Saturn Ion Complaints (2006)

1,235 consumer complaints on file.

#10341026July 1, 2010
STEERING
2006 SATURN ION. PROBLEM: COMPLETE LOSS OF POWER STEERING WHILE CAR IS RUNNING AND TRAVELING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS (INCLUDING WHILE TRAVELING AT HIGHWAY SPEED). ONCE ENGINE IS SHUT OFF AND RESTARTED POWER STEERING WORKS. IN THE LAST THREE DAYS THIS HAS HAPPENED 6 TO 8 TIMES. I CHECKED THE FUSE AND IT WAS FINE. I CHECKED ON-LINE AND ALSO SAW NUMEROUS SIMILAR COMPLAINTS. MOST RECENT DATE OF INCIDENT IS LISTED BELOW. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10340795June 30, 2010
STEERING
HAVE A POWER STEERING IS CUTTING OUT WHEN I WAS DRIVING IN A RAMP, STEERING WHEEL IS TOO HARD TO TURN. HAVE A ERROR CODE "PWR STR" IN FRONT PANEL TOO FIX PROBLEM JUST TURN OFF THE CAR AND START CAR AGAIN BUT THE PROBLEM COME BACK AGAIN THE CAR IS A SATURN ION 2006 (48000 MILES) . THE DEALER SAID THAT I NEED TO REPLACE THE STEERING COLUMN APROX 900 USD. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10340590June 29, 2010
STEERING
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 SATURN ION. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING AT 45 MPH WHEN THE POWER STEERING WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO STEER BUT THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO DRIVE TO HIS DESTINATION WITHOUT INCIDENT. THE FAILURE PERSISTED INTERMITTENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS DIAGNOSED AT A LOCAL REPAIR FACILITY WHERE THEY WERE UNABLE TO PRODUCE ANY DIAGNOSTIC CODES. THE MECHANIC REPLACED THE POWER STEERING MOTOR WITH THE EXPECTATION OF CORRECTING THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE DID NOT RECUR. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 51,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10340523June 28, 2010
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
CAR WAS SLOW TO START. TOOK THE SATURN ION TO DEALERSHIP FOR CHECK UP. MECHANIC SMELLED GASOLINE AND NOTICED LEAKAGE. UPON MECHANIC INSPECTION OF PART, FOUND CRACKS IN FUEL PUMP AND LEAKAGE FROM FUEL TANK. MECHANIC REPLACED FUEL PUMP AND TANK AT MY EXPENSE. CAR WAS BOUGHT NEW IN 2006 AND HAS 54,000 MILES. DEALER REFUSES TO HONOR RECALL BECAUSE VIN NUMBER DOES NOT MATCH CURRENT RECALL LIST. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10340291June 27, 2010
STEERING
POWER STEERING WENT OUT ON MY 2006 SATURN ION. HAD TO HAVE IT FIXED AND THE DEALER TOLD ME THEY HAVE OTHER LINES WITH THE SAME PROBLEM. I SAW THE OTHER GM MODELS POWER STEERING IS GOING OUT. WE NEED TO HAVE THIS MODEL ADDED TO THEIR LIST. I ALSO KILLED MYSELF AND MY CHILDREN WHEN IT WENT OUT. I FEEL GM NEEDS TO ACKNOWLEDGE THIS PROBLEM BEFORE SOMEONE DOES GET KILLED. BECAUSE I WOULD SUE THE HECK OUT OF THEM OR MY FAMILY MEMBERS. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10339913June 24, 2010
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM
I OWN A 2006 SATURN ION. MY CAR IS AT 80,000 BUT SINCE THIS STARTED A FEW MONTHS AGO I WOULD SAY 74,000 MILES WAS THE OCCURRENCE. THE CAR WAS RUNNING ROUGHER AND ROUGHER. I KNEW THE SOUND TO BE AN EXHAUST LEAK. I HAD MY MECHANIC LOOK AND HE JUST CHECKED THE HOSES, AND SAW NOTHING. I KEPT DRIVING WITH IT. I STARTED GETTING BAD HEADACHES, AND SLIGHTLY NAUSEOUS WHEN I DROVE LONG DISTANCES. I TRAVEL 400 MILES ROUNDTRIP WHEN I VISIT FAMILY OUT OF TOWN AT LEAST ONCE A MONTH. I ALSO NOTICED THE ODOR OF EXHAUST IN THE CABIN WHEN I STARTED MY CAR. I CRACKED MY WINDOWS WHEN I DROVE AND WHEN I HAD A CHANCE MY MECHANIC FOUND I HAD A CRACKED EXHAUST MANIFOLD. HE SAID HE HAS SEEN THE SAME CRACK IN THE SAME PLACE ON THE SAME GM ENGINE 2.2L 4CYL ABOUT 6 TIMES THIS YEAR ALREADY. CHEVY HAS IT ON COBALT I THINK. HE SAID IT IS PROBABLY A FACTORY DEFECT SINCE IT IS WEARING THIN IN THE SAME PLACE. CONSIDERING MY CAR WAS POISONING ME FOR MONTHS I THINK THIS QUALIFIES AS A SAFETY CONCERN AND SHOULD BE INVESTIGATED. I KNEW THE SOUND AND WARNING SIGNS BECAUSE OF PAST EXPERIENCE. IT IS A DANGER TO THE MAJORITY OF DRIVERS, BECAUSE THEY DON'T. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10339678June 23, 2010
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 SATURN ION. SHE STATED THAT WHILE ATTEMPTING TO SHUT OFF THE VEHICLE, THE KEY WAS REMOVED BUT THE IGNITION POWER REMAINED ACTIVATED FOR APPROXIMATELY ONE HOUR. THE CONTACT DISCONNECTED THE FUEL TANK AND BATTERY. THE DEALER ADVISED THAT THE CYLINDER FOR THE KEY WAS DAMAGED AND WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE REPAIRS WERE DONE AT THE CONTACT'S EXPENSE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND A COMPLAINT FILED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 87,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10339725June 23, 2010
STEERING:COLUMN
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 SATURN ION. WHILE DRIVING AT 15 MPH, THE POWER STEERING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE STEERING WHEEL THEN BECAME EXTREMELY STIFF AND LOCKED. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO PARK THE VEHICLE USING EXTREME BODILY FORCE. THE DEALER ADVISED THAT THE STEERING COLUMN WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED WITHOUT PERFORMING A DIAGNOSTIC. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 47,841.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10339775June 23, 2010
STEERING
I PURCHASED A 2006 SATURN ION IN JUNE OF 2010, THE POWERSTEERING LIGHT WAS ON AND THE CAR WAS VERY HARD TO TURN, THE DEALERSHIP TOLD ME THAT IT WAS LOW ON POWERSTEERING FLUID, IN CHECKING I FOUND THAT THE SATURN ION HAD ELECTRIC POWERSTEERING AND THAT THE POWERSTEERING MOTOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED, THE DEALERSHIP REPLACED THE MOTOR AND THE POWERSTEERING IN MY 2006 SATURN ION STILL FAILS TO WORK, THE CAR CAN NOT TURN WITHOUT USING EXTREME FORCE, NOW I HAVE TO TAKE IT BACK TO A SERVICE DEALER (WHICH IS AT CLOSEST 350 MILES) WITH NO POWERSTEERING AND PUMP MORE MONEY INTO THE PROBLEM. THIS IS HIGHLY DANGEROUS TO DRIVE, IF THERE WERE AN EMERGENCY AND THE CAR NEEDED TO TURN QUICKLY IT WOULD NOT HAPPEN, YOUR ALMOST CAN'T TURN INTO A PARKING STALL AT THE STORE OR EVEN TURN ONTO ANOTHER STREET, IT TAKES BOTH HANDS AND PLENTY OF MUSCLE TO TURN THE CAR, THE SAFETY OF ALL WHO ARE IN THE CAR IS AT RISK, I CAN'T UNDERSTAND WHY SATURN HASN'T ISSUED A RECALL FOR THIS PROBLEM. IN CHECKING ON LINE I FOUND THAT THIS IS A REAL PROBLEM WITH THE SATURN ION AND THERE ARE MANY MANY MORE COMPLAINTS ABOUT IT, I ALSO FOUND THAT THE CHEV. COBALT HAD THE SAME PROBLEM AND THERE WAS A RECALL ON IT, SO WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE SATURN AND THE COBALT. THIS IS AN ISSUE GOING THROUGH ALOT OF SATURN OWNERS AND IT NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED NOW!!!! *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10339506June 22, 2010
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
DROVE THE CAR IN THE MORNING AND EVERYTHING SEEMED NORMAL. STOPPED AND THE IGNITION WOULD NOT TURN OFF. THE KEY WOULD COME OUT WITHOUT TURNING BACKWARDS, BUT THE CAR WOULD CONTINUE TO RUN. IN ORDER TO TURN OFF THE ENGINE THE STEERING COLUMN WAS REMOVED AND A "PLUG" WAS DISCONNECTED. IN ORDER TO START THE CAR, THIS PROCESS WAS DONE IN REVERSE AND THE KEY REPLACED AND TURNED THE LITTLE BIT OF SPACE IT HAD LEFT. THE IGNITION CYLINDER LOCK IS BEING REPLACED AND I WILL REQUEST THE OLD PART. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10339608June 22, 2010
STEERING
I HAVE A SATURN ION 2006 AND RANDOMLY MY POWER STEERING GOES OUT. IF I RESTART MY CAR IT COMES BACK ON BUT WILL EVENTUALLY HAPPEN AGAIN. IT IS RARE THAT IT HAPPENS IN THE MORNING HOURS. MY CAR MODEL IS ALL ELECTRIC, NO POWER STEERING FLUID. I FIGURE IT ISN'T A FUSE BC IT WORKS WHEN IT WANTS TO. THE COBALT HAS THE SAME RECALL OUT, YET SATURN HAS YET TO ISSUE ONE. I FEAR THEY ARE HOPING NOT TO FIX THIS WHILE THEY ARE STILL AROUND AS I HEAR THEY WILL BE NO LONGER IN A YEAR OR 2. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10339259June 21, 2010
STEERING
I HAVE A 2006 SATURN ION, AND THE ELECTRIC POWER STEERING HAS BEEN FAILING FOR APPROXIMATELY 3 MONTH. THE FAILURES STARTED WITH NO PRIOR PROBLEMS WITH THE CAR SINCE I BOUGHT THE CAR AS THE 2ND OWNER IN 2008. THE PROBLEMS STARTED WHEN THE VEHICLE HAD APPROXIMATELY 57,000 MILES. THE ELECTRIC STEERING WILL WORK SOME DAY FOR A COUPLE OF MILES, AND THERE ARE DAYS THAT IT FAILS AS SOON AS THE VEHICLE IS STARTED. I AM ABLE TO CORRECT THE FAILURE BY TURNING OFF THE CAR AND RESTARTING THE VEHICLE, HOWEVER, THE ELECTRIC STEERING GOES OUT AGAIN ANYWHERE FROM A FEW BLOCKS TO A FEW MILES LATER. MY WIFE HAS ALMOST CRASHED SEVERAL TIMES DUE TO THE FAILURES. I HAVE CHECKED THE FUSES, AND EVERYTHING APPEARS IN WORKING ORDER, BUT I DON'T HAVE THE 1200 DOLLARS TO REPLACE THE ENTIRE STEERING COLUMN. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10339348June 21, 2010
STEERING
THE STEERING ON SATURN ION 3, 2006 LOSES POWER DURING THE REGULAR OPERATION. THE CAR HAS TO BE STEERED CLEAR OF TRAFFIC (REQUIRES A GREAT AMOUNT OF FORCE FROM THE DRIVER). IT NEEDS A RESTART, UPON WHICH THE POWER STEERING WORKS FOR ABOUT 15 MINS AND THE STEERING POWER GOES OUT AGAIN. I AM HAVING TO REPLACE ALL OF MY STEERING COLUMN FOR A CORRECTION OF THIS PROBLEM AND MY WARRANTY IS EXPIRED AND I WILL HAVE TO PAY OUT OF MY POCKET. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10339394June 21, 2010
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH
IGNITION SWITCH FAILED. KEY WOULD NOT TURN OFF VEHICLE. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10339398June 21, 2010
STEERING
2006 SATURN ION LOSS OF POWER STEERING. BOTH MY SELF AND MY SISTERS CAR HAS HAD TO HAVE THE ENTIRE POWER STEERING COLUMN REPLACED AT A COST OF OVER $1000.00 AFTER READING THE INTERNET THIS IS A PROBLEM WITH A LOT OF SATURN OWNERS ALL THE WAY BACK TO 2003. THIS SITUATION ALMOST KILLED MYSELF AND MY TWO CHILDREN WHEN THE POWER STEERING WENT OUT DOING 65 MILES PER HOUR ON THE INTERSTATE. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10339233June 20, 2010
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION
2006 SATURN ION KEY IS LOCKED IN IGNITION IN THE "ON" POSITION WITH CAR RUNNING. THE KEY WILL NOT TURN TO THE OFF POSITION OR ALLOW THE KEY TO BE REMOVED FROM THE IGNITION. NO WAY TO STOP CAR WITHOUT PULLING THE FUSE AND UNHOOKING THE BATTERY. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10339023June 18, 2010
STEERING
WHEN DRIVING... NOT NECESSARILY TURNING AT ALL.. PWR STR COMES UP ON THE DISPLAY WITH THE CHIME AND THE POWER STEERING QUITS WORKING. MUST RESTART CAR TO MAKE IT WORK AGAIN. SEEMS TO HAPPEN MORE OFTEN WHEN WEATHER IS HOT...MAY JUST BE A COINCIDENCE. HAPPENS SOMETIMES 3 TIMES A DAY (WITHIN AN HOUR) , SOMETIMES NOT FOR A WEEK. POWER STEERING SYSTEM AND MOTOR WERE REPLACED AT DEALERSHIP. DON'T KNOW IF THEY KEPT THE DEFECTIVE PART. CAR HAS LESS THAN 30K MILES ON IT. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10336795June 17, 2010
STEERING
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 SATURN ION. THE CONTACT STATED WHEN STARTING THE VEHICLE AND DRIVING, THE POWER STEERING WOULD FAIL WITHIN TWO TRAVELED MILES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A LOCAL REPAIR FACILITY WHERE THE MECHANIC ADVISED REPLACING THE ENTIRE STEERING COLUMN. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE APPROXIMATELY 39,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10336840June 17, 2010
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
IGNITION KEY BROKE OFF IN THE IGNITION. HAD A LOCKSMITH REMOVE THE BROKEN KEY. CAR WOULD NOT START. LOCKSMITH REPLACED THE IGNITION SWITCH MECHANICAL PORTION. CAR WILL NOT START. I WENT THROUGH THE RESETTING PROCEDURE TO RESET THE SECURITY PASSLOCK SYSTEM. IT WOULD NOT RESET AND HAD THE CAR TOWED TO THE SATURN DEALERSHIP. I HAVE SEEN A LARGE NUMBER OF COMPLAINTS FROM SATURN OWNERS ABOUT THIS SAME COMPLAINT. THE ONLY WAY TO BE ABLE TO GET THE CAR RUNNING AGAIN IS TO TAKE IT TO THE SATURN DEALERSHIP TO BE REPAIRED, AND THEY CHARGE A LOT OF MONEY TO DO THIS PROCEDURE. THEY ALSO ARE VERY FAMILIAR WITH THIS PROBLEM AND THE REPAIR OF IT, BECAUSE THEY HAVE MANY SATURNS BEING TOWED IN AND DOING THE REPAIRS ON THEM. DUE TO THE LARGE NUMBER OF PROBLEMS IN THIS SYSTEM OF THE SATURNS THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL ISSUED FOR THIS INDUSTRY WIDE KNOWN PROBLEM. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10336400June 15, 2010
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH, STEERING
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 SATURN ION. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HE HAD BEEN EXPERIENCING A RECURRING FAILURE WITH THE IGNITION SWITCH. THE KEY WOULD INTERMITTENTLY BECOME STUCK IN THE IGNITION SWITCH AND THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT TURN OFF WITHOUT REPEATED ATTEMPTS AT REMOVING THE KEY. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT DURING THE WINTER THE VEHICLE INTERMITTENTLY WOULD NOT START WITHOUT REPEATED ATTEMPTS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC AND WAS IN THE PROCESS OF BEING INSPECTED AT THE TIME OF THE COMPLAINT. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 25 MPH AND ATTEMPTING TO MAKE A TURN, THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKED AND A POWER STEERING SERVICE LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE CONTACT PULLED OVER AND RESTARTED THE VEHICLE; UPON RESTART, THE VEHICLE FUNCTIONED NORMAL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALERSHIP WHERE THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE CONTINUED TO OCCUR AND THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHERE AN UNKNOWN SERVICE WAS PERFORMED ON THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE HAD NOT OCCURRED SINCE THE REPAIR. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 50,000. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 71,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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