2006 SATURN ION Complaints

HIGHWAY BOUNCING? UNBALANCED FEELING UNDER VEHICLE? REPLACE STRUTS ASAP!! OKAY FOR THE PAST 30,000 MILES I HAVE BEEN EXPERIENCING WHAT I COULD DESCRIBE AS A CONSTANT BOUNCE. THE BOUNCE HAS NOW BECOME SO VIOLENT THAT CROSSING A BRIDGE ON A HIGHWAY THE BUMP WILL INCREASE THE AGGRESSION OF THE BOUNCE TO THE POINT THAT YOU BOUNCE RIGHT OFF OF THE ROAD. I HAVE SLOWLY BEEN TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT CAUSES THIS BOUNCING WOBBLE. AFTER NEW RIMS,CV-HALF SHAFTS, LUGNUTS, TIRES, STABILIZER END-LINKS, TIE-ROD ENDS, INNER TIE-ROD ENDS, AND BALL JOINTS. THE BOUNCE GOT MORE CONTROLLABLE FOR A SHORT PERIOD. NOT LONG AFTER THE NEW PARTS STARTED TO BREAK DOWN AGAIN. FINALLY DURING THE PURCHASE OF ALL OF THESE THINGS OVER AGAIN. I FIND AN INSTANCE WHERE THIS EXACT THING HAPPENED TO ANOTHER INDIVIDUAL. DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY WITH THE CONSTANT BOUNCE AS ALWAYS (4 MECHANICS ---- I AM PRETTY MECHANICALLY INCLINED, BUT COULD NOT DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM) THIS OTHER INDIVIDUAL GOES UP ON A BRIDGE (HIGHWAY SPEEDS) AND BOUNCES STRAIGHT ACROSS AND RIGHT OFF OF THE HIGHWAY INTO THE DITCH. LUCKILY IN BOTH OF OUR CASES WE WERE ABLE TO STOP THE VEHICLE BEFORE HITTING ANYTHING OTHER THAN SOME TALL GRASS AND SLIDING AROUND IN THE DIRT A BIT ON THE SIDE OF THE HIGHWAY. HE TAKES HIS FAMILY AND CAR TO THE NEAREST MECHANIC (THEY WERE GOING ON VACATION) AND THIS MECHANIC KNEW EXACTLY WHAT THE PROBLEM WAS. RELIEVED THIS PERSON WAS THAT HE HAD FINALLY FOUND A MECHANIC THAT SOLVED THIS WRETCHED, ANNOYING, AND ODD PROBLEM I HAVE NEVER EXPERIENCED BEFORE. THE STRUTS WERE COMPLETELY SHOT. THE CAR WAS NOT SAGGING ACCORDING TO MEASUREMENTS. BUMPS WEREN'T VIOLENT. AFTER REPLACEMENT OF THE OLD STRUTS I COULD LITERALLY PUSH THEM DOWN WITH ONE FINGER. LET GO AND WATCH AS THEY JUST RELAX IN PLACE. ANYONE EXPERIENCING A HIGHWAY BOUNCING WOBBLE LIKE SOMETHING IS UNBALANCED THEN REPLACE YOUR STRUTS!! *TR

ONE DAY UPON EXITING THE VEHICLE I EXPERIENCED A VERY STRONG ODOR OF GASOLINE. I LIVED IN THE COUNTRY AT THE TIME AND ALSO IN TEXAS. I SHRUGGED IT OFF THINKING I MAYBE GOT SOME ON THE SIDE OF THE CAR OR MY CLOTHES. LATER I ENTERED THE VEHICLE AND ATTEMPTED TO START IT. TURNS OVER 6 TIMES AFTER A SINGLE BUMP OF THE KEY BUT THIS TIME THE CAR DID NOT START. I THEN REMEMBERED THAT EARLIER I SMELLED FUEL. I THOUGHT MAYBE I HAVE A LEAK IN THE LINES. I CYCLED THE KEY 3 TIMES THEN TRIED TO START IT AGAIN. AFTER THE FIRST TURN IT CRANKED RIGHT UP. WHEN I RETURNED HOME THAT AFTERNOON I RESEARCHED A LITTLE AND FOUND THAT ITS BEEN NOTORIOUS FOR DEVELOPING A CRACK IN THE LINES RIGHT OFF OF THE PUMP. I LOOKED FOR A RECALL BUT FOUND NOTHING. NOTHING BUT COMPLAINTS THAT IS. WWW.ROCKAUTO.COM SAVED ME $200 FROM THE PRICE THAT O'REILLYS WANTED ME TO PAY BUT REGARDLESS THIS IS AN ISSUE THAT NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED. *TR

CAR LOSES POWER, BEGINS TO SMELL OF GAS AND CAN BE HARD TO RESTART. SMELLS OF GAS AFTER STARTING OR DRIVING FOR ANY PERIOD OF TIME NOW. *TR

I WAS DRIVING MY SATURN ION 2006 CAR AT 25 MILE/HOUR SPEED WHEN SUDDENLY I WAS UNABLE TO TURN THE STEERING WHEEL , IT JAMMED TOTALLY. I WAS NOT EXPECTING THAT IT WILL GET SO DIFFICULT TO MOVE THE STEERING WHEEL. LUCKILY I WAS ABLE TO STOP MY CAR ON THE SIDE AND THAN I TURNED IT OFF AND STARTED AGAIN , ON RE START THE STEERING FUNCTION RETURNED TO NORMAL.THIS WAS VERY SCARY FOR ME AS IF THE SAME INCIDENT HAD HAPPENED TO ME ON A HIGHWAY IT CAN BE FATAL. I HAD HEARD ABOUT THE FAILURE OF THE POWER STEERING AND RECALL . I THOUGHT IF IT FAILS I WILL BE STILL ABLE TO MOVE MY STEERING LIKE A OLD CAR WITHOUT POWER STEERING, BUT THE CASE IS DIFFERENT HERE, THE STEERING IS UNABLE TO MOVE EVEN WITH GREATER FORCE.I AM GOING BY TRAIN TO MY JOB TOMORROW , NOT WANT TO TAKE THE SAME RISK. NOW I HAVE PLAN TO GET IT FIXED AS EARLY AS POSSIBLE.I WILL CONTACT A DEALER AND WANT TO GET IT REPAIRED UNDER THE RECALL BY GM. I HAVE A RECALL LETTER FROM GM FOR THIS STEERING PROBLEM. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 SATURN ION. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE KEY BECAME STUCK IN THE RUN POSITION AND PREVENTED THE VEHICLE FROM SHUTTING OFF. THE CONTACT WAS UNABLE TO REMOVE THE KEY FROM THE IGNITION SWITCH AND HAD TO UNHOOK THE WIRING HARNESS IN ORDER TO SHUT OFF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V171000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM); HOWEVER, THE PART NEEDED FOR THE REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 108,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 SATURN ION. THE CONTACT STATED THAT IT TOOK NUMEROUS ATTEMPTS TO START THE VEHICLE. ONCE THE VEHICLE WAS STARTED, FUEL FUMES WERE PRESENT INSIDE THE CABIN. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, BUT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE FAILURE OCCURRED AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED ACCORDING TO NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V047000 (AIR BAGS, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM). THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 80,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 SATURN ION. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE POWER STEERING FAILED AND THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME DIFFICULT TO MANEUVER. AS A RESULT, THE CONTACT BUMPED INTO ANOTHER VEHICLE TO AVOID HITTING A PEDESTRIAN. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING, BUT WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE CONTACT RECEIVED A RECALL NOTIFICATION FOR NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V153000 (STEERING). THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 86,000. UPDATED 09/30/14*LJ THE CONSUMER STATED TO HAVE EXPERIENCED CARPAL TUNNEL SYNDROME THAT MAY HAVE BEEN CAUSE BY THE STEERING FAILURE. UPDATED 02/27/2015 *JS

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 SATURN ION. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE STALLED INTERMITTENTLY AND IT WAS EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO CHANGE GEARS ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO REPLACED THE IGNITION SWITCH AND THE KEYS BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE CONTACT ALSO MENTIONED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS DIFFICULT TO TURN. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

THIS CAR HAS A MANUAL TRANSMISSION. I TRIED TO PUT IT IN GEAR TO BACK OUT OF THE DRIVE WAY AND IT WOULDN'T BUDGE. SO I LET IT ROLL BACKWARDS IN NEUTRAL TO THE STREET. I PUMPED THE CLUTCH TO SEE IF THAT WOULD WORK. IT WOULDN'T GO INTO FIRST GEAR WHEN I WOULD TRY TO GET IT IN GEAR IT WOULD SLOWLY MOVE FORWARD EVEN THOUGH IT WASN'T IN GEAR. I CHECKED THE FLUID LEVELS AND THEY WERE FINE. I TURNED OFF THE CAR AND TRIED TO PUT IT IN FIRST IT WENT INTO FIRST GEAR JUST FINE AND WHEN I TURNED THE IGNITION ON, IT LUNGED ME FORWARD. I DROVE ABOUT 25 FEET WHILE TRYING TO CHANGE INTO SECOND GEAR, IT WOULDN'T BUDGE. SO I HAD TO TURN OFF THE CAR AGAIN SO IT WOULD GO INTO FIRST GEAR THEN I STARTED IT UP AND IT LUNGED ME FORWARD AGAIN. I NEEDED TO TURN AROUND TO GET BACK TO THE HOUSE BECAUSE SOMETHING WAS CLEARLY WRONG. I TRIED ONCE AGAIN TO PUT IT IN SECOND, SAME PROBLEM I HAD TO TURN IT OFF THEN THROW IT IN FIRST AND START IT UP REAL QUICK. I FINALLY GOT IT IN SECOND GEAR AND DROVE IT HOME. I STAYED IDLING IN SECOND GEAR IN FRONT OF MY HOUSE FOR ABOUT 5-7 MIN. THEN I TRIED TO GO AND IT WORKED, IT WENT INTO GEAR WITH EASE, AND CHANGED INTO ALL THE OTHER GEARS WITH EASE AS I DOVE THROUGH THE NEIGHBORHOOD JUST LIKE IT WAS A BRAND NEW CAR AGAIN & ALL DAY LIKE NOTHING HAD EVER HAPPENED. NOW EVERY MORNING SINCE THE SAME THING HAS HAPPENED SO I TAKE THE SAME STEPS, I PUMP THE CLUTCH AND LET IT SIT ABOUT 5 MIN. AND END UP APPLYING PRESSURE TO GET IT INTO GEAR AND IT WILL WORK ALL DAY UNTIL THIS MORNING. IT WILL STILL GO INTO GEAR WHEN ITS OFF AND STARTS THE SAME WAY AS I EXPLAINED BUT NOW AFTER WAITING THE 5-7 MIN BEFORE I TAKE OFF IT STILL WONT GO INTO GEAR OR "FIX ITSELF" LIKE IT DID BEFORE. HAVE MANY PEOPLE COMPLAINED ABOUT THIS? I'VE BEEN THE ONLY OWNER OF THIS CAR AND REPORTED IT TO MY LOCAL DEALER, IT WILL COST $115.00 JUST FOR THEM TO DIAGNOSE IT AND IM ON A LIMITED INCOME. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 SATURN ION. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH, THE ENGINE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT THEN SHIFTED THE VEHICLE INTO NEUTRAL AND RESTARTED THE VEHICLE. THE PROBLEM RECURRED MULTIPLE TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT RECEIVED A NOTICE FOR NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V047000 AIR BAGS , ELECTRICAL SYSTEM) AND THE DEALER STATED THAT THE PARTS WERE UNAVAILABLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNAVAILABLE.