2003 Saturn Ion Visibility & Wipers Problems

IN THE PHOTOGRAPH BELOW YOU WILL SEE THE WIPER TRANSMISSION, MADE OF PLASTIC, THAT BROKE ON MY 2003 SATURN ION AND WAS REPLACED ON MY VEHICLE ON 7/7/2017 AT MY EXPENSE OF $298. I WAS STUNNED TO LEARN THAT ANY CAR MANUFACTURER WOULD USE PLASTIC FOR ANY MOVING PART IN A VEHICLE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. I HAVE BEEN IN CONTACT WITH GENERAL MOTORS, AND AT FIRST THEY TOLD ME THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO. HOWEVER, I HAVE REQUESTED THAT THEY DO A RECALL ON THE 2003 SATURN TO REPLACE THE WIPERS TRANSMISSIONS. I HAVE ALSO BEEN TOLD NOT TO WASTE MY TIME THAT THIS IS NOT CONSIDERED A SAFETY ISSUE BY NHTSA. LET ME ASSURE YOU, IT MOST DEFINITELY IS A SAFETY ISSUE. IT IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS TO DRIVE WITHOUT THE USE OF WIPERS WHEN IT IS POURING RAIN. THE WIPER BROKER WHILE I WAS DRIVING IN MORNING RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC WHEN I THOUGHT A ROCK HAD HIT MY WINDSHIELD. IT WASN'T A ROCK, IT WAS THE WIPER THAT HAD SLAMMED BACK INTO MY WINDSHIELD. I HAD NO CHOICE BUT TO KEEP GOING UNTIL I REACHED MY DESTINATION AT WHICH TIME I CALLED A FRIEND WHO LOANED ME THEIR CAR UNTIL I COULD GET THIS FIXED. I HAVE ALSO DONE A LITTLE BIT OF RESEARCH ON THIS AND FOUND THAT MY CAR IS NOT THE ONLY SATURN 2003 THAT HAS HAD THIS PROBLEM. THE CASE FILE NUMBERS WITH GM ARE 8-2993888661 AND 8-3078081084, WITH THE LATTER BEING THE MOST RECENT COMMUNICATION. AND, WHILE I KNOW MY CARE IS 14 YEARS OLD, THE AGE SHOULD NOT BE AN ISSUE SINCE THE WIPER TRANSMISSION IS MADE OF PLASTIC. I THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION OF THIS MATTER, AND IF THIS IS NOT ON YOUR LIST OF SAFETY/HAZARDOUS CONDITIONS THAT IT BE ADDED TO THE LIST.

2003 SATURN ION. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO DEFECTIVE PLASTIC LINKAGE ON THE TRANSMISSION CONNECTS THE WIPER MOTOR TO THE WINDSHIELD WIPER ARM. *SMD THE CONSUMER STATED THE DEFECTIVE PART WAS MADE OUT OF PLASTIC, WHICH WAS NOT DURABLE IN SUCH A CRITICAL PLACE AS THE WINDSHIELD WIPER TRANSMISSION. *JB

WHILE GOING DOWN THE INTERSTATE AT 75, MY WIPER MOTOR LINKAGE BLEW APART BECAUSE OF THE PLASTIC. I COULDN'T SEE BECAUSE OF THE SNOW, AND HAD TO REACH OUT AND GRAB THE WIPERS, THEY CUT MY HAND. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 SATURN ION. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE FAILED TO START. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS FAILED TO OPERATE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNAVAILABLE.

. I WAS DRIVING SOUTH ON I-15 BETWEEN CEDAR CITY AND ST. GEORGE UTAH.AROUND 4:00 PM WHEN I DROVE INTO A VERY HEAVY RAIN STORM, I TURNED ON THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS TO CLEAR THE WINDSHIELD. AT WHICH POINT THE WIPERS WENT UP AND THEN QUITE. THE DRIVER SIDE WIPER WENT ALL THE WAY TO THE LEFT SIDE OF THE WINDSHIELD AND STOPPED. THE PASSENGER SIDE WORKED FOR A FEW MINUTES AND THEN QUITE I HAD TO PULL OVER STOP AND WATER FOR THE RAIN STORM TO PASS OVER. UPON LATER INSPECTION I FOUND THAT THE PLASTIC HOUSING THAT HOLDS THE WIPER MOUNTS TO THE MAIN ASSEMBLY HAD BROKEN AWAY FROM BOTH SIDES CAUSING THE WIPERS TO QUIT WORKING. SINCE THE CAR WAS OUT OF WARRANTY I WENT DOWN TO STEPHEN WADE CHEVROLET AND PURCHASED A NEW WIPER MOTOR MODULE ASSEMBLY. WHICH COST ME $196,00. WHILE I WAS REPLACING THIS WIPER MODULE ASSEMBLY I NOTICED THAT THE NEW WIPER MOTOR MODULE ASSEMBLY HAS NO PLASTIC PARTS.THE UNIT WAS SOLID METAL. WHICH SHOULD HAVE BEEN DONE IN THE FIRST PLACE TO AVOID THIS VERY SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE. I DID WRITE SATURN A LETTER AND SENT PICTURES AS WELL SHOWING THEM THE PROBLEM THIS PROBLEM HAPPENS OVER A LONG PERIOD OF TIME AS HOT AND COLD WEATHER CAUSES THE PLASTIC TO GET BRITTLE AND THEN BRAKE. I AM VERY CONCERNED ABOUT THE PUBLICS SAFETY AND ADVISED SATURN THAT I FELT THEY SHOULD SERIOUSLY CONSIDER ISSUING A RECALL AND REPLACE ANY OF THESE VEHICLES WHICH MAY HAVE THESE PLASTIC PART INSTALLED ON THEM. I HAVE BEEN DRIVING FOR MANY YEARS. AS EXPERIENCED DRIVER I KNEW WHAT TO DO. BUT FOR A YOUNGER OR ELDER DRIVER I REALLY THINK THIS SITUATION COULD HAVE TURNED OUT VERY BAD. LET'S GET SOMETHING DONE BEFORE SOMEONE GETS HURT OR EVEN WORSE KILLED. I JUST DON'T FEEL THAT SATURN WILL DO ANYTHING MORE ABOUT THIS SAFETY ISSUE. SO I HOPE YOU WILL. THANKS FOR TAKING THE TIME TO READ THIS LETTER AND FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION, COOPORATION AND CONCERNS. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 SATURN ION. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE WINDSHIELD WIPER ARM FAILED TO OPERATE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER, WHERE THE DEALER STATED THAT THE WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR AND ARM NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND THEY STATED THAT THE VIN DID NOT APPLY TO RECALL CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 02V283000 (VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER:MOTOR). THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 70,000. UPDATED 10/19/11*LJ UPDATED 01/30/12*BF COMPLAINT STATUS UPDATE 02/08/12

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 SATURN ION. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE WHILE DRIVING IN INCLIMENT WEATHER, HE NOTICED THAT THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS WOULD NOT OPERATE. THE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED BY AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, WHO WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND STATED THAT THERE WERE NO RECALLS ADDRESSING THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 52,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.

2003 SATURN ION WIPER FAILURE: THE WIPER LINKAGE AKA WIPER TRANSMISSION BROKE WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY AT 70MPH IN A RAIN STORM. THERE WAS NOT ANY ICE AND THE WIPERS WERE IN GOOD SHAPE. THE WIPER PROCEEDED TO GO OUTSIDE OF THE WINDSHIELD AND NOT RETURN TO THE OFF POSITION. VERY DANGEROUS AND OTHERS HAVE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM. AGAIN THERE WAS NOT ANY ICE INVOLVED. *TR

I AM THE OWNER OF A 2003 SATURN ION AND WAS DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY WHEN IT STARTED RAINING. I HAVE VERY POOR VISIBILITY BECAUSE THE DRIVERS SIDE WIPER BLADE FLEW OFF THE SIDE OF THE WINDSHIELD. I CALLED SATURN ABOUT THIS CONCERN, WAS TOLD I HAVE TO REPLACE IT. IT SHOWS THE CONNECTIVE JOINT ON THE WIPER BROKE LOOSE AND AFTER READING SEVERAL HUNDRED COMPLAINTS ONLINE ABOUT THIS SAME PROBLEM, IT IS APPARENT THAT SATURN KNOWS OF THIS DEFECTIVE PRODUCT, BUT CHARGES HUNDREDS OF DOLLARS TO REPAIR THE PROBLEM. MANY INJURIES AND POSSIBLY DEATH COULD RESULT FROM THIS DEFECT AND I AM VERY UNHAPPY WITH SATURN'S LACK OF CONCERN FOR PUBLIC SAFETY. I CAN ONLY DRIVE MY CAR WHEN IT IS NOT RAINING BECAUSE I CANNOT AFFORD 481.00 TO FIX WHAT SHOULD NOT HAVE BROKEN IN THE FIRST PLACE. THE PLASTIC MOLDING ON THE WINDSHIELD CAVITY IS NOT SUFFICIENT OR SAFE FOR ANY VEHICLE. PLEASE ATTEND TO THIS MATTER BEFORE SOMEONE IS KILLED. *TR

SATURN HAVE A RECALL ON THE 2003 SATURN ION L SERIES AND I EXPERIENCED A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION INVOLVING THE WIPER MOTOR. WHILE TRAVELING ON AN EXPRESSWAY DOING ABOUT 60MPH, THE WINDSHIELD WIPER COMPLETELY FLEW OFF THE RANGE OF THE WINDOW. UPON SAFELY GETTING OFF, I PULLED INTO A MECHANIC SHOP AND WAS TOLD THE WIPER MOTOR JUST FAILED. I CONTACTED SATURN TO TELL THEM ABOUT THE RECALL ON THE L SERIES AND THAT THIS CAR DEMONSTRATES THE SAME PROBLEM. THEY OFFERED NOT ASSISTANCE OR EVEN CARED ABOUT THE FACT THE I COULD HAVE BEEN KILLED BECAUSE IT WAS RAINING HARD AND THE MOTOR WENT OUT. SOMEONE SHOULD INVESTIGATE THIS PROBLEM BEFORE LIVES ARE LOST. *TR

THE OTHER DAY WHILE DRIVING MY SATURN ION IN THE RAIN MY WINDSHIELD WIPER WENT THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION INTO ON COMING TRAFFIC HAD TO STOP THE CAR AND ATTEMPT TO FIX ON HIGHWAY. THE WIPER SINCE THEN WILL NOT WORK. THE WIPER ARM NO SITS LOOSELY ON CAR. THIS ISSUE HAPPENED TO MY WIFE'S SATURN ION ALSO WE HAD TO REPAIR IT. THAT TIME IT HAPPENED WHILE VEHICLE WAS AT MECHANIC THEY NEVER TOOK RESPONSIBILITY FOR IT. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 SATURN ION. THE CONTACT STARTED THE IGNITION AND THE WINDSHIELD WIPER SYSTEM ACTIVATED. IMMEDIATELY, THE DRIVER'S SIDE WINDSHIELD WIPER BEGAN TO MOVE ERRATICALLY. THE FAILURE OCCURRED WITHOUT WARNING. CURRENTLY, THE DRIVER'S SIDE WINDSHIELD WIPER IS INOPERATIVE. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS NOT ACCEPTED BY THE SYSTEM. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 62,000.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 SATURN ION. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DUCT PORT, WHERE AIR TRAVELS THROUGH THE VEHICLE, FAILS TO TRANSPORT CORRECTLY AND BECOMES STUCK. THE INSULATION BETWEEN THE VENT LOOSENS AND STOPS SWITCHING BETWEEN HEAT AND DEFROST. THE FAILURE BEGAN AT 36,000 MILES. THE FAILURE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE CONTACT FEELS THAT THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE BECAUSE THE WINDOWS COULD FOG UP AND REDUCE VISIBILITY. THE FAILURE OCCURS IN RAINY WEATHER CONDITIONS. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 80,000.

ON MY 2003 SATURN ION 3 THE LEFT SIDE WIPER WENT THE OPPOSITE WAY AND LOCKED IN PLACE WHILE DRIVING CAR ON HIGHWAY. HAD TO PULL OVER AND TRY TO REPAIR WHILE ON ROAD. THIS HAPPENED TO MY WIFE'S SATURN ION 2 AND WE PAID TO REPAIR IT. *TR

MY 18 YR OLD DAUGHTER WAS DRIVING TO SCHOOL THIS MORNING DURING A HEAVY RAIN DOWNPOUR AND ALMOST HAD A WRECK DUE TO THE SUDDEN MALFUNCTION OF THE DRIVER'S SIDE WINDSHIELD WIPER ASSEMBLY. THE WIPER ARM SUDDEN BECAME "POSSESSED" WERE IT WAS MOVING ERRATICALLY CAUSING PRACTICALLY ZERO VISIBILITY ON A BUSY TWO-LANE HIGHWAY. SHE BARELY PULLED OFF THE ROAD AS A SCHOOL BUS ROUNDED THE CURVE. NEEDLESS TO SAY EVERYONE WAS LUCKY. A GOOD SAMARITAN MECHANIC STOPPED AND QUICKLY ASSESSED THAT A PLASTIC SUPPORT HAD BROKEN ON THE WIPER MOTOR ASSEMBLY. WE HAD TO LEAVE THE CAR IN A STRANGER'S DRIVEWAY UNTIL WE CAN MAKE ARRANGEMENTS TO MOVE IT DURING SAFER CONDITIONS. I GOT ON THE COMPUTER AND FOUND WHERE OTHERS HAD SUFFERED THE SAME ISSUE!! I KNOW PARTS WEAR OUT, BUT THIS IS A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE THAT GIVES NO WARNING. MY DAUGHTER WAS LUCKY NOT HAVE WRECKED OR INJURED THE SCHOOL CHILDREN THAT WERE STANDING ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, AWAITING THE BUS. ANGRY MOTHER *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 SATURN ION. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH ON NORMAL ROAD CONDITIONS, THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS WERE ACTIVATED TO CLEAN THE WINDSHIELD. THE DRIVER'S SIDE WINDSHIELD WIPERS FAILED TO OPERATE. THE FAILURE OCCURRED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP AND THEY STATED THAT THE FAILURE WAS RELATED TO THE WINDSHIELD WIPER TRANSMISSION. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE CONTACT WAS CONCERNED OF THE SAFETY RISK INVOLVED. SHE IS IN THE PROCESS OF NOTIFYING THE MANUFACTURER. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 36,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 37,000.

THE WINDSHIELD WIPER ARM COMPONENT ON MY 2003 SATURN ION (WHICH CONNECTS THE RIGHT AND LEFT WIPERS) HAS PLASTIC PARTS THAT WILL SNAP IN COLD WEATHER, RENDERING AT LEAST THE LEFT WINDSHIELD WIPER INOPERATIVE. THIS COULD HAVE CREATED AN EXTREMELY HAZARDOUS CONDITION, ESPECIALLY DURING A SNOW OR ICE STORM. THE REPAIR SHOP TOLD US THAT THE COMPONENT ARM HAD TO BE ON BACK ORDER, AND IT WOULD TAKE TWO WEEKS TO GET A REPLACEMENT. IT ACTUALLY TOOK FOUR WEEKS, WHICH LEADS ME TO BELIEVE THAT THE PROBLEM IS NOT AN ISOLATED ONE. THE REPLACEMENT, WHICH COST $162.00 WITHOUT LABOR, ALSO HAS PLASTIC COMPONENTS. THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS SIT BELOW THE PART ON THE WINDSHIELD WHERE THE DEFROSTER VENTS ARE AIMED, CAUSING THE WIPERS TO STAY FROZEN ON THE WINDSHIELD EVEN AFTER THE DEFROSTER IS TURNED ON. WHEN THE WIPERS ARE TURNED ON, THE STRAIN ON THE ARM COMPONENT (CAUSED WHEN THE FROZEN WIPER BLADES STAY STUCK ON THE WINDSHIELD) CAUSES THE PLASTIC PART TO SNAP, RENDERING AT LEAST THE LEFT WIPER INOPERATIVE. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 SATURN ION. WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH DURING RAINY CONDITIONS, THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS TRAVELED BEYOND THE NORMAL RADIUS. THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE PLASTIC LINKAGE ON THE WIPER MOTOR HAD FAILED. THE DEALER HAS NOT INSPECTED THE VEHICLE. THERE IS A DEFECT INVESTIGATION OPEN (NHTSA ACTION # PE07011) FOR THE WINDSHIELD WIPER LINKAGES. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 43,000.

I DON'T KNOW WHAT CAUSED THE FAILURE, BUT IT HAS NEVER BEEN ABUSED, AND THE CAR HAS ONLY 45747 MILES AS OF THE SERVICE DATE. WE LIVE IN MICHIGAN, AND ALTHOUGH THE MANUFACTURER MAY WANT TO CLAIM THAT SNOW CAUSED THIS FAILURE, WE HAVE NOT HAD ANY SNOWFALL PRIOR TO THIS DATE (10-25-06). I NOTICED THAT THE WINDSHIELD WIPER ARM WAS FOLDED OUTWARD FROM THE WINDSHIELD. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER, AND THEIR DIAGNOSIS WAS THAT THE SUPPORT BRACKET WAS BROKEN. HOWEVER, THERE IS NO WAY TO OBTAIN THE SIMPLE BRACKET. THE ENTIRE ASSEMBLY INCLUDING THE WIPER MOTOR WHICH STILL FUNCTIONED CORRECTLY HAD TO BE REPLACED. THE PARTS OF THE ASSEMBLY ARE A UNITIZED MODULE WHERE NO SINGLE PART CAN BE PURCHASED INDIVIDUALLY. THE TOTAL COST OF THIS ASSEMBLY (GM PART NUMBER 15221904 ACCORDING TO THE INVOICE) WAS $149.12 WHILE LABOR AND FEES MADE UP AN ADDITIONAL $100. OVERALL COST TO FIX WAS $250.91 WITH STATE TAXES. I ASKED FOR THE BROKEN PART, WHICH IS AVAILABLE FOR YOU TO LOOK AT (I WILL TAKE DIGITAL PICTURES IF YOU SO WISH). ADDITIONALLY, WHILE MOST OF THE MECHANISM IS CONSTRUCTED OF METAL, THE HIGH STRESS POINTS (THE BRACKETS) ARE MADE OF BRITTLE PLASTIC. WHILE NO HARM CAME TO ME BECAUSE OF THIS FAILURE, THE POTENTIAL FOR CATASTROPHE DOES EXIST. IF THIS MECHANISM WERE TO FAIL WHILE ONE WAS DRIVING, THEIR VISION WOULD BE OBSTRUCTED AND AN ACCIDENT COULD EASILY OCCUR. THIS IS PARTICULARLY TRUE IN MY CASE, WHERE THE DRIVER'S SIDE WIPER WAS RENDERED VIRTUALLY USELESS. THIS DEFECT COULD EASILY BE CORRECTED. THE BRACKETS WHICH ARE BOTH MADE OF BRITTLE PLASTIC COULD BE REPLACED WITH A MORE RELIABLE METAL PART. TO SAVE PRECIOUS PENNIES, SATURN CHOSE TO CONSTRUCT THIS CRITICAL PART OF THE CAR WITH AN INFERIOR MATERIAL. THE RESULT IS A DESIGN FLAW POTENTIALLY AFFECTING THE SAFETY OF THOUSANDS OF UNSUSPECTING SATURN OWNERS. I ASK THAT CONSIDERATION BE MADE FOR THEM WHILE THIS COMPLAINT IS REVIEWED.

TEMPERATURE CONTROL KNOBS DON'T ROTATE AND IT RESTRICTS THE AIR FLOW PREVENTING THE CAR FROM DEFOGGING FRONT WINDSHIELD, DRIVERS SIDE AND PASSENGER SIDE WINDOWS RESTRICTING VISIBILITY MAKING THE CONTINUE OPERATION OF THE VEHICLE UNSAFE. *TR