Saturn Ion Complaints (2005)

573 consumer complaints on file.

#10289521October 23, 2009
STEERING
NOTHING LED UP TO THE FAILURE. CAR WAS IN PERFECT CONDITION. POWER STEERING JUST WENT OUT AS I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY. WILL STAY ON FOR A FEW MINUTES THEN SHUT OFF AGAIN WHENEVER CAR IS IN MOTION. MAKES IT VERY HARD TO TURN AND MANEUVER THE CAR ESPECIALLY AROUND OTHER CARS AND PEOPLE. I WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO SWERVE TO AVOID AN ACCIDENT. I HAVE NOT GOT THIS REPAIRED YET BECAUSE THE SATURN DEALERSHIP QUOTED ME ALMOST $1000 TO REPLACE THE STEERING COLUMN. I ASKED IF THEY HAVE DONE THIS BEFORE AND THEY SAID THEY HAVE FOUND THE PROBLEM BEFORE IN SEVERAL ION MODELS. AFTER RESEARCHING ON THE INTERNET I FOUND NUMEROUS CONSUMER COMPLAINTS WITH THE SAME PROBLEM!! *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10289374October 22, 2009
POWER TRAIN
AFTER STARTING THE CAR AND PUTTING IT IN DRIVE, THE CAR WILL NOT ACCELERATE. THE ENGINE IDLES NO MATTER HOW HARD YOU PRESS THE PEDAL. THIS VEHICLE HAS A ELECTRONIC THROTTLE BODY (NO MECHANICAL LINKAGE) SO THE PROBLEM IS ELECTRICAL.. TODAY WAS THE THIRD TIME IN THAT PAST MONTH THIS HAS HAPPENED. FOR THE RECORD, THIS CAR HAS BEEN INTO THE DEALER NO LESS THAN 9 TIMES FOR ELECTRICAL ISSUES (A FEW BODY CONTROL MODULES, A COUPLE IGNITION SWITCHES, ABS MODULES, TRANS CONTROL MODULES, RADIOS, INSTRUMENT PANELS, ETC, ETC.) BUT THIS IS THE FIRST ONE I THINK MAY CAUSE INJURY. GETTING REAR-ENDED AT A GREEN LIGHT OR HAVING A CAR RUN INTO THE DRIVER SIDE IS A DISTINCT POSSIBILITY WHEN THE CAR 'ALL OF A SUDDEN' WON'T ACCELERATE. GM HAS REPAIRED EVERY PROBLEM THIS CAR HAS HAD TO DATE, BUT WILL NOT ADMIT THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH THE CAR. I AM NOW OUT OF WARRANTY. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10285700September 29, 2009
STEERING
WHILE DRIVING MY 2005 SATURN ION3 THE POWER STEERING WENT DEAD. I HAD TO FIGHT THE CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE WITH MANUAL STEERING. VERY HARD TO DO. THIS HAPPENED WHILE DRIVING ABOUT 8 TIMES. THE DEALER SAID THERE HAS NOT BEEN A RECALL TO HAVE THE ELECTRICAL POWER STEERING CONTROL BOX REPLACED BUT THEY AGREE IT IS A SAFETY HAZARD. IT COST ME $2200.00 TO HAVE IT REPLACED. VERY SCARY WHEN MAKING A TURN AND THE POWER STEERING GOES TO MANUAL. STOPPING AND STARTING THE VEHICLE RESETS IT ONLY TO HAVE IT GO OUT AGAIN IN HEAVY TRAFFIC. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10285070September 23, 2009
STEERING
ON JUNE 15, 2009 PURCHASED USED SATURN ION 2 WITH 45625 MILES FOR MY 17 YEAR OLD. CAME WITH 3 MONTH WARRANTY/3000 MILES. IN SEPT. CAR STARTED STALLING, TOOK TO DEALER WHERE PURCHASED ON SEPT. 17 AND THEY SAID DIRTY FUEL INJECTOR, CHARGED $245.69. DROVE CAR ON TURNPIKE 100 MILES AT 65MPH AND CAR STALLED 2 TIMES!!!! ON WAY BACK, AGAIN ON TURNPIKE DOING SPEED LIMIT 65MPH CAR STALLED 1 TIME. YOU GET CHIMES AND THE PWR STR LIGHT COMES ON. CAR STALLS AN AVERAGE OF 4 TIMES A DAY! CAR RIGHT NOW AT DEALER FOR THEM TO TRY AND FIGURE OUT WHAT IS WRONG. IT IS NOT RIGHT, I PAID 9369.67 + TAX FOR CAR AND 1635. FOR GMPP WARRANTY THAT THEY TELL ME IS NOT COVERED! I DO NOT HAVE THIS KIND OF MONEY. THIS IS SUCH A SAFETY ISSUE, I CANNOT BELIEVE THE NHTSA HAS NOT FORCED SATURN OR GM TO RECALL THIS CAR. LOOK AT THE INTERNET OR YOUR OWN SITE FOR THE COMPLAINTS YOU HAVE ABOUT THIS ISSUE. IT IS A MATTER OF TIME BEFORE THERE IS A VERY SERIOUS ACCIDENT AS A RESULT OF CAR SHUTTING DOWN AND LOSING STEERING!!! *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10284408September 17, 2009
STEERING, POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
I OWN A 2005 SATURN ION AND THE POWER STEERING WAS GOING. I TOOK THE CAR INTO THE DEALERSHIP, THEY SAID THE STEERING MOTOR HAD TO BE REPLACED, NOW THEY REPLACED IT FOR FREE, BUT MADE ME WAIT A WEEK AND SENT ME BACK OUT ON THE ROAD WITH A CAR THAT HAD POWER STEERING THAT WORKED SOMETIMES AND NOT OTHER TIMES. THEN TWO WEEKS LATER THE ENTIRE CAR STARTED TO FAIL. THE SPEEDOMETER, THE TRANSMISSION WOULD NOT SWITCH GEARS, THE POWER STEERING WENT AGAIN, AND THE BREAKS WHERE PRETTY MUCH GONE. SO AFTER CAUSING A BIG SCENE THE CAR WAS LOOKED AT AND FOUND THAT THE TRANSMISSION MODULE WENT ON THE CAR. SO THEY REPLACED THE PART AFTER MAKING ME WAIT TWO DAYS TO GET MY CAR BACK. MY CONCERN IS WHY IS A CAR THAT WILL BE TURNING 5 YEARS OLD NEXT MONTH AND ONLY HAS ABOUT 27,900 MILES ON IT IS HAVING ALL THESE BIG PROBLEMS. IN THE MATTER OF ONE MOUTH I HAVE HAS A NEW BRAIN PUT INTO THE CAR. THE CUSTOMER SERVICE WAS AWFUL AND RUDE. THEY ALL TRY TO BLAME EACH OTHER. WHEN I WENT TO PICK THE CAR UP THE SERVICE PEOPLE WOULD NOT EVEN TALK TO ME THEY TOLD ME TO SEE THE CASHIER SHE HAS MY KEYS. I SAID I AM NOT LEAVING HERE UNTIL I TEST DRIVE IT, SHE SAID OK, IT'S PARK IN THE LOT ON THE SIDE SOMEWHERE. I WAS LIKE NICE, YOU DON'T EVEN KNOW WHERE MY CAR IS ON YOUR LOT. SO IN THE MATTER OF ONE MONTH I HAVE THE STEERING COLUMN AND THE TRANSMISSION MODULE REPLACED. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10284435September 17, 2009
WHEELS
A PIECE OF THE WHEEL (RIM) HAS BROKEN OUT. MAY CAUSE EVENTUAL AIR LOSS. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10283730September 11, 2009
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION
I HAVE HAD SEVERAL ISSUES WITH THE IGNITION AND NOT BEING ABLE TO IMMEDIATELY TURN THE CAR OFF. THE IGNITION WILL NOT RELEASE THE KEY AND WILL BE STUCK IN THE ACC POSITION MOST TIMES. THE MOST RECENT TIME I COULD NOT GET THE CAR TO TURN OFF AT ALL. THE IGNITION WOULD NOT RELEASE OR ALLOW THE KEY TO TURN EVEN MINIMALLY. HAD TO UNHOOK THE BATTERY, PULL THE FUEL PUMP FUSE IN ORDER TO GET THE CAR TO STOP RUNNING. THE IGNITION STILL WOULD NOT RELEASE THE KEY. I GOT THIS INFORMATION ON HOW TO DO THIS FROM MANY COMPLAINTS THAT I READ ABOUT ON THE INTERNET ON SATURN IONS HAVING THE SAME ISSUE. THEY DO NOT ADDRESS THIS IN THE MANUAL, AND WHEN I TOOK MY CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP 18 MONTHS AGO TO RESOLVE THE ISSUE THEN, THEY SAID NOTHING WAS WRONG AND THEY REPLACED THE IGNITION WHICH DID NOT SEEM TO HELP WITH THE PROBLEM I WAS HAVING. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10282974September 5, 2009
STEERING
WAS DRIVING TO PICK UP MY SON FROM WORK. HEARD A LITTLE BEEP-BEEP GO OFF, AND WHEN I LOOKED AT THE DASH-BOARD IT SAID "PWR STR" I HAD LOST THE POWER STEERING IN MY 2005 SATURN ION. I HAD TO GET THE CAR TO DRIFT TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, THEN I TURNED IT OFF FOR A MINUTE BECAUSE I GOT REALLY NERVOUS AS TO WHAT WOULD HAPPEN NEXT. I TURNED THE CAR BACK ON AND THE LIGHT HAD GONE OUT AND THE STEERING SEEMED TO BE BACK TO NORMAL. I CALLED THE SATURN DEALERSHIP THE FOLLOWING MONDAY (AUG. 31) TO BRING IN THE CAR TO SEE WHAT THE PROBLEM WAS. MIND YOU I HAVE 31,000 MILES ON MY CAR AND MY CAR IS WELL TAKEN CARE OF AND IS ALWAYS MAINTAINED. SATURN TOLD ME AFTER A "DIAGNOSTIC TEST" IT WAS THE POWER STEERING MODULE MOTOR AND IT HAD TO BE REPLACED FOR $1200.00 DOLLARS!! THIS PARTICULAR PROBLEM WITH THIS MAKE AND MODEL CAR IS ALL OVER THE INTERNET!! GM REFUSES TO ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE DEFECT AND HAS THE NERVE TO CHARGE CUSTOMERS FOR WHAT IS THEIR FAULT TO BEGIN WITH. NEEDLESS TO SAY I AM GETTING RID OF MY CAR AND I WILL NEVER EVER BUY ANOTHER SATURN OR GM CAR AGAIN!! *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10282805September 3, 2009
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION, POWER TRAIN, STRUCTURE:BODY:ROOF AND PILLARS
2-02-07 KEY STUCK IN IGNITION...CAR WOULD NOT TURN OFF.... IGNITION REPLACED 33,316 MILES 01-14-08 TRANSMISSION REPLACED 50,728 MILES 12-20-08 CAR WOULDN'T START...CLUTCH SWITCH REPLACED 50,728 MILES 8-26-08 SUN ROOF DRAIN CLOGGED $199.88 59,893 MILES 8-10-09 CAR WOULD NOT START..REPLACED IGNITION SWITCH 2ND TIME 72,615 MILES CAR WAS BOUGHT NEW OFF LOT IN 2005... TOWED 4 TIMES IN 4YEARS! *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10282817September 3, 2009
STEERING
2005 SATURN ION ELECTRIC POWER STEERING QUITS WITHOUT WARNING. OCCURS AT LEAST ONCE EVERY 40 MILE TRIP. COULD CAUSE AN ACCIDENT IF CORNERING WHEN POWER STEERING FAILS. TURNING THE CAR OFF AND RESTARTING FIXES THE PROBLEM TEMPORARILY. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10280868August 18, 2009
STEERING
STEERING: SUDDEN LOSS OF ELECTRIC POWER ASSIST SYSTEM.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10279307August 4, 2009
ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC)
2005 SATURN ION LEVEL 3. IF IT IS BELOW FREEZING OUTSIDE THE CAR WILL NOT START. THIS IS A VERY COMMON ISSUE WITH SATURN IONS. THE CAR WILL NOT START AT FIRST, THEN IF YOU WAIT 20-30 MINUTES IT WILL START. THE ISSUE IS THE IGNITION SWITCH WHICH IS FAULTY. ALSO, THE DEALERSHIP I BOUGHT THE CAR FROM TOLD ME IT HAD A FULL POWERTRAIN AND BUMPER TO BUMPER WARRANTY AND WHEN I BROUGHT IT IN THEY DENIED THAT. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10279378August 4, 2009
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
I BOUGHT A 2005 SATURN ION IN MARCH 2008. SINCE THEN, I HAVE HAD THE KEY GET STUCK ON A CONSTANT BASIS. I HAD THAT FIXED, BUT THE KEY STILL STICKS, BUT I PUSH IT IN TO RELEASE IT. AT LEAST IT'S BETTER THAN IT WAS. THE CAR DOES NOT LIKE TO START IN COLD WEATHER. I REPLACED THE BATTERY. COST $421.00. NOW, AT ONLY 45,888 MILES, MY STEERING DISPLAY LIGHT KEEPS COMING ON AND I LOSE POWER STEERING. GOT IS CHECKED TOLD COST $700 TOTAL, BUT THE ONLY PROBLEM IS: NO PART IS AVAILABLE. IT IS ON BACK LOG. SO, I CAN'T AFFORD THE PART AND LABOR ANYWAY, BUT NO PART AVAILABLE? WHAT DO I DO NOW WITH A CAR I AM STILL PAYING ON? I FEEL I A M STUCK WITH A LEMON. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10279245August 3, 2009
STEERING
I HAVE A 2005 SATURN ION I BOUGHT NEW IT HAS APPROX. 21,000 MILES ON IT AND THE POWER STEERING KEEPS GOING OUT. WHEN I SHUT THE CAR OFF IT RESETS, BUT AFTER A FEW YARDS IT GOES OUT AGAIN. I PLACED A CALL TO GM AFTER CALLING SATURN NORTH THEY SAID I WOULD HAVE TO HAVE A DIAGNOSTICS DONE AT THE SATURN DEALERSHIP IN WHICH I HAVE DONE, THE FIX IS I HAVE TO HAVE THE STEERING COLUMN REPLACED AT MY EXPENSE. NEITHER GM NOR SATURN ARE WILLING TO WORK WITH ME. GM HAS SAID IT IS NOT A MANUFACTURING DEFECT. THERE ARE SEVERAL OTHER COMPLAINTS AND THE FIX IS THE SAME, REPLACE THE STEERING COLUMN, FUNNY THAT WOULDN'T BE A MANUFACTURING DEFECT. THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL ON THIS KNOWN PROBLEM BEFORE SOMEONE IS HARMED OR KILLED. GM AND SATURN ARE PUTTING THEIR CUSTOMERS AND EVERYONE ELSE ON THE STREET IN DANGER, BECAUSE THEY ARE IGNORING THE PROBLEM. ALSO, MY POWER WINDOW ON THE DRIVERS SIDE NO LONGER WORKS - IT FALLS DOWN WHEN I TRY TO PUT THE WINDOW DOWN, BUT IT WAS STAYING UP UNTIL GM TOLD MY I HAD TO HAVE IT CHECKED OUT BY SATRUN NORTH DEALERSHIP, THEY SAID THE REGULATOR NEEDS TO BE REPLACED, BUT OF COURSE THEY DID NOT TELL ME THAT IF THEY TOOK THE DOOR PANEL OFF THE WINDOW WOULD NO LONGER STAY UP AND FOR SOME REASON NOW THE MOTOR FOR IT NO LONGER WORKS. COST ME $79.00 FOR THE DIAGNOSTICS AND I LEFT THERE WITH MY CAR WORSE THAN IT WAS. AT 21,000 MILES I DON'T THINK MY CAR SHOULD BE FALLING APART. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10278419July 27, 2009
EXTERIOR LIGHTING, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
HAVING REPEAT PROBLEMS WITH 2005 SATURN ION BLINKER. WE SAW THERE WAS A RECALL ON 03 AND 04 SATURNS FOR THE SAME PROBLEM. PLEASE LOOK INTO A RECALL FOR THE 05 SATURN IONS. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10277591July 21, 2009
STEERING
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 SATURN ION. THE CONTACT HEARD A NOISE AND THEN THE POWER STEERING WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE LOST ALL POWER AND BECAME DIFFICULT TO MANEUVER. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE STEERING COLUMN NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THERE WAS NO RECALL ON HER VEHICLE. THE CONTACT WILL CALL THE MANUFACTURER. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 43,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10275943July 7, 2009
STEERING
I HAVE A 2005 SATURN ION WITH ONLY 20,000 MILES ON IT. RECENTLY MY POWER STEERING HAS BEEN FAILING REPEATEDLY. IT GOES OUT WITH LITTLE WARNING AT ANY TIME. I HAVE SEEN OTHER GM MODELS RECALLED FOR THIS SAME ISSUE BUT NOT SATURN. I HAVE READ ONLINE ABOUT 100S OF PEOPLE WITH THIS SAME PROBLEM! THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE, WHY ISN'T IT BEING RECALLED? I ONLY HAVE A POWER TRAIN WARRANTY LEFT ON THIS VEHICLE AND I HAVE HEARD THIS WOULD COST UP TO $1500 WHICH IS COMPLETELY UNFAIR! I AM STILL MAKING PAYMENTS AND IT HAS HARDLY ANY MILES ON IT! I DID NOT EXPECT SOMETHING MAJOR TO HAPPEN THIS SOON. THEY NEED TO RESPECT THEIR CUSTOMERS SAFETY AND FIX THIS ISSUE!!!!!! AND NO THERE HASN'T BEEN ANY DEATHS OR INJURIES "YET" BUT I AM EXPECTING IT AS SOON AS I HAVE TO MAKE A SHARP TURN AND CAN'T! *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10274759June 23, 2009
STEERING
ELECTRIC POWER STEERING FAILING AFTER 5 MINUTES OF DRIVING ON 2005 SATURN ION-2. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10273934June 16, 2009
STEERING
I HAVE A 2005 SATURN ION 2 WITH DEFECTIVE POWER STEERING. I WILL TRY NOT TO LET OUT MY FRUSTRATION BUT TO TRY TO MAKE A GOOD POINT ABOUT THIS PROBLEM BECAUSE, THIS IS THE WORST ISSUE I'D HAVE TO DEAL WITH IN A WHILE. MY CAR'S STEERING KEEPS GOING OUT ON ME, THE POWER STEERING LIGHT WILL COME ON, THEN THE STEERING WILL BE STUCK. I HAVE A 15MONTHS OLD BABY GIRL AND THIS IS THE ONLY CAR I OWN. I WORK PART TIME AND CAN NOT AFFORD ANY EXTRA EXPENSES, I'M STUCK WITH THIS HORRIBLE CAR, HAVE NO WHERE TO FIND HELP. FROM ALL THE RESEARCH I HAVE DONE, THIS IS BEEN AROUND LONG ENOUGH TO GET A RECALL, BUT APPARENTLY SATURN TOTALLY IGNORED THIS CLAIMS AND KEEPS MAKING THESE CARS. EVEN NEWER SATURN CARS HAVE THIS SAME PROBLEM AND I JUST CAN 'T BELIEVE THAT THERE IS NO RECALL ON THIS ISSUE. THE STRANGE THING OF ALL OF THE PROBLEM IS THAT, THE PROBLEM SEEMS TO OCCUR IN MOST CASES JUST WHEN THE CAR'S OUT OF WARRANTY. I AM PUTTING A STATEMENT TOGETHER AND WILL TRY TO FIND A WAY TO HOLD SATURN ACCOUNTABLE FOR THIS ISSUE IF I'M EVER INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT. MY FAMILY IS IN COMPLETE DANGER, I AM VERY UPSET, CONFUSED AND VERY SAD ABOUT THE WHOLE ISSUE. THIS IA A NICE CAR, WITH ONLY 64000 MILES, AND ONLY 4YRS. WHY COULD A PROBLEM THIS SERIOUS BE IGNORED BY SATURN, WHAT KIND OF STUPID ENGINEERS DO THEY HAVE WORKING FOR THEM THAT CANT FIGURE THIS OUT. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10273459June 10, 2009
ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC)
DRIVING 2005 SATURN ION, APROX 43,000 MILES ON THE VEHICLE...ELECTRONIC POWER STEERING MOTOR GETS"HOT" AND SHUTS DOWN. NO POWER STEERING IN VEHICLE. TURN VEHICLE OFF AND THE ELECTRONIC MECHANISM RESETS ITSELF AND WORKS UNTIL THE NEXT TIME IT SHUTS DOWN WHILE DRIVING. TOOK VEHICLE TO SATURN DEALERSHIP, POWER STEERING MOTOR IS BURNED OUT AND NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. ROUGHLY 1300.00. OR I CAN JUST DRIVE IT AS IS. TECH VOICED CONCERN THAT THE ELECTRONIC PROBLEMS IN THERE COULD BE VERY PROBLEMATIC BECAUSE THEY COULD GET HOT AND START A FIRE. UPON RESEARCHING THIS PROBLEM N THESE MODELS, THERE SEEMS TO BE AN OVERABUNDANCE OF REPORTS OF THE SAME ISSUES. I CALLED GM AND REPORTED THE PROBLEM AND LET THEM KNOW THAT THERE SEEMED TO BE PROBLEMS WITH THESE PARTICULAR MODELS AND THAT THIS COULD RESULT IN AN ACCIDENT BECAUSE IT HAS TO DO WITH STEERING THE VEHICLE, AND THAT SINCE IT WILL RESET IF YOU TURN THE VEHICLE OFF AND DRIVE FOR AWHILE, THEN CONSUMERS MAY OPT NOT TO SPEND THE MONEY TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM, AS IT IS VERY EXPENSIVE. I FEEL THAT THESE SHOULD BE RECALLED AND CORRECTED. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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