2005 SATURN ION Complaints

THE SATURN VEHICLE IS EXPOSED TO TEMPERATURES AT OR APPROACHING 32 DEGREES F FOR SEVERAL HOURS WHEN THE ENGINE IS NOT RUNNING (USUALLY 6-10 HOURS.) I ATTEMPT TO START THE VEHICLE, THE IGNITION SWITCH CLICKS AND THE CAR STALLS. THE SECURITY SYSTEM KICKS IN. THE SECURITY LIGHT BLINKS AND THE ODOMETER SCREEN READS: 'SERVICE ENGINE SOON.' FUEL WILL NOT BE SENT TO THE ENGINE. THE VEHICLE WILL NOW NOT START FOR ABOUT 8-10 MINUTES AS THE SECURITY SYSTEM RESETS. AFTER 8-10 MINUTES, THE SECURITY LIGHT WILL STOP BLINKING AND THEN GO OUT. 'THE SERVICE ENGINE SOON' SCROLL LIGHT WILL STOP AND ALSO GO OUT. NOW, IF I ATTEMPT TO START THE VEHICLE AGAIN, IF THE IGNITION SWITCH GREASE HAS NOT ADEQUATELY WARMED, THEN THE PROCESS WILL BEGIN AGAIN. *TR

OUR SATURN ION 3 WOULD NOT TURN OFF. APPARENTLY THERE IS A SERIOUS PROBLEM WITH THE IGNITION IN THESE CARS. WHY HASN'T SATURN/GENERAL MOTORS RECALLED THIS PART. SOMEONE COULD GET KILLED. WE HAVE HAD IT REPAIRED ONLY TO HAVE IT HAPPEN A SECOND TIME. *TR

PASSENGER FRONT WHEEL OF A 2005 SATURN ION 3, STILL UNDER FACTORY WARRANTY WITH 27,000 MILES, LOCKED UP ON DEC 22, 2007 CAUSING A SINGLE CAR COLLISION. AN ASE CERTIFIED MECHANIC LOOKED THE CAR OVER AFTER HAVING IT TOWED TO MY RESIDENCE AND SAW THAT THE SPINDLE WAS BROKEN, BUT THERE WAS NO SIGN OF OTHER DAMAGE TO THE VEHICLE THAT WOULD CAUSE ENOUGH FORCE TO BREAK THE SPINDLE. HIS OPINION IS THAT THE SPINDLE (CAST ALUMINUM) WAS OVER-TIGHTENED AT THE DEALERSHIP AND HAD A DEFECT/HAIRLINE CRACK THAT FINALLY FAILED. THE FAILURE HAPPENED AT 60 MILES PER HOUR, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO SLAM INTO THE GUARDRAIL, THEN SPIN INTO A DITCH. WHEN THE SPINDLE FAILED AND THE VEHICLE PULLED SHARPLY TO THE RIGHT, I ATTEMPTED TO HIT THE BRAKES WHICH WENT TO THE FLOOR AND DID NOTHING. INSURANCE HAS REFUSED TO COVER THE DAMAGE, AND DECLARED THE DAMAGE A MANUFACTURER DEFECT. *TR

SIMILAR TO THE 04 SATURN IONS, MY 2005 ION HAS THE SAME FRONT TURN SIGNAL PROBLEM. THE BULB QUITS FLASHING, BUT IS NOT BURNED OUT, IT IS LOSING CONTACT IN THE SOCKET. I CALLED SATURN, BUT THEY DO NOT HAVE A RECALL FOR MY VIN, BIT IT IS THE EXACT SAME PROBLEM AS WITH THE 04. *TR

FRONT DIRECTIONAL SOMETIMES WORK AND SOMETIMES DON'T. AT TIMES IT IS LEFT SIDE OTHER TIMES RIGHT SIDE. BOTH 2003 & 2004 MODEL YEARS OF SATURN ION HAVE IDENTICAL PROBLEM WHICH HAS BEEN RECALLED BUT I HAVE A 2005 AND DEALER AND SATURN CORPORATE SAY THEY CAN'T HELP UNTIL 2005 IS ADDED TO RECALL. *TR

THE POWER STEERING ON MY 2005 SATURN ION COMPLETELY STOPPED WORKING RIGHT AT ABOUT 37000, RIGHT AFTER THE WARRANTY EXPIRED. I TRIED TO HAVE IT FIXED, BUT IT'S A NEW TECHNOLOGY SATURN IMPLEMENTED, (STATE OF THE ART ELECTRONIC POWER STEERING SYSTEM), AND IT WILL COST $1100 TO FIX IT. MY CAR IS FAIRLY NEW STILL, AND SATURN CORP. REFUSES TO MEET WITH ME IN THE MIDDLE ON THE COST. WITHOUT POWER STEERING, MY CAR IS UNSAFE TO DRIVE, AND DRIVING TO WORK AND BACK IS A REAL CHALLENGE, AND A DANGEROUS CHALLENGE, BUT I CANNOT AFFORD THE COST OF FIXING IT. ***SATURN SERVICE ADVISOR ADMITTED TO ME THAT LOTS OF THE IONS ARE HAVING THIS PROBLEM.*** *TR

SATURN 2005 ION WOULD NOT TURN OFF, WOULD NOT RELEASE THE ENGINE KEY OR TURN. I DROVE CAR TO WALMART TO HAVE SERVICE TECH REMOVE THE BATTERY. THEY HAD TO DISABLE SOMETHING ELSE. THIS IS SECOND EPISODE WITH IGNITION KEY AND THIS CAR. *JB

I BOUGHT THE CAR BRAND NEW, DROVE ONE MILE OFF THE LOT, THE ENGINE STOPPED AND WOULD NOT START. IT WAS TOWED THE NEXT MORNING TO THE DEALER AND THEY REPLACED THE ENGINE CONTROL MODULE. AT 15,400 MILES THE CAR AGAIN WOULD NOT START, THEY REPLACED THE IGNITION SWITCH. AT 16,000 MILES THE CHIME FOR THE IGNITION WOULD NOT TURN OFF AND THE IGNITION HOUSING WAS REPLACED. AT 19,500 MILES I COMPLAINED THAT THE CAR WOULD START AND IMMEDIATELY TURN OFF AGAIN, THE DEALER SAID NOTHING WAS WRONG. THE NEXT DAY THE IGNITION WOULD NOT TURN OFF AND THE KEY WAS STUCK. THEY REPLACED THE IGNITION HOUSING AGAIN. AT 22,300 MILES I COMPLAINED THAT THE KEY WAS STICKING IN THE IGNITION, THE DEALER SAID NOTHING WAS WRONG. ABOUT 6 MONTHS LATER (LAST WEEKEND BEFORE LEAVING TO GO OUT OF TOWN) AT 27,200 MILES THE IGNITION WOULD NOT TURN OFF AND THE KEY WAS STUCK AGAIN. THE IGNITION HOUSING WAS REPLACED FOR THE THIRD TIME! I CONTACTED THE MANUFACTURER AND WAS ONLY OFFERED A ONE YEAR EXTENSION ON THE WARRANTY. WHAT GOOD WILL AN EXTENDED WARRANTY DO FOR A CAR THAT YOU CAN'T TRUST TO DRIVE BECAUSE YOU NEVER KNOW WHETHER IT WILL START OR TURN OFF WHEN YOU NEED IT TO!!! I WILL NEVER BUY ANOTHER SATURN AGAIN!!!!! *TR

I PURCHASED A 2005 SATURN ION WITH 32 MILES ON IT JULY 11, 2005. ON SEPTEMBER 22, 2005 WHILE DRIVING MY DAUGHTER TO SCHOOL IN THE RAIN, THE CAR STALLED AND BEGAN TO FILL WITH WATER FROM THE FLOOR UP. I HAD IT TOWED TO THE DEALER FOR REPAIR AND WAS TOLD THE LEFT FRON SUNROOF DRAIN HOSE WAS PLUGGED. THEY SAID THIS CAUSED AN ELECTRICAL PROBLEM WHICH CAUSED THE STALL. THE SERVICE DEPT. SAID THEY CLEANED THE DRAIN HOSE AND ALL WAS OK. WELL, WE HAD A HEAVY RAIN, NOT THE FIRST SINCE 11/2005, ON AUGUST 18, 2007. I WAS ABLE TO START THE CAR, BUT IT STALLED RIGHT AWAY. IN ADDITION, THE FLOOR ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE WAS WET. THIS OCCURRED ON A SATURDAY AND BY MONDAY WHEN THE CAR WAS TOWED TO THE SATURN DEALERSHIP, THERE WAS A "POND" OF WATER ON THE FLOOR OF THE CAR. IN ADDITION, THE CD PLAYER HAS BEEN REPLACED BECAUSE IT ATE CD'S. THE NEW RADIO WORKED OK FOR ABOUT 6 MONTH'S, BUT IS NOW UNABLE TO PICK UP RECEPTION TO ANY STATION. ALSO, AT ONE TIME, THE DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR BECAME JAMMED AND COULD NOT BE OPENED FROM THE INSIDE OR OUTSIDE. THE LOCK ROD AND INSIDE DOOR HANDLE WERE BENT. AT THE SAME TIME WATER WAS LEAKING THROUGH THE DRIVER'S SIDE WINDOW AND THE WINDOW WAS OFF THE TRACK AND FALLING INTO THE DOOR. THIS WAS ALSO REPAIRED BY THE DEALER BECAUSE I PURCHASED THE EXTENDED WARRANTY. THIS CAR HAS BEEN NOTHING BUT TROUBLE AND I REGRET PURCHASING IT. I HAVE NEVER HAD SO MANY PROBLEMS WITH A NEW CAR AND I WOULD NOT RECOMMEND THIS CAR TO ANYONE. *TR

I COULD NOT SHUT OFF THE CAR WHICH WAS A 2005 SATURN ION 3. THE KEY LOCKED IN THE IGNITION SWITCH AND WOULD NOT SHUT OFF THE Y ENGINE. THE ONLY WAY I WAS ABLE TO SHUT IT OFF WAS BY DUMPING THE CLUTCH, BUT THE IGNITION WAS STILL ON. I TOOK THE CAR TO SATURN OF INDIANAPOLIS. THEY TOLD ME THAT THE IGNITION KEY LOCK CYLINDER WAS BINDING AND THEY NEEDED TO INSTALL A NEW IGNITION LOCK CYLINDER AND HOUSING. THEY INSTALLED A NEW LOCK CYLINDER, LOCK CYLINDER HOUSING AND CUT TWO NEW KEYS. *AK