Saturn Ion Complaints (2003)

758 consumer complaints on file.

#10216986February 5, 2008
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH
CAR WILL NOT START WHEN IT IS COLD OUTSIDE. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10216806February 3, 2008
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION
CAR WON'T START ON MORNINGS WHEN TEMP IS BELOW 50 DEGREES. ONCE TEMP WARMS UP, CAR STARTS FINE. I CAN'T WAIT UNTIL THE AFTERNOON TO GO TO WORK! I ALSO DON'T WANT TO BE STRANDED WHILE WORKING (I DO HOME NURSING). *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10216667February 1, 2008
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION
ON COLD MORNINGS (35 AND BELOW) MY 03 SATURN ION WILL NOT START. I TURN THE KEY AND THE LIGHTS COME ON BUT THE ENGINE WON'T TURN OVER. THE SECURITY LIGHT FLASHES AND IT TELLS ME TO "SERVICE VEHICLE". IF I WAIT ABOUT 10-20 MINUTES THE CAR WILL START. (WHICH CAUSES ME TO BE LATE FOR WORK) I'VE REPLACE THE BATTERY BUT CANNOT AFFORD 200+ TO CHANGE OUT THE STARTER AND/OR OTHER PARTS. I'VE READ NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS ONLINE OF OTHER ION OWNERS HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM (HTTP://WWW.CARSURVEY.ORG/VIEWCOMMENTS_REVIEW_97727.HTML). *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10215959January 25, 2008
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH
CAR WILL NOT START IN COLD WEATHER. (BELOW 32F) THIS HAS BEEN A PROBLEM THE LAST 2 YEARS ON A 2003 SATURN ION 3. AFTER READING ALL THE COMMENTS HERE... HTTP://WWW.CARSURVEY.ORG/VIEWCOMMENTS_REVIEW_97727.HTML IT WOULD SEEM THERE IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM WITH THE GREASE FREEZING AROUND THE IGNITION SWITCH. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10215931January 24, 2008
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH
I HAVE A 2003 SATURN ION THAT WON'T START IN COLD WEATHER HERE IN EASTERN OREGON, HAD THE BATTERY CHECKED, AND EVERYTHING ELSE LOOKED AT, BUT EVERYONE SAYS THAT MY CAR IS OKAY. SO I DO SOME RESEARCH AND FIND OUT THAT ALOT OF PEOPLE HAVE THIS PROBLEM AND YET THERE IS NO RECALL ON THIS PROBLEM CONSIDERING SATURN KNOWS ABOUT THE PROBLEM? ALSO, THERE IS NOT EASY SUGGESTIONS BY SATURN? *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10215753January 23, 2008
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION
WHEN IT IS COLD OUT, AND I GO TO START MY CAR IN THE MORNING, IT STARTS TO TURN OVER BUT THEN STALLS AND DIES. THE LIGHTS AND RADIO STILL WORK, AND THE INSTRUMENT PANEL BLINKS "SERVICE VEHICLE". I HAVE TO WAIT AT LEAST 10 MINUTES TO EVEN ATTEMPT TO START MY VEHICLE AGAIN BECAUSE IT IS SOMETHING WITH THE SECURITY FEATURE OF THE IGNITION. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10215817January 23, 2008
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH
WHEN IT IS BELOW FREEZING OUTSIDE, MY 2003 SATURN ION HAS ISSUES STARTING UP. I HAVE READ MANY POSTS (HTTP://WWW.CARSURVEY.ORG/VIEWMORECOMMENTS_REVIEW_97727_1.HTML IS ON SUCH SPOT) WHERE OWNERS ARE HAVING THE SAME ISSUES WITH VARIOUS RESULTS FROM THEIR DEALERS. IT IS APPARENTLY A KNOW ISSUE THAT HAS NOT BEEN COMMUNICATED TO THE CUSTOMERS, POTENTIALLY LEAVING THEM OUT IN THE COLD! *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10215658January 22, 2008
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION
CAR WILL NOT START WHEN BELOW FREEZING..... *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10214905January 15, 2008
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH
I BOUGHT A 2003 SATURN ION ABOUT 6 MONTHS AGO, AND AS SOON AS IT BECAME COLD HERE IN COLORADO MY CAR STARTED HAVING A PROBLEM STARTING. I WAS STRANDED IN THE MIDDLE OF NO WHERE WITH NO CELL PHONE COVERAGE IN THE FREEZING COLD. I HAVE NOW COME TO FIND OUT THAT THIS IS A PROBLEM WITH ALL 2003 SATURNS AND THAT THEY REFUSE TO RECALL THEM AND FIX THE PROBLEM BECAUSE IT IS NOT A SAFETY ISSUE. THE IGNITION SWITCH AND THE GREASE NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE! I WAS STRANDED IN THE MIDDLE OF NO WHERE IN THE FREEZING COLD WITH MY YOUNG DAUGHTER. I WANT THIS PROBLEM TO BE ADDRESSED AND FIXED BY SATURN. THERE IS NO REASON FOR THEM TO NOT RECALL THIS PROBLEM. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10215078January 15, 2008
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH
I HAVE BEEN HAVING A PROBLEM WITH MY CAR NOT STARTING. THE FIRST ISSUE BEGAN WHEN I STARTED MY CAR AND THE PASSLOCK SYMBOL WAS FLASHING ALL THE WAY HOME FROM THE STORE. WHEN I GOT HOME AND TURNED THE CAR OFF AND TRIED RESTARTING IT, IT WOULDN'T START. AFTER LOOKING AT MY OWNERS MANUAL AND READING ABOUT PASSLOCK I WENT OUTSIDE AND TRIED STARTING IT AND IT STARTED RIGHT UP. A LITTLE LESS THAN A WEEK LATER I WAS OUT RUNNING AN ERRAND AND MADE A QUICK STOP FOR MAYBE 5 MINUTES, WHEN I GOT BACK TO THE CAR IT WOULD NOT START. I TRIED A FEW MORE TIMES AND WAS STARTING TO PANIC WHEN IT STARTED AGAIN. I TOOK IT TO A MECHANIC AND HE COULDN'T GET THE CAR TO REPLICATE THE PROBLEM BUT RECOMMENDED FINDING MY OTHER KEY FOR THE CAR AND START USING THAT. THE CAR WAS FINE FOR ANOTHER WEEK AND WHILE I WAS PICKING UP MY KIDS FROM SCHOOL THE PASSLOCK LIGHT CAME ON AGAIN AND BLINKED ALL THE WAY HOME. ONCE AGAIN, I TRIED TO START AFTER WE GOT HOME AND NOTHING, I WENT OUT ABOUT 10 MINUTES LATER AND IT WAS FINE. YESTERDAY I NEEDED TO RUN AN ERRAND AND SURE ENOUGH I WENT OUTSIDE TO LEAVE AND THE STUPID CAR WOULDN'T START AGAIN. I WENT INSIDE AND WAITED 10 MINUTES, CAME BACK OUTSIDE AND IT STARTED RIGHT UP. I AM A MOTHER WITH 3 KIDS AND I HAVE A HUSBAND WHO DOES NOT DRIVE. I HAVE ONLY ONE CAR AND I CANNOT HAVE IT BE UNRELIABLE. I GET NERVOUS EVERY TIME I HAVE TO GO SOMEWHERE. THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE AND IT SEEMS LIKE THERE ARE MANY SATURN OWNERS WHO ARE JUST AS FRUSTRATED AS ME AND SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE ABOUT IT, AT NO COST TO THE OWNERS. THIS IS NOT WEAR AND TEAR!!! *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10214728January 14, 2008
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:ANTI-THEFT:CONTROL MODULE
DURING COLD WEATHER, MY 2003 SATURN ION WILL NOT START. REPLACED THE BATTERY 12/07, AND A DIAGNOSTIC CHECK OF THE STARTER AND ALTERNATOR WAS FINE. IT APPEARS TO BE AN IGNITION SWITCH ITEM FROM READING SIMILAR COMPLAINTS ONLINE. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10214675January 13, 2008
UNKNOWN OR OTHER, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:HORN
HORN IS VERY DIFFICULT TO ACTUATE, REQUIRING HARD PRESSING ONE OF TWO SPECIFIC SMALL HORN LOGOS ON THE STEERING WHEEL AIR BAG COVER. THESE ARE HARD TO FIND IN AN EMERGENCY, AND IMPOSSIBLE TO QUICKLY FIND WHEN DRIVING AT NIGHT. THIS HAS RESULTED IN A FEW NEAR MISSES, BECAUSE THE HORN COULD NOT BE ACTIVATED QUICKLY ENOUGH TO ALERT ANOTHER DRIVER THAT THEY WERE LEAVING THEIR LANE. I HAD TO SWERVE EVASIVELY TO PREVENT THE ACCIDENT. SATURN DEALER IN PAST HAS SAID THAT HORN WORKS NORMALLY. THIS IS THE ONLY VEHICLE THAT MY WIFE OR I HAVE DRIVEN IN THIRTY YEARS THAT HAS THIS PROBLEM. IT APPEARS TO BE A POOR DESIGN, AND SOMETHING SHOULD BE DONE TO RECTIFY IT. THE HORN IS USELESS IN A SUDDENLY DEVELOPING EMERGENCY SITUATION. DATE IS NOT SPECIFIC; AS FORM WOULD NOT ALLOW SUBMISSION WITHOUT A DATE. I HAVE NOT HAD AN ACCIDENT YET, BUT THIS SHOULD BE RECTIFIED BEFORE SOMEONE HAS A SERIOUS ACCIDENT. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10214597January 12, 2008
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:ANTI-THEFT:CONTROL MODULE
MY 2003 SATURN ION WOULD NOT START AFTER BEING OUT IN COLD WEATHER. THIS HAS HAPPENED BEFORE AND I AM TIRED OF IT. BASED ON RESEARCH I HAVE DONE ON THE NET, IT APPEARS SATURN IS AWARE OF THIS AND DOESN'T SEEM TO CARE. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10213683January 4, 2008
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH
WONT START IN SUB FREEZING WEATHER FOR AT LEAST 15 MINUTES. *CN
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10213620January 3, 2008
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:ANTI-THEFT:CONTROL MODULE
2003 SATURN ION. THIS CAR WILL NOT START IN THE COLD WEATHER. IF THE TEMPERATURE IS BELOW 32 DEGREES F FOR AN EXTENDED PERIOD OF TIME, THE CAR WILL STALL. THIS WILL BE A RECALL ITEM ONCE WE GET TOGETHER AND SUE SATURN FOR THIS OBVIOUS NEGLIGENT BEHAVIOR. THIS PROBLEM IS WELL KNOWN AND IS CONTINUAL. PERHAPS WHEN SOME UNFORTUNATE SOUL IS STRANDED IN THE WILDERNESS AND DIES, THEN THE MANUFACTURER WILL PAY ATTENTION TO THIS COLD WEATHER START PROBLEM. THE PUBLIC IS WELL AWARE OF THE PROBLEM AND SO IS SATURN. IT WOULD BE WELL WORTH IT FOR THE CORPORATE OFFICE TO CRUNCH THE NUMBERS AND DECIDE TO RECALL THE VEHICLE FOR THIS PROBLEM. I HAVE READ THAT THE DIFFICULTLY MAY HAVE TO DO WITH A TYPE OF LUBRICANT ON THE STARTER, WHICH HARDENS IN THE COLD WEATHER. THE CAR STALLS AS A RESULT, AND THEN THE PASS-LOCK KICKS IN. AFTER 8 MINUTES, THE CAR MAY START, OR ONE MAY HAVE TO WAIT AN ADDITIONAL 8 MINUTES (OR MORE) FOR THE IGNITION SWITCH TO LOOSEN UP ENOUGH TO START THE ENGINE. HOWEVER, THE CAR MAY STALL YET AGAIN---AND SET OFF THE PASSLOCK SYSTEM YET AGAIN. SATURN IS NEGLIGENT AT THE VERY LEAST--AND CRIMINALLY NEGLIGENT IF THEY KNOW OF THIS PROBLEM---THE POTENTIAL DANGERS OF IT---AND DO NOTHING. SERVICE BULLETIN:040845005 NHTSA ITEM NUMBER:10007431 MFG BULLETIN DATE: 20060301 COMPONENT: ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH BULLETIN SUMMARY: NO CRANK, NO START WHEN AMBIENT TEMPERATURES IS COLD - DIAGNOSTIC TROUBLE CODES (DTCS) B2960 AND OR B3033 ARE SET. *CN
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10213254December 31, 2007
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS:HIGH/LOW BEAM DIMMER SWITCH, EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS
I WAS DROVE MY CAR HOME ONE NIGHT AND THE HEADLIGHTS WERE WORKING FINE. I WENT IN THE HOUSE CHANGED AND GOT READY TO LEAVE AGAIN WHEN I TURNED ON MY HEADLIGHTS THEY DID NOT COME ON. THOUGHT MAYBE IT WAS THE BULBS THAT WENT OUT BUT THE BRIGHT LIGHTS WORKED. HAD THE BULBS CHECK THEY WERE FINE, I ALSO CHECKED THE FUSES TO MAKE SURE THAT WAS BURNT OUT. AFTER A WEEK THE LIGHTS STILL WERE NOT WORKING TOOK IT TO A CAR MECHANIC AND THE ANALYSIS SHOWED SOME SENSOR. HE REPLACED THE SENSOR AND IT DID NOT FIX THE PROBLEM MY LOW BEAM HEADLIGHTS ARE STILL NOT WORKING. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10212621December 23, 2007
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH
THIS IS AN ONGOING PROBLEM WITH MY SATURN ION 2003. IT WON'T START WHEN IT'S COLD AND IT HAS LEFT ME STRANDED ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS. BY THE MULTIPLE COMPLAINTS THAT I SEE FROM OTHER PEOPLE ONLINE, THIS IS A BIG PROBLEM. IT HAS SOMETHING TO DO WITH THE PASSLOCK SECURITY SYSTEM AND THE IGNITION SWITCH. IT GETS VERY COLD HERE IN COLORADO AND I JUST DON'T WANT TO BE STRANDED AGAIN. HTTP://WWW.CARSURVEY.ORG/VIEWCOMMENTS_REVIEW_97727.HTML SOME OF THESE PEOPLE HAVE "FIXED" THE PROBLEM AND IT IS STILL OCCURRING. IT WOULD BE NICE TO SEE SOME KIND OF RECALL ON THIS PROBLEM. THIS IS NOT THE ONLY PROBLEM I'VE HAD WITH THIS CAR. I WILL NOT BE BUYING A SATURN AGAIN. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10212423December 20, 2007
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH
MY CAR HAS FAILED TO START SEVERAL TIMES IN THE LAST WEEK. IT SEEMS TO BE RELATED TO THE IGNITION SWITCH AND THE TYPE OF LUBRICANT USED IN IT AND IT'S REACTION IN COLD WEATHER. AFTER DOING A TON OF RESEARCH, I HAVE FOUND THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE THAT HAVE COMPLAINED OF THE EXACT SAME ISSUE. THIS SEEMS TO BE A RECURRING PROBLEM THAT NEEDS TO BE A RECALL. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10212465December 20, 2007
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:TURN SIGNAL, VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER:MOTOR, SEATS, SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:ROTOR, STRUCTURE
WHEN IT RAINS OR SNOWS, MY DRIVER SEAT AND FLOOR GETS WET. THERE ARE NO WATER STAINS AROUND THE SUN ROOF NOR IS THERE ANY WATER DAMAGE ON THE DRIVERS' DOOR. IN NEW ENGLAND, THE CAR IS NON-FUNCTIONAL IN THE WINTER AND SPRING BECAUSE OF THIS PROBLEM. I HAVE TAKEN IT TO THE LOCAL SATURN DEALERSHIP AND THEY HAVE REFUSED TO FIX IT. 2) I HAVE HAD TO REPLACE MY FRONT TURN SIGNALS 3 TIMES IN 1.5 YEARS. I AM ALMOST CONVINCED IT IS A SOCKET PROBLEM AND NOT A LIGHTBULB PROBLEM. 3) I HAVE HAD TO REPLACE THE BRAKES AND ROTORS TWICE WITHIN A 12 MONTH PERIOD. IN THAT TIME. I HAVE ONLY DRIVEN 17,000 MILES. ONCE IS UNDERSTANDABLE. TWICE IS EXPENSIVE AND RIDICULOUS. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10212109December 17, 2007
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:ANTI-THEFT:CONTROL MODULE
I HAVE HAD SEVERAL OCCURRENCES OF IGNITION TROUBLE WITH MY SATURN ION. IT SEEMS IN COLD WEATHER (FROM 60 DEGREES F AND BELOW) THAT IF THE ENGINE DOES NOT START RIGHT AWAY, THE PASSLOCK SECURITY SYSTEM SWITCHES ON AND WILL NOT ALLOW MY CAR TO BE STARTED FOR 8-10 MINUTES. THIS HAS CAUSED ME SEVERAL TIMES TO BE STUCK, IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT, ALONE, IN <30 DEG WEATHER WITH A CAR THAT WILL NOT START. THIS PLACES ME IN A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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