2003 SATURN ION Complaints

KEY GETS STUCK IN THE ACCESSORY POSITION WHEN CAR IS TURNED OFF REQUIRING MANY ATTEMPTS TO GET IT OUT. THE CONSUMER STATED THE IGNITION COIL WAS REPLACED. HOWEVER, THE KEY CONTINUED TO GET STUCK IN THE ACCESSORY POSITION AT ODD INTERVALS. WHEN THE CONSUMER RETURNED TO THE DEALER, HE WAS INFORMED THE PROBLEM WAS NOT RELATED TO THE RECALL AND HE WOULD HAVE TO PAY FOR THE REPAIR. UPDATED 12/17/14. *JB

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 SATURN ION. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE STEERING WHEEL WOULD BECOME DIFFICULT TO CONTROL WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED THAT THE ELECTRONIC STEERING MOTOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 120,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 124,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 SATURN ION. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE ATTEMPTING TO PARK, THE POWER STEERING FAILED CAUSING THE STEERING WHEEL TO BECOME DIFFICULT TO MANEUVER. THE CONTACT RESTARTED THE VEHICLE AND RETURNED TO NORMAL FUNCTIONED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 300,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 335,000.

POWER STEERING LOST POWER WHILE DAUGHTER WAS PRACTICING PARALLEL PARKING (REPEATED TURN OF STEERING WHEEL). POWER STEERING CAME BACK ON AFTER IGNITION WAS TURNED OFF AND THEN TURNED BACK ON. HOWEVER, THE SAME THING HAPPENED AGAIN AFTER A WHILE UNDER THE SAME CIRCUMSTANCES (PRACTICING PARALLEL PARKING). THE PROBLEM DIDN'T OCCUR DURING REGULAR DRIVING, BUT AGAIN IN FEBRUARY AND THEN IN MARCH WHILE PRACTICING PARALLEL PARKING. A PRESS RELEASE FROM GENERAL MOTORS SAYS ALL SATURN IONS FROM 2004 ONWARDS ARE RECALLED FOR THIS ISSUE AND SOME 96 THOUSAND 2003 MODEL YEAR IONS HAVE BEEN GIVEN LIFETIME WARRANTY FOR THIS ISSUE BUT I AM TOLD MY VEHICLE ISN'T COVERED, EVEN THOUGH IT EXHIBITS THE SAME POWER LOSS TO THE STEERING AND HAS THE SAME POWER ASSIST MOTOR. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 SATURN ION. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE POWER STEERING WOULD SUDDENLY MALFUNCTION MAKING THE STEERING WHEEL VERY DIFFICULT TO TURN. ALSO, THE CONTACT INDICATED THAT AFTER THE IGNITION SWITCH WAS REPLACED DUE TO THE NHTSA RECALL CAMPAIGN NUMBER 14E021000 (ELECTRICAL) THE AIR BAG SENSOR LIGHT HAD ILLUMINATED AND THE HORN WOULD NOT OPERATE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 66,000.

I RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE FOR THE IGNITION SWITCH & IGNITION LOCK CYLINDER AND IGNITION KEY. CONTACTED THE LOCAL GMC DEALER AND THEY SAY THEY DON'T HAVE THE PARTS. IT'S BEEN ABOUT 3 MONTHS SINCE I CONTACTED THEM. THE GMC DEALER IS: BUICK GMC AT 361 N. SWITZER CANYON, FLAGSTAFF, AZ (PHONE 928-774-1472). LAST WEEK I RECEIVED A POST CARD FROM GMC SAYING THAT THEIR RECORDS INDICATED THAT I HAD NOT SERVICED THE CAR FOR THE RECALL NOTICE. THEY URGE ME TO TAKE CARE OF THE PROBLEMS. THE ISSUE IS THAT THE DEALER SAYS THEY DON'T HAVE THE PARTS. I HAVEN'T HAD ANY INCIDENTS THUS FAR WITH THE CAR. I RIDE THE PUBLIC BUS TO WORK. *TR

FOR YEARS, AND WITH INCREASING FREQUENCY, WHEN I TURN MY CAR OFF, THE KEY IS STUCK IN THE IGNITION FOR A WHILE AS IF THE CAR STILL THINKS IT'S IN DRIVE. (YOU WILL SEE THE SAME BEHAVIOR IF THE SHIFTER BUTTON IS BLOCKED FROM EXTENDING BY A BOTTLE IN THE CUPHOLDER AFTER YOU PUT THE CAR IN PARK.) NEVERTHELESS, EVEN WHEN THE SHIFTER IS IN PARK PROPERLY, OFTEN THERE IS A LONG PAUSE AND CLICKING IN THE STEERING COLUMN BEFORE THE KEY WILL RELEASE. SOMETIMES YOU HAVE TO TURN THE KEY ON & BACK OFF BEFORE THE CAR REGISTERS THIS. NOW AT 71,000 MILES IT HAPPENS MORE OFTEN THAN NOT. I HOPE THE IGNITION RECALL CORRECTS THIS PROBLEM, BUT SEE FROM YOUR EXISTING COMPLAINTS THAT IT HASN'T FOR SOME, SO HERE'S DOCUMENTATION OF THIS HAPPENING IN ANOTHER CAR. *TR

STARTING 7 YEARS AGO, THE POWER STEERING INTERMITTENTLY GOES OUT, USUALLY WHILE PARALLEL PARKING. IT IS NOT REPRODUCIBLE ON DEMAND, SO TRIPS TO THE MECHANIC YIELDED NOTHING. I NOW SEE THERE IS TALK OF A POWER STEERING RECALL SEPARATE FROM THE IGNITION RECALL -- BUT ONLY STARTING WITH 2004 ION! WHY NOT ALSO THE 2003? THE SAME PROBLEM EXISTS WITH THIS YEAR. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 SATURN ION. THE CONTACT STATED AFTER DRIVING THE VEHICLE FOR A FEW MILES THERE WAS A FUEL ODOR THROUGHOUT THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED, THE FUEL ODOR INCREASED. THE FAILURE RECURRED ON A REGULAR BASIS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 165,000.

2003 SATURN ION. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO VEHICLE NOT STARTING INTERMITTENTLY AND IGNITION SWITCH RECALL NOTICE REPAIRS. *SMD THE CONSUMER RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE, IN THE MAIL. HOWEVER, WHEN SHE CALLED THE DEALER TO INQUIRE ABOUT AN APPOINTMENT, SHE WAS INFORMED, THE PARTS WERE NOT AVAILABLE. THE CONSUMER WENT TO HER LOCAL MECHANIC AND HAD THE IGNITION SWITCH REPLACED. SHE IS NOW SEEKING REIMBURSEMENT. THE CONSUMER WAS INFORMED, SHE THE REPLACEMENT, WAS NOT PERFORMED BY A GM DEALER, SHE WOULD NOT BE ENTITLED TO REIMBURSEMENT. *JB