Saturn Ion Complaints

4,344 consumer complaints on file.

#10261014March 7, 2009
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
I HAVE A 2003 SATURN ION AND THE PROBLEM STARTED YESTERDAY. I JUST BOUGHT THIS CAR ON JANUARY 31, 2009. I WENT TO START THE CAR AND IT WOULD NOT TURN OVER AT ALL. IT JUST SAID SERVICE VEHICLE ON THE MESSAGE CENTER SCREEN. I DRIVE 120 MILES PER DAY SOMETIMES AND I HAVE DONE ONLINE RESEARCH AND HAVE FOUND HUNDREDS OF COMPLAINTS ON THIS CAR. IT NOT ONLY HAPPENS WITH THIS YEAR AND MAKE BUT WITH OTHER MAKES TOO! THIS IS RIDICULOUS AND DANGEROUS. THE WEATHER WHERE I LIVE GETS DOWN TO 30 BELOW ZERO SOMETIMES AND I CANNOT AFFORD TO NOT BE ABLE TO START MY CAR. I AM A FULL-TIME STUDENT WITH 3 CHILDREN AND A HUSBAND THAT WORKS OUT OF TOWN. I CANNOT AFFORD THE NUMEROUS CAR REPAIRS THAT PEOPLE ARE REPORTING THAT THEY HAD TO HAVE DONE ON THIS TYPE OF CAR. WHY HASN'T THEIR BEEN A RECALL?!!! *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10260932March 6, 2009
STEERING
SATURN ION 3 (2006) INTERMITTENT POWER STEERING FAILURE. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10260820March 5, 2009
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
2004 SATURN ION, IN COLD WEATHER FAILING TO START, CRANK OR TURN OVER. BATTERY, STARTER, AND WIRES ALL CHECKED ALL IN WORKING ORDER. FIND OUT THERE WAS A TSB # 040845005 FOR IT AND WAS NEVER INFORMED OF IT. HAVE HAD THE PROBLEM FOR PAST TWO YEARS BUT NEVER TOOK IT TO THE DEALER FOR THAT BUT DID HAVE IT THERE FOR OTHER SERVICE AND WAS NEVER ADVISED OF THE ISSUE. DUE TO EXPIRED WARRANTY DEALER AND GM CUSTOMER SERVICE ARE UNSURE IF THEY WILL COVER ALL OR ANY OF THE CHARGE TO REPAIR IT. COST IS $250 FIRST EXPERIENCED LAST WINTER AND IN THE PAST MONTH THIS HAS OCCURRED 4 TIMES. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10260680March 4, 2009
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
DURING THE WINTER MONTHS WHEN TEMPERATURE IS 30 OR BELOW MY 2003 SATURN ION IS UNABLE TO START. I MUST WAIT 20 MINUTES AND THEN TRY AGAIN. THERE SEEM TO BE A FAULTY IGNITION SWITCH. WHICH CAN BE EXTREMELY DANGEROUS IN INCLEMENT WEATHER.*TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10260753March 4, 2009
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
MY 2004 SATURN ION DOES NOT START IN THE COLD WEATHER! IT HAPPENED AT LEAST 8 TIMES SINCE OCTOBER 2008. TODAY IS MARCH 3, 2009. BROUGHT IT TO THE DEALER AND THEY SAID THEY COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG WITH IT. ALREADY CHANGED THE IGNITION SWITCH WHICH WASN'T THE PROBLEM TO BEGIN WITH! *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10260405March 2, 2009
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
PURCHASED A NEW 2004 SATURN ION ON 9/30/03. WINTER OF 03-04 CAR FAILED TO START IN COLD WEATHER. SATURN PUT 2 NEW IGNITION SWITCHES IN (WARRANTY) 2004. THIS WINTER (08-09) SAME STARTING PROBLEM. FAILS TO START IN COLD TEMPERATURES BECAUSE OF POORLY ENGINEERED IGNITION SWITCH COMMON IN THE SATURN ION. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10260438March 2, 2009
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
CAR WON'T START WHEN IT GETS COLD OUT.(UNDER 50) IGNITION TURNS AND THEN ENGINE STALLS OUT. AFTER A FEW ATTEMPTS AND WAITING A HALF HOUR OR SO, IT STARTS. (USUALLY WITH A FUEL SMELL AND A BACKFIRE)APPARENTLY THIS IS A WIDESPREAD PROBLEM AND I AM CONCERNED AS THIS MODEL HAS ALREADY HAD FUEL FILTER ASSEMBLY RECALL..MECHANICS SAY ITS THE STARTER BUT WHEN REPLACED, PROBLEM CONTINUES.. I HAVE NOT HAD MINE REPLACED YET BECAUSE I'M NOT SURE I WANT TO GO TO THAT EXPENSE WHEN IT DOESN'T SEEM TO FIX THE PROBLEM FOR OTHERS. THE FACT THAT I SMELL GAS WHEN IT DOES START UP CONCERNS ME AND I AM FRANKLY CONCERNED FOR MY SAFETY. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10260363March 1, 2009
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
2003 SATURN ION WILL NOT START DUE TO FAULTY PARTS USED BY MANUFACTURER. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10260294February 28, 2009
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
THE DATE BELOW IS THE DATE THE ISSUE BEGAN. I OWN A 2004 SATURN ION, THAT BEGAN WITH COLD START ISSUES THIS WINTER. AFTER LOOKING UP THE ISSUE ONLINE, I NOTICED IT IS A WELL KNOWN ISSUE WITH THESE CARS, YET THERE HAS BEEN NO RECALL. WHEN ATTEMPTING TO START THE CAR ON A COLD MORNING (OR MIDDAY), THE CAR WILL NOT TURN OVER. IT OFTEN TAKES 10-20 MINUTES OF TRYING TO GET THE CAR TO ENGAGE. I CALLED SATURN, AND THEY OFFERED NO REMEDY, AS MY CAR IS OUT OF WARRANTY (ONLY A 4.5 YEAR OLD CAR!) - AND I CANNOT AFFORD THE $250 REPAIR FOR THE IGNITION SWITCH. ON DECEMBER 26, 2008, I WAS STRANDED FOR NEARLY AN HOUR AND A HALF, AND SUFFERED FROST BITE AND MILD HYPOTHERMIA. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
1
Deaths:
0
#10260063February 26, 2009
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
THE TIMING CHAIN ON MY 2006 SATURN ION IS NEEDING REPLACED. FROM WHAT I HAVE READ THIS IS A PROBLEM THAT SATURN HAS KNOWN ABOUT FOR QUITE SOMETIME, BUT HAS NEVER RECALLED. I AM LAID OFF FROM MY JOB AND CANNOT AFFORD TO GET IT FIXED. SOMETHING SHOULD BE DONE IF PROBLEMS ARE KNOWN ABOUT THESE CARS. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10259877February 25, 2009
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
ON JULY 5, 2008 I PURCHASED A 2003 SATURN ION FROM CARMAX FOR THE COST OF $10,998. IT APPARENTLY PASSED THE RIGOROUS CARMAX CERTIFIED QUALITY INSPECTION. IN NOVEMBER 2008 (4 MONTHS LATER) THE SATURN WOULD NOT START DUE TO THE COLD WEATHER. I TOOK THIS INTO CARMAX AND THEY REPLACED MY BATTERY AT MY COST. AGAIN IN JANUARY 2009 (1 MONTH LATER) IT STILL WOULD NOT START IN THE MORNING. THEY PERFORMED A DIAGNOSTIC TEST AND COULD NOT DUPLICATE. THIS MORNING NOW FEBRUARY 2009 IT DID NOT START AGAIN IN THE MORNING RESULTING IN A PROBLEM GETTING MY DAUGHTER TO SCHOOL. IT IS UNDOUBTEDLY AN ISSUE THAT NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED BY SATURN. AFTER READING ALL THESE COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE CAR NOT STARTING UNDER COLD WEATHER CONDITIONS I AM PERPLEXED AS TO WHY SATURN IS NOT DOING ANYTHING ABOUT THIS. THIS IS MY FIRST EXPERIENCE WITH A SATURN AND MOST LIKELY MY LAST. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10259843February 24, 2009
STEERING, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
ELECTRIC POWER STEERING FAILURE IN 2005 SATURN ION IN LESS THAN 16000 MILES BUT 8 MONTHS OUT OF WARRANTY. POWER STEERING BECAME OPERATIONAL AFTER EACH RESTART, BUT FAILED AGAIN WITHIN 3-5 MINUTES OF DRIVING. VERY DIFFICULT TO STEER POSING A SAFETY HAZARD FOR MY WIFE. DEALER REPAIR REQUIRED REPLACEMENT OF COMPLETE STEERING COLUMN APPROACHING $1000 IN REPAIR COST. IGNITION SWITCH HAS ALSO FAILED TO PERMIT CAR FROM STARTING ON TWO OCCASIONS. DEALER ALSO REPLACED AT THE SAME TIME. DEALER RETURNED BOTH PARTS TO ME. I HAVE LEARNED THAT BOTH ARE COMMON FAILURES WITH THIS CAR AND OTHER GM COMPACTS. SEVERAL INCIDENTS OF REPEATED FAILURES OF THE ELECTRIC POWER STEERING. THERE SHOULD HAVE BEEN RECALLS OR REIMBURSEMENT FOR THESE PREMATURE FAILURES. NO WONDER GM IS GOING BUST WITH A PRODUCT OF SUCH LOW RELIABILITY AND POOR DESIGN. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10259689February 23, 2009
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
FAILURE OF 2006 SATURN ION TO START IN COLD WEATHER, USUALLY +10 FAHRENHEIT OR BELOW. THIS PROBLEM OCCURS WITHOUT EXCEPTION WHEN TEMPERATURE IS IN THAT RANGE UNLESS WARM ARE IS SUFFICIENTLY BLOWN INTO IGNITION LOCK TO WARM IT UP TO THE POINT WERE IT WILL RECOGNIZE THE KEY. OTHERWISE THE PASS LOCK SYSTEM ENGAGES AND MUST WAIT ABOUT 10 MIN. TO ATTEMPT TO START THE CAR AGAIN. TOOK TO DEALERSHIP AND AN UNRELATED PROBLEM WAS FIXED(COMPUTER REPROGRAMMING). BOTH BEFORE AND AFTER REPAIR I WAS TREATED LIKE AN IDIOT BY SERVICE WOMAN AND TOLD IN A VERY DISCOURTEOUS MANNER THAT THE REPAIR WOULD CERTAINLY CORRECT THE COLD START PROBLEM. AND IF NOT THEN IT WAS BECAUSE MICE (OR OTHER SUCH CREATURES) WERE "NESTING" IN MY ENGINE COMPARTMENT AND EATING THE WIRING. MY WIFE DRIVE THIS CAR TO HER JOB IN JOLIET, IL WHICH IS BY NO MEANS A 24/7 BASTION OF SAFETY. I AM VERY CONCERNED FOR HER SAFETY, ESPECIALLY WHEN SHE MUST WORK LATER INTO THE EVENINGS. I HAVE SEEN HUNDREDS OF COMPLAINTS REGARDING THIS VERY ISSUE AND WONDER WHY THERE STILL IS NO RECALL OF THIS DEFECTIVE IGNITION SYSTEM. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10259714February 23, 2009
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
I OWN A 2004 SATURN ION QUAD COUPE AND LIKE OTHERS, IT HAS THE COLD WEATHER FAIL TO START PROBLEM WHEN THE TEMPERATURE IS BELOW FREEZING. I STOPPED BY THE LOCAL SATURN GARAGE TO SEE WHAT TYPE OF REPAIR IS RECOMMEND FOR THIS PROBLEM. THEY ARE QUITE AWARE OF THE PROBLEM WITH NO WARRANTY REPLACEMENT. THEIR SUGGESTION, IF I DIDN'T WANT TO SPEND THE BUNDLE OF MONEY TO HAVE THE IGNITION SWITCH REPLACED WAS TO CARRY BIC LIGHTER TO WARM THE KEY. THE SERVICE WRITER SAID THAT SATURN ENGINEERING SPECED THE WRONG TEMPERATURE GREASE TO LUBE THE SWITCH. NOW, I THE CUSTOMER, HAVE TO DEAL WITH THE ANOTHER GM GENERATED ENGINEERING DESIGN PROBLEM. THIS IS A VERY ANNOYING PROBLEM BECAUSE I CAN NOT RELY ON AN OTHERWISE PERFECTLY GOOD RUNNING CAR AND CAN'T COUNT ON IT FOR AN EMERGENCY. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10259585February 22, 2009
STEERING
ELECTRIC POWER STEERING FAILS WITHOUT NOTICE. DRIVING STRAIGHT OR TURNING AND AT DIFFERENT SPEEDS. MAKES DRIVING VERY DANGEROUS. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10259522February 21, 2009
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
THREE TIMES WHEN THE TEMPERATURE HAS BEEN BELOW 30F I HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO START MY SATURN ION. EACH TIME I HAVE HAD TO CALL ON STAR TO GET A JUMP START. ALL THREE TIMES THE JUMP START HAS GOTTEN MY CARD RUNNING. I HAVE TAKEN THE CAR TO HAVE THE BATTERY AND STARTER CHECKED BOTH CHECKED OUT FINE. I SEE THERE IS A GM SERVICE BULLETIN NUMBER : 040845005 AND A NHTSA ITEM NUMBER : 10007431 ESTABLISHED FOR THIS COMPLAINT. I FEEL AS THOUGH GM SHOULD RECALL THESE VEHICLES AND BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE REPAIRS. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10259536February 21, 2009
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHY SATURN HAS NOT BEEN FORCED TO DO A RECALL WITH ALL OF THE PROBLEMS WITH THE IGNITION ON IONS NOT WORKING AT CERTAIN TIMES. I HAVE RESEARCHED THIS ON THE INTERNET AND IT IS CLEARLY A DESIGN ISSUE. I AM OFTEN STRANDED BECAUSE THE CAR WILL NOT START. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10259303February 19, 2009
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
CAR REFUSES TO START WHEN TURNING KEY IN IGNITION. PASSLOCK ICON FLASHES ON DASHBOARD AND "SERVICE VEHICLE" COMES UP ON MESSAGE PANEL. THIS IS A COLD WEATHER STARTING PROBLEM DUE TO THE INTERMITTENT MALFUNCTION OF THE PASSLOCK CIRCUIT IN THE IGNITION (KEY) SWITCH. PASSLOCK MODULE HAS BEEN REPLACE 3 TIMES BY DEALER. LAST TIME 2006. SATURN HAS A COMPLAINT FILE UNDER MY NAME, VIN, AND PHONE NUMBER. THIS IS AN ONGOING PROBLEM THAT HAPPENS EVERY WINTER WHEN THE TEMPERATURE DROPS BELOW FREEZING. IT IS ALSO A KNOWN PROBLEM, YET GM REFUSES TO RECALL THE CARS AFFECTED. OUT OF WARRANTY DEALER REPAIR RUNS OVER $ 500. RECENT FAILURE TO START HAS HAPPENED AT LEAST 10 TIMES SINCE DECEMBER OF 2008. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10259331February 19, 2009
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
STARTING THIS FALL, MY 2003 SATURN ION HAS HAD A PROBLEM WITH NOT STARTING SOMETIMES. IT STARTS FINE IN THE MORNING NO MATTER HOW COLD, BUT SOMETIMES AFTER I DRIVE A LITTLE WHILE AND ENGINE IS WARMER, IT WILL NOT START BACK UP IF I RUN INTO THE STORE OR WHATEVER FOR A FEW MINUTES. IT TURNS OVER A FEW STROKES AND DIES COMPLETELY. IF I TRY IMMEDIATELY AFTER THAT ABSOLUTELY NOTHING HAPPENS. I WILL NORMALLY WAIT 15 MINUTES (OR SO) AND IT STARTS PERFECTLY FINE WITH PLENTY OF POWER. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10259290February 18, 2009
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
I HAVE A 04 SATURN ION, IT DOES NOT START IN THE COLD, IT GIVES ME SO MANY HEADACHES, THERE IS OVER 30 PAGES OF COMPLAINTS ON WEBSITE WITH PEOPLE WITH THE SAME CAR AND SAME PROBLEMS. IT SEEMS TO BE A WHITE WIRE IN THE STEERING COLUMN, I DON'T UNDERSTAND IF SO MANY PEOPLE HAVE THE SAME ISSUES WHY IT CANT BE FIXED. IT HAS CAUSED ME TO BE LATE FOR WORK, COLLEGE CLASSES, AND TO BE STUCK OUT ON A COLD NIGHT BY MYSELF DUE TO MY CAR NOT STARTING. YOU HAVE TO TRY TO START IT AND THEN LEAVE IT ALONE FOR ABOUT 15 MINUTES AND IT USUALLY STARTS RIGHT UP. IT HAPPENS PRETTY MUCH ALL THE TIME BUT IT IS SO RANDOM YOU NEVER KNOW WHEN YOU WILL BE STRANDED. I HAVE SPENT MONEY REPLACING BATTERIES AND EVERYTHING ELSE WHEN NONE OF THIS CAUSED THE PROBLEM. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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