2005 SATURN ION Complaints

FAILED IGNITION SWITCH ON A 2005 SATURN ION. THE IGNITION KEY IS STUCK IN THE SHAFT AND WILL NOT DISENGAGE. THE ONLY WAY TO TURN OFF THE CAR IS TO REMOVE THE STEERING COLUMN COVER AND UNPLUG THE DISCONNECT UNDER THE STEERING COLUMN. *TR

NOTHING LED UP TO THE FAILURE. CAR WAS IN PERFECT CONDITION. POWER STEERING JUST WENT OUT AS I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY. WILL STAY ON FOR A FEW MINUTES THEN SHUT OFF AGAIN WHENEVER CAR IS IN MOTION. MAKES IT VERY HARD TO TURN AND MANEUVER THE CAR ESPECIALLY AROUND OTHER CARS AND PEOPLE. I WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO SWERVE TO AVOID AN ACCIDENT. I HAVE NOT GOT THIS REPAIRED YET BECAUSE THE SATURN DEALERSHIP QUOTED ME ALMOST $1000 TO REPLACE THE STEERING COLUMN. I ASKED IF THEY HAVE DONE THIS BEFORE AND THEY SAID THEY HAVE FOUND THE PROBLEM BEFORE IN SEVERAL ION MODELS. AFTER RESEARCHING ON THE INTERNET I FOUND NUMEROUS CONSUMER COMPLAINTS WITH THE SAME PROBLEM!! *TR

1. EVENTS LEADING UP TO FAILURE I WAS GETTING READY TO LEAVE FOR WORK. THE TIME OF DAY WAS 9AM. THE TEMPERATURE HAD BEEN HOVERING AROUND FREEZING ALL NIGHT. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN DRIVEN SINCE THE PREVIOUS DAY AT AROUND 9PM. I UNLOCKED MY VEHICLE USING KEYLESS ENTRY - DRIVER DOOR ONLY. I INSERTED MY KEY IN THE IGNITION, CLOSED THE DOOR, PUSHED THE CLUTCH TO THE FLOOR WHILE FASTENING MY SEATBELT. I THEN TURNED THE KEY TO THE START POSITION. THE ENGINE DID NOT START - THE STARTER DID NOT ENGAGE AT ALL. WHEN I RELEASED THE KEY, THE SECURITY LIGHT (AN AMBER "PADLOCK" ICON) STARTED FLASHING SLOWLY - ONCE PER SECOND. I THEN FOLLOWED THE RESTART PROCEDURE FOR THIS SITUATION ACCORDING TO THE OWNER MANUAL - SIMPLY WAIT UNTIL THE LIGHT STOPS FLASHING, TURN THE KEY TO LOCK, THEN RESTART. TEN MINUTES LATER, THE SECURITY LIGHT STOPPED FLASHING AND REMAINED ILLUMINATED. I THEN TURNED THE KEY TO LOCK, AND THEN RESTARTED ENGINE. 2. THE FAILURE, HOW OFTEN, ITS CONSEQUENCES: THE VEHICLE DID NOT START DUE TO A FAILURE OF, OR A MALFUNCTION OF, SOME COMPONENT OF THE FACTORY VEHICLE SECURITY SYSTEM. IT HAS HAPPENED A TOTAL OF THREE TIMES BETWEEN THE INCIDENT DATE AND MARCH 30, 2009. IT ONLY SEEMS TO OCCUR WHEN THE TEMPERATURE OVERNIGHT HOVERS AROUND FREEZING, OR DROPS BELOW FREEZING. THE CONSEQUENCES OF THIS FAILURE FOR ME HAVE BEEN MINIMAL, BUT I WAS VERY FORTUNATE IN EACH INSTANCE TO BE PARKED IN A SAFE PLACE, WHERE MY PROMPT EGRESS WAS NOT NECESSARY. I AM REPORTING THIS SITUATION TO THE ODI BECAUSE OF THE POTENTIAL CONSEQUENCES OF THIS FAILURE OCCURRING DURING NORMAL DRIVING - IF I STALL THE ENGINE IN HEAVY TRAFFIC AND AM NOT ABLE TO RESTART FOR TEN MINUTES UNTIL THE SECURITY LIGHT STOPS FLASHING, I WOULD BE IN A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION, AND MY VEHICLE WOULD PRESENT A SIGNIFICANT HAZARD TO OTHER DRIVERS. 3. WHAT WAS DONE TO CORRECT: NOTHING HAS BEEN DONE TO CORRECT THIS FAILURE, AS MY DEALERSHIP HAS NO CURRENT SOLUTION. *TR

AFTER STARTING THE CAR AND PUTTING IT IN DRIVE, THE CAR WILL NOT ACCELERATE. THE ENGINE IDLES NO MATTER HOW HARD YOU PRESS THE PEDAL. THIS VEHICLE HAS A ELECTRONIC THROTTLE BODY (NO MECHANICAL LINKAGE) SO THE PROBLEM IS ELECTRICAL.. TODAY WAS THE THIRD TIME IN THAT PAST MONTH THIS HAS HAPPENED. FOR THE RECORD, THIS CAR HAS BEEN INTO THE DEALER NO LESS THAN 9 TIMES FOR ELECTRICAL ISSUES (A FEW BODY CONTROL MODULES, A COUPLE IGNITION SWITCHES, ABS MODULES, TRANS CONTROL MODULES, RADIOS, INSTRUMENT PANELS, ETC, ETC.) BUT THIS IS THE FIRST ONE I THINK MAY CAUSE INJURY. GETTING REAR-ENDED AT A GREEN LIGHT OR HAVING A CAR RUN INTO THE DRIVER SIDE IS A DISTINCT POSSIBILITY WHEN THE CAR 'ALL OF A SUDDEN' WON'T ACCELERATE. GM HAS REPAIRED EVERY PROBLEM THIS CAR HAS HAD TO DATE, BUT WILL NOT ADMIT THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH THE CAR. I AM NOW OUT OF WARRANTY. *TR

WHILE DRIVING MY 2005 SATURN ION3 THE POWER STEERING WENT DEAD. I HAD TO FIGHT THE CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE WITH MANUAL STEERING. VERY HARD TO DO. THIS HAPPENED WHILE DRIVING ABOUT 8 TIMES. THE DEALER SAID THERE HAS NOT BEEN A RECALL TO HAVE THE ELECTRICAL POWER STEERING CONTROL BOX REPLACED BUT THEY AGREE IT IS A SAFETY HAZARD. IT COST ME $2200.00 TO HAVE IT REPLACED. VERY SCARY WHEN MAKING A TURN AND THE POWER STEERING GOES TO MANUAL. STOPPING AND STARTING THE VEHICLE RESETS IT ONLY TO HAVE IT GO OUT AGAIN IN HEAVY TRAFFIC. *TR

ON JUNE 15, 2009 PURCHASED USED SATURN ION 2 WITH 45625 MILES FOR MY 17 YEAR OLD. CAME WITH 3 MONTH WARRANTY/3000 MILES. IN SEPT. CAR STARTED STALLING, TOOK TO DEALER WHERE PURCHASED ON SEPT. 17 AND THEY SAID DIRTY FUEL INJECTOR, CHARGED $245.69. DROVE CAR ON TURNPIKE 100 MILES AT 65MPH AND CAR STALLED 2 TIMES!!!! ON WAY BACK, AGAIN ON TURNPIKE DOING SPEED LIMIT 65MPH CAR STALLED 1 TIME. YOU GET CHIMES AND THE PWR STR LIGHT COMES ON. CAR STALLS AN AVERAGE OF 4 TIMES A DAY! CAR RIGHT NOW AT DEALER FOR THEM TO TRY AND FIGURE OUT WHAT IS WRONG. IT IS NOT RIGHT, I PAID 9369.67 + TAX FOR CAR AND 1635. FOR GMPP WARRANTY THAT THEY TELL ME IS NOT COVERED! I DO NOT HAVE THIS KIND OF MONEY. THIS IS SUCH A SAFETY ISSUE, I CANNOT BELIEVE THE NHTSA HAS NOT FORCED SATURN OR GM TO RECALL THIS CAR. LOOK AT THE INTERNET OR YOUR OWN SITE FOR THE COMPLAINTS YOU HAVE ABOUT THIS ISSUE. IT IS A MATTER OF TIME BEFORE THERE IS A VERY SERIOUS ACCIDENT AS A RESULT OF CAR SHUTTING DOWN AND LOSING STEERING!!! *TR

I OWN A 2005 SATURN ION AND THE POWER STEERING WAS GOING. I TOOK THE CAR INTO THE DEALERSHIP, THEY SAID THE STEERING MOTOR HAD TO BE REPLACED, NOW THEY REPLACED IT FOR FREE, BUT MADE ME WAIT A WEEK AND SENT ME BACK OUT ON THE ROAD WITH A CAR THAT HAD POWER STEERING THAT WORKED SOMETIMES AND NOT OTHER TIMES. THEN TWO WEEKS LATER THE ENTIRE CAR STARTED TO FAIL. THE SPEEDOMETER, THE TRANSMISSION WOULD NOT SWITCH GEARS, THE POWER STEERING WENT AGAIN, AND THE BREAKS WHERE PRETTY MUCH GONE. SO AFTER CAUSING A BIG SCENE THE CAR WAS LOOKED AT AND FOUND THAT THE TRANSMISSION MODULE WENT ON THE CAR. SO THEY REPLACED THE PART AFTER MAKING ME WAIT TWO DAYS TO GET MY CAR BACK. MY CONCERN IS WHY IS A CAR THAT WILL BE TURNING 5 YEARS OLD NEXT MONTH AND ONLY HAS ABOUT 27,900 MILES ON IT IS HAVING ALL THESE BIG PROBLEMS. IN THE MATTER OF ONE MOUTH I HAVE HAS A NEW BRAIN PUT INTO THE CAR. THE CUSTOMER SERVICE WAS AWFUL AND RUDE. THEY ALL TRY TO BLAME EACH OTHER. WHEN I WENT TO PICK THE CAR UP THE SERVICE PEOPLE WOULD NOT EVEN TALK TO ME THEY TOLD ME TO SEE THE CASHIER SHE HAS MY KEYS. I SAID I AM NOT LEAVING HERE UNTIL I TEST DRIVE IT, SHE SAID OK, IT'S PARK IN THE LOT ON THE SIDE SOMEWHERE. I WAS LIKE NICE, YOU DON'T EVEN KNOW WHERE MY CAR IS ON YOUR LOT. SO IN THE MATTER OF ONE MONTH I HAVE THE STEERING COLUMN AND THE TRANSMISSION MODULE REPLACED. *TR

I HAVE HAD SEVERAL ISSUES WITH THE IGNITION AND NOT BEING ABLE TO IMMEDIATELY TURN THE CAR OFF. THE IGNITION WILL NOT RELEASE THE KEY AND WILL BE STUCK IN THE ACC POSITION MOST TIMES. THE MOST RECENT TIME I COULD NOT GET THE CAR TO TURN OFF AT ALL. THE IGNITION WOULD NOT RELEASE OR ALLOW THE KEY TO TURN EVEN MINIMALLY. HAD TO UNHOOK THE BATTERY, PULL THE FUEL PUMP FUSE IN ORDER TO GET THE CAR TO STOP RUNNING. THE IGNITION STILL WOULD NOT RELEASE THE KEY. I GOT THIS INFORMATION ON HOW TO DO THIS FROM MANY COMPLAINTS THAT I READ ABOUT ON THE INTERNET ON SATURN IONS HAVING THE SAME ISSUE. THEY DO NOT ADDRESS THIS IN THE MANUAL, AND WHEN I TOOK MY CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP 18 MONTHS AGO TO RESOLVE THE ISSUE THEN, THEY SAID NOTHING WAS WRONG AND THEY REPLACED THE IGNITION WHICH DID NOT SEEM TO HELP WITH THE PROBLEM I WAS HAVING. *TR

WAS DRIVING TO PICK UP MY SON FROM WORK. HEARD A LITTLE BEEP-BEEP GO OFF, AND WHEN I LOOKED AT THE DASH-BOARD IT SAID "PWR STR" I HAD LOST THE POWER STEERING IN MY 2005 SATURN ION. I HAD TO GET THE CAR TO DRIFT TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, THEN I TURNED IT OFF FOR A MINUTE BECAUSE I GOT REALLY NERVOUS AS TO WHAT WOULD HAPPEN NEXT. I TURNED THE CAR BACK ON AND THE LIGHT HAD GONE OUT AND THE STEERING SEEMED TO BE BACK TO NORMAL. I CALLED THE SATURN DEALERSHIP THE FOLLOWING MONDAY (AUG. 31) TO BRING IN THE CAR TO SEE WHAT THE PROBLEM WAS. MIND YOU I HAVE 31,000 MILES ON MY CAR AND MY CAR IS WELL TAKEN CARE OF AND IS ALWAYS MAINTAINED. SATURN TOLD ME AFTER A "DIAGNOSTIC TEST" IT WAS THE POWER STEERING MODULE MOTOR AND IT HAD TO BE REPLACED FOR $1200.00 DOLLARS!! THIS PARTICULAR PROBLEM WITH THIS MAKE AND MODEL CAR IS ALL OVER THE INTERNET!! GM REFUSES TO ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE DEFECT AND HAS THE NERVE TO CHARGE CUSTOMERS FOR WHAT IS THEIR FAULT TO BEGIN WITH. NEEDLESS TO SAY I AM GETTING RID OF MY CAR AND I WILL NEVER EVER BUY ANOTHER SATURN OR GM CAR AGAIN!! *TR

2005 SATURN ION ELECTRIC POWER STEERING QUITS WITHOUT WARNING. OCCURS AT LEAST ONCE EVERY 40 MILE TRIP. COULD CAUSE AN ACCIDENT IF CORNERING WHEN POWER STEERING FAILS. TURNING THE CAR OFF AND RESTARTING FIXES THE PROBLEM TEMPORARILY. *TR