Saturn Ion Complaints (2003)

758 consumer complaints on file.

#10037895August 28, 2003
WHEELS
WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH FRONT RIGHT WHEEL LOCKED UP FOR UNKNOWN REASON. DEALER NOTIFIED, AND MADE REPAIRS. HOWEVER, PROBLEM REOCCURRED. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10033002August 18, 2003
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
WITHIN 1 WEEK OF PURCHASING VEHICLE, ENGINE LIGHT WAS COMING ON AND CAR WOULD SHAKE. BROUGHT IN TO DEALER AND THEY RAN A DIAGNOSTIC TEST WHICH DETERMINED NOTHING WAS WRONG. WITHIN 2 DAYS ENGINE LIGHT CONTINUED TO COME ON, SOMETIMES STAYING ON STEADY AND SOMETIMES BLINKING. VEHICLE WILL START TO SHAKE AND WILL NOT ACCELERATE. WHEN GOING DOWN HILLS (EVEN SMALL ONES) VEHICLE WILL SUDDENLY FEEL LIKE THE BRAKES HAVE BEEN PUT ON AND VEHICLE JERKS FORWARD. THE CAR FEELS LIKE IT'S ABOUT TO STALL OUT WHEN TRYING TO ACCELERATE. WHEN OPENING THE TRUNK IT WAS VERY HOT AND YOU COULD NOT PUT YOUR HAND DOWN IN IT. CALLED DEALER TO MAKE ANOTHER SERVICE APPT. THIS WEEK.*AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10030919August 6, 2003
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS
HEADLIGH MOVEMENT, DISTRACTING TO DIRVER AS LIGHT BEAMS HIT OBJECT THE BEAM APPEARS TO BE GITTERING. DISTRACTING ALSO TO VEHICLES IN FRONT OF YOU AS DRIVERS CONTINUE TO LOOK IN MIRROR. SATURN DEALERSHIP STATED THEY DO NOT HAVE A FIX, THAT IS IS THIS WAY BY DESIGN. HEADLIGHT MOUNTS TO MOUNTING PANEL WITH (2) PINS GOING THROUGH UPPER EAR IN MOUNTING PANEL AND THEN UPPER AND LOWER EARS ON HEADLIGHT ASSY. AND INTO LOWER EAR OF MOUNTING PANEL. APPEARS TO MUCH PLAY IN THE PIN TO MOUNT AREA, THIS WILL WORSEN OVER TIME AS METAL PIN IN PLASTIC EARS WILL BECOME LARGER FROM THE SHAKING. THIS OCCURS EVEN OF SMOOTH ROAD BEDS.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10030788August 4, 2003
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
MY 2003 SATURN ION, WAS DELIVERED ON DECEMBER 3,2002. THIS WAS MY SECOND SATURN. AFTER ABOUT A 1000 MILES THE TRANSMISSION STARTED TO SLIP. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER AND THEY REPLACED THAT TRANSMISSION. ANOTHER 1000 MILES AND THE TRANSMISSION STARTED TO SLIP AGAIN. I HAVE BEEN BACK AND FORTH 4 TIMES SINCE THEN AND THEY STILL HAVE NOT FIXED IT.*AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10026770August 1, 2003
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL
THE VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A COLLISION AND THE AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE VEHICLE WAS TOTALED. DEALER NOTIFIED. *AK *TS *JB
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10030545July 31, 2003
STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FUSES AND CIRCUIT BREAKERS, EXTERIOR LIGHTING:TURN SIGNAL
ELECTRICAL; DOOR SEALS LOOSE; CAR RETURNED UP TO 3 TIMES SINCE PURCHASE ON 7/13/03. SATURN ION 3 COUPE--TURN SIGNALS BURNED OUT W/IN ONE WEEK OF EACH OTHER; REQUESTED CHECK OF ELECTRICAL SYSTEM. JULY 26, 2003 ELECTRICAL SYSTEM CHECKED. COMPLAINED ABOUT DOOR SEAL AT SAME TIME & SERVICE DEPT DID NOT CHECK IT OUT UNTIL THEY REPLACED THE FUSE BOX ON JULY 31. REQUESTED TO RETURN VEHICLE AND WAS TOLD "IT WOULD BE FIXED TO MY SATISFACTION". DOOR SEAL WAS NOT INSTALLED PROPERLY & I HAVE TO TAKE THE CAR BACK FOR A FOURTH TIME TO GET THIS REPAIRED APPROXIMATELY ONE WEEK FROM TODAY. *PH
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10030230July 28, 2003
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING, EXTERIOR LIGHTING:TURN SIGNAL
MY TURN SIGNALS DO NOT WORK IN THE FRONT OF MY CAR DUE TO A SHORTAGE OR SOMETHING AND ALSO MY CAR SHAKES AND LOOSES POWER WHEN I HAVE MY AIR CONDITIONER ON. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10028649July 20, 2003
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
MY DAUGHTER BOUGHT A SATURN ION III. SHE HAS RECENTLY HAD TROUBLE WITH HER AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION. SATURN HAS ACKNOWELDGED A HARD SHIFTING PROBLEM FROM 2ND TO 3RD, BUT SINCE A HIGH NUMBER OF VEHICLES EXHIBIT THIS PROBLEM, AND THEY DON'T KNOW WHAT IS CAUSING IT, IT IS BEING CONSIDERED NORMAL OPERATION. MY DAUGHTER'S CAR EXHIBITED THIS PROBLEM, BUT IT HAS NOW BEGUN TO BE A WAY MORE SERIOUS CONCERN BECAUSE IT WILL COMPLETELY SLIP, (LOSE ALL POWER), FOR WHAT SEEMS TO BE AN EVER INCREASING LONGER INTERVAL AND MORE FREQUENTLY. SHE HAS HAD THIS HAPPEN WHILE TRYING TO MAKE A LEFT HAND TURN WITH ONCOMING TRAFFIC. SHE NOW TRIES TO AVOID ANY SITUATION AT LOW SPEEDS THAT MIGHT CAUSE HER INJURY, (SHE TRIES TO MAKE AS MANY RIGHT HAND TURNS TO GET TO AND FROM WORK AS POSSIBLE). SATURN HAS HAD TWO SERVICE EMPLOYEES WITNESS THE PROBLEM, ALBEIT IN A STRAIGHT LINE DRIVING SITUATION. THEY STILL REFUSE TO REPAIR/REPLACE OR ADMIT A PROBLEM BEYOND THE HARD SHIFTING. MY DAUGHTER LIVES IN MESA, AZ. HER PHONE NUMBER IS [XXX], AND NAME IS [XXX]. I MENTION MESA BECAUSE OF THE UNUSUAL STREETS THERE. THE MAJORITY OF MAIN CITY STREETS ARE SIX LANES WIDE WITH 45MPH SPEED LIMITS. THAT IS A VERY SCARY SCENARIO TO BE MAKING A LEFT HAND TURN IN AND LOSE POWER.*AK 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
#10025418July 4, 2003
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING, POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:TORQUE CONVERTER, STEERING:LINKAGES, STEERING: STEERING WHEEL/HANDLE BAR, FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:CARBURETOR SYSTEM, POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:GEAR POSITION INDICATION (PRNDL)
MARCH 22, 2003 I PURCHASED AN SATURN ION 3. WITHIN THE 1ST THE WEEK THERE WAS PROBLEMS STARTING THE CAR. THE CAR WAS IN FOR SERVICE 2 TIMES IN 2 WEEKS. FINALLY THE ENGINE LIGHT STARTED FLASHING (3RD TIME). SUPPOSEDLY THE CAR WAS FIXED. 3 DAYS LATER THE DEALER'S SERVICE DEPARTMENT CALLED ME AT SATURN CORP.'S REQUEST TO IMMEDIATELY RETURN THE CAR AS THE ENGINE COULD BLOW UP. THE ENGINE HAD A CRACKED CYLINDER WHICH CAUSED COOLANT TO LEAK INTO THE ENGINE WITH ABOUT 650 MILES. ALSO, ANOTHER SATURN ION WITH 2500 MILES WAS SITTING IN THE DEALER'S LOT WITH A CRACKED CYLINDER IN THE ENGINE. I WAS RELEASED FROM THE SALE ON APRIL 17, 2003. I TOOK A 2ND SATURN ION 3 ON APRIL 17, 2003. THIS CAR HAS JERKY STEERING PROBLEMS COMING OUT OF TURNS AND SEVER TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS. THE CAR KICKS WHEN TURNING ON THE IGNITION, ENGINE GETS RACKETING WHEN PUT INTO REVERSE, WHEN CHANGING GEARS - KICKS, SLIDES, AND WILL SURGE, AND BOUNCE THROUGH GEARS BETWEEN 30 MPH TO ABOVE 70 MPH. THE SERVICE MANAGER SAID, "ALL THE IONS DRIVE THIS WAY. THERE'S NOTHING WRONG WITH THE CAR". THIS CAR HAS BEEN IN FOR SERVICE 4 TIMES. EACH TIME THE CAR IS RETURNED WORSE THAN THE TIME BEFORE.*AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10026147June 30, 2003
TIRES
VEHICLE TIRES ARE BLOWING OUT AT THE SIDE WALLS AND DEFLATING. THE ALUMINUM RIMS AND TIRES WERE REPLACED. REPLACEMENT TIRE DEVELOP A BUBBLE.*AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10026246June 30, 2003
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
ENGINE LIGHT APPEARED ON INSTRUMENTAL PANEL, VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, AND THEY COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. THE FOLLOWING DAY MANUFACTURER CALLED THE CONSUMER NOT TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE AT ALL. DEALER KEPT THE VEHICLE FOR 3 WEEKS. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10026260June 30, 2003
STEERING: STEERING WHEEL/HANDLE BAR
WHILE DRIVING AND MAKING LEFT OR RIGHT STEERING WHEEL IS NOT TURNING SMOOTHLY, IT IS HARD TO HANDLE THE WHEEL. DEALER HAS INSPECTED, AND COULD NOT DUPLICATE OR CORRECT THE PROBLEM. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10026607June 26, 2003
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
VEHICLE STALLED WHILE ON THE HIGHWAY CAUSING THE STEERING WHEEL TO LOCK UP. *MR THE VEHICLE WOULD LOCK UP AS IF IT WAS TURNED OFF. AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS RECEIVED BACK FROM REPAIR, IT HAD BECOME DIFFICULT TO GAIN SPEED, AND SHIFT GEARS AUTOMATICALLY(ESPECIALLY PROBLEMATIC WHEN IN LOWER SPEEDS), AND WOULD RANDOMLY BEGIN TO SHAKE. *SCC *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10022578June 6, 2003
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR
WHILE TRAVELING ON THE HIGHWAY AND WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING SEAT BELT RETRACTOR FELL APART. *AK THE BOLT THAT CONNECTS THE WEBBING TO THE FLOOR WAS NOT FULLY SCREWED IN AT THE PLANT. THE BOLT BACKED OUT AND THE LOWER PORTION OF THE SEATBELT WEBBING BECAME UNATTACHED. THIS IS NOT A BUCKLE ISSUE OR A RETRACTOR ISSUE. MANUFACTURING DEFECT FROM THE PLANT BECAUSE THE BOLT WAS NOT FULLY TORQUED. DEALER FIXED BY TIGHTENING THE BOLT. CW
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10022055June 2, 2003
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:ANCHORAGE
WHILE PLACING SEAT BELT ON THE BOLT BROKE FROM THE BOTTOM OF THE SEAT. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10019030May 20, 2003
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
NEW SATURN ION 2003 STALLS WHILE DRIVING DOWN HIGHWAY, STEERING COLUMN LOCKS UP, MUST STOP SUDDENLY TO RESTART AND GAIN CONTROL OF CAR. *NLM
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10018187May 5, 2003
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
WHEN THE CONSUMER PLUGGED DEVICES INTO THE CIGARETTE LIGHTER THE TURN SIGNAL WOULD NOT WORK. *NLM
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10008156February 26, 2003
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
DEAR ADMINISTRATOR: I PURCHASED A 2003 SATURN ION 2 ON DECEMBER 28, 2002. I REPORTED TO BOTH THE SATURN CORPORATION AND THE DEALERSHIP THAT SOLD ME THE VEHICLE THAT THE VEHICLE WASN'T SAFE AFTER DRIVING THE VEHICLE FOR 80 MILES. THE DEALER AGREED TO FIX THE VEHICLE, SO I TOOK THE VEHICLE IN AND THE DEALERSHIP ON 4 SEPERATE OCCASIONS , TWO OF WHICH THE DEALER REFUSED TO ACCEPT MY VEHICLE. ON JANUARY 10, NOT TWO WEEKS AFTER THE PURCHASE OF THE VEHICLE, SATURN KEPT THE VEHICLE FOR NEARLY ONE WEEK. AFTER THE LOAN WAS APPROVED ON THE VEHICLE, THE DEALERSHIP RETURNED THE VEHICLE TO ME AND SAID THE VEHICLE WAS FREE OF DEFECTS. AFTER NEARLY BEING KILLED IN THE VEHICLE TWICE BECAUSE THE VEHICLE STALLED ON THE FREEWAY WHEN I ATTEMPTED TO ACCELERATE, I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE SATURN DEALERSHIP IN CERRITOS, CALIFORNIA. THE DEALERSHIP WHERE I PURCHASED VEHICLE REFUSED TO HONOR MY WARRANTY, REFUSED TO ACCEPT THE VEHICLE AND TOLD ME THAT THEY WOULD NOT ACCEPT THE VEHICLE. I HAD 1,200 MILES ON CAR AND I HAD NOT HAD THE VEHICLE IN MY POSSESSION FOR 30 DAY BECAUSE THE VEHICLE HAD BEEN IN THIS DEALERSHIP'S AUTO REPAIR SHOP FOR 5 DAYS. WHEN I WAS NEARLY KILLED IN THE VEHICLE FOR THE LAST TIME, I WAS FORCED TO HAVE THE DEFECTIVE VEHICLE TOWED AND LEFT AT THE DEALERSHIP. SATURN REFUSED ME TOW SERVICE ON THIS VEHICLE, ALTHOUGH I HAVE PURCHASED TOW SERVICE. SATURN IS NOW IN POSSESSION OF THE VEHICLE AND HAS BEEN SINCE FEBRUARY 1, 2003. THE SATURN OF CERRITOS, MANAGER, MR. VANCE THREATENED ME ON FEBRUARY 1, 2003, AND TOLD ME THAT I RETURNED THE VEHICLE THAT SATURN WOULD RETURN THE VEHICLE TO AMERICREDIT, THE COMPANY THAT FINANCED THE CAR AND WOULD HAVE MY CREDIT RUINED - IF I DID NOT KEEP THE DEFECTIVE VEHICLE. THE SATURN CORPORATION MANAGER, DONNA LANSFIELD, ALSO THREATENED ME AND IN AN UNPROFESSIONAL, THREATENING MANNER ATTEMPTED TO FORCE ME TO RETRIEVE SATURN'S DEFECTIVE VEHICLE THAT NEARLY KILLED ME TWICE NOW. *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
1
Deaths:
0

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