2004 Saturn Ion Body & Structure Problems

WAS TRAVELING AT APPROX 35MPH POWER STEERING ASSIST WAS LOST, TURNED INTO MANUAL STEERING. I AM A FAIRLY NEW DRIVER, 21, SO I DIDN'T REALLY KNOW HOW TO REACT. IT HAPPENED VERY QUICKLY. HIT A CENTER ISLAND, FOR A LACK OF A BETTER TERM. CALLED GM, THEY HAD SOMEONE INSPECT THE CAR. SAID THERE WAS NO DTC CODES DETECTED. SO THERE FOR THEY ARE CALLING ME A LIAR. MY PARENTS ALSO HAD THIS EXPERIENCE WITH THIS SAME VEHICLE SHORTLY BEFORE I PURCHASED THE CAR. GM REFUSE TO MAKE DAMAGE REPAIRS. ONLY DO RECALL REPAIRS. I ONLY BOUGHT THE CAR ONE WEEK BEFORE ALL THIS HAPPENED. *TR

I OWN A 2004 SATURN ION. THE ROOF OF THE VEHICLE EXHIBITED A SEVERE LEAK FROM THE DATE OF PURCHASE. WATER WOULD ENTER THE VEHICLE RAPIDLY DURING HEAVY RAINS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT FURTHER REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 32,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 57,030. *TR

THE OUTSIDE WINDOW WEATHER STRIPPING IS WARPING AND CRACKING CAUSING JAGGED EDGES. IT STARTED TO RIPPLING ON THE FRONT DOORS NOW IT IS STARTING TO DO IT ON THE REAR DOORS. I HAD TO JUST REPLACE WEATHER STRIP. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 SATURN ION. THE CONTACT WAS PULLING OUT OF A DRIVEWAY AND THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE WHEEL CAME OFF. THE DEALER STATED THAT THERE WAS A SHEET METAL PART FORMED INTO A RECTANGLE SHAPE THAT IS ATTACHED TO THE WHEEL AND THE FRAME WORKING AS A TYPE OF ARM TO CONNECT THE WHEEL TO THE FRAME. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE PART CORRODED AND THAT CAUSED IT TO BREAK. THE CONTACT WAS NOT AWARE OF THE SPECIFIC NAME OF THE PART AT THE TIME OF THE COMPLAINT. THE DEALER AND THE POLICE STATED THAT THIS WAS THE FIRST TIME THEY HAVE SEEN THIS TYPE OF FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS IN THE PROCESS OF BEING REPAIRED AT THE TIME OF THE COMPLAINT. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WAS 45000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 SATURN ION3. THE CONTACT STATED THAT SHE WAS STANDING AT THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE AND REACHING FOR AN OBJECT IN THE TRUNK WHEN THE REAR LIFTGATE CAME DOWN ABRUPTLY ON HER HEAD AND SHOULDERS. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED MINOR INJURIES FROM THE LIFTGATE AND IT WOULD NOT REMAIN UP IN THE OPEN POSITION WITHOUT HOLDING ONTO THE LIFTGATE MANUALLY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER FOR INSPECTION OF REPAIRS. THE FAILURE RECURRED TWICE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 58,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 60,300. UPDATED 12/23/10*LJ UPDATED 01/04/11

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 SATURN ION. THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE REAR PASSENGER AND DRIVER SIDE DOORS WERE DETACHING FROM THE HINGE AND ATTACHMENTS. THE DOORS ARE CURRENTLY NOT ACCESSIBLE DUE TO THE MALFUNCTION AND SAFETY RISK INVOLVED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER AND THEY STATED THAT THE PANEL AND THE DOORS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AT THE COST OF $1,844.65. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 108,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 SATURN ION. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ROOF OF THE VEHICLE EXHIBITED A SEVERE LEAK FROM THE DATE OF PURCHASE. THE DEALER REPLACED THE CEILING ON ONE OCCASION YET THE FAILURE RECURRED. WATER WOULD ENTER THE VEHICLE RAPIDLY DURING HEAVY RAINS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT FURTHER REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 545 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 107,000.

I WAS TRAVELING NORTH ON I-95 GOING ABOUT 65 MPH IN THE CENTER LANE. ALL OF A SUDDEN I HEARD A LOUD BOOM AND I SEE OUT OF MY LEFT SIDEVIEW MIRROR, THE LEFT SIDE OF MY BUMPER FLIP UP INTO THE AIR. I LOST CONTROL OF MY VEHICLE AND IT STARTED SWERVING LEFT AND RIGHT. MY CAR CROSSED OVER THE RIGHT LANE AND I WAS ABLE TO PULL OFF ONTO THE SHOULDER AND INTO A GRASSY AREA JUST NORTH OF THE GLADES ROAD EXIT. WHEN I GOT OUT OF MY VEHICLE TO CHECK THE DAMAGE, RIGHT AWAY I SEE LARGE PIECES OF MY TIRE TREAD LAYING IN THE ROAD ABOUT 20 FEET BACK. THE LEFT SIDE OF MY BUMPER IS SCRATCHED AND TORN FROM THE CAR. THE TIRE WAS COMPLETELY BALD AND THE TREAD WAS PEALED OFF, LAYING IN THE STREET. THE PANEL BETWEEN MY BUMPER AND LEFT REAR DOOR IS SNAPPED OFF AND HANGING BY A SMALL PIECE. I OPENED THE LEFT REAR DOOR AND THE WHOLE INSIDE FRAME IS CRACKED AND IN PIECES. IT LOOKS LIKE WHEN THE TIRE TREAD PEELED OFF, IT BEAT INTO THE DOOR, SIDE PANEL AND BUMPER AND BUSTED THEM RIGHT OFF. THE TIRE WAS NOT PUNCTURED NOR DID I RUN OVER ANY DEBRIS IN THE ROAD. THIS IS CLEARLY A MANUFACTURER'S DEFECT. I CHANGED MY TIRE AND PUT THE SPARE ON AND DROVE TO A NEARBY SHOP TO HAVE A NEW TIRE PUT ON. I TAPED UP MY BUMPER BECAUSE IT WOULD FLAP AROUND AS I DRIVE. THE TIRE WAS A FIRESTONE TIRE AND IT IS THE ORIGINAL TIRE THAT CAME ON MY 2004 BRAND NEW SATURN ION. I CONTACTED FIRESTONE TO EXPLAIN THE SITUATION AND MAKE THEM AWARE THAT THIS IS THEIR RESPONSIBILITY. I KEEP MY CAR IN TOP CONDITION, I GET OIL CHANGES EVERY 3,000 MILES, FILL MY TIRES WITH AIR EVERY MONTH AND I ROTATE THEM EVERY OTHER OIL CHANGE AS WELL. OF COURSE, FIRESTONE DENIED MY CLAIM ADVISING THE TIRE HAD OVER DEFLECTION AND THAT IS WHY THE TIRE TREAD PEELED OFF THE TIRE. I CALLED FIRESTONE AND SPOKE WITH THE PARALEGAL WHO SENT THE DENIAL LETTER. I ADVISED HER THAT FIRESTONE IS RESPONSIBLE FOR FIXING THE DAMAGE ON MY VEHICLE OR PAYING MY $250 DEDUCTIBLE TO MY INSURANCE COMPANY IN ORDER FOR THEM TO FIX THE DAMAGE. FIRESTONE DENIED. *TR

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS ON GRAVEL ROADS, DUST ENTERED THE VEHICLE FROM ALL FOUR DOOR SEALS. THE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED BY A DEALER WHO DETERMINED THAT WAS THE WAY THE VEHICLE WAS DESIGNED, AND SUGGESTED NOT DRIVING THE VEHICLE ON GRAVEL ROADS. ADDITIONALLY, WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, BOTH REAR PASSENGER DOORS OPENED WITHOUT WARNING. UPON INITIAL INSPECTION BY THE CONTACT, IT WAS DETERMINED DUST ACCUMULATED AROUND THE DOOR SEALS WHICH CAUSED THE DOORS TO OPEN. THE MANUFACTURER WAS ALERTED. UPDATED 12/28/2006 - DUST ALSO ACCUMULATED IN AND AROUND THE LOCKS. *NM

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE DOOR LOCKS DEVELOPED DUST AND THE DOOR WOULD NOT CLOSE. WHILE DRIVING THE REAR DOOR CAME OPEN. THE CONTACT STATED A BUNGY CORD WAS USED TO KEEP THE DOOR FROM OPENING AGAIN WHILE DRIVING. THE CONTACT THEN CLEANED OFF HEAVY DUST FROM THE LOCKS TO FIX THE PROBLEM. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN TO A SERVICE DEALER. UPDATED 12/28/2006 - THE CONSUMER BEGAN HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THE CAR SHORTLY AFTER IT WAS PURCHASED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO CLAIMED THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO. THE DEALER REPLACED THE DOOR SEALS BUT THAT DID NOT HELP*NM

THE VEHICLE MADE NOISE WHILE DRIVING BETWEEN 28-32 MPH. AT ALL OTHER SPEEDS THE VEHICLE IS QUIET. *NM THE DEALER TOLD THE CONSUMER IT WAS POSSIBLY A DESIGN FLAW. NO ONE COULD GIVE THE CONSUMER AN ANSWER AS TO WHAT THE PROBLEM WAS. *JB