED. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10252669December 23, 2008
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH
2003 SATURN ION HAS PROBLEMS STARTING IN THE COLD. MULTIPLE WEBSITES DOCUMENT DOZENS OF CASES OF PEOPLE WITH THE EXACT SAME ISSUE ALL RELATING TO A FAULTY IGNITION SWITCH SYSTEM. PROBLEM OCCURRED SPORADICALLY THE FIRST COUPLE YEARS BUT HAS BECOME MORE AND MORE COMMON. SATURN IS WILLING TO REPLACE THE IGNITION SWITCH BUT AT MY EXPENSE FOR SOMETHING THAT IS AN OBVIOUS DEFECT OF THE CAR. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10252601December 22, 2008
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
BOUGHT VEHICLE IN APR. 05, DEC 06 PROBLEM STARTING CAR IN COLD WEATHER LATE FOR WORK, DEALER REPLACED PASSLOCK2 SYSTEM DEC 06, VEHICLE FINE UNTIL DEC 07, PROBLEM CAME ABOUT AGAIN, JAN 08 CALLED DEALER SAID TO BRING IN FOR DIAGNOSTIC, DID SO DEALER SAID IT'S THE BODY CONTROL MODULE (BCM FOR SHORT), PRIOR TO FINDING THAT OUT REPLACED STARTER AND BATTERY TO TRY AND FIX PROBLEM. CALLED SATURN CUSTOMER SUPPORT JAN OR FEB, THEY SAID THE ELECTRONIC FAILING WAS MY FAULT AND I HAD TO FIX PROBLEM. SITTING IN THE COLD WAITING TO START MY CAR HAS RESULTED IN LOSE OF DEXTERITY AND FEELING IN FINGER TIPS DUE TO PROLONGED EXPOSURE TO SUB-ZERO TEMPS TRYING TO START CAR. SATURN HAS A BULLETIN #1787659 SAYING THAT IF OWNERS COME IN REFERRING TO THEIR CAR NOT STARTING IN COLD WEATHER "NO CRANK, NO START WITH COMPLETE POWER". SATURN KNOWS OF THE PROBLEM AND WONT FIX IT CAUSE THEY DEEM IT "A NON-SAFETY ISSUE". *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10252472December 21, 2008
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION
WE HAVE A 2003 SATURN ION THAT HAS EXPERIENCED IGNITION PROBLEMS OVER THE LAST 2 YEARS. WE HAD THE STARTER REPLACED BY OUR MECHANIC WHEN THE PROBLEM FIRST OCCURRED IN 2006 BUT HAVE EXPERIENCED THE PROBLEM 12-15 TIMES SINCE THEN. WE HAVE FOUND OUT THAT THE CAR WILL START IF YOU WAIT FOR 15 MINUTES OR SO BUT IT IS NOT ALWAYS CONVENIENT TO DO SO. AN INTERNET SEARCH REVEALS NUMEROUS SATURN OWNERS WITH THE SAME PROBLEM WHICH HAS NOT BEEN ACKNOWLEDGED BY SATURN AS A DESIGN OR MANUFACTURING DEFECT. MY LOCAL DEALERSHIP IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM WITH THE PASSLOCK IGNITION SYSTEM BUT CAN ONLY REPAIR IT FOR A FEE. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10252348December 20, 2008
EQUIPMENT
WHEN BELOW 32 CAR WILL NOT START. THEN SECURITY IS ENABLED AND HAVE TO WAIT 10 MINUTES TO TRY AGAIN. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10252174December 18, 2008
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
I WANT TO FILE A COMPLAINT ABOUT MY SATURN ION 2003 IN HOPES THAT WE CAN RECALL THE CAR. MY CAR IS OUTSIDE UNCOVERED ALL NIGHT. RIGHT NOW IT IS 27.1 DEGREES OUTSIDE. MY SATURN ION 2003 HAS A HARD TIME STARTING WHEN IT IS BELOW 32 DEGREES. I READ ON THIS WEBSITE HTTP://WWW.CARSURVEY.ORG/VIEWCOMMENTS_REVIEW_97727.HTML THAT I AM NOT THE ONLY ONE THAT IS HAVING THIS ISSUE. IT SEEMS TO BE AN ISSUE WITH THE IGNITION SWITCH. THIS HAS HAPPENED TO ME 2 TIMES THIS WEEK, 3 TIMES THIS YEAR, A TOTAL OF 6 TO 8 TIMES IN THE 5 YEARS THAT I'VE HAD IT. IT SOUNDS LIKE THE IGNITION REVS, BUT THEN IT DIES AND MY CAR HAS A MESSAGE "SERVICE SOON". IF I GIVE IT A FEW MINUTES TO SIT, THEN I TRY IT AGAIN, SOMETIMES IT DOES THE EXACT SAME THING, SOMETIMES IT GETS A LITTLE BETTER, BUT THE ENGINE WON'T TURN OVER COMPLETELY. THEN, WHEN THE IGNITION SWITCH IS A LITTLE WARMER, IT WILL ACTUALLY START. I USUALLY STAY IN MY CAR FOR AN AVERAGE OF 15 MINUTES. LONGEST I'VE WAITED FOR MY CAR TO START WAS AN HOUR. I HAVE TALKED TO SATURN ONCE ABOUT THIS, BUT THEY STATED THAT THEY WILL HAVE TO REPRODUCE THE ISSUE BEFORE THEY CAN FIND OUT WHAT IS WRONG. IF I CAN GET MY CAR TO SATURN, OBVIOUSLY THEY WILL NOT BE ABLE TO REPRODUCE THE ISSUE. THIS IS SOMETHING THAT SATURN REALLY NEEDS TO ACKNOWLEDGE SINCE IT IS MORE OF A SAFETY ISSUE. WE DON'T WANT TO BE STRANDED IN THE COLD WITH NO PHONE SERVICE WAITING FOR THE GREASE OR IGNITION SWITCH TO WARM UP. IT'S RIDICULOUS. THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10251921December 16, 2008
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
MY 2003 SATURN ION 2 WILL NOT START IN THE WINTER WHEN THE TEMPERATURE IS BELOW 32 DEGREES. THIS CAN HAPPEN AT LEAST ONCE A WEEK ALL WINTER LONG. IT CAN TAKE ANYWHERE FROM 10 MINUTES TO ONE HOUR FOR MY CAR TO START AGAIN. I TOOK IT TO A MECHANIC WHO COULD NOT FIND WHAT THE PROBLEM WAS AND CHARGED ME $80 FOR NOTHING. THIS HAS BEEN HAPPENING FOR THREE WINTERS AND HAS GOTTEN WORSE EACH WINTER. IT HAS CAUSED ME TO MISS WORK AND BE LATE FOR WORK SEVERAL TIMES. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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