Saturn Ion Complaints (2006)

1,235 consumer complaints on file.

#10315741March 2, 2010
STEERING
MY 2006 SATURN ION HAS THE SAME POWER STEERING MOTOR DEFECT THAT THE RECALLED CHEVY COBALTS HAVE, MY POWER STEERING KEEPS CUTTING OFF, AND I HAVE NEARLY BEEN IN A FEW ACCIDENTS. YET GM/SATURN FAILED TO INCLUDE MY CAR IN THE RECALL THEY STARTED TODAY. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10315811March 2, 2010
STEERING
POWER STEERING FAILING & PWR STEERING ERROR MESSAGE DISPLAYED. NOT CONSISTENT, STARTED ABOUT 2 MONTHS AGO BUT BECOMING MORE FREQUENT THIS PAST MONTH. HAPPENS EVEN WHILE DRIVING ON HIGHWAYS (NOT CONSISTENT OR DUE TO TURNS). MUST PULL OVER & TURN CAR OFF & RESTART. THIS HAS SO FAR "RESET" THE POWER STEERING MODE. NEVER KNOW WHEN IT IS GOING TO HAPPEN. SPEED/STEERING NOT A FACTOR. DANGEROUS WHEN PASSING & THIS HAPPENS!!!! *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10315826March 2, 2010
STEERING
POWER STEERING LIGHT GOES ON AND POWER STEERING FAILS WITHOUT WARNING. TURNING OFF ENGINE AND RESTARTING REMEDIES THE PROBLEM FOR A VERY SHORT PERIOD OF TIME. THIS PROBLEM MAKES IT VERY DIFFICULT TO STEER ESPECIALLY AT LOW SPEEDS. I'M JUST WAITING FOR THE DAY WHEN THIS PROBLEM CAUSES AN ACCIDENT. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10315830March 2, 2010
STEERING
LESS THAN A YEAR AGO, THE POWER STEERING ON MY 2006 SATURN ION QUIT ON ME ABRUPTLY AND IT ALMOST LED TO A CRASH. I WAS ABOUT TO TURN WHEN ALL OF A SUDDEN I HEARD A BELL CHIME, AND ONE OF THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHTS CAME ON AND JUST AS THAT HAPPENED, THE STEERING GOT REALLY HARD AND I ALMOST GOT HIT BY ANOTHER MOTORIST. AFTER I GOT HOME, I RESTARTED THE CAR AND IT WAS FINE UNTIL ABOUT 15 MINUTES LATER WHEN IT WOULD SHUT OFF ALL OF A SUDDEN. I RAN IT FOR A COUPLE OF DAYS AND AFTER ABOUT 2 MINUTES OF DRIVING, THE POWER STEERING WOULD JUST SHUT OFF. THIS ALL HAPPENED WHEN MY CAR HAD AROUND 45K MILES ON IT. THIS SOUNDS JUST LIKE WHAT THE COBALTS AND PONTIACS THAT WERE JUST RECALLED WENT THROUGH. I BELIEVE THE SATURN IONS SHOULD BE LOOKED AT AS WELL. I HAD THE REPLACE THE ENTIRE ELECTRIC POWER STEERING SYSTEM ON MY CAR AT A PRICE OF AROUND $900. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10315859March 2, 2010
STEERING
I WAS DRIVING AND THE POWER STEERING UNIT FAILED MAKING THE CAR NEXT TO IMPOSSIBLE TO DRIVE. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10315913March 2, 2010
STEERING
POWER STEERING FAILS WITHOUT WARNING WHEN YOU DRIVE THE CAR. IT HAPPENS ON BOTH LONG TRIPS AND SHORT. IT FAILS AT VARIOUS SPEEDS. PULL OVER AND TURN THE CAR OFF AND WHEN YOU RESTART IT THE POWER STEERING WORKS FINE. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10315928March 2, 2010
STEERING
ELECTRIC POWER STEERING FAILS WITHIN ONE MINUTE OF STARTING THE VEHICLE. THIS MAKES THE VEHICLE VERY DIFFICULT TO STEER ESPECIALLY AT SLOWER SPEEDS. NOTHING HAS BEEN DONE TO CORRECT THE FAILURE. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10315067March 1, 2010
STEERING
WHILE DRIVING, PWR STR LIGHTS UP ON MY DASH. THIS HAS HAPPENED 3 TIMES IN THE PAST MONTH. I HAVE TO STRUGGLE TO GET THE VEHICLE TURNED OFF OF THE HIGHWAY, SO I CAN CUT THE IGNITION OFF, AND RESTART THE CAR. THIS SEEMS TO RESET THE SYSTEM FOR A SHORT TIME. I HAVE DONE RESEARCH ONLINE, AND HAVE FOUND MANY COMPLAINTS. I HAVE CALLED SATURN, AND ADVISED THEM OF THE PROBLEM, AND THEY TELL ME THAT THEY HAVE HAD NO COMPLAINTS. I FIND THIS VERY HARD TO BELIEVE. OF COURSE, IT WILL COST ME OVER $1000 TO REPAIR IT AND IT IS NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTY. IT JUST SEEMS LIKE AFTER EVERYTHING THAT I HAVE RESEARCHED ON THE INTERNET, SOMETHING SHOULD BE DONE, BEFORE SOMEONE IS SERIOUSLY INJURED BY THIS STEERING PROBLEM. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10315091March 1, 2010
STEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST SYSTEM, STEERING
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 SATURN ION. AS SHE WAS DRIVING 35 MPH THE POWER STEERING LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND THEN THE POWER STEERING SHUT OFF. THE VEHICLE WAS VERY DIFFICULT TO CONTROL AND MANEUVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS TURNED ON AND OFF IT RESET AND PERFORMED NORMALLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER AND THE DIAGNOSTIC TEST SHOWED THAT THERE WAS NO FAILURE ON THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT WILL TAKE THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER AGAIN ON TOMORROW SO THAT THEY CAN PERFORM ANOTHER DIAGNOSTIC TEST. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED STATING THAT THERE WAS NOTHING THAT COULD BE DONE UNLESS THE DIAGNOSTIC TEST INDICATED THAT THERE WAS A FAILURE. THE WARRANTY EXPIRED AND THERE ARE NO RECALLS. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 55,000. UPDATED 03/30/10. *LJ THE CONSUMER STATED THE DEALER REPLACED THE POWER STEERING UNIT AT NOT COST. THE CONSUMER STATED THERE HAVE BEEN NO MORE PROBLEMS SINCE. UPDATED 06/14/10.*JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10314464February 26, 2010
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
AFTER COMING OUT OF CARWASH I ATTEMPTED TWICE TO START CAR. ON THE THIRD TRY IT STARTED & THEN KEY WOULD NOT TURN OFF W/ENGINE RUNNING WHEN I REACHED MY DESTINATION. I THEN PROCEEDED TO SATURN DEALER WHO FORTUNATELY WAS OPEN AND DISCONNECTED BATTERY TO STOP ENGINE. HOUSING, KEY ASSEMBLY, & CYLINDER HAD TO BE REPLACED AT THE EXPENSE OF $598.06. DEALER COULD NOT EXPLAIN WHY OR HOW SITUATION OCCURRED SO AS TO PREVENT RECURRENCE IN FUTURE. MILEAGE WAS 40,071. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10313493February 24, 2010
STEERING
POWER STEERING SHUTS OFF DURING CAR OPERATION. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10312908February 22, 2010
STEERING
ON SUNDAY, OCT. 25, 2009 THE POWER STEERING WENT OUT ON MY 2006 SATURN ION SL3. RESTARTED THE CAR AND IT CAME BACK ON BUT WHEN OUT AGAIN ABOUT 5 MINUTES LATER. TOOK THE CAR TO VAN CHEVROLET IN KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI. THE SAID I NEEDED A NEW STEERING COLUMN BECAUSE THE POWER STEERING IS RUN OFF ELECTRIC MOTORS IN THE COLUMN. THEY RESET THE FAULT AND ORDERED A NEW COLUMN. WHEN THEY INSTALLED THE NEW COLUMN, THE POWER STEERING MOTORS WERE BAD, SO THE PUT THE ORIGINAL STEERING COLUMN BACK ON. THE DEALER DID SOMETHING WITH THE COMPUTER MODULE AND THE FAULT HASN'T COME BACK, BUT THEY DID TELL ME THAT IT DEFINITELY WILL AND THE POWER STEERING WILL DEFINITELY REALLY GO OUT. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10311868February 18, 2010
STEERING
POWER STEERING FAILS WHILE DRIVING. DRIVER INFO AREA GIVES PWR STR MESSAGE. AFTER YOU SHUT THE CAR DOWN IT WILL WORK PROPERLY AND PWR STR MESSAGE GOES AWAY. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10311450February 17, 2010
STEERING
POWER STEERING RANDOMLY QUITS. OCCURS FREQUENTLY. LOW SPEED CONTROL REQUIRES PHYSICAL STRENGTH BEYOND THAT OF THE AVERAGE PERSON. RESETS WHEN MOTOR TURNED OFF AND RESTARTED. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10310880February 16, 2010
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 SATURN ION PURCHASED USED IN MARCH 2008. SHE STATED UPON ATTEMPTING TO SHUT THE VEHICLE OFF, THE KEY BECAME STUCK IN THE IGNITION AND WOULD NOT BUDGE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A LOCAL SATURN DEALER WHERE THE IGNITION HOUSING WAS REPLACED TO CORRECT THE FAILURE, AT THE OWNER'S EXPENSE. WITHIN A FEW MONTHS, THE FAILURE OCCURRED A SECOND TIME. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALER WHERE THEY FOUND THE SAME PART HAD FAILED A SECOND TIME. THE MANUFACTURER WOULD ONLY ASSIST WITH THE REPLACEMENT COSTS OF THE PARTS BUT NOT FOR LABOR, DUE TO THE PARTS HAVING A TWO MONTH WARRANTY. THERE WERE NO RECALLS FOR THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 35,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGES WAS 40,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10310479February 15, 2010
STEERING
WE RECENTLY PURCHASED A USED 2006 SATURN ION. RUNS GREAT OTHER THAN ABOUT A WEEK AGO WHILE DRIVING , THE (PWR STR) LIGHT WENT ON AND ABOUT 2 SECONDS LATER IT WAS VERY DIFFICULT TO MOVE THE STEERING WHEEL. MY FIANCE WAS DRIVING AND WHILE MAKING THE TURN AT THE SAME TIME THE LACK OF STEERING HAPPENED SHE COULDN'T STOP IN THE MIDDLE OF TRAFFIC AND COULDN'T STEER OUT AND SHE HIT THE CURB, DAMAGING THE FRONT WHEEL. THIS COULD HAVE BEEN DEADLY IF SHE WOULD'VE PANICKED OR JUST STOPPED IN TRAFFIC, OR SOMEONE COULD HAVE BEEN ON THAT SIDEWALK . CURRENTLY ONLINE I'VE READ AND HAVE HEARD THAT THERE ARE THOUSANDS WITH THIS ISSUE. MAYBE MORE THAT WE DON'T KNOW BECAUSE PEOPLE JUST GOT IT FIXED. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10308064February 9, 2010
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
MY 2006 ION HAS ONLY 24,000 MILES AND HAS ALWAYS BEEN GARAGED AND PROPERLY MAINTAINED. SUDDENLY, IT WOULD NOT START.....ALL DASH LIGHTS ON, HEADLIGHTS WORKED, ETC. BUT ENGINE WOULD NOT CRANK. I TRIED LATER AND IT STARTED RIGHT UP. NEXT DAY, SAME ROUTINE. WHEN I GOT IT RUNNING, I WENT STRAIGHT TO THE SATURN DEALER AND THEY REPLACED THE IGNITION SWITCH. MY CAR IS OUT OF WARRANTY, SO I HAD TO PAY. AT THE TIME, I DID NOT REALIZE THAT SO MANY OTHER SATURN ION OWNERS WERE HAVING THE SAME EXPERIENCE. I CALLED SATURN CUSTOMER SERVICE AND WAS TOLD THERE WERE NEVER ANY BULLETINS ISSUED ON THIS PROBLEM AND THERE WAS NO WAY OF DETERMINING IF THERE WERE ANY OTHER COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS ISSUE. I'VE READ THAT REPLACING THE IGNITION SWITCH DOESN'T ALWAYS TAKE CARE OF THE PROBLEM. I AM VERY CONCERNED ABOUT GETTING STUCK SOMEWHERE AND DON'T THINK I SHOULD BE EXPECTED TO SIT IN A COLD CAR, HOPING THE 10-MINUTE WAITING PERIOD WILL ALLOW MY CAR TO START. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10307582February 8, 2010
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
AFTER EXPERIENCING LOWER FUEL ECONOMY AND A SMELL OF GAS WE HAD THE CAR CHECKED AT AN INDEPENDENT GARAGE. THE DETERMINATION WAS A CRACKED FUEL PORT ON THE MODULAR RESERVOIR OF THE FUEL PUMP, CAUSING A GAS LEAK. WE HAD THE MODULAR ASSEMBLY REPLACED AT OUR OWN EXPENSE BEFORE FINDING OUT THERE WAS A RECALL BEING STARTED. WE HAVE THE OLD PART IN OUR POSSESION. *CN
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10306640February 5, 2010
STEERING
NORMAL DRIVING UNDER NORMAL CONDITIONS. SUDDEN STEERING FAILURE CAUSED BY FAILURE OF LEFT TIE ROD. CAR HAS 65,000 MILES AND IS WELL MAINTAINED. ENTIRE RACK AND PINION SYSTEM MUST BE REPLACED DUE TO COLLATERAL DAMAGE. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10305801February 4, 2010
STEERING, ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
MY POWER STEERING HAS GONE OUT ABOUT 5 TIMES WHILE DRIVING. IT DOES NOT START WORKING UNTIL THE CAR IS TURNED OFF AND STARTED AGAIN. IT'S EXTREMELY SCARY DANGEROUS. THE FIRST TIME I THOUGHT IT WAS A FLUKE, THE SECOND TIME I DECIDED I NEEDED TO TAKE IT TO GET FIXED AND THE POWER STEERING WENT OUT 3 MORE TIMES BEFORE I COULD GET IT IN.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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