Saturn Ion Complaints (2004)

898 consumer complaints on file.

#10258916February 17, 2009
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 SATURN ION. WHENEVER THE CONTACT ATTEMPTS TO START THE VEHICLE IN COLD WEATHER, IT FAILS TO START. ON OCCASION, HE MUST ALLOW THE VEHICLE TO REST FOR 15 MINUTES BEFORE IT WILL START. OTHER TIMES, HE MUST JUMPSTART THE VEHICLE IN ORDER FOR THE ENGINE TO START. THE CONTACT HAS NOT HAD THE VEHICLE INSPECTED BY THE DEALER OR A REPAIR SHOP. HE FOUND A RECALL ONLINE PERTAINING TO THE FAILURE, BUT IT WAS UNABLE TO BE FOUND ON THE NHTSA WEB SITE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS AWARE OF THE ISSUE AND STATED THAT NO RECALL WAS ISSUED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 70,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 95,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10257983February 8, 2009
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: INSTRUMENT CLUSTER/PANEL
I OWN A 2004 SATURN ION AND ANYTIME IT IS COLD OUT IT WILL NOT START DO TO THE IGNITION SWITCH THERE IS A DEFECT IN IT AND NEEDS TO BE RECALLED. EVERYTIME IT IS COLD MY CAR WILL NOT START AND THERE IS NO WAY TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10257803February 7, 2009
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
2004 SATURN ION INTERMITTENTLY WILL NOT START. HAPPENED ONE TIME LAST WINTER, BUT HAS PROGRESSED THIS WINTER. IF YOU ALLOW THE CAR TO SIT FOR 10-12 MINUTES IT STARTS RIGHT UP. I CALLED SATURN AND MADE AN APPOINTMENT TO LEAVE THE CAR WITH THEM WHILE I VISITED FAMILY IN FLORIDA. I SINCE WENT ONLINE AND DISCOVERED THAT HUNDREDS (MAYBE THOUSANDS) OF SATURN OWNERS HAVE THIS SAME PROBLEM. I CALLED SATURN SERVICE AND TOLD THEM WHAT I HAD DISCOVERED. THEY MADE NO COMMENT BUT SAID THEY HAD REPLACED THE IGNITION SWITCH. I CALLED A TOLL FREE NUMBER THAT A SATURN OWNER HAD LEFT ON AN ONLINE FORUM AND FILED A FORMAL COMPLAINT WITH SATURN OF AMERICA. SHE WAS VERY POLITE AND ASSURED ME SHE WOULD CALL SATURN AND "SEE WHAT SHE COULD DO FOR ME." THE NEXT DAY SHE SAID THEY COULD ONLY GIVE ME 10% OFF THE COST OF THE IGNITION SWITCH WHICH AMOUNTS TO $12. I CALLED THE SERVICE MANAGER TO TELL HIM THAT I EXPECTED MORE BECAUSE THIS IS SUCH A COMMON PROBLEM AND SHOULD ACTUALLY HAVE BEEN A RECALL. I COULD NEVER REACH HIM. HE WAS NEVER AVAILABLE (AS THEY SAID--GONE FOR THE DAY). I THEN EMAILED SATURN OF CHARLESTON/HUNTINGTON WV AND EXPLAINED. A SALE PERSON ACKNOWLEDGED MY EMAIL AND ASSURED ME SHE WOULD GIVE THE EMAIL COMPLAINT TO SERVICE AND SOMEONE IS SERVICES WOULD CONTACT ME. TWO DAYS LATER AND THEY STILL HAVE NOT CONTACTED ME. I TOLD THE SALES PERSON THAT IT SADDEN ME THAT $240 WAS MORE IMPORTANT THAN MY FUTURE BUSINESS. WHY SHOULD SATURN OWNER PAY FOR A COMMON PROBLEM THAT THEY HAVE KNOWN EXIST? AND FROM WHAT I'VE READ A NEW IGNITION IS NOT THE SOLUTION. OFTEN IT WORKS FOR A YEAR AND THEN SAME PROBLEM COMES BACK. IT HAS BEEN MENTIONED THAT IT COULD BE A PASSLOCK SYSTEM PROBLEM OR GEL INSIDE THE IGNITION SWITCH THAT AGES AND LOSES CONDUCTIVITY OVER TIME. WHO KNOWS? ANY HELP WOULD BE APPRECIATED. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10257696February 6, 2009
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 SATURN ION. THE CONTACT HAD TO MAKE SEVERAL ATTEMPTS TO START THE ENGINE SUCCESSFULLY. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE FAILURE OCCURRED MORE FREQUENTLY IN COLD WEATHER CONDITIONS. THE AUTHORIZED DEALER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND THEY STATED THAT IT WAS A COMMON OCCURRENCE. THE VEHICLE IS IN THE PROCESS OF BEING TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER FOR REPAIR. THE VIN AND MILEAGES WERE UNKNOWN.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10257745February 6, 2009
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
I HAVE HAD BY ION FOR 4.5 YEARS. I JUST HAD TO REPLACE THE IGNITION SWITCH FOR THE 2ND TIME. THE FIRST TIME WAS ABOUT 3 YEARS AGO. I HAVE ABOUT 65000 MILES. IT SEEMS LIKE THIS IS A MANUFACTURER DEFECT THAT I SHOULD NOT HAVE TO KEEP PAYING TO HAVE FIXED. THERE WERE NO WARNING SIGNS, JUST ONE MORNING IT WOULD NOT START. IT WOULD THEN START SPORADICALLY UNTIL I FIXED THE PROBLEM. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10257551February 5, 2009
STEERING, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 SATURN ION. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE FAILS TO START ON COLD MORNINGS. THE FAILURE WAS INTERMITTENT. AN INDICATOR FLASHES, WHICH SIGNIFIES THAT THE PAST LOCK SYSTEM IS ACTIVATED AND THAT THE VEHICLE IS BEING STOLEN; HOWEVER, THIS IS NOT THE CASE. THE VEHICLE USUALLY STARTS AFTER TEN MINUTES. THERE IS A TSB FOR THIS FAILURE AND THE VEHICLE IS STILL UNDER WARRANTY. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THEY HAVE NEVER BEEN ABLE TO REPLICATE THE FAILURE BECAUSE IT ONLY OCCURS APPROXIMATELY TWELVE TIMES A YEAR OR IN COLD WEATHER. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 30,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10257586February 5, 2009
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION
MY CAR DOES NOT START IN THE COLD. (AT OR BELOW FREEZING.) I HAVE HAD THIS PROBLEM MANY TIMES SO FAR!! AFTER DOING SOME ONLINE "RESEARCH" I HAVE FOUND HUNDREDS OF OTHER PEOPLE WHO HAVE THE EXACT SAME PROBLEM WITH THIS CAR ON DIFFERENT FORUMS AND CONSUMER COMPLAINT WEBSITES. WHAT IS GM DOING TO REMEDY THIS, AND WHY ISN'T THERE A RECALL ON THE IGNITION SWITCH OR WHATEVER PART IS AT FAULT? I WAS STUCK OUTSIDE IN THE COLD TODAY WITH MY TWO SMALL CHILDREN WHILE WAITING FOR SOMEONE TO HELP ME...!!! *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10257386February 4, 2009
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
2004 SATURN ION WILL NOT START WHEN COLD OUT. IT WOULDN'T EVEN START AT 20 DEGREES F. THIS HAS HAPPENED NUMEROUS TIMES NOW. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10257454February 4, 2009
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 SATURN ION. APPROXIMATELY A MONTH AND A HALF AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED IN OCTOBER OF 2008, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO START. THE VEHICLE FINALLY STARTED AFTER APPROXIMATELY FOUR ATTEMPTS. THE FAILURE HAS OCCURRED INTERMITTENTLY SINCE THE FIRST INCIDENT. ALSO, IN COLD WEATHER CONDITIONS, THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT START. THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN TO A VOCATIONAL SCHOOL REPAIR SHOP FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE IGNITION SWITCH WAS DEFECTIVE. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THERE WAS NO RECALL RELATING TO THE FAILURE; THEREFORE, THEY WERE NOT LIABLE FOR THE REPAIRS. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 32,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 30,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10257505February 4, 2009
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
2004 SATURN ION WILL NOT START IN COLD WEATHER. FIGHTING SAME PROBLEM FOR THE LAST TWO WINTERS.(HAVE READ MANY OTHERS WITH SAME RECURRING PROBLEM). *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10257322February 3, 2009
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
MY 2004 SATURN ION WILL NOT START CONSISTENTLY DURING COLD WEATHER. I HAVE REPLACED THE BATTERY ALREADY WHICH ENDED UP NOT BEING THE PROBLEM. THEN I FOUND INFORMATION ALL OVER THE INTERNET ABOUT THOUSANDS OF OTHER PEOPLE WHO ARE HAVING THE SAME ISSUE I AM HAVING. I SHOULD NOT HAVE TO SPEND MY HARD EARNED MONEY ON PROBLEM THAT WAS DEFECTIVE FROM THE FACTORY. I HAVE BEEN WAITING FOR SATURN/GM TO HAVE SOME INTEGRITY ON THIS ISSUE, DO THE RIGHT THING AND ISSUE THEIR OWN RECALL, BUT SO FOR THAT HASN'T HAPPENED YET. I HAVE BEEN EXPERIENCING THIS PROBLEM SINCE I BOUGHT THE CAR IN 2006. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10257334February 3, 2009
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
I HAVE A 2004 SATURN ION. IN COLD WEATHER THE DIELECTRIC LUBRICATION FREEZES AND INTERFERES WITH THE SECURITY SYSTEM - MAKING THE VEHICLE UNABLE TO START. THIS PROBLEM OCCURS APPROXIMATELY 50% OF THE TIME WHEN THE TEMPERATURE DROPS BELOW FREEZING - MORE FREQUENTLY WITH EVEN COLDER TEMPERATURES. THE PROBLEM IS OFTEN REMEDIED BY WAITING FOR 10 - 30 MINUTES UNTIL THE SECURITY SYSTEM RESETS ITSELF AND THEN TRYING TO START THE VEHICLE AGAIN. I FOUND A LOT OF COMPLAINTS BY CONSUMERS WITH THE SAME ISSUE BY SEARCHING GOOGLE. I ALSO SPOKE WITH A SATURN DEALERSHIP SERVICE DEPARTMENT. THE PERSON I SPOKE WITH AT THE SATURN SERVICE DEPARTMENT SAID HE WAS VERY FAMILIAR WITH THE PROBLEM AND VERIFIED THE DIAGNOSIS I LISTED ABOVE (DIELECTRIC LUBRICATION FREEZING RESULTING THE SECURITY SYSTEM LOCKDOWN) BUT SAID THERE WERE NO RELATED RECALLS. I KNOW THREE PEOPLE WITH SATURN IONS AND THEY ALL HAVE THE EXACT SAME PROBLEM. TWO OF THE OWNERS I KNOW TOOK THE VEHICLE IN TO SATURN DEALERSHIPS FOR REPAIR AND THEY REPLACED THE STARTER, A THREE-HUNDRED DOLLAR PROCEDURE WHICH DID NOT FIX THE PROBLEM. I HOPE YOU CAN LOOK INTO ISSUING A RECALL ON THIS ISSUE BECAUSE BASED ON PERSONAL SOURCES, A SATURN DEALER, AND GOOGLE SEARCHES, IT SEEMS TO BE A VERY COMMON PROBLEM. ALSO, LIVING IN MINNESOTA THE TEMPERATURES CAN GET DANGEROUSLY LOW - WHERE BEING LEFT STRANDED OUTSIDE FOR 30 MINUTES WITHOUT A HEAT SOURCE CAN RESULT IN FROSTBITE, HYPOTHERMIA, AND EVEN DEATH. THANK YOU. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
1
Deaths:
0
#10257127February 2, 2009
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
MY VEHICLE ON COLD DAYS WILL NOT RELIABLY START. TURN KEY, ALL LIGHTS AND INDICATORS WORK BUT START FUNCTION IS ELECTRONICALLY TERMINATED WITHIN 1 SECOND OF ENGAGEMENT. THE CAR WILL START AFTER WAITING FOR TEN TO TWENTY MINUTES AS IF NOTHING WAS WRONG. AFTER MANY TRIPS TO THE MECHANIC (DEALER AND NON) I HAVE FOUND MANY SUCH REPORTS ON-LINE INDICATING A FAULTY IGNITION SWITCH WHICH FAILS IN COLD WEATHER. THE TIME DELAY IN STARTING APPEARS TO BE SOME TYPE OF INTERACTION WITH THE THEFT DETERRENT SYSTEM. I WILL NOW PAY TO HAVE THIS PART REPLACED BUT SUSPECT, AS MANY HAVE REPORTED, THAT THIS WILL CORRECT THE ISSUE FOR ONE OR TWO YEARS BEFORE IT OCCURS AGAIN (AS MANY OTHERS HAVE ALSO REPORTED). *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10256919January 30, 2009
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS, STEERING, SUSPENSION
AFTER 5 YEARS MY 2004 SATURN ION WILL NOT START WHEN THE TEMPERATURE IS BELOW +10F. THERE IS POWER ( NEW BATTERY ) AND NO FUEL ISSUE ( CLEAN FUEL SYSTEM AND FILTER ), BUT AFTER 10 TO 15 MINUTES AND A COUPLE OF HESITANT ENGINE TURNS, IT STARTS. NO ONE NEEDS AN UNRELIABLE VEHICLE WHERE WINTER TEMPS LAST SEVERAL MONTHS. AFTER REPLACING THE ANTI-SWAY BAR, BOTH HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLIES AS WELL AS OTHER ANNOYING PROBLEMS ( INSTRUMENT LIGHTS OUT, CABIN FAN NOISY ) I WILL NEVER EVER BUY ANOTHER SATURN . I TOOK THE PROBLEM ( OUT OF WARRANTY OF COURSE ) TO SATURN OF ROCHESTER AND WAS TOLD IT WAS A FAULTY IGNITION SWITCH, A COMMON PROBLEM FOR THIS MAKE AND MODEL YEAR. SINCE IT IS NOT A SAFETY ISSUE, NO RECALL WAS ISSUED AND I WOULD HAVE TO PAY AT LEAST $275 UNLESS "SOMETHING ELSE" CAME UP. BEING LATE FOR WORK ( PUBLIC SAFETY AND VOLUNTEER FIREMAN ) OR MY WIFE AND CHILDREN IS NOT AN OPTION FOR ME. PLEASE FORCE GM TO MAKE THE RECALL ON THIS IGNITION PART FOR THE FINANCIALLY STRESSED NEW YORK CONSUMERS. THANK YOU. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10256319January 26, 2009
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
1. THERE WERE NO PROBLEMS, UNTIL IT GOT COLD OUT. 2. IF THERE IS ANYTIME THE WEATHER STOOPS BELOW 10 DEGREES F, THE CAR WILL NOT START. IT WILL CLICK AND CLICK AND CLICK, THEN NOTHING. EVERY ONCE AND A WHILE IT WILL START FOR ALL OF A SECOND, THEN QUIT. THEN IT DOES NOTHING WHEN I TRY TO START IT AGAIN. 3. I HAVE DONE NOTHING YET, BUT AFTER READING FORUMS WHERE MANY PEOPLE COMPLAIN ABOUT THE SAME PROBLEM, I'M GOING TO TRY CHANGING THE IGNITION MODULE, AND POSSIBLY GET A REMOTE STARTER. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10256201January 24, 2009
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
IN TRYING TO START MY CAR IN THE MORNINGS, ESPECIALLY WHEN IT IS COLD OUTSIDE, IT FAILS TO START AND MY SECURITY SYSTEM LIGHT WILL FLASH. I HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT THIS IS RELATED TO THE PASSLOCK SYSTEM, BUT IT IS NOT UNDER WARRANTY. I OCCURS 5 OUT OF 7 DAYS A WEEK. I WAS TOLD THAT THERE WAS NOTHING TO BE DONE UNLESS I DISABLE MY SECURITY SYSTEM. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10256235January 24, 2009
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
THE VEHICLE IN QUESTION DOES NOT START ON COLD MORNINGS AND MANY MORNINGS MISSED AT WORK, AND OTHER APPOINTMENTS. MONEY HAS BEEN SPENT ON STARTERS AND BATTERIES BUT MANY OWNERS OF THIS SIMILAR VEHICLE HAVE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM, BUT SATURN IS REFUSING TO FIX THE PROBLEM. THIS COULD BE A POTENTIAL SAFETY HAZARD WHEN THE CAR DOES NOT START IN EXTREME COLD TEMPERATURES AND THE VEHICLE HAS YOUNG CHILDREN AND ELDERLY. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10255966January 22, 2009
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
JUST ABOUT EVERY DAY I HAVE PROBLEMS STARTING MY CAR IN THE COOLER TEMPERATURES. THE IGNITION TRIES TO START UP, BUT THEN DOES NOTHING. I CAN UNDERSTAND WHEN THIS IS A PROBLEM IN -20 WEATHER, BUT THIS HAPPENS WHEN THE TEMPERATURES AREN'T EVEN BELOW FREEZING. I HAVE TRIED ADDING IGNITION CLEANER, AND I ADD HEAT TO MY TANK EVERY TIME I FILL UP (AND NEVER LET MY TANK GET BELOW HALF-FULL) - NOTHING SEEMS TO WORK. ONLINE FORUMS I HAVE LOOKED AT FOR THIS PROBLEM SAY THAT MY MAKE AND YEAR (AS WELL AS YEARS SURROUNDING MINE) HAVE PROBLEMS WITH THE IGNITION SYSTEM AND THIS "SHOULD" BE A RECALL BUT ISN'T. I'VE BEEN LATE TO WORK, OR MY CAR HASN'T STARTED AT ALL ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10256004January 22, 2009
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
IT WON'T START WHEN IT IS COLD. I NEED TO WAIT 10-15 MIN AND TRY AGAIN. I SEE A LOT OF SATURN OWNERS' ARE HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10256042January 22, 2009
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
HI, I HAVE A 2004 SATURN ION, WITH ONLY 22,000 MILES ON IT. IT SEEMS TO HAVE A PROBLEM STARTING IN COLD WEATHER. I HAD TO TAKE MY MOMS 1988 BUICK TO WORK YESTERDAY BECAUSE MY CAR WOULDN'T START IN THE COLD! IT HAPPENED ABOUT TWO WEEKS AGO, AND I WAITED ABOUT 10 MINUTES AND IT STARTED RIGHT UP. ABOUT A MONTH AGO IT HAPPENED WHEN I WAS GOING OUT TO LUNCH, SAME THING AFTER TEN MINUTES IT STARTED RIGHT UP. I CAN'T KEEP BEING LATE FOR WORK AND MISSING APPOINTMENTS AND WHEN I TAKE MY WIFE'S CAR SHE HAS TO WALK 15 BLOCKS WITH THE KIDS TO SCHOOL AND IF IT'S TOO COLD FOR THIS CAR TO START I DON'T REALLY WANT MY KIDS TO WALK. I CALLED SATURN TODAY AND WAS TOLD THEY'RE NOT AWARE OF ANY PROBLEMS, YET WHEN YOU SEARCH THE INTERNET THERE'S THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE COMPLAINING ABOUT THIS. ANY HELP WOULD BE GREATLY APPRECIATED. THANKS IN ADVANCE FOR YOUR HELP IN THIS MATTER. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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