Saturn Ion Complaints (2003)

758 consumer complaints on file.

• #10129097July 18, 2005
  ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

  UNRESOLVE PROBLEM (7/2004 - 7/2005) VEHICLE IS UNSAFE. SUDDENLY STALLS AND STOPS WHILE ON HIGHWAY CREATING HAZARD FOR TRAFFIC FOLLOWING AT 65 MPH. RETURNED TO DEALER SEVERAL TIMES. THEY CAN NOT ISOLATE THE PROBLEM AND CAN NOT REPAIR.

  Crash:

  No

  Fire:

  No

  Injuries:

  0

  Deaths:

  0

• #10128630July 13, 2005
  EQUIPMENT, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:ANTI-THEFT:CONTROL MODULE, EXTERIOR LIGHTING:TURN SIGNAL:FLASHER UNIT, LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:DOORS:LATCH

  AT THE TIME MY SATURN WAS INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT IT WAS UNDER 30,000 MILES AND STILL UNDER WARRENTY. I WAS DRIVING ON A BUSY HIGHWAY AND MY ACCELERATOR GOT STUCK. AT THE TIME I COULD NOT SEE WHAT WAS HOLDING DOWN MY ACCELERATOR. IT WAS A PIECE OF PANEL THAT CAME OFF PARTIALLY THAT WAS HOLDING THE ACCELERATOR REALLY HARD AND IT WAS STUCK MAKING MY PEDAL STUCK ALMOST ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR. I TRIED TO SLOW THE CAR DOWN WITH BOTH FEET ON THE BREAKS AND THE EMERGENCY BREAK TO NO AVAIL. I DIDN'T TURN THE IGNITION OFF BECAUSE I HAD CARS ON ALL SIDES OF ME GOING 50-70 MPH. IT WAS WHEN I CAME TO A RED LIGHT THAT I REALIZED MY CAR WASN'T GOING TO STOP AND I HAD NO OTHER CHOICE BUT TO HIT AN SUV AND MY CAR KEPT TRYING TO ACCELERATE AND PUSH THE SUV OUT OF THE WAY. THAT IS WHEN I TURNED OFF THE IGNITION. I HAD TO TURN OFF THE IGNITION BEFORE ANOTHER ACCIDENT OCCURRED. THE SUV WAS DAMAGED. MY CAR WAS DAMAGED. I HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO GET MY CAR FIXED BECAUSE I AM WAITING FOR SATURN TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE MANUFACTURING DEFECT WHICH CAUSED THE ACCIDENT, SO THAT THEY COULD LEND ME A RENT-A-CAR WHILE IT IS IN THE SHOP. BUT, I CANNOT GET THEM TO GIVE ME A CALL TO MAKE AN APPOINTMENT TO GET MY CAR IN THE SHOP OR SUPPLY A RENT-A-CAR. A FORENSIC INVESTIGATOR INSPECTED MY CAR ON FRIDAY AND AGREES THAT I DIDN'T CAUSE THE ACCIDENT. HE SUPPLIED THE INFORMATION TO SATURN AND STILL THREE DAYS LATER I CAN'T EVEN GET A COURTESY CALL. THE ACCIDENT WAS ON JUNE 16, 2005. I COULDN'T GET THEM TO CALL ME TO SPEAK ABOUT WHAT MY OPTIONS WERE UNTIL THE WEEK OF JULY 1, 2005. THEN AN INVESTIGATOR JULY 8, 2005. THEY HAVE NOT MADE ONE EFFORT TO WORK WITH ME ABOUT GETTING THE CAR INTO THE SHOP. THEY HAVE NOT GIVEN ME THE TIME OF DAY TO MAKE AN APPOINTMENT WITH A SATURN SHOP LOCATION TO GET MY CAR FIXED AND SO THAT THEY COULD SUPPLY A RENT-A-CAR.

  Crash:

  Yes

  Fire:

  No

  Injuries:

  0

  Deaths:

  0

• #10128645July 13, 2005
  AIR BAGS:FRONTAL

  MY DAUGHTER (17 YEARS OLD) HAD AN ACCIDENT FOUR DAYS AGO. SHE HIT A TREE - HEAD ON GOING SOMEWHERE AROUND 40 MPH. NEITHER AIR BAG DEPLOYED. EMERGENCY PERSONNEL - AGAIN - WERE IN A STATE OF SHOCK AND AWE. THIS IS OUR FOURTH (4TH) GM VEHICLE INVOLVED IN A "TOTAL LOSS" ACCIDENT WHERE THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY.

  Crash:

  Yes

  Fire:

  No

  Injuries:

  6

  Deaths:

  0

• #10113665May 6, 2005
  VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

  VEHICLE EXPERIENCED SUDDEN ACCELERATION WHILE IN TRAFFIC, CAUSING CONSUMER'S VEHICLE TO CRASH INTO ANOTHER VEHICLE. DRIVER SUSTAINED INJURIES. TAKEN FOR REPAIR TO THE DEALER FOR THE SECOND TIME, BUT THE CAUSE WAS UNDETERMINED EVEN AFTER THE COMPUTER HAD BEEN RESET.*AK CONSUMER STATED THE ONLY WAY TO STOP THE VEHICLE WAS WHEN IT HIT THE OTHER CAR IN FRONT. PUT FOOT ON BRAKE TO STOP THE CAR AND IT SURGE FORWARD. *BF *NM

  Crash:

  Yes

  Fire:

  No

  Injuries:

  3

  Deaths:

  0

• #10111698May 6, 2005
  LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:DOORS:LATCH, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, STRUCTURE

  WHILE DRIVING. UPON STOPPING THE VEHICLE. THE CONSUMER GOT OUT TO TAKE THE CHILD OUT OF THE VEHICLE WITH THE IGNITION RUNNING. THE DOORS LOCKED, AND THE CONSUMER COULD NOT GET HER CHILD OUT OF THE VEHICLE. CONSUMER CONTACTED THE DEALER. HOWEVER, THE PROBLEM STILL EXIST. *NM DOORS LOCKED AUTOMATICALLY UPON EXITING DRIVER'S SIDE. ADDITIONAL SERVICE INCLUDE, THE A/C AND HEATER FUNTION FAILED DUE TO FAULTY CONNECTION FROM SWITCH TO RESISTOR CARD, COLLAPSE OF HORN COVER CAUSING LOSS OF AIRBAG. IGNITION SWITCH FAILED. THE SIGNAL AND RUNNING LAMPS WERE INOPERATIVE. *BF

  Crash:

  No

  Fire:

  No

  Injuries:

  0

  Deaths:

  0

• #10118245April 21, 2005
  ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION

  I PURCHASED A SATURN ION IN JUNE OF 2003. I BEGAN HAVING PROBLEMS STARTING THE CAR IN OCTOBER OF 2004. IT WOULD NOT START AND WOULD JUST MAKE A CLICKING NOISE WHEN THE KEY WAS TURNED. THERE WAS POWER TO ALL ACCESSORIES SO IT WAS NOT A BATTERY FAILURE. THE SERVICE ENGINE LIGHT WOULD COME ON. AFTER ABOUT 30 MINUTES OF TRYING TO GET THE VEHICLE TO START, IT WOULD FINALLY START ONCE AGAIN (ROUGHLY AT FIRST) AND THE SERVICE ENGINE LIGHT WOULD DISAPPEAR. I TOOK IT TO THE NEARBY SATURN DEALERSHIP AFTER THE FIRST OCCURRENCE AND WAS TURNED AWAY BECAUSE THEY "WERE TOO BUSY". I TOOK IT THERE THE NEXT DAY AND THEY SAID THAT NOTHING WAS WRONG WITH IT EXCEPT FOR AN OXYGEN SENSOR WHICH THEY REPLACED. I DROVE IT HOME. IT DID IT AGAIN TWICE IN THE NEXT TWO DAYS. I TOOK THE CAR BACK AGAIN AND THEY REPLACED THE IGNITION MODULE. I THOUGHT THAT EVERYTHING WAS OK UNTIL THIS PAST WEEKEND (APRIL 2005) WHEN IT DID THE EXACT SAME THING. I TOOK IT TO SATURN ON TUESDAY AND THEY COULD NOT RECREATE THE PROBLEM AND WOULD NOT PROVIDE ME WITH A LOANER CAR FOR MORE THAN ONE DAY. I HAD NO CHOICE BUT TO TAKE MY UNRELIABLE VEHICLE BACK. I CONTACTED SATURN CORPORATE AND FILED A COMPLAINT. THEY STATED THAT THEY WOULD ALLOW ME TO TAKE THE CAR BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP AND WOULD GET ME A LOANER FOR A FEW DAYS BUT IT WAS DOUBTFUL THAT THEY COULD GET IT TO REPEAT THE PROBLEM AS IT IS INTERMITTENT. I HAVE BEEN TOLD TO NOT START IT THE NEXT TIME AND JUST HAVE IT TOWED TO SATURN. THAT'S FINE EXCEPT WHAT IF IT DIES IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT AND I AM AWAY FROM HOME WITH MY TWO SMALL CHILDREN? MY VEHICLE IS LESS THAN TWO YEARS OLD AND I SHOULD NOT BE AFRAID TO DRIVE IT ANY DISTANCE FOR FEAR OF BEING STRANDED! *NM

  Crash:

  No

  Fire:

  No

  Injuries:

  0

  Deaths:

  0

• #10117431April 5, 2005
  EXTERIOR LIGHTING

  2003 SATURN ION HAS PROBLEMS WITH DAYTIME RUNNING LIGHTS.*MR *NM

  Crash:

  No

  Fire:

  No

  Injuries:

  0

  Deaths:

  0

• #10114911March 8, 2005
  AIR BAGS

  THE AIR BAGS OF THE CONSUMER'S 2003 SATURN ION 3 DID NOT INFLATE DURING ACCIDENT. *BF *NM

  Crash:

  Yes

  Fire:

  No

  Injuries:

  0

  Deaths:

  0

• #10109636March 2, 2005
  POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION, VISIBILITY:DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER/HVAC SYSTEM:HEATER CORE, STRUCTURE:BODY:HOOD:HINGE AND ATTACHMENTS

  DRIVER NOTICED THAT THE TRANSMISSION WOULD DOWN SHIFT ON ITS OWN. DRIVER TOOK VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION, AND MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT TRANSMISSION WAS ADJUSTED ON MORE THAN ONE OCCASION. HOWEVER, DRIVER INFORMED THE MECHANIC THAT THE PROBLEM STILL OCCURRED, AND HAD NOT BEEN RESOLVED. *AK THE CONSUMER STATED THAT THE ENGINE TAKES 2-5 MINUTES FOR IT TO IDLE DOWN FROM 2500 RPM'S. THE CONSUMER STATED THAT THE DEFOSTER ON THE PASSENGER SIDE FAILED. THE CONSUMER STATED THAT THE HOOD WOULD NOT ALWAYS CLOSE PROPERLY.

  Crash:

  No

  Fire:

  No

  Injuries:

  0

  Deaths:

  0

• #10111734February 17, 2005
  VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

  VEHICLE IS EXPERIENCING A PROBLEM WITH SUDDEN ACCELERATION. OWNER WAS DRIVING AND HAD FOOT ON BRAKE AT A FOUR WAY STOP. THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO ACCELERATE UP TO 3,000 RPM AND SURGED THROUGH THE INTERSECTION. PROVIDE FURTHER DETAILS. *NM

  Crash:

  No

  Fire:

  No

  Injuries:

  0

  Deaths:

  0

• #10106560January 18, 2005
  ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH

  OVER THE PAST 2 AND 1/2 WEEKS WE HAVE HAD A PROBLEM STARTING OUR 2003 SATURN ION. THE CAR WOULD NOT START LEADING ONE TO BELIEVE THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITH THE BATTERY. THEN A FEW HOURS LATER THE CAR STARTED AND THE SERVICE ENGINE LIGHT CAME AND WENT VERY QUICKLY. A WEEK LATER, THE SAME THING HAPPENED AND THE CAR STARTED UP AGAIN LATER WITH NO PROBLEM. A FEW DAYS LATER THE SAME THING HAPPENED. THE LOCAL SATURN SERVICE TECH ADVISED US THAT THIS PROBLEM HAS BEEN SEEN WITH OTHER IONS AND THAT THE IGNITION SWITCH WOULD HAVE TO BE REPLACED. *NM

  Crash:

  No

  Fire:

  No

  Injuries:

  0

  Deaths:

  0

• #10106435January 16, 2005
  POWER TRAIN

  ALMOST FROM DAY ONE, THE TRACTION CONTROL DOES NOT TURN OFF. THE DEALER SAYS THEY HOOKED UP A COMPUTER TO SEE IF IT TURNED OFF AND THEY SAID IT DOES, BUT, AS SOON AS I LEFT THE DEALER, I HIT THE BUTTON TO TURN OFF THE TRACTION CONTROL AND I SPUN THE TIRES AND THE TRACTION CONTROL KICKED ON AND THE CAR HAD NO POWER PULLING OUT INTO TRAFFIC. YET THE DEALER SAYS THERE IS NOTHING WRONG. *NM

  Crash:

  No

  Fire:

  No

  Injuries:

  0

  Deaths:

  0

• #10106266January 13, 2005
  FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE

  I HAVE A 2003 SATURN ION COUPE. WHEN I WOULD DRIVE FOR A LITTLE WHILE AND LET THE CAR WARM UP, THERE ARE INTERMITTENT OCCASIONS WHERE I WILL SLOW DOWN SUDDENLY, FOR EXAMPLE, THE CHANGING OF A STOP LIGHT, AND WHEN I EITHER COME TO THE STOP OR WHEN I ACCELERATE AGAIN, THE CAR WOULD IN ESSENCE STALL OUT AND TURN OFF. HOWEVER THE CAR WOULD START RIGHT BACK UP WHEN I PUT IT BACK IN PARK. IT HAPPENED ONCE, MAYBE TWICE B4 I HAD A CHANCE TO REALIZE IT WAS A SERIOUS PROBLEM. ON THE 12TH OF JANUARY IT STALLED AS I WAS MAKING A RIGHT HANG TURN AT AN INTERSECTION AND BECAUSE OF THIS, I LOST POWER STEERING AND HIT THE MEDIAN AND A ROCK BED ON THE MEDIAN. THERE HAS BEEN SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE VEHICLE AND IT IS CURRENTLY STILL IN THE SHOP. I DO NOT KNOW AT THIS POINT IN TIME THE EXACT REASON FOR THE STALL. JUST THAT I HAVE DONE NOTHING BUT TAKE GOOD CARE OF THIS CAR AND SEE NO REASON FOR IT DO THIS. *NM

  Crash:

  Yes

  Fire:

  No

  Injuries:

  0

  Deaths:

  0

• #10105756January 4, 2005
  POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

  WHILE ON LOCAL INTERSTATE HIGHWAY, THE SATURN ION 3 QUAD COUPE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION BEGAN TO SLIP. THE RPMS REACHED ABOUT 6,000 WHILE TRYING TO MAINTAIN THE SPEED AND PULL OVER TO THE RIGHT. AFTER A BRIEF FULL STOP (WHILE IN DRIVE), THE TRANSMISSION ENGAGED PROPERLY AND DID NOT SLIP. UPON TAKING THE NEXT EXIT, THE CAR WAS PLACED INTO PARK AND WAS IDLING. EXITING THE VEHICLE, THERE WAS A STRONG BURNING SMELL WHICH WAS QUITE SIMILAR TO A CLUTCH SLIPPING IN A MANUAL TRANSMISSION. NO FLUIDS WERE SEEN DRIPPING AND THERE WAS NO COSMETIC DAMAGE. THE CAR WOULD NOT RETURN TO DRIVE. DESPITE PRESSING THE BRAKE AS REQUIRED, THE CAR WAS 'LOCKED' INTO PARK. A STRANGE CLICK WAS HEARD FROM THE AREA NEAR THE TRUNK RELEASE BUTTON. THIS WAS DIFFERENT FROM THE NORMAL CLICK THAT IS HEARD WHEN THE BRAKE IS DEPRESSED IN PARK. HE VEHICLE WAS SHUT OFF AND THEN RESTARTED. THE CAR WOULD PROPERLY ENTER DRIVE AND THE ABNORMAL CLICK WAS NOT PRESENT.THE LOCAL SATURN DEALER REPLACED THE "INPUT" AND "OUTPUT" FILTERS IN THE TRANSMISSION PER DIRECTION OF SATURN CORPORATION. TRANSMISSION HAS NOT SLIPPED AGAIN SINCE THIS REPAIR. *AK

  Crash:

  No

  Fire:

  No

  Injuries:

  0

  Deaths:

  0

• #10105464December 28, 2004
  ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FUSES AND CIRCUIT BREAKERS

  WHILE DRIVING,THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE CONSUMER WAS UNABLE TO RESTART THE VEHICLE. THE CONSUMER HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO THE DEALER. THE MECHANIC INFORMED THE DRIVER THAT THE FUSES AND CIRCUIT BREAKERS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE CONSUMER INFORMED THE MECHANIC THIS PROBLEM HAS OCCURRED MORE THAN ONCE AND HAS NOT BEEN RESOLVED. PLEASE FILL IN FURTHER INFORMATION. *JB

  Crash:

  No

  Fire:

  No

  Injuries:

  0

  Deaths:

  0

• #10109682December 27, 2004
  STRUCTURE:BODY:TRUNK LID, VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:CRUISE CONTROL

  WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE'S TRUNK OPENED. *NM THE CONSUMER STATED THAT THE CRUISE CONTROL WILL NOT SET. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE CRUISE CONTROL WAS WORKING WITHIN FACTORY SPECS. *TC *JB

  Crash:

  No

  Fire:

  No

  Injuries:

  0

  Deaths:

  0

• #10103765December 14, 2004
  POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

  TRANSMISSION: WHILE DRIVING 25 MPH VEHICLE FROZE. CONSUMER COULD NOT GO BACKWARD OR FORWARD. SHE HAD THIS PROBLEM SEVERAL TIMES IN THE PAST. CONTACTED THE DEALER, BUT THE PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. *AK

  Crash:

  No

  Fire:

  No

  Injuries:

  0

  Deaths:

  0

• #10108852December 10, 2004
  AIR BAGS:SIDE/WINDOW

  SATURN ION CONTAINED SIDE AND FRONT AIR BAGS, AND NEITHER DEPLOYED UPON IMPACT. *BF *SC (LAWYER ILIANA RUIZ REPRESENTING MARCIAL GARCIA, CONSUMER) WHEN THE CONSUMERS VEHICLE WAS STRUCK BY A VEHICLE THAT RAN A STOP SIGN, THE CONSUMER SPUN AROUND 180 DEGREES AND ENDED UP STRIKING A FENCE. *JB

  Crash:

  Yes

  Fire:

  No

  Injuries:

  1

  Deaths:

  0

• #10103398November 30, 2004
  EXTERIOR LIGHTING

  THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITH THE TURN SIGNAL LAMPS AND DAYTIME RUNNING LAMPS ON SATURN ION. *BF *SC

  Crash:

  Yes

  Fire:

  No

  Injuries:

  0

  Deaths:

  0

• #10098905November 15, 2004
  AIR BAGS:FRONTAL

  I CRASHED INTO THE SIDE OF ANOTHER CAR HEAD-ON IN MY SATURN IN (2003). THE FRONT OF MY CAR WAS COMPLETELY DESTROYED UP TO THE WINDSHIELD, YET THE AIRBAGS DID NOT ACTIVATE. IT WAS CRUSHED SO BAD THAT THE INSURANCE CO. TOTALLED MY CAR,YET WITH A WRECK SO BAD THE AIRBAGS DID NOT ACTIVATE??*AK

  Crash:

  Yes

  Fire:

  No

  Injuries:

  1

  Deaths:

  0