2005 Saturn Ion Complaint Log

DT: VEHICLE WAS PARKED OUTSIDE IN THE YARD AND CONSUMER WENT TO THE VEHICLE TO GET SOME PAPERS OUT OF THE GLOVE COMPARTMENT AND SMELLED SMOKE COMING FROM BOTH FRONT AND BACK OF THE VEHICLE. NO FLAMES AT THIS TIME. CONSUMER DID NOT ENTER THE VEHICLE. RAN INSIDE THE HOUSE AND CALLED THE FIRE DEPARTMENT. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT CAME AND PUT THE FIRE OUT. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT INVESTIGATED THE VEHICLE AND DETERMINED IT WAS AN ELECTRICAL FIRE, AND MOST LIKELY WAS LINKED TO THE BATTERY, WHERE THEY BELIEVED THE FIRE ORIGINATED. NO REPAIRS WERE MADE. THE INSURANCE COMPANY DID NOT DETERMINE IF VEHICLE WAS TOTALED AT THIS TIME. *AK

IGNITION PROBLEMS, CAR WILL NOT START AND THEN STARTS AFTER A WHILE. DEALER IS BLAMING IT ON REMOTE START. *AK

DOOR PANELS CRACKED DURING EXTREME HEAT CO WORKER POINTED OUT THAT THERE WAS A CRACK ON MY DRIVERS SIDE PASSENGER SIDE AND REAR PASSENGER SIDE DOOR THE CRACK ON THE REAR DOOR EVENTUALLY BECAME A WHOLE CHUNK VEHICLE HAS BEEN IN NO ACCIDENTS. *NM

SATURN 2005 ION 3 WITH INTERMITTENT LOW POWER LIGHT AND FUNCTION AND LOSS OF POWER STEERING GOES OUT WHILE DRIVING.AFTER TURNING CAR OFF TURN BACK ON AND LIGHT FOR LOW POWER OFF AND POWER STEERING LIGHT OFF RESUMES NORMALLY...HAPPENING MORE FREQUENT HAVE SEEN NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS ONLINE, CONTACTED SATURN AND TO GO TO DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TEST WHICH HAVE HAD IN PAST WITH NO CODES??/SHOULDN'T BE MY EXPENSE AND RECALL FOR MY MODEL SHOULD BE ISSUED. *TR

DT: THE CONTACT STATED VEHICLE STALLED SEVERAL TIMES AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. THERE HAS BEEN NO WARNING PRIOR TO EACH INCIDENT. THIS WAS THE FOURTH TIME SHE TOOK VEHICLE TO A DEALER. EACH TIME THE DEALERSHIP TOLD HER THE PROBLEMS WAS FIXED. SHE DID NOT KNOW WHAT REPAIRS THE DEALERSHIP HAD DONE PREVIOUSLY. SHE DID NOT HAVE ANY OTHER PROBLEM WITH THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE IS AT THE DEALERSHIP NOW AND HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED. *AK UPDATED 01/25/06. *JB

DT: THE CONTACT STATED VEHICLE STALLED WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED. THERE WERE NO WARNING LIGHTS INDICATING A PROBLEM WITH THE VEHICLE. THE DEALER COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. *AK UPDATED 01/11/06.

I WAS DRIVING MY VEHICLE AND MY SHIFTER KNOB FELL OFF IN MY HAND. THE SHIFTER FAILED TO GO INTO SECOND AND FOURTH GEAR. I HAD THE CAR TOWED TO THE DEALER AND THE WHOLE SHIFTER SHAFT HAD TO BE REPLACED. *JB

DT: CONTACT PURCHASED A SATURN IN MARCH. SHE HAD PROBLEMS GETTING IT STARTED WITHIN THE FIRST FEW WEEKS. 3 MONTHS LATER ON 6-28-05 IT STOPPED SUDDENLY ON THE ROAD. THE CONTACT HAD INITIALLY TROUBLE TO START THE CAR. IT TOOK 3 TRIES TO GET IT STARTED. .SHE TOOK VEHICLE BACK TO THE DEALER, AND THEY COULD NOT DUPLICATE IT. ONE MONTH AND ONE DAY LATER IT HAPPENED AGAIN. IT DID START BACK RIGHT AWAY THEN. IT HAS BEEN IN THE REPAIR SHOP FOR 3 WEEKS, AND THEY COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. SATURN WAS SUPPOSED TO COME AND LOOK AT THE CAR, THEY NEVER CAME. THE CONTACT WAS AFRAID TO GET IN THE CAR AND DRIVE IT. THE DEALERSHIP PROVIDED THE CONTACT A LOANER. THE DEALERSHIP HAD OTHER DEALERSHIPS COME FROM THE AREA TO LOOK AT THE CAR, AND COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING. SATURN OFFERED THE CONTACT AN EXTENDED WARRANTY , BUT SHE DID NOT WANT THE CAR. SHE DID NOT KNOW WHAT GOOD AN EXTENDED WARRANTY WAS IT THE VEHICLE QUIT ON THE HIGHWAY. *AK

WAS DRIVING VEHICLE FROM MY HOUSE TO MY WORK AND I NOTICED SUDDENLY THAT WHENEVER I TOOK MY FOOT OFF THE GAS EVEN SLIGHTLY OR APPLIED MORE PRESSURE TO THE GAS PEDAL THT THE VEHICLE WOULD LOSE POWER AND JERK BACK A LITTLE BIT. I WORK FOR GM AND GET ALOT OF CALLS FROM CUST'S ABOUT CONCERNS, BUT I NEVER THOUGHT I'D ACTUALLY SAY THAT I FOR THE 1ST TIME IN MY LIFE DID NOT FEEL SAFE IN MY VEHICLE, ESPECIALLY KNOWING THAT MY VEHICLE WOULD DIE OR BREAK DOWN AT ANY MOMENT LEAVING ME STRANDED. NOTHING HAS BEEN DONE TO FIX THIS CONCERN, BUT ONE THINGS ARE TAKEN CARE OF AND HOPEFULLY CORRECTED I WILL UPDATE THINGS.

DT: THE CAR IS LOSING POWER AT 70MPH AND IS SHUTTING ITSELF OFF. THE CAR WAS PURCHASED ON JUNE 3 AND IT WAS RETURNED TO THE DEALER ON JUNE 4 WITH THIS HAPPENING 4 TIMES IN LESS THAN 24 HOURS. THE SALES PERSON SAID "STAY THERE AND I KNOW WHAT IT IS, IT'S HAPPENED BEFORE". THE SALES PERSON DID COME AND PICK UP THE CONSUMER. THE SALES PERSON SAID THAT THE IGNITION WAS DEFECTIVE AND THE CONSUMER'S KEYCHAIN WAS AT FAULT. THE KEYCHAIN WEIGHED ABOUT AN OUNCE OR LESS. THE DEALERSHIP IS IN CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AT THIS POINT. THERE ARE NO INDICATORS LIGHTS COMING ON IN THE VEHICLE. IT JUST LOSES POWER AND DIES. THIS IS A 2005 SATURN ION 2. THE OWNER HAD A SATURN ION 2 WITHOUT ANTI-LOCK BRAKES AND CHANGED MIND TO UPGRADE TO ONE WITH ABS, NOW SATURN IS NOT SO EAGER TO HELP CONSUMER. THE CAR IS STARTING RIGHT BACK, AFTER IT QUITS. *TT

PURCHASED A 2005 SATURN ION 2 IN 12/04. 3 EPISODES OF CAR STALLING WHILE MAKING TURNS AT LOW RATE OF SPEED, TOOK CAR INTO DEARLSHIP IN JUNE 2. SATURN INSTALLED NEW PROGRAMMING. JUNE 13 (213 MILES LATER) CAR STALLS AGAIN. SATURN REPLACES ENGINE WIRING. JUNE 27, THE CAR STALLS IN REVERSE. SATURN RESECURED IGN. FUSE. ON AUGUST 21 CARS STALL TWICE IN ONE DAY. SATURN CURRENTLY HAS CAR. THROUGHOUT ALL THIS TIME HAVE ALSO HAD DASH INDICATORS GO OUT SEVERAL TIMES BUT WILL SELF CORRECT NEXT DAY. *JB

I PURCHASED A 3005 SATURN ION COUPE 3 5/31/05 WITH IN THE PAST 7 MONTHS,THE CAR HAS BEEN BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP 5 TIMES. THE DAY AFTER I PICKED UP THE VEHICLE, I NOTICED A THUMPING NOISE IN THE BACK. AFTER BRINGING BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP, I WAS TOLD THAT THE REAR ROTORS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THIS DID NOT FIX THE NOISE. MY SECOND TRIP THE DEALERSHIP INDICATED THAT I NEEDED NEW REAR BRAKE DRUMS. BECAUSE THEY WERE WARPED (FUTURE CONVERSATIONS WITH THE SALES MANAGER INDICATED THAT THIS WAS COMPLETELY NORMAL, THAT IF THE CAR SITS FOR A FEW WEEKS WITHOUT BEING DRIVEN, THE DRUMS WILL WARP, WHICH LEADS ME TO THINK THAT SATURN SHOULD RE THINK THE QUALITY OF PARTS THEY USE.) SINCE THAT TIME, I HAVE BROUGHT THE CAR IN FOR A DEFECTIVE RADIO (WHICH WAS REPLACED) A DRIVERS WINDOW THAT WOULDN'T GO DOWN (MOTOR REPLACED) AND THE CRUISE CONTROL NOT WORKING (AFTER 2 TIMES, IT WAS REPLACED). I FINALLY WAS ABLE TO SPEAK WITH THE AREA MANAGER LAST WEEK AFTER I CALLED SATURN CUSTOMER SERVICE TO LOG A COMPLAINT FOR THE SECOND TIME. HE OFFERED ME FREE BASIC MAINTENANCE (OIL CHANGES, TIRE ROTATIONS) FOR 2 YEARS. THIS WAS THE FIRST TIME THAT ANYONE AT SATURN HAD OFFERED TO DO ANYTHING FOR MY TIME/INCONVENIENCE. VERY POOR CUSTOMER SERVICE/SATISFACTION. *NM

DT: CONSUMER HAS A 2005 SATURN THAT HAS BEEN IN THE SHOP FOR THE TRANSMISSION. THE TRANSMISSION DROPPED OUT OF GEAR AND SHIFTED BACK INTO GEAR WHILE GOING OVER 40 MPH. THIS CAN CAUSE THE CONSUMER TO BE INVOLVED IN A REAR-END COLLISION. CONSUMER HAS HAD THE CAR IN 3 TIMES FOR TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS. SOMETIMES IT HANGS IN GEAR AND SHIFTS HARD. *TT

2005 SATURN ION, MULTIPLE PROBLEMS W CRUISE CONTROL DISENGAGING & NOT OPERABLE UNLESS VEHICLE SHUT OFF, UNEXPECTED ACCELERATION, & ACTIVATING ON IT'S OWN. THE DEALERSHIP WOULD NOT BELIEVE ME UNTIL THE SERVICE MANAGER WITNESSED THIS PROBLEM. WHEN SATURN SENT AN ENGINEER TO REVIEW THE ISSUE HE ALSO DOUBTED ME AS HE HAD THE VEHICLE FOR 1 WEEK & WAS UNABLE TO REPRODUCE THE PROBLEM. WHEN I SUBMITTED FOR A NEW VEHICLE UNDER THE STATES LEMON LAW THE SERVICE MANAGER ACCUSED ME OF MAKING THIS UP TO GET A NEW VEHICLE. SATURN REQUIRED ME TO PAY $1800 FOR MILEAGE DEPRECIATION TO REPLACE THE VEHICLE & REFUSED TO HONOR THE EXTENDED WARRANTY WHICH CAME WITH MY ORIGINAL VEHICLE. MY BIG ERROR WAS IN GIVING THE DEALER & SATURN CORP 5 TIME TO TRY & FIX THE PROBLEM. THOSE 2 EXTRA ATTEMPTS CAUSED FURTHER MILEAGE WHICH COST ME IN ADDITIONAL OUT OF POCKET EXPENSES. *NM

3-16-2005 CAR LEAKING RED FLUID: DIAGNOSIS-AXLE NOT SEATED, NEW PARTS ORDERED, CAR REPAIRED 4-7-2005 CAR MAKING THUD SOUND WHEN SHIFTING: DIAGNOSIS-NOT DUPLICATED (NEVER CHECKED TRANSMISSION-JUST DROVE CAR) 9-29-2005 CAR NOT GOING INTO 1ST AND 2ND GEARS SMOOTHLY, CAR NOT STARTING WHEN KEY IN IGNITION, INTERNAL CAR GAUGES NOT WORKING: DIAGNOSIS-INTERNAL COMPUTER PARTS FIXED-COULD NOT DUPLICATE GEAR ISSUES (AGAIN-DID REMOVE TRANSMISSION AND INVESTIGATE) 3-24-2008 PREVIOUS GEAR PROBLEMS PERSISTED, CAR WOULD NOT GO INTO 1ST GEAR; TOOK CAR TO DEALER, DEALER WOULD NOT LOOK AT BECAUSE OUT OF WARRANTY DUE TO MILEAGE ALTHOUGH PROBLEM WAS REPORTED PRIOR UNLESS I PAID 9-1-2008 CAR WILL NOT GO INTO 1ST OR 2ND; DIAGNOSIS (PAID FOR AT MY EXPENSE)-TRANSMISSION NEEDS TO BE REPAIRED (AT MY EXPENSE) 9-11-2008 CAR REPAIRED AND WHILE DRIVING HOME CAR WOULD NOT GO IN ANY GEARS: RETURNED TO DEALER AND FOUND RED FLUID LEAKING FROM VEHICLE: DIAGNOSIS-ADDITIONAL PART IN TRANSMISSION LOOSE. *TR

DT: RELAY VAN. THE REAR SLIDING DOORS INTERMITTENTLY OPEN, AND CONSUMER IS CONCERNED IF IT IS IN AN ACCIDENT, CONSUMER COULDN'T GET CHILDREN OUT. THE DEALER CAN NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM, AND HAVE REPLACED THE ALTERNATOR WITH A HIGHER AMPERAGE ONE. THIS HELPED WITH THE LIGHTS DIMMING PROBLEM, BUT NOT THE INDICATOR ALARM SOUNDING OR THE REAR DOOR PROBLEM. *TT

ALL DASH GAUGES FAILED, INCLUDING GAS GAUGE, SPEEDOMETER, ODOMETER, ETC. ON AT LEAST TWO SEPARATE OCCAISIONS. CAR WAS TWO WEEKS OLD TO THE DAY. MY SON (THE OWNER/LESSEE) WAS ATTEMPTING TO TAKE IT FROM HIS WORK TO THE DEALER LESS THAN A HALF MILE AWAY FOR "ADVICE" WHEN HE WAS INVOLVED IN ACCIDENT THAT PROBABLY DIDN'T CONTRIBUTE TO THE ACCIDENT. HOWEVER, IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT WHEN I CALLED THE DEALER AND LET THEM KNOW THE SITUATION WITH THE DASH WAS THE REASON HE WAS RETURNING THE CAR, THE SALESMAN THEN INFORMED ME THAT "OH, YEAH, THOSE CARS SOMETIMES HAVE A SOFTWARE PROBLEM IN THEM, AND WHILE WE HAD TO WAIT A WHILE TO GET A "FIX", WE NOW HAVE ONE." SO IF THEY KNEW THERE WAS A PROBLEM, WHY DIDN'T THEY FIX IT DURING THE "DEALER PREP" STAGE? OR AT LEAST WARN THE CONSUMER OF THIS PROBLEM? WE NOW HAVE A 2 WEEK OLD CAR WITH BODY DAMAGE AND ARE AWAITING WORD FROM OUR INSURANCE ON WHICH BODY SHOP IT SHOULD GO TO. BUT, IN THE MEANTIME, WE STILL HAVE A CAR IN NEED OF A "SOFTWARE UPGRADE" EVEN AFTER IT'S FIXED. I WILL BE HORRIFIED TO EVER SET FOOT IN THAT CAR AGAIN, LET ALONE KNOW THAT THIS CAR IS THE PRIMARY TRANSPORTATION FOR MY COLLEGE-AGE SON. THE CAR HAS APPROX 500 MILES ON IT NOW, LESS THE MILEAGE IT HAD ON IT WHEN WE PURCHASED IT. *AK

CONSUMER COMPLAINED ABOUT ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS. WHILE DRIVING AND LOOKING AT THE DASHBOARD ALL THE GAUGES SHINED, INDICATING THAT NOTHING WAS OPERATING NORMALLY. THE GAS GAUGE/ SPEEDOMETER, AND BATTERY METER, ETC. *AK

CAR PURCHASED ON 2/26/05. FIRST TIME DRIVEN ON HIGHWAY, A 20" PIECE OF THE RAIN DRIP PANEL FLEW OFF. DEALER STATES CAR MUST HAVE BEEN HIT BY ROCK, BUT THERE WAS NO OTHER TRAFFIC IN FRONT OF VEHICLE. DEALER ALSO SAID THIS IS "EXPECTED BEHAVIOR" IF HIT BY DEBRIS AT OVER 35 MPH. IF HIT BY DEBRIS, WAS SMALL ENOUGH THAT THERE WAS NO NOISE UPON IMPACT, NOR WAS IT VISIBLE. SINCE THERE WERE NO VEHICLES TO THE SIDE OR FRONT OF VEHICLE, WE BELIEVE THIS PANEL IS DEFECTIVE. DEALER REFUSES TO REPAIR, AND QUOTES $782 TO FIX. OTHER BODY SHOPS ARE CONSIDERABLY LESS. IF THIS BEHAVIOR IS "EXPECTED" SATURN FALSELY ADVERTISES DURABILITY OF THE VEHICLE, AS THEIR ADS DEPICT GOLF BALLS HITTING THE VEHICLE WITH NO DAMAGE. FURTHER IF THIS IS "EXPECTED" THIS VEHICLE IS A DANGER TO OTHERS AROUND IT ON THE ROAD, IF SATURN BELIEVES IT IS NORMAL AND EXPECTED FOR 20" CHUNKS OF THE VEHICLE TO FLY OFF. *JB

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 SATURN ION. WHENEVER HE WAS DRIVING THE POWER STEERING LIGHT CAME ON PRIOR TO THE POWER STEERING FAILURE. THE VEHICLE BECAME UNCONTROLLABLE WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 20 MPH BEFORE THE VEHICLE WAS MOVED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THERE WERE NO RECALLS OR WARRANTIES RELATED TO THE FAILURE AND THAT THE VEHICLE COULD BE REPAIRED AT THE OWNERS EXPENSE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CALLED AND CONFIRMED WHAT THE DEALER STATED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 34,000. UPDATED 11/16/10. *LJ UPDATED 12/01/10. *LJ THE CONSUMER RECEIVED REIMBURSEMENT. UPDATED 12/09/10*JB

UPON DRIVING THE INDICATOR LIGHTS ILLUMINATED THE DASHBOARD. CONSUMER STATED THAT THE FUEL GAUGE DID NOT INDICATE HOW MUCH GAS WAS IN THE VEHICLE. THE SPEEDOMETER FAILED. CONSUMER CONTACTED SATURN, THEY CHECKED THE VEHICLE THREE TIMES BUT THE PROBLEM RECURRED. *AK

DT: THE CONTACT BOUGHT A 2005 SATURN ION ON 12-10-04. THE FIRST 50 MILES HE HAD TO TAKE IT BACK TO DEALER BECAUSE THE CRUISE CONTROL WAS NOT WORKING. THE DEALER FIXED THE CRUISE CONTROL UNDER WARRANTY. THE DEALER HAD TO GET A NEW COMPUTER PROGRAM FOR THE CAR. SINCE THEN HE HAD TO TAKE VEHICLE TO DEALER FIVE TIMES BECAUSE THE CAR SPUTTERED AND DIED SPORADICALLY. THE LAST TWO TIMES WAS ON 9-26-05 AND ON 9-30-05, AND ON 9-26-05 THE DEALER REPLACED THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION BODY CONTROL, TCM, AND POWER TRAIN MODULE. REPAIRED ALL WIRING AND CONNECTORS. DURING TEST DRIVE, THE SERVICE LIGHT WAS STILL ON. HE BELIEVED THE DEALER RESET THE SERVICE ENGINE LIGHT. THE CONTACT PICKED UP THE CAR ON 9-29-05, AND ON 9-30-05 THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WAS STILL ON. THE DEALERSHIP REPLACED THE ENGINE WIRING HARNESS AT THAT TIME. THE CONTACT PICKED UP THE CAR ON 10-03-05. HE HAS ONLY DRIVEN THE CAR ONCE SINE THEN AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT HAS NOT YET COME BACK ON. THE CONTACT HAS TALKED TO A FIELD REPRESENTATIVE FROM SATURN SEVERAL TIMES, AND HE TOLD HIM TO GOT TO THE OK DMV.*AK

TL* - THE CONTACT HAS BEEN HEARING A NOISE IN THE CAR SINCE THE ODOMETER REACHED 500 MILES. AFTER ONE AND A HALF YEARS A NEW TRANSMISSION HAS BEEN PUT ON THE CAR. THE NOISE STILL EXIST. THE CAR IS CURRENTLY 2 YEARS OLD AND HAS 20,000 MILES ON IT. CONTACT BELIEVES THE PROBLEM WITH THE CAR IS BAD WHEEL BEARINGS EVEN THOUGH HE HAS BEEN TOLD IT IS THE TRANSMISSION. THE CONTACT ALSO SAID THAT HE HAD A WARPED LEFT FRONT WHEEL AND THAT THE CAR HAS A BOUNCE. THE CONTACT BELIEVES THE TRUE ISSUE HAS NOT BEEN ADDRESSED.