Saturn Ion Complaints

4,344 consumer complaints on file.

#10447858February 13, 2012
STEERING
AT STOP LIGHT, POWER STEERING FLASHED ON DASH. DROVE ABOUT ONE MILE, WENT BACK ON, ANOTHER MILE AND POWER STEERING WENT OFF FOR GOOD. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10447407February 10, 2012
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
MY 2007 SATURN ION DEVELOPED A HORRIBLE GAS ODOR AND IS NOW LEAKING/DRIPPING GAS. I CONSIDER THIS A SERIOUS SAFETY CONCERN WITH THIS CAR CONSIDERING I SEE PLENTY OF COMPLAINTS FROM CONSUMERS WITH THE SAME ISSUE. I HAVE 2 SMALL CHILDREN AND THIS IS OUR ONLY MEANS OF TRANSPORTATION. I HAVE CONTACTED GMC AND HAVE BEEN GIVEN THE RUN AROUND FOR THE PAST 3DAYS AND HAD TO SPEAK WITH A SUPERVISOR TODAY. THEY SAID THIS ISSUE WAS NOT A RECALL, THEN I PROVIDED THEM WITH RECALL BULLETIN OF 09226A AND THEY SAY "OH YEA, THAT'S A RECALL, BUT ITS NOT WITH US ITS WITH NHTSA, WE CAN'T DO ANYTHING". I HAVE ONLY HAD THIS CAR FOR 2YRS AND THIS IS THE SECOND TIME I HAVE HAD A RECALL RELATED ISSUE FOR SAFETY. THEY HAD TO FIX MY STEERING WHEEL UNDER RECALL BECAUSE MY POWER STEERING WENT OUT AND THERE WAS AN ISSUE WITH MY MAKE AND MODEL. WHAT KIND OF CARS DOES GM MAKE THAT HAS SERIOUS SAFETY RECALL ISSUES WITHIN 2YRS OF HAVING THE CAR? THEY CLEARLY HAVE A GAS LEAKING SAFETY ISSUE WITH THESE CARS AND WILL NOT HONOR WHAT IS CLEARLY CONSIDERED A RECALL. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10447446February 10, 2012
STEERING
DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD AND POWER STEERING WILL GO OUT. I PULL THE CAR OVER AND SHUT IT OFF AND WAIT A FEW MINUTES AND RESTART IT AND THE STEERING WORKS AGAIN FOR A LITTLE WHILE. USUALLY ABOUT 10 TO 15 MINUTES. I WENT FROM MY HOME IN LAKE ORION, MI TO MILFORD MI THE OTHER DAY WHICH IS UNDER 30 MILES AND IT WENT OUT ON ME 6 TIMES. PLEASE HELP WITH THIS. I SEE THAT SEVERAL OTHER PEOPLE HAVE HAD THESE SAME ISSUES. I AM ALSO AFRAID THAT IF THE ROADS ARE SLICK HERE AND IT GOES OUT LIKE THAT WHILE I'M DRIVING I COULD GET INTO A CRASH. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10447274February 9, 2012
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 SATURN ION. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH, THE VEHICLE DECELERATED AND STALLED ON THE HIGHWAY. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED, BUT DENIED ANY ASSISTANCE WITH REPAIRS OF THE FAILURE. THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 88,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10447315February 9, 2012
STEERING
MY SON WAS DRIVING AND HE ATTEMPTED TO TURN THE WHEEL TO THE RIGHT TO CHANGE LANES AND THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKED. HE PULLED ON IT A BIT HARDER AND IT RELEASED WHICH MADE SPIN OUT AND HIS FRONT WHEEL HIT THE CURB WHICH PUSHED HIS WHEEL UP AGAINST THE FRAME OF THE CAR. WE HAD TO HAVE IT TOWED TO THE MECHANICS WHERE IT STILL SITS WHILE PARTS ARE BEING ORDERED. CAR BRANDS MAY DISAPPEAR FROM TIME TO TIME, BUT THE CARS THEMSELVES STICK AROUND FOR YEARS OR EVEN DECADES. AND WHEN DISCONTINUED MODELS HAVE PROBLEMS THAT MAY AFFECT SAFETY THEY GET THE SAME ATTENTION FROM FEDERAL REGULATORS AS CURRENT MODELS. SUCH IS THE CASE FOR THE SATURN ION, A COMPACT-CAR MODEL FROM A DISCONTINUED GENERAL MOTORS DIVISION WHOSE PRODUCTION ENDED A FEW YEARS AGO. THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION SAYS IT HAS INTENSIFIED ITS INVESTIGATION INTO COMPLAINTS ABOUT ALLEGED PROBLEMS WITH THE POWER-STEERING SYSTEMS ON IONS FROM THE 2004 TO 2007 MODEL YEARS. THE AGENCY HAD PREVIOUSLY OPENED A PRELIMINARY INVESTIGATION OF THE COMPLAINTS. NHTSA SAYS THERE HAVE BEEN ABOUT 4,150 COMPLAINTS FROM DRIVERS ALLEGING A SUDDEN LOSS OF POWER STEERING. THE AGENCY SAYS IN 16 CASES THE LOSS OF POWER ASSIST RESULTED IN A CRASH, AND IN TWO CASES THE CRASHES RESULTED IN DRIVER INJURIES. NHTSA SAID IT BEGAN UPGRADED THE PRELIMINARY INQUIRY TO AN ENGINEERING ANALYSIS FURTHER ASSESS THE FREQUENCY, SCOPE AND SAFETY CONSEQUENCES OF A SUDDEN LOSS OF STEERING ASSIST IN THE SUBJECT VEHICLES?? INVESTIGATIONS LIKE THESE SOMETIMES GROW INTO SAFETY RECALLS IN WHICH THE CARS MANUFACTURER HAS TO CORRECT. *TR
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10446951February 7, 2012
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
I HAVE HAD TO REPLACE THE IGNITION SWITCH 3 TIMES BECAUSE I AM UNABLE TO TURN THE CAR COMPLETELY OFF. I AM STARTING TO HAVE PROBLEMS AGAIN WHERE I SOMETIMES CAN NOT SHUT IT OFF AND I KNOW THAT THESE WILL LEAD TO ME HAVING TO REPLACE THE SWITCH AGAIN. THE FIRST TIME IT WAS REPLACED AT NO CHARGE AND I HAVE HAD TO PAY FOR THE OTHER 2 TIMES. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10447004February 7, 2012
STEERING
I WAS BACKING OUT OF MY DRIVEWAY IN THE MORNING BEFORE HEADING TO WORK AND AS I SHIFTED THE CAR INTO DRIVE AND STARTED TO ACCELERATE THE PWR STR ALERT WAS DISPLAYED AND I FOUND IT VERY DIFFICULT TO MOVE THE STEERING WHEEL. I THEN SHUT OFF THE CAR AND TURNED IT BACK ON AND THE POWER STEERING WAS RESTORED. I MADE IT FINE TO WORK AND HAD NO PROBLEMS AFTER THAT. HOWEVER, THAT FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 4TH, I WAS ON THE HIGHWAY ON MY WAY FOR A WEEKEND TRIP TO MI AND ONCE AGAIN THE PWR STR ALERT CAME ON AGAIN. I PULLED OVER TO THE SHOULDER AS SOON AS I COULD SO THAT I COULD ATTEMPT TO RESTART MY CAR TO HOPEFULLY REGAIN POWER STEERING. I RESTARTED MY CAR AND I WAS ABLE TO GAIN POWER STEERING AGAIN. HOWEVER, AFTER ABOUT 15 MINS ON THE ROAD, I LOST POWER STEERING AGAIN. IT WAS VERY HARD TO MANEUVER THE CAR AND I WAS VERY AFRAID OF WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IF I HAD TO SWERVE TO AVOID AN ACCIDENT. I FOUND IT ESPECIALLY HARDER TO TURN AT SLOWER SPEEDS SO MAKING A RIGHT HAND TURN ONTO A SIDE STREET WAS VERY HARD. THEN ON SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 5TH, I WAS DRIVING AGAIN AND AT FIRST THE POWER STEERING WAS WORKING FINE, BUT I FOUND THAT WITHIN 20 MINS OF MY TRIP THE PWR STR ALERT CAME ON AGAIN AND I HAD NO POWER STEERING AGAIN. I FIND THIS TO BE A MAJOR ISSUE AND IS VERY UNSAFE FOR ANY DRIVER ESPECIALLY YOUNG LADIES SUCH AS MYSELF WHO HAVE TO USE BOTH ARMS PULLING DOWN ON ONE SIDE OF THE STEERING WHEEL JUST TO MAKE A SLIGHT TURN AROUND A BEND. WHEN I WAS GETTING OFF THE HIGHWAY AND GOING DOWN THE OFF RAMP I FOUND THAT MY FRONT WHEELS WERE SKIPPING ON THE PAVEMENT AS I WAS MAKING THE TURN AND I WAS PULLING REALLY HARD ON THE STEERING WHEEL JUST TO BE ABLE TO TURN. I FEAR WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IF IT WENT OUT AND THERE'S SNOW. I HOPE THAT SOMETHING IS DONE ABOUT THIS ISSUE TO INSURE THE SAFETY OF NOT ONLY THOSE DRIVING THE CARS THAT ARE LOOSING THEIR POWER STEERING, BUT ALSO FOR THE OTHER DRIVERS ON THE ROAD. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10446788February 6, 2012
STEERING
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 SATURN ION. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH, THE POWER STEERING WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL FOR A FEW SECONDS AND THEN THERE WAS A COMPLETE LOSS OF POWERING STEERING. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO CONTINUE DRIVING WITH DIFFICULTY IN TURNING THE STEERING WHEEL. THE FAILURE OCCURRED INTERMITTENTLY. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE DEFECT. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 22,558.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10446725February 5, 2012
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
YET ANOTHER COMPLAINT ON THE FAULTY IGNITION SWITCH ON THE SATURN ION. SINCE IT APPEARS HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE ARE HAVING THIS SAME PROBLEM, AND GM IS AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM WHY HAS THERE NOT BEEN A RECALL?? CAR WILL NOT START WHEN COLD, KEY GETS STUCK IN IGNITION. GM WHAT IS THE DEAL??? *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10446403February 3, 2012
STEERING
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 SATURN ION. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE POWER STEERING WOULD FAIL SPORADICALLY WITH THE ILLUMINATION OF THE POWER STEERING WARNING LIGHT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HE HAD TO TURN THE VEHICLE ON AND OFF SEVERAL TIMES IN ORDER TO GET THE POWER STEERING TO RESUME NORMAL FUNCTION. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER FOR DIAGNOSIS OR REPAIRS. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 82,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 82,200.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10446221February 2, 2012
STEERING
THE FIRST TIME IT HAPPENED I WAS ON MY WAY TO WORK, I HEARD THE BEEP, THEN PWR STR SHOWED ON THE DASH. AT THE SAME TIME TURNING THE VEHICLE WAS VERY HARD. I THOUGHT IT WAS AN ISOLATED INCIDENT BECAUSE THAT NIGHT ON MY WAY HOME IT DIDN'T HAPPEN AT ALL. I SPOKE WITH MY HUSBAND AND HE SAID THE SAME THING HAPPENED TO HIM. IT HAS SINCE THEN GOTTEN TO THE POINT THAT AFTER THE CAR BEING DRIVEN FOR A FEW YARDS IT HAPPENS. I LIVE IN A CITY AND DO MOSTLY LOW SPEED DRIVING. I ALSO LIVE IN MICHIGAN AND IT IS IN THE MIDDLE OF WINTER. ALTHOUGH IT IS STILL POSSIBLE TO STEER IT WITHOUT POWER STEERING, I HAVE A VERY HARD TIME TURNING THE WHEEL. I AM VERY SCARED IT IS GOING TO CAUSE ME TO WRECK THE CAR. *KB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10446266February 2, 2012
STEERING
OPERATING THE 2007 SATURN ION WITH 80,000 MILES ON A MAJOR HIGHWAY WHEN "PWR STEERING" APPEARED ON MY DASH DISPLAY. THE VEHICLE BECAME DIFFICULT TO CONTROL; HOWEVER, I'M A 28 YEAR OLD MARINE AND I CAN HANDLE THE VEHICLE. IF THIS WAS TO OCCUR TO AN ADULT OVER 65 YEARS OF AGE OR TO A TEENAGE DRIVER, THEN THIS COULD MOST CERTAINLY CAUSE A WRECK. I HAVE BEEN DRIVING MY VEHICLE WITHOUT PWR STEERING AS I CAN NOT AFFORD THE $1500 REPLACEMENT/FIX OF THE POWER STEERING PROBLEM. I'M WAITING FOR A RECALL. THE SUBJECT VEHICLE WAS BOUGHT NEW IN OCTOBER 2006 AND I HAVE BEEN THE ONLY OWNER. *KB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10446273February 2, 2012
STEERING
DRIVING ON INTERSTATE, POWER STEERING WARNING LIGHT CAME ON, THERE WAS A WARNING CHIME, AND THEN THE POWER STEERING WAS GONE AND THE CAR BECAME VERY DIFFICULT TO STEER. I PULLED IT OVER, TURNED IT OFF. WHEN I TURNED IT ON THE STEERING WAS WORKING AGAIN, I DROVE ABOUT 10 MORE MILES AND IT DID THE SAME THING. I TOOK IT IN TO MY MECHANIC AND WAS TOLD THAT GM HAD A RECALL ON THIS SAME EXACT STEERING MOTOR USED IN THE COBALT BUT HAD NOT ISSUED A RECALL ON THE SATURNS. I PAID OVER $1100.00 FOR THIS REPAIR AND I FEEL IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN COVERED BY THE MANUFACTURER. I AM LUCKY THAT I DID NOT GET IN A WRECK AS THIS MANIFESTED IN THE MIDDLE OF RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC. *KB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10445999January 31, 2012
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
I AM HAVING PROBLEMS WITH MY 2006 SATURN ION, IT STARTED OUT WITH A START PROBLEM JUST ON COLD MORNINGS, WHEN THERE WAS DEW OR FROST OR IT RAINED ON THE CAR. TO RESLOVE THE ISSUE THE CAR WAS MOVED INTO THE GARAGE AND THEN I NOTICED THE PROBLEM CONTINUED EVEN WHEN CAR WAS IN THE GARAGE. THE START PROBLEM BEGIN HAPPENING EVEN IN WARM WEATHER. IT GOT TO THE POINT THAT EVEN WHEN I WOULD PARK THE CAR IN THE GARAGE I COULD GET UP THE NEXT MORNING AND IT WOULD NOT START AT FIRST IT WAS FREQUENTLY THEN IT BECAME INTERMITTENT PROBLEM. THIS CAR HAS LEFT ME STRANDED AT SCHOOL, WORK AND EVEN AT HOME SITTING IN THE GARAGE. IT GOT TO THE POINT WHERE I HAD TO HAVE THE AAA SERVICE TRUCK COME TO MY HOME AND JUMP START MY CAR. ON ONE OF MY SERVICE APPOINTS TO HAVE THE OIL CHANGED I MENTIONED THE PROBLEM TO THE TECH AT THE GM DEALER AND WHEN I PICKED THE CAR UP THEY SAID THAT THEY COULD NOT GET THE PROBLEM TO SIMULATE ON THE COMPUTER AND THE THERE IS NOTHING THEY CAN DO. I HAVE NOTED A NUMBER OF BLOGS ABOUT THIS PROBLEM AND INSTEAD OF GM HELPING TO RESOLVE THE ISSUE IT HAS BEEN LEFT UP TO THE OWNERS OF THESE VEHICLES TO GIVE EACH OTHER ADVISE AT BLOG SITES. *TT
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10446060January 31, 2012
STEERING, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
WHILE DRIVING DOWN A RESIDENTIAL STREET I HEAR A CLICK AND THE CARS WARNING SOUND, THEN THE POWER STEERING MESSAGE APPEARS ON THE DASHBOARD. I IMMEDIATELY NOTICE THAT MY POWER STEERING IS NO LONGER WORKING. I PULLED TO THE CURB AND SHUT THE CAR OFF AND UPON TURNING IT BACK ON THE LIGHT WENT AWAY AND THE POWER STEERING WAS WORKING AGAIN. THREE DAYS LATER, WHILE DRIVING TO WORK, AS I WAS IN THE MIDDLE OF TURNING, AGAIN I HEARD A CLICK THE WARNING SOUND, THE MESSAGE, AND THE POWER STEERING WENT OUT AGAIN. THIS TIME I HAD TO GRIP THE WHEEL AND WORK TO GET IT TO FINISH THE TURN SAFELY. PULLED INTO A GAS STATION, TURNED THE CAR OFF, THEN BACK ON. THE POWER STEERING WORKED FOR THE 10MIN DRIVE TO WORK. DURING THE DRIVE HOME THE POWER STEERING SHUT OFF 4 TIMES, EACH TIME IT TOOK LESS TIME FROM THE RESTART OF THE CAR TILL THE IT FAILED AGAIN. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10445885January 30, 2012
STEERING
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 SATURN ION. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE POWER STEERING LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL AND THE POWER STEERING FAILED. THE CONTACT STATED THE VEHICLE HAD TO BE TURNED OFF AND RESTARTED IN ORDER TO GET THE LIGHT TO GO OFF. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN, BUT THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 64,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10445924January 30, 2012
STEERING
POWER STEERING SYSTEM GOES ON AND OFF. HAPPENS AT ALL SPEEDS AND IN TURNS. MULTIPLE ACCIDENTS HAVE NEARLY OCCURRED BECAUSE OF THIS. THERE HAS BEEN AN EXTENDED WARRANTY UP TO 100,000 MILES BUT IF YOU'RE CAR IS PAST IT GM REFUSES TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE BECAUSE OF A BAD DESIGN! NOT RIGHT I SHOULD HAVE TO PAY TO BE SAFE BECAUSE OF A FAULTY DESIGN. *TT
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10445778January 29, 2012
STEERING
ODOMETER DINGS THREE TIMES AND READS PWR STG CAN BARELY TURN THE STEERING WHEEL AND UNDER 15 MPH. *TT
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10445782January 29, 2012
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL, UNKNOWN OR OTHER
WHILST DRIVING, MY CAR WOULD ACCELERATE ON IT'S OWN GOING ALMOST 45-50MPH. PRESSING THE BRAKES WOULD BARELY DO ANYTHING. IT WON'T START WHEN IT THINKS IT'S TOO COLD OUTSIDE, I'VE HAD THE BATTERY TESTED MULTIPLE TIMES AND IT IS FINE. ALSO, WHEN TRYING TO STOP THE CAR AND TAKE THE KEY OUT OF THE IGNITION IT RESISTS A LOT. HAPPENS MULTIPLE TIMES A WEEK. *TT
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10445652January 27, 2012
STEERING, POWER TRAIN
I HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THE POWER STEERING LIGHTS GOES ON AND IT IS DIFFICULT TO DRIVE, THE CAR HAS LESS THAN 60K MILES AND REALLY BAD THAT THE MANUFACTURE DOESN'T TAKE CARE OF THIS MALFUNCTION. I NEED TO KNOW HOW TO GET IT FIX THIS PROBLEM BECAUSE IT SEEMS THAT THE PROBLEM CAME FROM THE MANUFACTURER. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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