2003 SATURN ION Complaints

View complaints related to 2003 SATURN ION. The complaints found here are submitted by actual consumers with first hand experience. There are more than 730 complaints submitted for the 2003 SATURN ION. You can submit your own complaint to the NHTSA or call the Hotline, Monday-Friday 8am to 8pm at (888) 327-4236, TTY: (800) 424-9153.

  • 2003 SATURN ION
    - ROUND LAKE PARK, IL

    TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 SATURN ION. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH AND ATTEMPTING TO MAKE A TURN, THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME HARD TO TURN. THE POWER STEERING LIGHT ILLUMINATED AFTER THE FAILURE OCCURRED. THE POWER STEERING REGAINED NORMAL FUNCTION WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS RESTARTED. A LOCAL MECHANIC REPLACED THE STEERING WHEEL COLUMN. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 88,333 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 117,000. UPDATED 5/27/14*CN

    Source: HOTLINE VEHICLE OWNERS QUESTIONNAIRE
  • 2003 SATURN ION
    - NORTH LAS VEGAS, NV

    WHEN I BOUGHT MY CAR IT WOULDN'T START, THE DEALER SAID IT WAS BECAUSE IT SAT FOR A LONG TIME. THIS PROBLEMHAS BEEN CONSTANTLY BEEN AN ISSUE SINCE IN EXTREME WEATHER. I WAS TOLD DURING ONE SHOP INSPECTION IT WAS ELECTRICAL AND THEY HAVE SEEN A LOT OF THIS BUT DON'T KNOW WHAT CAUSES IT. WITH THIS CASE IT HAS SHUT MY RADIO ON AND OFF AND A BIG ISSUE THAT I HAVE IS WHEN I AM STOPPED WITH MY FOOT ON MY BRAKE THE ENGINE WILL REV UP AND JERK FORWARD. THIS HAPPENS IN THE CITY WHEN I'M DRIVING AT SLOWER SPEEDS. I'VE HAD TO RUN OFF THE ROAD TO AVOID HITTING PEOPLE, THE ONLY THING THAT SAVES ME FROM HITTING ANYONE AT LIGHTS OR SIGNS IS MY SAFETY GAP BETWEEN ME AND A FRONT CAR. I'VE BEEN LATE FOR WORK, RUINED VACATIONS, BEEN STRANDED WITH AN INFANT IN 100 DEGREE WEATHER, AND WASTED A LOT OF MONEY TRYING TO FIND THE PROBLEMS. I BOUGHT IT NEW AND HAVE HEARD EVERY EXCUSE FOR THE PROBLEMS...YOU GUYS HAVE FINALLY STEPPED IN ON ONE OF THE PROBLEMS WE HAVE BEEN HAVING NOW GM NEEDS TO ANSWER THE REST. I'M NOT THE ONLY ONE WITH THESE PROBLEMS. IF YOU DO A SEARCH ONLINE YOU CAN PULL UP 100S OF ISSUES EXACTLY THE SAME. I HAVE ALL MY RECEIPTS WHEN I TOOK IT ONTO SATURN DEALERS. NOW I HAVE DOORS THAT DON'T SEAL BUT I'M SURE THIS IS BECAUSE IT'S OLD OR OTHER EXCUSES. I HAD TO BUY ANOTHER CAR BECAUSE MY KIDS AREN'T SAFE IN IT. I CAN'T EVEN HAVE A CLEAN CONSCIOUS TRADING IT IN SO I STILL AM STUCK WITH IT. I HAVE COMPLAINED ABOUT THIS ISSUE BEFORE BUT NO ONE LISTENS. *TR

    Source: NHTSA WEB SITE
  • 2003 SATURN ION
    - COLUMBUS, OH

    THIS IS MORE OF A QUESTION / COMMENT THAN AN INCIDENT. IT APPEARS THAT GM IS RECALLING SATURN IONS, MODEL YEARS 2004-2007 FOR A PROBLEM WITH THE ELECTRONIC POWER STEERING ASSIST MOTOR. I AM CONCERNED THAT THE 2003 ION MODELS DO NOT SEEM TO BE INCLUDED IN THE RECALL AS, FROM WHAT I CAN TELL FROM REPLACEMENT PART SITES, THEY ARE EQUIPPED WITH THE IDENTICAL PART, #19207619 ELECTRONIC POWER STEERING MOTOR. *TR

    Source: NHTSA WEB SITE
  • 2003 SATURN ION
    - CUBA, NY

    TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 SATURN ION. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 5 MPH, THE STEERING WHEEL SEIZED AND THE CONTACT SHE HAD TO USE EXTREME FORCE TO MAKE A TURN. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A CERTIFIED MECHANIC WHERE THEY STATED THAT THE POWER STEERING ASSIST NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 114,000. UPDATED 05/28/14 MA

    Source: HOTLINE VEHICLE OWNERS QUESTIONNAIRE
  • 2003 SATURN ION
    - TAMPA, FL

    2003 SATURN ION. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO VEHICLE RECALL INFORMATION. *SMD THE CONSUMER WANTED TO KNOW WHAT IS THE PROPER PROCEDURE FOR GETTING THE RECALL TAKEN CARE OF. *JB

    Source: CONSUMER LETTER
  • 2003 SATURN ION
    - CORPUS CHRISTI, TX

    WHILE DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS STEERING WOULD SUDDENLY STOP WORKING DISPLAY A POWER STEERING SYSTEM FAILURE ON DASHBOARD AND ENTER MANUAL STEERING MODE. I WOULD PUT CAR IN NEUTRAL TURN VEHICLE OFF AND ON TO RESET COMPUTER AND STEERING TO BRING IT BACK TO A NORMAL CONDITION. AS TIME PROGRESSED THE FAULT WOULD APPEAR MORE FREQUENTLY BEFORE GETTING IT REPAIRED AT LOCAL SATURN AUTHORIZED REPAIR GM FACILITY. PAID CLOSE TO $1,000 FOR THE REPAIR AND PARTS. NOW THAT VEHICLE HAS LIFETIME WARRANTY ALL PERVIOUS REPAIRS SHOULD BE REFUNDED TO CONSUMERS. *TR

    Source: NHTSA WEB SITE
  • 2003 SATURN ION
    - PHILADELPHIA , PA

    TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 SATURN ION. THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO START THE VEHICLE AND THEY KEY SNAPPED AND WAS BROKEN INSIDE THE IGNITION. THE FAILURE OCCURRED ON AUGUST 23, 2010. SHE WAS TOLD TO GET A LOCKSMITH BECAUSE THE KEY BROKE IN THE IGNITION LOCK. THE CONTACT CURRENTLY HAS A RENTAL VEHICLE AND WAS ADVISED THAT THE PARTS WERE DUE IN ON APRIL 1, 2010; HOWEVER, TO CALL ON NEXT MONDAY SINCE THEY ARE NOT AVAILABLE. WHEN THE RECENT FAILURE OCCURRED THE CONTACT HAD TO CONTINUE MOVING THE KEY AROUND IN ORDER TO START THE VEHICLE PRIOR TO RECEIVING THE RECALL NOTICE. THE DEALER ADVISED HER THAT IT WOULD COST HER $125 IN ORDER FOR THEM TO DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS IN THE DEALERS POSSESSION FOR TWO WEEKS AND THE FAILURE WAS RELATED TO NHTSA RECALL CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V047000, AIR BAGS , ELECTRICAL SYSTEM. SHE IS PAYING $7 PER DAY FOR THE RENTAL VEHICLE. SHE WAS CONCERNED ABOUT THE COST ADDING UP AND GETTING REIMBURSED. SHE CALLED THE MANUFACTURER AND THEY STATED THAT ONLY 12 TO 13 PEOPLE HAVE BEEN KILLED DUE TO THE RECALL. HER VEHICLE HAS BEEN IN THE DEALERS POSSESSION FOR TWO WEEKS. SHE WAS TOLD THE LETTER WOULDN'T COME UNTIL APRIL OR JUNE BUT SHE RECEIVED IT ON MARCH 14, 2014. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 49,131. UPDATED 6/26/14*CN UPDATED 07/09/2014 *JS

    Source: HOTLINE VEHICLE OWNERS QUESTIONNAIRE
  • 2003 SATURN ION
    - COLUMBIAVILLE, MI

    THE THROTTLE POSITION SWITCH FAILED ON THIS VEHICLE WHILE IT WAS BEING DRIVEN. THIS CAUSED THE ENGINE TO QUIT. IT WOULD NOT RESTART. REPLACING THE TPS CURED THE PROBLEM. *TR

    Source: NHTSA WEB SITE
  • 2003 SATURN ION
    - HAZEL PARK, MI

    IT DON'T HAPPEN ALL THE TIME BUT IT WON'T START YOU TURN THE KEY AND NOTHING HAPPEN AND YOU HAVE TO WAIT 15 MINUTES AND TRY TO START IT MOST THE TIME IT WILL START BUT THERE WERE AFEW THAT IT TOOK A HALF HOUR SITTING AND WAITING FOR IT TO RESET HAD MY CAR IN THE DEALER WANT TIME AND TOLD THEM ABOUT THEY SAID NOTHING CAN BEEN DONE ABOUT IT INTIL IT HAPPEN TO THEM EVEN WHOSE THE DASHBOARD COMPUTER SAY SERVICE ENGINES AND IT COULD HAPPEN EVERYDAY FOR A WEEK THAN IT COULD BE MONTHS BEFORE IT DOSE IT AGAIN. *TR

    Source: NHTSA WEB SITE
  • 2003 SATURN ION
    - HOWELL, MI

    WHILE DRIVING, COMPLETE ELECTRICAL FAILURE. ALL DASH LIGHTS OUT. GAUGES ZERO. STEERING DIFFICULT. THIS CONTINUES TO HAPPEN. *TR

    Source: NHTSA WEB SITE