2004 SATURN ION Complaints

2004 SATURN ION- IGNITION FAILS TO RELEASE THE KEY, CANNOT REMOVE THE KEY FROM IGNITION WITHOUT STRUGGLING. HAVE RESEARCHED THE CONSUMER AFFAIRS WEBSITE AND THERE ARE SO MANY COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS OCCURRING, THAT IS UNREAL. FORTUNATELY WE HAVE NOT HAD TO LEAVE THE CAR RUNNING YET... AS SO MANY OTHER CUSTOMERS AND SOME HAVE HAD TO REMOVE A FUSE TO GET THE CAR TO TURN OFF. SATURN NEEDS TO DO A VOLUNTARY RECALL ON THIS AND REPLACE ALL OF THE IGNITION SWITCHES BEFORE A TRAGEDY OCCURS. *TR

SATURN ION 2004 WILL NOT START IN COLD WEATHER. THE SYMPTOMS IS SPORADIC AND UNPREDICTABLE AND LINKED TO FAULTY SECURITY MODULE (ANTI-THEFT) WHICH DISABLES THE CAR IN COLD WEATHER. THIS IS A WELL KNOWN PROBLEM DOCUMENTED IN VARIOUS FORUMS AS WELL AS WELL KNOWN TO SATURN DEALERS. YET GM DID NOT MAKE A RECALL ON THIS ISSUE FOR MORE THAN 5 YEARS. I HAVE HAD THIS PROBLEM SINCE 2005 AND ADVISED THE DEALERS AND SATURN CUSTOMER SERVICE SEVERAL TIMES WITH NO SUCCESS. *TR

ON FOUR DIFFERENT OCCASIONS WHILE DRIVING MY 2004 SATURN ION ON THE HIGHWAY, AFTER HITTING AN UNUSUAL BUMP OR DIPS IN THE ROAD, I?VE EXPERIENCE A COMPLETE SHUTDOWN OF THE CAR?S SYSTEMS, INCLUDING LOSS OF POWER, LOSS OF STEERING AND ANY ABILITY TO ACCELERATE, BRAKE OR NAVIGATE THE CAR. THE CAR SLOWS TO A COMPLETE STOP. FROM MY PAST EXPERIENCE I'VE LEARNED THAT THE CAR WILL NEED TO COME TO A COMPLETE STOP AND THEN SHIFTED INTO PARK. THE CAR KEY WILL THEN PHYSICALLY NEED TP BE REMOVED AND REINSERT THE KEY TO GET THE VEHICLE RESTARTED. (TRYING TO START THE CAR WITHOUT REMOVING THE KEY WILL NOT WORK.) ON ALL OCCASIONS THIS HAS PRESENTED AN EXTREMELY DANGEROUS SITUATION AS OTHER CARS TRAVELING ON THE HIGHWAY AT SPEEDS OF 55-75 MPH ARE FORCED TO MANEUVER AROUND MY STALLED VEHICLE, WHICH DOES NOT EVEN HAVE THE POWER OR CONTROL TO BE PULL OFF TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. THE CAR WAS TAKEN TO THE SATURN DEALERSHIP ON OCTOBER 17, 2007 AFTER THE FIRST 3 INCIDENTS, HOWEVER DIAGNOSTIC TESTS COULD NOT IDENTIFY OR REPLICATE THE PROBLEM. THE DEALERSHIP ADJUSTED A FUSE BOX IN THE UNDER CARRIAGE OF THE CAR. BUT COULD NOT NEITHER ASSURE ME THE PROBLEM WAS RESOLVED, OR WOULD NOT HAPPEN AGAIN. THE SITUATION RECURRED RECENTLY ON OCT 4, 2009 WHILE ON INTERSTATE 95. THE SEVERITY OF THE SITUATION COULD HAVE EASILY RESULTED IN A FATAL ACCIDENT AS I SAT STRANDED IN THE FAST-LANE OF THE HIGHWAY. THE CAR IS PRESENTLY AT ANOTHER SATURN DEALERSHIP WHERE THEY AGAIN SAY THEY ARE UNABLE TO IDENTIFY OR REPLICATE THE PROBLEM. I AM NO LONGER CONFIDENT IN THE SAFETY OF THIS VEHICLE AND SEEK THE NHTSA ASSISTANCE IN RESOLVING THE MATTER. *TR

I WAS ONCE A LOYAL GENERAL MOTORS CUSTOMER ' THAT IS UNTIL GM NEARLY KILLED ME. I'M THE UNFORTUNATE OWNER OF A 2004 SATURN ION WITH AN AILING TRANSMISSION THE DEALERSHIP REFUSES TO REPAIR, AND I AM NOT ALONE. IN MY CASE, THE TRANSMISSION FAILURE NEARLY COST ME MY LIFE. THIS PAST SATURDAY, I WAS ATTEMPTING TO MERGE FROM 315 N ONTO INTERSTATE 270 E. EXITING THE ENTRANCE RAMP AT THAT INTERCHANGE IS OFTEN A HAZARD UNDER THE BEST CONDITIONS. AS I ACCELERATED INTO THE RIGHT-HAND LANE OF TRAFFIC, MY CAR SHUTTERED VIOLENTLY AND LOST ALL FORWARD MOMENTUM. I SWERVED BACK TO AVOID BEING REAR-ENDED BY THE CLOSING TRAFFIC ON 270 E, NEARLY SIDESWIPING ANOTHER VEHICLE STILL IN THE EXIT LANE. I DRIFTED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD UNABLE TO GET THE TRANSMISSION TO ENGAGE. AFTER LETTING THE CAR REST FOR A FEW MINUTES I TRIED AGAIN TO GET IT INTO GEAR, ULTIMATELY HAVING TO LEAVE IT IN A PARKING LOT. DESPITE GM AGREEING TO A CLASS ACTION SETTLEMENT ON APRIL 16, 2009, SATURN DEALERSHIPS HAVE RECENTLY BEEN ADVISED TO SUSPEND ALL EXTENDED WARRANTY REPAIRS UNDER THE AGREEMENT. SATURN CUSTOMER SERVICE, UNDER DIRECT INSTRUCTION FROM GM, HAS TAKE THE POSITION THAT THE AGREEMENT WAS MADE BY GM PRIOR TO THE DECLARATION OF BANKRUPTCY ON JUNE 1, 2009 AND NOW HAS NO LEGAL OBLIGATION TO COMPLETE THE REPAIRS. GM ALSO FAILED TO NOTIFY THE 150,000 OWNERS OF AFFECTED VUE AND ION MODELS THAT DUE TO AN ACKNOWLEDGED DESIGN FLAW, THEIR CARS MIGHT DROP IN OR OUT OF GEAR, EVEN AT HIGH SPEEDS, POSING SIGNIFICANT DANGER TO OPERATORS, PASSENGERS AND OTHER MOTORISTS. HOW MANY ACCIDENTS AND INJURIES HAVE AND WILL OCCUR DUE TO GM'S LACK OF ACTION? LIVES LIKELY HAVE AND WILL BE LOST DUE TO THIS KNOWN DEFECT. GM IS PAYING ROULETTE WITH THE LIVES OF ITS CUSTOMERS AND THE DRIVERS WHO SHARE THE ROADS WITH THEM. GM HAS FAILED TO COMPLY WITH THE LEGAL TERMS OF A CLASS ACTION SETTLEMENT, FAILED TO NOTIFY CUSTOMERS OF A POTENTIALLY DEADLY DEFECT AND FAILED TO PAY THE COST OF REPAIRS THEY AGREED IN FEDERAL DISTRICT COURT. *TR

I TRIED TO START MY 2004 SATURN ION AT ABOUT 11 PM LAST NIGHT AND IT TOOK FIFTEEN MINUTES FOR IT TO TURN OVER. THE TEMPERATURE WAS ABOUT 28 DEGREES (F). THIS HAS HAPPENED SEVERAL DOZEN TIMES OVER THE PAST FEW YEARS, ALWAYS WHEN THE TEMPERATURE IS BELOW FREEZING. I KNOW THAT SATURN IS AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM AND THAT IT IS ACKNOWLEDGED TO BE A PROBLEM WITH THE IGNITION. I HAVE FOUND REPORTS OF HUNDREDS OF OTHER ION OWNERS WHO HAVE EXPERIENCED THIS PROBLEM. I THINK THIS NEEDS TO BE RECALLED AND FIXED BY SATURN AS SITTING FOR 10-20 MINUTES OR MORE IN FREEZING TEMPERATURES WAITING FOR ONE'S CAR TO START IS NOT SAFE, ESPECIALLY AT NIGHT. PLEASE MAKE THIS A RECALL ISSUE!! *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 SATURN ION. WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH HE NOTICED THAT THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY LOST ALL POWER STEERING. A LOCAL MECHANIC STATED THAT THE STEERING CHIP NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THERE WERE NO PRIOR WARNINGS. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 77042. UPDATED 02/1710 *BF THE STEERING CONTROLLER WAS REPLACED, HOWEVER THE PROBLEM CONTINUED. THE CONSUMER STATED HE WOULD HAVE TO PAY AN ADDITIONAL $1000 TO REPLACE THE MAIN COMPUTER. UPDATED 02/19/10

EXPERIENCING CONTINUOUS FAILURE OF THE POWER STEERING IN MY '04 SATURN ION. STEERING CAN LOCK UP AT ANY GIVEN TIME AFTER START UP AND HAS DONE SO ON AN EVERY TRIP BASIS FOR THE PAST 6 MONTHS. THE DEALERSHIP'S DIAGNOSTIC DIDN'T FIND ANYTHING, BUT OFFERED TO REPLACE THE POWER STEERING COLUMN FOR ALMOST $800; WHICH AS I HAVE READ DOESN'T GUARANTEE FIXING THE PROBLEM. LOSING YOUR POWER STEERING WHILE DRIVING IS A SAFETY ISSUE AND I FEEL THAT IF THIS ISSUE IS PREVALENT IN THE ION SERIES, SATURN/GM SHOULD ADDRESS IT ACCORDINGLY. *TR

2004 SATURN ION QUAD COUPE. 2.2L MAN. POWER STEERING FAILS SEEMS TO BE RANDOM AS TO WHEN IT FAILS. REPEATED FAILS, USUALLY MULTIPLE TIMES IN A DAY. MAKES DRIVING THE VEHICLE VERY DIFFICULT AND IF NOT EXPECTING IT CAN MAKE FOR A CLOSE CALL. FAILURE HAS NOT BEEN CORRECT AS OF THIS TIME. OLD PART CAN BE MADE AVAILABLE ONCE REPAIR IS COMPLETED. *TR

MY POWER-STEERING KEEPS GOING OUT ON MY 2004 SATURN ION. THE MESSAGE CENTER BEEPS AND THEN THE STEERING GOES OUT. TURN THE CAR OFF AND THEN BACK ON AND STEERING WORKS. *TR

I DRIVE A 2004 SATURN ION. ABOUT TWO MONTHS AGO MY POWER STEERING STARTED TO GO OUT AT RANDOM TIMES, HOWEVER, WHEN I WOULD TURN THE CAR OFF AND THEN BACK ON IT WOULD BE FINE. I DID BRING IT IN TO A MECHANIC AND HAD IT LOOKED AT. HE FOUND NO ERROR CODES AND NO DUPLICATE OF THE PROBLEM BECAUSE IT WAS AT RANDOM TIMES. A COUPLE WEEKS AGO IT STARTED TO TURN OFF A COUPLE TIMES A DAY. I FINALLY BROUGHT IT IN AGAIN WHEN IT TURNED OFF ON ME ON THE FREEWAY AND I ALMOST CRASHED WHEN A BIG RIG SWERVED. MY MECHANIC WAS ABLE TO VERIFY THERE WAS AN ISSUE WITH THE POWER STEERING COLUMN & MODULAR. THAT PART WAS $560.53 (NOT INCLUDING LABOR). FURTHER RESEARCH INTO THIS PART ON MY CAR WITH THE HELP OF MY MECHANIC SHOWED THAT THIS IS A VERY COMMON ISSUE WITH MY SATURN MAKE. HOWEVER, THE STORY DOES NOT END HERE. AFTER REPLACEMENT OF THIS PART MY MECHANIC DISCOVERED THE CAUSE FOR THE STEERING BREAKING. THE MOTOR IN THIS COLUMN PIECE FRIES THE WHOLE MODULAR. THE REPLACEMENT PART FOR THIS WAS ANOTHER $175.00. THE SATURN FACTORY HAS PLENTY OF STEERING COLUMNS IN STOCK HOWEVER BECAUSE OF THE INCREASE IN DEMAND FOR THE REPLACEMENT OF THE MOTOR, THE PART WAS ON BACK ORDER FOR A COUPLE OF WEEKS. YES THE WHOLE PROCESS WAS FRUSTRATING AND EXPENSIVE BUT HAVING POWER STEERING GO OUT UNEXPECTEDLY IS VERY DANGEROUS. SOMEONE SHOULD NOT HAVE TO DIE OR BE INJURED IN AN ACCIDENT BEFORE A SAFETY RECALL IS FORCED UPON SATURN. *TR