SATURN Complaints

POWER STEERING KEEPS CUTTING OUT OF MY 2007 SATURN ION. MAKES IT HARD TO STEER. *TR

ESCONDIDO, CA. -- I AM A LONGTIME OWNER OF SATURNS -- I OWN A 2009 VUE NOW AND HAVE OWNED FOUR OTHER SEDANS -- AND HAVE ALWAYS THOUGHT THEY WERE RELIABLE AND SAFE CARS. MY DAUGHTER DROVE AN SL FOR YEARS. NOW I AM NOT SO SURE. I JUST PURCHASED (JULY 5) A 2004 SATURN ION REDLINE, 73,000 MILES ON THE ODOMETER, FOR MY SON, THE FIRST DAY HE DROVE IT, THE POWER STEERING WENT OUT WHILE HE WAS MAKING A TURN. HE NEARLY HAD AN ACCIDENT. THERE WAS A CHIME, THE LETTERS PWR STR APPEARED ON THE DASHBOARD READOUT, AND THE POWER STEERING WENT OUT IMMEDIATELY, MAKING THE VEHICLE EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO STEER. TURNING OFF THE CAR AND STARTING IT AGAIN RESTORED THE POWER STEERING. BUT WITHIN 24 HOURS, THE SAME THING HAPPENED TWICE MORE WITHOUT ANY WARNING, ONCE WHILE I WAS DRIVING THE CAR. I HAVE SINCE DONE A WEB SEARCH AND FOUND HUNDREDS OF COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE ION FOR THIS EXACT PROBLEM. THIS IS NOT JUST A SIMPLE ISSUE OF A PART WEARING OUT. IT IS A WIDESPREAD AND EXTRAORDINARILY DANGEROUS SITUATION THAT IS GOING TO RESULT IN INJURIES OR DEATH, IF IT HASN'T ALREADY. I AM ALSO OUTRAGED THAT GM HAS ISSUED A RECALL FOR THE CHEVY COBALT SS, WHICH HAS THE SAME STEERING SYSTEM AS THE ION REDLINE, BUT NOT FOR THE ION. I HAVE CONTACTED GM, AND A SPOKEWOMAN (MERISSA) ACKNOWLEDGED THE COBALT RECALL, BUT SAID IT DID NOT APPLY TO THE ION FOR REASONS SHE COULD NOT EXPLAIN. ARE THE SAFETY AND LIVES OF SATURN ION OWNERS SOMEHOW LESS VALUABLE THAN OWNERS OF CHEVY COBALTS? GM HAS DIRECTED ME TO A CHEVY DEALER (NOW THAT SATURN IS GONE) TO HAVE THE PROBLEM ASSESSED. IT SAYS IT CANNOT PROMISE ANYTHING BECAUSE THE CAR IS OUT OF WARRANTY. BUT THIS IS CLEARLY A PROBLEM DUE TO A DEFECTIVE STEERING SYSTEM. I IMPLORE NHTSA TO REQUIRE A RECALL FOR SATURN IONS WITH ELECTRIC STEERING. JUST DO A GOOGLE SEARCH FOR "SATURN ION POWER STEERING FAILS" TO SEE ALL THE IDENTICAL COMPLAINTS AND HARROWING REPORTS OF ACCIDENTS AND NEAR ACCIDENTS. DO YOUR JOB, PLEASE, BEFORE SOMEONE IS SERIOUSLY INJURED OR KILLED. *TR

I OWN A 2008 SATURN OUTLOOK. THE HEADLIGHTS, LOW BEAM, HAVE BEEN GOING OUT FOR NO REASON. I THOUGHT THE BULBS BURNT OUT, BUT WHEN I WENT TO REPLACE THEM, THEY CAME BACK ON. I SIMPLY MOVED THE WIRE HARNESS AND THEY TURNED BACK ON. ON ONE OCCASION THE HEADLAMPS WENT OUT AS WE WERE DRIVING AT NIGHT. THIS ISSUE IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS, AND IT APPEARS TO BE HAPPENING TO OTHER SATURN OUTLOOK OWNERS AS WELL. I FEEL A RECALL IS NEEDED!!!!!!! *TR

POWER STEERING CLICKS AND SHUTS OFF MULTIPLE TIMES DURING ANY GIVEN DRIVE. TURNING THE CAR OFF AND ON ONLY "FIXES" THE PROBLEM FOR A SHORT TIME. WHEN POWER STEERING SHUTS OFF, CAR VERY HARD TO STEER. *TR

I AM THE ORIGINAL OWNER OF A 2007 SATURN AURA XR THAT WAS PURCHASED IN AUGUST 2007. ALMOST IMMEDIATELY I HAD TO BRING THE CAR BACK TO THE DEALER IN SEPT 2007 TO INVESTIGATE "SERVICE AIR BAG" AND "ESC" WARNING LIGHTS. ADDITIONALLY, I BEGAN NOTICING THAT MY BRAKE LIGHTS WERE MALFUNCTIONING. THEY WOULD BE ON WHILE I WAS DRIVING AND THEN WOULD GO OFF WHEN THE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED. THIS MADE FOR VERY UNSETTLING DRIVING. I HAD TO BRING THE CAR BACK TO SATURN TWICE IN 2007 TO "FIX" THE PROBLEM BUT I HAS STARTED AGAIN. I BROUGHT THE CAR TO THE CHEVY DEALER THAT NOW PROVIDES SERVICE FOR SATURN CUSTOMERS ON JUNE 22, 2010 TO ADDRESS THE BRAKE LIGHTS. THEY KEPT THE CAR FOR TWO DAYS AND SUPPOSEDLY "FIXED" IT. WELL THE PROBLEM STILL PERSISTS. YOU CAN REMOTE START THE CAR AND THE BRAKE LIGHTS ARE ON. YOU CAN TURN THE CAR ON NORMALLY,, DEPRESS THE BRAKE PEDAL AND THE BRAKE LIGHTS ILLUMINATE BUT FAIL TO GO OFF. THE CENTER BRAKE LIGHT DOESN'T APPEAR TO WANT TO WORK CORRECTLY EITHER. THIS IS VERY FRUSTRATING. DOES ANYONE KNOW THE CORRECT SOLUTION TO THIS PROBLEM? PS-MY MILEAGE IS 18,000 MILES. *TR

THE POWER STEERING IN MY SATURN 2006 ION LIGHT COMES ON. AFTER THE LIGHT COMES ON, THE POWER STEERING FAILS AND I NEED TO SHUT THE CAR OFF AND BACK ON AGAIN IN ORDER TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM. IT HAPPENED ON JUNE 30TH 3 TIMES, JULY 1ST 1-2 TIMES AND JULY 3RD 1-2 TIMES. I HAD TO GET THE POWER STEERING MOTOR REPLACED IN ORDER TO FIX THE PROBLEM. I FOUND OUT THAT GM IS RECALLING CERTAIN CARS FOR THE SAME EXACT PROBLEM AND THAT THE SAME PARTS IN THE CARS THEY ARE RECALLING IS IN THE SATURN. THE SATURN ION'S SHOULD BE INCLUDED IN THE RECALL AS WELL. *TR

I WAS DRIVING HOME AT LUNCH FROM WORK WHICH IS APPROX. 10 MINS. WHEN TURNING ON TO A MAIN ROAD WHICH IS CONSIDERED A STATE HIGHWAY MY POWERSTEERING LIGHT WENT ON AND I LOST POWER STEERING AND I ALMOST LOST CONTROL OF MY CAR. I RESEARCHED THIS AND FOUND THIS IS A KNOWN PROBLEM FOR MY CAR. THERE HAS BEEN REPORTS OF THE ELECTRICAL POWER STEERING AND FAILING AND THERE IS NO RECALL. HOWEVER,THIS IS THE SAME PROBLEM WITH THE CHEVY COBALT WHICH DOES HAVE RECALLS ON. *TR

POWER STEERING LOCKS UP WHEN WATER SPLASHES ONTO FAN BELT ON 2007 SATURN OUTLOOK. HAPPENS ON WET ROADS. ON INCIDENT DATE, VEHICLE WOULD NOT MAINTAIN LANE DURING RIGHT HAND TURN ONTO TWO LANE ROAD FROM A FULL STOP. VEHICLE ENDED UP IN ON-COMING TRAFFIC LANE BEFORE STEERING RETURNED. THIS AFTER THE NEW DESIGNED INNER FENDER SKIRTS WERE INSTALLED AS THE PERMANENT "FIX". NEW PARTS INSTALLED BY DEALER NOW SERVICING SATURNS IN AUGUSTA GEORGIA. MASTER MECHANIC SAID THAT THIS "FIX" HAS ONLY WORKED ON 50% OF HIS REPAIRS. HE CHECKED OUT THE REPAIRS, STATED THEY WERE INSTALLED CORRECTLY AND THAT THERE IS NOTHING ELSE SUGGESTED AT THIS TIME. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE THAT GM MUST FULLY RESOLVE. THIS IS THE FOURTH TIME THIS HAS HAPPENED, AND THE FIRST SINCE INSTALLATION OF NEW INNER FENDER SKIRTS INSTALLED IN JANUARY 2010. UP UNTIL THEN THERE WAS NO REPAIR AVAILABLE. NOW THIS REPAIR DOES NOT FIX THE PROBLEM. *TR

INTERMITTENT POWER STEERING FAILURE ON 2004 SATURN ION. RESTARTING ENGINE "RESETS" POWER STEERING. MAY OCCUR MULTIPLE TIMES IN ONE WEEK. SAME PROBLEMATIC POWER STEERING UNITS USED IN OTHER GM VEHICLES THAT WERE RECALLED (COBALTS AND G5) BUT NO RECALL FOR SATURN IONS HAVING SAME PROBLEM WITH SAME PARTS. *TR

I WILL GIVE YOU WHAT I SENT TO A CONSUMER REPAIRS OFFICE AND THE FTC: DATE = COMPANY NAME = SATURN/GMC COMPANY CONTACT = CUSTOMER SERVICE/ROADSIDE SERVICE INCIDENT = I GOT HOME FROM SHOPPING WITH MY SATURN 2006 ION II, AND TRIED TO TURN THE IGNITION OFF AND IT WOULD NOT TURN OFF. I TRIED TO GET THE PANEL UNDER THE STEERING WHEEL OFF AND HAD TROUBLE GETTING IT OFF, SO I COULD GET TO THE SHIFT LOCK RELEASE, AND COULDN'T FIND THE PLUNGER AT FIRST, AND THEN IT WOULDN'T MOVE EITHER LIKE IT SAID IT WOULD TO GET THE KEY OUT. THE KEY CAME OUT, BUT IT STILL WOULD NOT TURN OFF THE IGNITION AND THE ENGINE KEPT RUNNING. I TRIED THREE TIMES TO TALK WITH CUSTOMER SERVICE AND ROADSIDE SERVICE THROUGH ON STAR AND SATURN AND GOT VERY LITTLE INFORMATION OF HOW TO STOP THE ENGINE FROM RUNNING. FINALLY, THE LAST PERSON AT ROADSIDE SERVICE FOR SATURN HELPED ME TO REMOVE THE FUSE 16 FOR THE FUEL INJECTORS WHICH CUT THE ENGINE, BUT THEN DIDN'T TELL ME HOW TO REMOVE THE BATTERY CABLE AND IT WAS STILL POWERED ON. THANK GOD FOR A FRIEND WHO CAME OVER TO HELP ME GET THE MAINTENANCE-FREE BATTERY CABLE UNSCREWED, NOT UN-BOLTED, LIKE IN OLDER CARS, TO REMOVE THE BATTERY CABLE, SO THAT THE POWER WOULD NOT BE DRAINED BY ALL THE REMAINING POWER THAT WAS ON. WHAT IS BAD IS THAT THE SO-CALLED AUTHORIZED SERVICE DEALER FOR SATURN IN MY TOWN IS NOT OPEN ON SATURDAYS. SATURN, AT LEAST USE TO HAVE SATURDAY HOURS FOR SERVICE. WHY ISN'T THE GOVERNMENT FORCING GMC AND SATURN TO RECALL THIS DEFECT. THEY GET TOYOTA TO DO THINGS, BUT FOR AMERICANS THEY DO LITTLE!!! HELP GOVERNMENT REGULATORS! I HAVE TO TAKE IT IN FOR REPAIR ON TUESDAY AND TAKE OFF WORK. THERE IS A TECH BULLETIN REFERRING TO THIS WHICH IS 04-08-45-005D, I BELIEVE. *TR