2006 SATURN ION Complaints

2006 SATURN ION. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO VEHICLE FUEL LEAK. *SMD THE CONSUMER WROTE IN ON BEHALF OF HIS SISTER, WHO OWNS THE VEHICLE. THE CONSUMER STATED WHEN HE LOOKED UNDER THE VEHICLE, HE NOTICED GAS WAS LEAKING FROM THE TANK. HE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO HIS MECHANIC, WHERE HE WAS INFORMED THE GAS LEAK WAS ABOVE THE GAS TANK. WHEN THE MECHANIC DROPPED THE GAS TANK, IT WAS DISCOVERED THE LEAK WAS COMING FROM THE FUEL PUMP CONNECTOR HOSE. THE REPAIR SHOP REPLACED THE FUEL PUMP WITH A GM PUMP. *JB

SYNOPSIS: MY SATURN ION EXPERIENCED A POWER STEERING FAILURE FOUR TIMES IN ONE DAY. GM DECLINED TO REPLACE THE STEERING MOTOR BECAUSE THE VEHICLE MILEAGE EXCEEDED ITS "SPECIAL COVERAGE" LIMIT BY 9,000 MILES. EVENT: I WAS DRIVING DOWN A MOUNTAIN ROADWAY, ELEVATION 9,000 FEET, AT ABOUT 35 M.P.H. WHEN AN ALARM SOUNDED IN MY 2006 SATURN ION. THE DASHBOARD NOTED A "POWER STEERING FAILURE," WHICH I HAD NEVER SEEN BEFORE. THE STEERING WHEEL FROZE, AND I WAS ONLY ABLE TO TURN IT LESS THAN A CENTIMETER IN EITHER DIRECTION. THERE WAS NO SHOULDER SO I PARKED THE CAR IN THE LANE, TURNED OFF THE ENGINE, WAITED AND RESTARTED. THE FAILURE WARNING WENT AWAY. I HAD NO CHOICE BUT TO CONTINUE DRIVING BECAUSE OF WHERE I WAS. THE SAME FAILURE HAPPENED FOUR TIMES WITHIN 25 MINUTES DURING MY DRIVE BEFORE I WAS OFF THE MOUNTAIN. I BELIEVE IT SHOULD BE NOTED I WAS IN CONSTANT FEAR OF ANOTHER FAILURE AS I DROVE THE WINDING DOWNHILL ROAD WHERE QUICK STEERING WAS REQUIRED. IN JUNE 2012, GM MAILED ME NOTIFICATION THAT THIS PROBLEM COULD OCCUR. THE PROBLEM HAPPENED EXACTLY AS DESCRIBED IN "SPECIAL COVERAGE" BULLETIN 10187-2, BUT THAT BULLETIN STATES: "DO NOT TAKE YOUR VEHICLE TO YOUR GM DEALER AS A RESULT OF THIS LETTER UNLESS YOU BELIEVE THAT YOUR VEHICLE HAS THE CONDITION AS DESCRIBED." I IMMEDIATELY CONTACTED MY LOCAL DEALERSHIP, O'RIELLY CHEVROLET, AND TOOK THE CAR IN THE MOMENT THE DEALER OPENED. GM ASSIGNED ME CASE NUMBER [XXX], AND ULTIMATELY DECLINED TO REPLACE THE MOTOR OR OFFER COST ASSISTANCE BECAUSE I EXCEED THE "SPECIAL COVERAGE" LIMIT BY 9,000 MILES. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 SATURN ION. THE CONTACT STATED THAT FUEL FUMES WERE EMITTED IN AND AROUND THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO DIAGNOSE THAT THERE WAS A FUEL LEAK ON THE TOP OF THE FUEL TANK. THE CONTACT ASKED THE MANUFACTURER ABOUT NHTSA RECALL CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 09V419000 (FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE: DELIVERY: FUEL PUMP), BUT WAS TOLD THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN, BUT THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 100,300.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 SATURN ION. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE POWER STEERING WARNING LAMP ILLUMINATED AS THE POWER STEERING FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 42,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 42,900.

AFTER SMELLING GAS I PARKED MY CAR AND DISCOVERED GASOLINE LEAKING FROM MY CAR. SATURN ADMITTED THAT THE FAULTY PART WAS THEIR FAULT, BUT INFORMED ME THAT I HAD GONE OVER THE WARRANTY MILEAGE AND CLAIMED THEY WERE NOT RESPONSIBLE AT THAT TIME. IF THEIR PART WAS DEFECTIVE AS THEY STATED I FEEL THEY ARE RESPONSIBLE NO MATTER WHAT! I ALSO FEEL THAT THE LIVES OF ME AND MY FAMILY WERE IN DANGER!! *TR

MY DAUGHTER'S CAR STARTED TO LEAK FUEL. WE TOOK IT TO A CHEVROLET DEALER AND WERE TOLD IT IS A "FREQUENT" PROBLEM WITH THE FUEL PUMPS ON SATURNS. THE PUMP WAS REPLACED WHICH REMEDIED THE PROBLEM. UPON A "GOOGLE" SEARCH I FOUND AN EXISTING RECALL BUT ONLY FOR CERTAIN STATES???? WE LIVE IN PENNSYLVANIA AND WERE NOT A STATE THAT IS COVERED BY THE RECALL. OBVIOUSLY THE PROBLEM IS A NATIONAL PROBLEM AND THE RECALL SHOULD BE REVISED TO SUCH. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 SATURN ION. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE EMITTED A STRONG FUEL ODOR. THE CONTACT INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND LOCATED THE FAILURE AT THE FUEL PUMP SUPPLY AREA CRACKED DUE TO DEFECTIVE MATERIAL. THE CONTACT REPLACED THE FUEL PUMP ASSEMBLY. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURE ADVISED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 12V459000 (FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE: DELIVERY: FUEL PUMP). THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 123,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 124,002.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 SATURN ION 2. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 25 MPH, THE ENGINE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS MERGED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND AFTER WAITING TEN MINUTES THE VEHICLE RESTARTED. THE FAILURE OCCURRED SPORADICALLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHO STATED THE FAULTY ANTI THEFT PASS LOCK WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE PROBLEM. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNAVAILABLE.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 SATURN ION. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE KEY BECAME LODGED IN THE IGNITION AND SHE WAS UNABLE TO GET IT OUT. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE CYLINDER NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE WHO DID NOT OFFER ANY ASSISTANCE SINCE THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED ON ANY RECALLS. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 45,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.

THE KEY IS STUCK IN THE ON POSITION IN THE IGNITION SWITCH AND WILL NOT COME OUT. THIS HAS HAPPENED TWICE. HAD IT REPAIRED ON 08/28/2012 AND HAPPENED AGAIN ON 10/20/2012. *TR