SATURN Complaints

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 SATURN ION. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH, THE POWER STEERING WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED AS THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME STIFF AND DIFFICULT TO MANEUVER. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER OR REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 144,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 SATURN SKY. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED HE WAS UNABLE TO REMOVE THE KEY FROM THE IGNITION. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING AND WAS ADVISED THAT THE GEAR SHIFT HAD TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 15,000. *TR

I WAS DRIVING MY SATURN ION 2 UNDER NORMAL CONDITIONS 5/6/13. I PARKED THE VEHICLE AND ATTEMPTED TO TURN IT OFF BUT THE KEY WOULD NOT MOVE. THE IGNITION WAS LOCKED. I COULD NOT TURN OFF THE ION. I DROVE TO A MECHANIC, WHO DISCONNECTED THE BATTERY. I PAID $292.68 FOR A NEW IGNITION LOCK AND IGNITION CYLINDER. I SEE HUNDREDS OR THOUSANDS OF SIMILAR COMPLAINTS ONLINE YET AT NO POINT DID GM NOTIFY ME OF THE POTENTIAL PROBLEM NOR OFFER TO FIX IT. *TR

THE PORTION OF THE FUEL LINES NEAR THE FUEL PUMP, WHICH IS HIDDEN BY A FLEXIBLE COVER UNDERNEATH CAR, WAS DISCOVERED TO BE SEVERELY RUSTED NEARLY TO THE POINT OF LEAKING, REQUIRING FUEL LINE REPLACEMENT. IN CONTRAST, THE PORTION OF THE FUEL LINES EXPOSED UNDERNEATH CAR WAS STILL IN PRISTINE CONDITION. (CAR HAS BEEN GARAGED AT NIGHT SINCE DELIVERY.) SERVICE MANAGER SAID THAT RECENTLY THEY HAVE BEEN FINDING MANY SATURN IONS WITH THIS CONDITION. ALTHOUGH GM HAS ISSUED A RECALL FOR FUEL PUMP LEAKS, THE PROBLEM OFTEN IS INSTEAD THE FUEL LINE HAS RUSTED THROUGH AND IS LEAKING. THIS PROBLEM WOULD NOT BE EXPECTED, AND THUS APPEARS TO BE DUE TO A SATURN DESIGN OR MANUFACTURING DEFECT. BECAUSE OF THE PREVALENCE AND SIGNIFICANT SAFETY ISSUE, THE SERVICE MANAGER EXPECTS GM WILL EVENTUALLY ISSUE A RECALL FOR THE FUEL LINE PROBLEM. BECAUSE THE PORTION OF THE FUEL LINE SUBJECT TO SEVERE RUSTING IS HIDDEN BEHIND THE FLEXIBLE COVER UNDERNEATH THE CAR AND NOT THE EXPOSED SECTION, IT IS LIKELY TO BE NOTICED ONLY AFTER LEAKING OCCURS, RESULTING IN A FIRE HAZARD. A RECALL APPEARS DESIRABLE TO INSPECT PARTICULARLY THE HIDDEN PORTION OF THE FUEL LINES NEAR THE FUEL PUMP AND REPLACE THEM IF NEEDED. ALTHOUGH A MANUFACTURER MUST PROVIDE A REMEDY TO SAFETY-RELATED DEFECT A NO COST TO THE OWNER, IN THIS INSTANCE GM REFUSES TO PAY FOR THE FUEL LINE REPLACEMENT UNLESS THE NHTSA COMPELS THEM TO ISSUE A RECALL. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 SATURN ION. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE POWER STEERING SYSTEM MALFUNCTIONED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS POWERED OFF AND RESTARTED. THE VEHICLE AND THE POWER STEERING SYSTEM THEN FUNCTIONED PROPERLY. THE CONTACT DID NOT CALL THE MANUFACTURER OR TAKE THE VEHICLE TO A DEALER. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 128,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 SATURN ION. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HE WAS UNABLE TO TURN THE IGNITION TO THE OFF POSITION TO REMOVE THE KEY. THE VEHICLE REMAINED POWERED ON AND THE CONTACT HAD TO DISCONNECT A WIRE UNDER THE STEERING COLUMN TO TURN OFF THE VEHICLE. THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING LIGHT WOULD OCCASIONALLY ILLUMINATE. THE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED BY THE DEALER HOWEVER THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE WAS UNDETERMINED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE BUT OFFERED NO FURTHER ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 57,117.

THE CAR WOULD NOT GO INTO PARK AS A RESULT THE CAR WOULD ROLL FORWARD OR BACKWARD WITH THE ENGINE OFF. IT WAS ALSO DIFFICULT TO RESTART AS IT WOULD NOT ENGAGE IN PARK. TOOK IT TO A GM DEALER, WHO SAID IT WAS NOT A RECALL AS THE AURA HAS A SIX SPEED TRANSMISSION AND ONLY AURAS WITH A 4 SPEED TRANSMISSION WERE COVERED WHEN THE SHIFT LINK BREAKS. *TR

ALL OF SUDDEN THE VEHICLE LOST POWER. THE TRACTION LIGHT AND CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. THEN THE VEHICLE READ LOST OF ENGINE POWER ON THE SCREEN. THIS APPEARS TO BE HAPPENING A LOT WITH SATURN VEHICLES WITH AS VIEW AS 25,000 MILES OF THEM. *TR

IN LATE MARCH 2013, I TOOK MY CAR TO CURRY'S AUTO SERVICE IN DULLES, VA TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF SQUEALING SOUND WHEN I BACK MY CAR OUT OFF PARKING SPACES. I WAS ADVISED TO HAVE REAR ROTORS RESURFACED, REAR PADS REPLACED AND REPLACE SHOCKS AND STRUTS. ON APRIL 2, 2013, WHILE IN GA FOR BUSINESS/PERSONAL PURPOSES I TOOK MY 2007 SATURN AURA XR TO TIRES PLUS IN SUWANEE, GA TO HAVE THE NECESSARY REPAIR WORK. DESPITE THE COMPLETED REPAIR WORK, FOR THE NEXT FEW WEEKS THE SOUND KEPT COMING BACK ONLY OCCURRING WHEN I BACK OUT OFF PARKING SPACES. ON APRIL 27, 2013 I TOOK MY CAR TO THE TIRES PLUS IN CHANTILLY, VA. THEY DETERMINED THE REAR ROTORS WERE NOT RESURFACED PROPERLY AND REAR LEFT SHOCK WAS LOOSE. ON MAY 4, 2013 TIRES PLUS, CHANTILLY, VA LOCATION RESURFACED THE REAR ROTORS AND TIGHTENED THE SHOCK. WITHIN TWO HOURS OFF THE REPAIR THE SQUEALING NOISE IS BACK AGAIN. THE CONSISTENT NOISE OCCURS DAILY WHENEVER I BACK OUT OFF PARKING SPACES. I HAVE ALREADY INVESTED OVER $1,100 IN REPAIRS WITH NO RESOLUTION. SCANNING THE INTERNET, I FOUND NUMEROUS OTHER COMPLAINTS FROM OTHER 2007 SATURA AURA OWNERS WITH THE SAME EXACT SQUEALING ISSUE. *TR

2003 SATURN ION. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS AND SEEKS VEHICLE REIMBURSEMENT. *SMD THE CONSUMER STATED WHEN HE BACKED THE VEHICLE OUT OF THE GARAGE, AND PUT THE GEAR IN DRIVE, THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT GO FORWARD. THE CONSUMER BACKED THE VEHICLE BACK IN TO THE GARAGE. THE NEXT DAY HE TRIED IT, AND THE VEHICLE WENT FORWARD. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, BUT THEY WERE UNABLE TO FIND A PROBLEM. FROM SEPTEMBER 2012, UNTIL JANUARY 2013, THE CONSUMER HAD PROBLEMS WITH THE VEHICLE GOING FORWARD. EACH TIME, IT WOULD WORK AGAIN AFTER LETTING THE VEHICLE SIT FOR AWHILE. THEN ON FEBRUARY 23, 2013, THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT GO INTO REVERSE. AFTER LETTING THE VEHICLE SIT FOR ABOUT FOUR HOURS, THE SHIFTING WORKED. AFTER DRIVING THREE BLOCKS, THE VEHICLE STOPPED AND THE SHIFTING WENT OUT AGAIN. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN AUTO REPAIR SHOP. THE REPAIR SHOP INFORMED THE CONSUMER THE TRANSMISSION HAD FAILED AND THE PARTS ALONE WOULD COST $3,982.58.