2003 SATURN ION Complaints

I RECEIVED A LETTER FROM GM ABOUT THE IGNITION SWITCH RECALL EITHER LAST WEEK OR THE WEEK BEFORE. IT STATED TO DRIVE MY VEHICLE WITH THE IGNITION KEY ONLY, NOT EVEN WITH THE KEY FOB. I WAS ALSO TOLD THAT THE PART IS NO LONGER MADE FOR MY VEHICLE. THE LETTER ALSO STATED THAT THERE IS NO RISK OF IGNITION FAILURE AS LONG AS THE DRIVER USES THE KEY ONLY. I HAVE FAITHFULLY FOLLOWED THAT SINCE RECEIVING MY LETTER. I AM TELLING YOU THAT INFORMATION IS FALSE. AS I WAS DRIVING HOME TONIGHT, I NOTICED THE ENGINE SOUNDED DIFFERENT. THE STEERING BECAME DIFFICULT TO CONTROL, THE BATTERY LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON THE DASH, AND MY BRAKES ONLY RESPONDED TO VERY HEAVY PRESSURE. BASICALLY I HAD LITTLE CONTROL OF MY VEHICLE. I WAS LESS THAN A MILE AWAY FROM HOME. I TURNED INTO A PARKING LOT WITH GREAT DIFFICULTY, TURNED OFF MY VEHICLE AND THEN BACK ON. IT WAS AS IF NOTHING HAPPENED. I AM PANICKED NOW. THANK GOODNESS THIS HAPPENED AFTER I EXITED THE HIGHWAY AND IT WAS AFTER RUSH HOUR. I'M NOT SURE I WOULD HAVE BEEN ABLE TO TURN INTO THAT PARKING LOT WITHOUT INCIDENT IF THERE WAS HEAVIER TRAFFIC. I IMMEDIATELY CALLED GM WHEN I RETURNED HOME AND TOLD THEM THE CAR WASN'T SAFE TO DRIVE, EVEN WITH THE IGNITION KEY ONLY. CUSTOMER SERVICE DIDN'T SEEM TO UNDERSTAND THE DANGER. WE'LL SEE IF THEY FOLLOW UP. I HOPE YOU FOLLOW UP AS WELL. *TR

LETTER FROM SENATOR TOOMEY ON BEHALF OF A CONSTITUENT RE GM RECALL ( ATTN: AUBREY YANZITO CAN BE REACHED BY EMAIL: [email protected], FAX AT 717-782-4920 OR PHONE: 717-782-3951 OR MAIL). *SMD THE DEALER INFORMED THE CONSUMER, THEY WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO REPLACE THE DEFECTIVE PART UNTIL APRIL 2014. THE CONSUMER WANTED TO KNOW IF GM WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR PAYING FOR A RENTAL VEHICLE, UNTIL THE VEHICLE COULD BE FIXED. *JB

I HAVE BEEN STRUGGLING FOR YEARS WITH MY CAR NOT WANTING TO START. I HAD THIS TO MANY GARAGES AND EVEN THE SATURN DEALER AND NO ONE COULD FIND A PROBLEM. FINALLY THE CAR JUST STOPPED STARTING, AND THEN I REPLACED THE IGNITION SWITCH. THIS SEEMED TO WORK FOR 2 DAYS AND THEN MY CAR JUST DIED ELECTRICALLY ON FEBRUARY 21ST AND ON THE 26TH THE GARAGE REPAIRED THIS WHICH COST ME $309.00. THE VERY NEXT DAY THE RECALL FOR THIS PROBLEM WAS ANNOUNCED. WILL YOU REIMBURSE ME FOR THE COST OF THE REPAIR? THIS SEEMS APPROPRIATE SINCE THIS WAS ULTIMATELY THE FAULT OF THE FAULTY IGNITION SWITCH AND I AM JUST FORTUNATE THAT AN ACCIDENT WAS NOT INVOLVED SINCE I HAVE HAD THIS VEHICLE SINCE 2005. *TR

I WAS DRIVING DOWN A BOULEVARD, I WAS DOING 40 MPH THERE WAS A POLICE CAR IN FRONT AND THERE WAS MAYBE ABOUT 2 CAR LENGTH DISTANCE FROM HIM. THE LIGHT HIT YELLOW AND I SAW HIM BRAKE SO I STARTED BRAKING AS WELL BUT MY CAR WOULD NOT BRAKE. THE ACCELERATION CONTINUED INCREASING, I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT TO DO. I WAS SLAMMING ON THE BRAKES BUT MY CAR DID NOT STOP. MY CAR SLAMMED INTO THE POLICE CAR WITHIN SECONDS. MY CAR WAS DESTROYED. MY HOOD WAS BENT IN HALF, MY FRONT BUMPER SCRATCHED & PEELED. THE BUMPER STOOD ON THE CAR ONLY BECAUSE I KEPT TRYING TO BRAKE AND THE CAR WENT IN AN ANGLE WHERE IT WENT UNDER THE COPS CAR. BOTH MY SIDE FENDERS CRACKED AND MY FRONT LIGHT WAS DESTROYED. THE WHOLE CAR FRAME IS DESTROYED AND I WAS HELD AT FAULT OF THIS ACCIDENT. MY INSURANCE WENT UP, I DIDN'T GET NO MONEY TO HELP FIX MY CAR NOR CHECK THE PROBLEM. IF THERE IS WAY I CAN GET ANY TYPE OF HELP I WOULD TRULY APPRECIATE IT. 5 MONTHS LATER THE SAME SITUATION HAPPENED AGAIN THANK GOD I WAS NOT DRIVING MY VEHICLE IT WAS PARKED. IT WAS JUST ACCELERATING ON ITS OWN, I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT TO DO. I LEFT IT PARKED FOR A WEEK AND WHEN I TURNED IT ON IT WAS FINE. IM SCARED THAT THIS WILL HAPPEN AGAIN, PLEASE HELP ME OUT. *TR

WE DO NOT FEEL SAFE DRIVING OUR 2003 SATURN ION WE PURCHASED THE CAR THROUGH RIGHT WAY LOCATED IN LIVONIA, MI IN APRIL 2013. SINCE DECEMBER 2013 THE IGNITION TURNS OFF WHILE WE ARE DRIVING AND IT HAS STOPPED ON US FIVE OR SIX TIMES. WE HAVE TAKEN IT TO THE MECHANIC UNIQUE AUTO REPAIR LOCATED IN DETROIT, MI TO FIND OUT WHAT THE PROBLEM IS...THE MECHANIC COULD NOT FIND WHAT THE PROBLEM WAS. ALSO, A LIGHT KEEPS COMING ON THE PANEL; DON'T KNOW IF THIS IS THE CAUSE OF THE IGNITION. IN ORDER TO START THE CAR, MY FIANCE WOULD HAVE TO LIFT THE HOOD OF THE CAR TO START IT AND WE DON'T KNOW WHAT THIS ITEM IS CALLED. THIS IS TAKING UP OUR TIME AND TIME OFF OF WORK WHEN THE CAR DOES NOT START. IT HAS ALSO SPARKED SEVERAL TIMES ON US; THIS IS A SAFETY HAZARD. ME AND MY FIANCE HAS MADE PLANS TO TRAVEL TO ATLANTA, GA IN APRIL OF THIS YEAR. WE WERE GOING TO USE OUR CAR FOR TRANSPORTATION; BUT WE DO NOT TRUST THE CAR AT ALL. WE NEED A LOANER (VEHICLE) TO TRAVEL AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 SATURN ION. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITH THE ILLUMINATION OF THE ABS WARNING INDICATOR. THE VEHICLE DID RESTART AFTER THIRTY MINUTES OF WAITING. THE FAILURE RECURRED SIX TIMES OVER A PERIOD OF THREE MONTHS. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 14V047000 (AIR BAGS, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM). THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, WHO COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE PROBLEM. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 148,497.

I HAVE OWNED THIS VEHICLE FOR 4 YRS AND HAVE HAS MULTIPLE INSTANCES OF THE VEHICLE REVVING AND SPEEDING UP WITHOUT EVER HITTING THE GAS. WHEN THIS OCCURS I HAVE REACHED SPEEDS OVER 25MPH WITHOUT EVER HITTING THE GAS PEDAL WHEN TAKING OFF FROM A STOPPED POSITION. USUALLY THIS HAPPENS WHEN I START THE VEHICLE INITIALLY BUT HAS OCCURRED WHILE DRIVING ALSO. THE RPM'S WILL GO HIGH AND IF I PUT IN GEAR THE CAR WILL JUST TAKE OFF. IT SOMETIMES WILL REV DOWN AFTER IDLING FOR A FEW MINUTES OR IF I SHUT OFF AND RESTART AFTER A COUPLE MINUTES. WHEN IT HAPPENS WHILE DRIVING I HAVE HAD TO PUT IN NEUTRAL AND COAST TO A STOP AND SHUT CAR DOWN. THIS IS JUST A VERY UNSAFE SITUATION ALTOGETHER, AND FROM WHAT I HAVE SEEN THERE ARE MANY MORE WHO HAVE EXPERIENCED THIS SAME ISSUE. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 SATURN ION. THE CONTACT STATED THAT ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS SHE EXPERIENCED DIFFICULTY IN REMOVING THE KEY FROM THE IGNITION SWITCH. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT WHILE ATTEMPTING TO SHUT THE ENGINE OFF, SHE WAS UNABLE TO REMOVE THE KEY FROM THE IGNITION SWITCH. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THE IGNITION SWITCH WAS REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE DEFECT. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 60,000.

IN EARLY JANUARY MY MOTHER WAS INVOLVED IN A SERIOUS CAR ACCIDENT WHILE DRIVING A 2003 SATURN IRON. "I HAD NO CONTROL OVER THE CAR AND IT ALL HAPPENED SO FAST" MY MOTHER SAID. SHE HIT A TELEPHONE POOL THEN PROCEEDED TO ROLL DOWN OVER A SMALL HILL AND FLIPPED, COMING TO A REST ON A CONCRETE DIVIDER. WHEN RESPONDERS ARRIVED HER IGNITION WAS OFF AND THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. SHE WAS HANGING UPSIDE DOWN FOR ALMOST AN HOUR UNTIL THEY WERE ABLE TO CUT HER OUT OF THE CAR. I HAVE CONTACTED GM AND THEY CONFIRMED THAT HER CAR IS PART OF THE RECENT IGNITION SWITCH RECALL. PLEASE TAKE THE RECALL SERIOUS, IT COULD SAVE YOUR L LIFE, AND OTHERS! *TR

I CAN NOT PROVIDE EXACT DATES AS THIS HAS GONE ON FOR YEARS. I BOUGHT THE CAR IN 2006. IT STARTED OUT, IN FREEZING TEMPS, THE CAR WOULD NOT START. I WOULD HAVE TO TRY JUMPING IT OR WAIT TILL 10 MINUTES HAD PASSED AND TRY AGAIN. THIS HAPPENED A LOT THROUGH WINTER MONTHS. I EVENTUALLY HAD TO CHANGE OUT MY STARTER AND IGNITION SWITCH BACK IN 2012. I ALSO HAVE NOTICED THE KEY WILL NOT TURN TO OFF COMPLETELY SOMETIMES AND SOMETIMES THE KEY WONT TURN AT ALL. THIS IS ALSO AFTER CHANGING OUT THE SWITCH. I AM A MOTHER OF TWO YOUNG CHILDREN AND AFTER SEEING THE OTHER PROBLEMS WITH THE SWITCH I DON'T FEEL SAFE DRIVING MY FAMILY DOWN THE STREET A BLOCK. THE RECALL SAYS TO NOT DRIVE ON JARRING ROADS, BUT I LIVE IN A TINY TOWN OF NOTHING BUT JARRING ROADS. SIGH. I FEEL THE NOT STARTING IS ALSO A SAFETY ISSUE BECAUSE IT CAN LEAVE PEOPLE STRANDED IN BAD WEATHER AND UNABLE TO GET TO WHERE YOU NEED TO GO IN EMERGENCIES. ALL ANYONE NEEDS TO DO IS SEARCH THE INTERNET ABOUT SATURN'S NOT STARTING AND THERE IS HOURS OF READING ON THE SUBJECT. THE COMPANY KNEW ALL ALONG. THANK YOU *TR