2003 Saturn Ion complaints

PURCHASED AN 03 SATURN ION MAY 17, 2008. MAY 28 IGNITION LOCKED UP AND WOULD NOT TURN PAST THE ACCESSORY SETTING. IN RESEARCHING THE PROBLEM HAVE SEEN HUNDREDS OF POSTINGS FOR THIS PROBLEM. IT APPEARS ANTI THEFT SYSTEM IS DEFECTIVE AND SUDDENLY LOCKS UP PREVENTING THE START OF THE CAR. CANNOT LOCATE ANY INFORMATION ON HOW TO FIX THE PROBLEM, PEOPLE SEEM TO JUST BE REPLACING THE IGNITION LOCK EVERY COUPLE OF MONTHS. SATURN HAS NOT ISSUED A RECALL TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM. THIS IS AN ISSUE THAT IS WELL KNOWN TO ANYONE ASSOCIATED WITH SATURN AND I FEEL SHOULD HAVE BEEN DISCLOSED ON CARFAX OR VERBALLY BY THE SATURN DEALER WHO SOLD ME THE CAR. I WOULD NOT HAVE PURCHASED A CAR WITH A CHRONIC DEFECT THAT WILL LEAVE MY CHILD AND MYSELF STRANDED ON A REGULAR BASIS. *TR

I HAVE A SATURN ION 2003 AND SPENT THE WHOLE OF LAST WINTER HAVING TO GO OUT AND TURN MY KEY IN THE IGNITION 10 MINUTES BEFORE I NEEDED TO LEAVE ANYWHERE SO IT WOULD START. IT ACTUALLY STARTED IN 2006 AND THE CAR DID NOT START A COUPLE OF TIMES DURING THE WINTER. GEORGIA HAD A MILD WINTER THAT YEAR. UNFORTUNATELY, 2007 WAS MUCH COLDER AND MY CAR CONSTANTLY WOULD NOT START. I AM A SINGLE PARENT WHOSE FAMILY ARE 3000 MILES AWAY ON A DIFFERENT CONTINENT AND I CANNOT AFFORD FOR MY CAR TO NOT WORK WHEN I HAVE AN HOUR COMMUTE AND HAVE TO PICK MY CHILD UP BY A CERTAIN TIME EACH DAY. I HAVE LOOKED AT MANY WEBSITES AND BLOGS AND REALIZE THAT THIS IS A SERIOUS PROBLEM WITH ALL SATURN IONS. SATURN KNOWS ABOUT IT AND REFUSES TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT. I TOOK IT TO THE SATURN DEALERSHIP AND THEY COULDN'T FIGURE ANYTHING OUT EXCEPT I NEEDED A NEW ($80) BATTERY THAT DID NOT SOLVE THE PROBLEM. I THINK THAT IT IS A HUGE PROBLEM AND AM NOT SURPRISED THAT PEOPLE DON'T LIKE TO BUY AMERICAN CARS WHEN THIS IS THE TYPE OF RESPONSE THAT YOU GET FROM THEM WHEN THEIR PRODUCT DOES NOT WORK CORRECTLY. ARE WE SURE THAT IT'S NOT JUST A SCHEME FOR THEM TO MAKE MONEY FROM PEOPLE? *TR

WHILE DRIVING MY 2003 SATURN ION 3 THE MOTOR WILL STALL OUT AND LOOSE POWER WHILE DRIVING IT SEEMS LIKE THE TRANSMISSION SLIPS AND A NEW ONE WAS PUT IN AND IT STILL DOES THE SAME THING. WHILE DRIVING ON HIGHWAY IT DOES THIS. *TR

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

POWER/ELECTRIC STEERING ON 2003 SATURN ION IS MALFUNCTIONING MAKING THE WHEEL EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO TURN AND DRIVING VERY DANGEROUS. THE INCIDENT RESULTED IN TEMPORARY LOSS OF CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND COULD EASILY HAVE LEAD TO A SERIOUS ACCIDENT. *TR

IGNITION PROBLEM - ENGINE WON'T START, PASSLOCK PREVENTS IGNITION. I LIVE IN TEXAS AND IT'S RARELY THAT COLD IN THE MORNINGS, EVERY TIME THIS HAS HAPPENED TO ME IT HAS BEEN A COLD WET BLUSTERY DAY BUT NOT FREEZING. CAR ACTS LIKE THE BATTERY IS DEAD, BUT FREQUENT MANIPULATION OF THE PASSLOCK REMOTE WILL EVENTUALLY CLEAR THE PROBLEM. THIS HAS LEFT ME STRANDED SEVERAL TIMES, AND IF SATURN KNOWS ABOUT THE PROBLEM, AND HASN'T DONE ANYTHING ABOUT IT IN THE 5 YEARS THAT IT HAS BEEN OCCURRING, THEN THEY SHOULD BE HELD CRIMINALLY NEGLIGENT. THEY SHOULD BE MADE TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM WITH THE IGNITION AND THE PASSLOCK SYSTEM, AND REPLACE OR REPAIR THE CONTROL MODULE AT NO COST. MY DOOR LOCKS NO LONGER WORK, AND IN SPEAKING TO OTHER OWNERS I CAN EXPECT A DOWNWARD SPIRAL OF ELECTRICAL FAILURES IN THE COMING MONTHS. *TR

WHEN THE OUTSIDE WEATHER IS COLD, MY 2003 SATURN ION 2 WON'T START. THIS HAS HAPPENED 3 SEPARATE OCCASIONS OVER THE LAST 2 MONTHS. *TR

MY SATURN ION 2003 DOES NOT START WHEN THE TEMPERATURE DROPS AND ESPECIALLY WHEN IT IS COUPLED WITH IT GETTING A BIT HUMID. IF I HAVE AN EMERGENCY ON A COLD, WET MORNING I WILL HAVE TO CALL A TAXI. SOMETHING IS CLEARLY WRONG IN THE DESIGN OF THE CAR ITSELF -- IN THE SECURITY SYSTEM INTERFACING WITH THE STARTER/IGNITION IS A GUESS. SATURN WILL NOT ADMIT TO THEIR DESIGN FLAW AND/OR SHODDY WORKMANSHIP! MY CAR IS NOT RELIABLE AT ALL!! I HAVE BROUGHT IT TO TWO MECHANICS AND THE DEALER. THE DEALER, AFTER THROWING IT ON THE COMPUTER, SAID THAT THERE WAS ABSOLUTELY NOTHING WRONG WITH THIS CAR AND CHARGED ME $70 FOR ABSOLUTELY NO HELP. PLEASE HELP. SATURN NEEDS TO RECALL THIS MODEL AND FIX THEIR DESIGN PROBLEM. MY FIRST TWO SATURNS WERE GEMS THAT DROVE AND DROVE - NEEDING LITTLE CARE. THIS ONE IS SIMPLY ONE BIG DESIGN MISTAKE ... AND MY LAST SATURN. IT SIMPLY WILL NOT START. *TR

I OWN A 2003 SATURN ION2. I HAVE HAD NOTHING BUT PROBLEMS WITH IT FROM THE FIRST DAY I DROVE IT OFF THE LOT. RECENTLY (I.E IN THE LAST 2 YEARS) WHEN IT IS PARTICULARLY COLD, THE CAR WILL NOT START. I KEEP TRYING IT THEN WAIT 10 MINUTES AND IT STARTS RIGHT UP. I HAVE SPENT $1200 TO FIX THE PROBLEM ONLY TO FIND OUT THAT IT IS A PROBLEM WITH THE PASSLOCK SYSTEM AND THE STEERING WHEEL LUBRICANT LEAKING ON THE SYSTEM. IN COLD WEATHER THIS SEEMS TO MAKE THE SECURITY PASSLOCK SYSTEM THINK SOMEONE IS TRYING TO STEAL THE CAR AND MAKES IT UNABLE TO START. THE PASSLOCK TIMES OUT AFTER ABOUT 10 MINUTES AND THEN WILL START. THIS IS A KNOWN PROBLEM ON ALL ION 2'S AND I HAVE SEEN HUNDREDS OF LETTERS ON FORUMS PERTAINING TO THIS SAME PROBLEM. *TR

EVERYTIME THE WEATHER IS A BIT COLD, MY SATURN ION 2003 WILL NOT START. I TOOK IT TO A LOCAL AUTO MECHANIC SHOP AND THEY TOLD ME THAT IT WAS A TYPICAL AND UNFAIR PROBLEM FOR THE SATURN ION OWNERS. THE ALSO TOLD ME THEY DO THE SAME JOB ON THESE SAME CARS APPROXIMATELY 15 CARS/TIMES PER WEEK. THE EXPLANATION THEY GAVE WAS THAT THE IGNITION SWITCH NEED IT TO BE REPLACED. THEN I TOOK IT TO MY SATURN DEALERSHIP AND THEY SAID THE EXACT SAME THING: "THE IGNITION SWITCH NEEDS TO BE REPLACED BECAUSE IT IS CAUSING THE PASSLOCK (SECURITY) SYSTEM TO THINK THE CAR IS BEING STOLEN AND SHUTS THE STARTER OFF." HE ALSO SAID IT WAS REALLY COMMON TO REPLACE THE IGNITION SWITCHES EVERY WINTER BECAUSE THOSE KINDS OF CARS HAVE BEEN HAVING THAT SAME PROBLEM REGARDLESS WHAT THE YEAR MODEL THEY ARE. I ALSO ASKED THEM HOW MANY CARS (PER WEEK) THEY HAD TO FIX DUE TO THIS SAME PROBLEM AND THEY TOLD ME IT VARIED, BUT IT WAS ALWAYS BETWEEN 10 AND 25 CARS PER WEEK. ALSO THEY SAID THAT PREVIOUS YEAR THE WEATHER WAS SO COLD AND THE SATURN IONS WERE NOT STARTING, THAT IN JUST A WEEK THEY HAD 40-SOMETHING CARS COME IN TO GET FIX FOR THE SAME PROBLEM. THEY TOLD THEY WOULD FIX IT FOR ME BUT I WOULD HAVE TO PAY FOR EVERYTHING. I REFUSED TO PAY BECAUSE IT WAS NOT MY FAULT, AND I'M ASSUMING PEOPLE ARE PAYING TO FOR SOMETHING THAT IS NOT EVEN THEIR FAULT. I ALSO CALLED SATURN AND THE CUSTOMER CARE REPRESENTATIVE AT SATURN SAID THAT SATURN DOES NOT HAVE A RECOMMENDATION FOR THIS PROBLEM AT THIS TIME. THE LAST THING I

OUR 2003 SATURN ION HAS A PERMANENT DEFAULT, IN THAT IT WILL NOT START IN COLD WEATHER. AND THE TERM "COLD" IS RELATIVE. SATURN TOLD US THE IGNITION SWITCH IS FAULTY. THUS, WE PAID AN EXCESS OF $200 TO RECTIFY THE PROBLEM. HOWEVER, THIS "SOLUTION" LASTED ONLY A LITTLE OVER ONE YEAR. NOW, SATURN TELLS US THAT THOUGH WE HAVE THE UPDATED IGNITION SWITCH, IT STILL CAUSES THE SAME NO-START PROBLEM, AND WE NEED A $575 (PLUS TAX) BODY CONTROL MODULE. WE HAD TO PAY $104.54 FOR SATURN TO TELL US THIS. OBVIOUSLY, THIS IS A PROBLEM CAUSED BY THE MANUFACTURER , WHICH IS LEAVING MANY PEOPLE STRANDED MORNING, NOON, AND NIGHT IN VARIOUS LOCATIONS AROUND THE COUNTRY. THE PROBLEM SHOULD BE IMMEDIATELY RECTIFIED THROUGH A RECALL. *TR

2003 SATURN ION III DISENGAGES IN THE MIDDLE OF TRAFFIC AS IF GEARS HAVE SLIPPED INTO NEUTRAL AT SPEEDS FROM BETWEEN 20 AND 60 MPH, SO THAT THERE IS NO FORWARD MOVEMENT SUDDENLY AND THEN RE-ENGAGES. ALMOST REAR-ENDED SEVERAL TIMES ALSO CAR WILL NOT START IF TURNED OFF FOR A SHORT TIME AND KEY LOCKS IN IGNITION. GEARS WERE RE-CALIBRATED AND IGNITION REPLACED, BUT PROBLEMS CONTINUE. *TR

MY DAUGHTER HAS A 2003 SATURN ION AND WON'T START WHEN IT IS COLD. I HAVE BEEN ON SEVERAL WEB SITES AND OTHER SATURN OWNERS HAVE HAD THIS PROBLEM. PLEASE HELP WHAT CAN I DO. WILL THIS CAR GET A RECALL. SOME OF THE OWNERS ARE SAYING THAT IT IS THE LUBRICATE THAT SATURN USED ON THE IGNITION THAT IT CAN FREEZE IN COLD WEATHER. IS THIS THE CASE. HELP IN COLD WEATHER. *TR

WHEN IT IS VERY COLD OUTSIDE MY 2003 SATURN ION WOULD NOT START. I TOOK IT TO A MECHANIC WHICH SAID HE COULDN'T FIGURE IT OUT BUT WOULD REPLACE THE STARTED AND SOLENOID WHICH HAPPENED. AGAIN 2 DAYS LATER, NO START, I TOOK IT TO A DIFFERENT MECHANIC WHICH RAN TESTS ON IT AND SAID HE COULDN'T FIGURE IT OUT, BUT SINCE MY BATTERY WAS 5 YEARS OLD, MAYBE I SHOULD REPLACE THAT WHICH I DID. THEN 4 DAYS LATER, THE CARE WOULDN'T START AGAIN, AGAIN I TAKE IT TO YET ANOTHER MECHANIC WHICH RUNS A SERIES OF DIFFERENT TESTS ON IT AND SAYS EVERYTHING IS GOOD, NO EXPLANATION FOR THE NO STARTS. FINALLY AFTER MUCH FRUSTRATION I WAS ONLINE DOING SOME RESEARCH ABOUT MY CAR TO DISCOVER A NUMBER OF COMPLAINTS ABOUT BOTH THE 2003-2004 SATURN ION'S HAVING THIS IGNITION START PROBLEM AND YET THE MANUFACTURER SHOULD HAVE RECALLED IT, YET HASN'T AND SO WHILE THE ION OWNER LIKE MYSELF IS STRANDED HERE AND THERE AND MISSING DAYS OF WORK DUE TO INOPERABLE ON ONE'S PURCHASED VEHICLE, AND PAYING TOWING COSTS, REPAIR BILLS, TESTING COSTS, ETC...SATURN ALL ALONG KNEW THE PROBLEM. WHEN I FINALLY CALLED SATURN AND TOLD THEM OF THE PROBLEM, TOOK THE CAR IN AND WITH HOURS, HAD A NEW IGNITION SWITCH AND LOW AND BEHOLD YEP THAT WAS THE PROBLEM TO THE TUNE OF $179.00. I THINK IF SATURN KNEW THIS WAS A PROBLEM, IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN RECALLED AND FIXED ON SATURN'S TAB, NOT MINE THE CONSUMER. *TR

I HAVE A 2003 ION 2 WHICH I BOUGHT NEW IN MARCH 2003. STARTING IN DEC 2007, MY CAR WOULD NOT START UP IN THE MORNING WHEN IT IS COLD OUTSIDE. 10-15 MIN LATER I WOULD TRY TO START IT AGAIN AND IT WOULD START UP LIKE NOTHING WAS WRONG. I HAD SATURN LOOK AT IT, THEY STATED THAT THEY "COULD NOT REPLICATE" THE PROBLEM AND FOUND NOTHING WRONG. IN JANUARY 2008, IT STARTED TO HAPPEN ON A DAILY BASIS, SO I TOOK IT TO MY LOCAL MECHANIC WHO SAID THE BATTERY WAS CHARGING FINE AND COULD NOT PIN POINT A PROBLEM BUT SUGGESTED PUTTING IN A NEW STARTER WHICH COST ME $300. AT FIRST I THOUGHT THAT MY PROBLEM WAS SOLVED, BUT NOW IN FEB 2008 ( ONE MONTH LATER)IT IS NOT STARTING UP IN THE MORNINGS AGAIN ON REAL COLD DAYS (0-20 DEGREES), BUT 10-15 MIN LATER, IT STARTS RIGHT UP. *TR

I OWN A 2003 SATURN ION. ON COLD MORNINGS MY CAR WILL NOT START. I HAVE REPLACED THE BATTERY AND HAVE TAKEN IT TO SEVERAL MECHANICS THAT HAVE TOLD ME THAT THEY DO NOT KNOW WHY IT WILL NOT START. I HAVE BEEN LATE FOR WORK NUMEROUS TIMES AND LEFT STRANDED BECAUSE OF THIS ISSUE. THIS IS STILL A ON GOING ISSUE. *TR

WHEN TEMPERATURE GETS LOW, MY 2003 SATURN ION WON'T START. IT MUST SIT FOR 15-20 MINUTES BEFORE IT WILL START UP. *TR

FAULTY IGNITION SWITCH IN 2003 SATURN ION. *TR

I REGRETTABLY OWN A 2003 SATURN ION 2 SEDAN. SEVERAL TIMES, WHEN TEMPERATURES ARE BELOW FREEZING, THE CAR FAILS TO START. AFTER SPEAKING TO THE SERVICE MANAGER AT THE LOCAL DEALERSHIP AND DOING EXTENSIVE ONLINE RESEARCH ABOUT THE PROBLEM I HAVE FOUND THAT IT STEMS FROM A FAULTY DESIGN IN THE IGNITION SWITCH. THE SWITCH LEAKS LUBRICANT ONTO THE WIRES IN THE IGNITION SYSTEM. WHEN IT IS COLD ENOUGH FOR THE LUBRICANT TO FREEZE, IT IMPEDES THE SIGNAL REQUIRED TO OVERRIDE THE PASSLOCK SECURITY SYSTEM (STANDARD ON MY CAR) AND PREVENTS THE CAR FROM STARTING. SATURN WILL REPLACE THE IGNITION SWITCH (AT THE COST OF THE OWNER IF THE VEHICLE IS NOT UNDER MANUFACTURER'S WARRANTY, ABOUT $300 TO $400). THE NEW SWITCHES WILL INEVITABLY HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM, AFTER THEY LEAK THE LUBRICANT. SATURN KNOWS OF THE PROBLEM AND HAS PUBLISHED TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN #040845005. THEY, HOWEVER, REFUSE TO ADMIT RESPONSIBILITY AND DEVISE A RELIABLE REMEDY TO THE PROBLEM. MEANWHILE, WE ARE ALL FREEZING IN THE COLD WEATHER WHILE WE WAIT FOR OUR CARS TO START. I BELIEVE SATURN IS CRIMINALLY NEGLIGENT IN THIS RESPECT. *TR

VEHICLE WILL START SOME DAYS AND NOT START OTHERS. WOULD HAVE TO TRY OVER AND OVER AGAIN SEVERAL TIMES TO GET THE VEHICLE TO START. NOT THE BATTERY! *TR

CAR WILL NOT START WHEN IT IS COLD OUTSIDE. *TR

CAR WON'T START ON MORNINGS WHEN TEMP IS BELOW 50 DEGREES. ONCE TEMP WARMS UP, CAR STARTS FINE. I CAN'T WAIT UNTIL THE AFTERNOON TO GO TO WORK! I ALSO DON'T WANT TO BE STRANDED WHILE WORKING (I DO HOME NURSING). *TR

ON COLD MORNINGS (35 AND BELOW) MY 03 SATURN ION WILL NOT START. I TURN THE KEY AND THE LIGHTS COME ON BUT THE ENGINE WON'T TURN OVER. THE SECURITY LIGHT FLASHES AND IT TELLS ME TO "SERVICE VEHICLE". IF I WAIT ABOUT 10-20 MINUTES THE CAR WILL START. (WHICH CAUSES ME TO BE LATE FOR WORK) I'VE REPLACE THE BATTERY BUT CANNOT AFFORD 200+ TO CHANGE OUT THE STARTER AND/OR OTHER PARTS. I'VE READ NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS ONLINE OF OTHER ION OWNERS HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM (HTTP://WWW.CARSURVEY.ORG/VIEWCOMMENTS_REVIEW_97727.HTML). *TR

CAR WILL NOT START IN COLD WEATHER. (BELOW 32F) THIS HAS BEEN A PROBLEM THE LAST 2 YEARS ON A 2003 SATURN ION 3. AFTER READING ALL THE COMMENTS HERE... HTTP://WWW.CARSURVEY.ORG/VIEWCOMMENTS_REVIEW_97727.HTML IT WOULD SEEM THERE IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM WITH THE GREASE FREEZING AROUND THE IGNITION SWITCH. *TR

I HAVE A 2003 SATURN ION THAT WON'T START IN COLD WEATHER HERE IN EASTERN OREGON, HAD THE BATTERY CHECKED, AND EVERYTHING ELSE LOOKED AT, BUT EVERYONE SAYS THAT MY CAR IS OKAY. SO I DO SOME RESEARCH AND FIND OUT THAT ALOT OF PEOPLE HAVE THIS PROBLEM AND YET THERE IS NO RECALL ON THIS PROBLEM CONSIDERING SATURN KNOWS ABOUT THE PROBLEM? ALSO, THERE IS NOT EASY SUGGESTIONS BY SATURN? *TR

WHEN IT IS COLD OUT, AND I GO TO START MY CAR IN THE MORNING, IT STARTS TO TURN OVER BUT THEN STALLS AND DIES. THE LIGHTS AND RADIO STILL WORK, AND THE INSTRUMENT PANEL BLINKS "SERVICE VEHICLE". I HAVE TO WAIT AT LEAST 10 MINUTES TO EVEN ATTEMPT TO START MY VEHICLE AGAIN BECAUSE IT IS SOMETHING WITH THE SECURITY FEATURE OF THE IGNITION. *TR

WHEN IT IS BELOW FREEZING OUTSIDE, MY 2003 SATURN ION HAS ISSUES STARTING UP. I HAVE READ MANY POSTS (HTTP://WWW.CARSURVEY.ORG/VIEWMORECOMMENTS_REVIEW_97727_1.HTML IS ON SUCH SPOT) WHERE OWNERS ARE HAVING THE SAME ISSUES WITH VARIOUS RESULTS FROM THEIR DEALERS. IT IS APPARENTLY A KNOW ISSUE THAT HAS NOT BEEN COMMUNICATED TO THE CUSTOMERS, POTENTIALLY LEAVING THEM OUT IN THE COLD! *TR

CAR WILL NOT START WHEN BELOW FREEZING..... *TR

I BOUGHT A 2003 SATURN ION ABOUT 6 MONTHS AGO, AND AS SOON AS IT BECAME COLD HERE IN COLORADO MY CAR STARTED HAVING A PROBLEM STARTING. I WAS STRANDED IN THE MIDDLE OF NO WHERE WITH NO CELL PHONE COVERAGE IN THE FREEZING COLD. I HAVE NOW COME TO FIND OUT THAT THIS IS A PROBLEM WITH ALL 2003 SATURNS AND THAT THEY REFUSE TO RECALL THEM AND FIX THE PROBLEM BECAUSE IT IS NOT A SAFETY ISSUE. THE IGNITION SWITCH AND THE GREASE NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE! I WAS STRANDED IN THE MIDDLE OF NO WHERE IN THE FREEZING COLD WITH MY YOUNG DAUGHTER. I WANT THIS PROBLEM TO BE ADDRESSED AND FIXED BY SATURN. THERE IS NO REASON FOR THEM TO NOT RECALL THIS PROBLEM. *TR

I HAVE BEEN HAVING A PROBLEM WITH MY CAR NOT STARTING. THE FIRST ISSUE BEGAN WHEN I STARTED MY CAR AND THE PASSLOCK SYMBOL WAS FLASHING ALL THE WAY HOME FROM THE STORE. WHEN I GOT HOME AND TURNED THE CAR OFF AND TRIED RESTARTING IT, IT WOULDN'T START. AFTER LOOKING AT MY OWNERS MANUAL AND READING ABOUT PASSLOCK I WENT OUTSIDE AND TRIED STARTING IT AND IT STARTED RIGHT UP. A LITTLE LESS THAN A WEEK LATER I WAS OUT RUNNING AN ERRAND AND MADE A QUICK STOP FOR MAYBE 5 MINUTES, WHEN I GOT BACK TO THE CAR IT WOULD NOT START. I TRIED A FEW MORE TIMES AND WAS STARTING TO PANIC WHEN IT STARTED AGAIN. I TOOK IT TO A MECHANIC AND HE COULDN'T GET THE CAR TO REPLICATE THE PROBLEM BUT RECOMMENDED FINDING MY OTHER KEY FOR THE CAR AND START USING THAT. THE CAR WAS FINE FOR ANOTHER WEEK AND WHILE I WAS PICKING UP MY KIDS FROM SCHOOL THE PASSLOCK LIGHT CAME ON AGAIN AND BLINKED ALL THE WAY HOME. ONCE AGAIN, I TRIED TO START AFTER WE GOT HOME AND NOTHING, I WENT OUT ABOUT 10 MINUTES LATER AND IT WAS FINE. YESTERDAY I NEEDED TO RUN AN ERRAND AND SURE ENOUGH I WENT OUTSIDE TO LEAVE AND THE STUPID CAR WOULDN'T START AGAIN. I WENT INSIDE AND WAITED 10 MINUTES, CAME BACK OUTSIDE AND IT STARTED RIGHT UP. I AM A MOTHER WITH 3 KIDS AND I HAVE A HUSBAND WHO DOES NOT DRIVE. I HAVE ONLY ONE CAR AND I CANNOT HAVE IT BE UNRELIABLE. I GET NERVOUS EVERY TIME I HAVE TO GO SOMEWHERE. THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE AND IT SEEMS LIKE THERE ARE MANY SATURN OWNERS WHO ARE JUST AS FRUSTRATED AS ME AND SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DO

DURING COLD WEATHER, MY 2003 SATURN ION WILL NOT START. REPLACED THE BATTERY 12/07, AND A DIAGNOSTIC CHECK OF THE STARTER AND ALTERNATOR WAS FINE. IT APPEARS TO BE AN IGNITION SWITCH ITEM FROM READING SIMILAR COMPLAINTS ONLINE. *TR

HORN IS VERY DIFFICULT TO ACTUATE, REQUIRING HARD PRESSING ONE OF TWO SPECIFIC SMALL HORN LOGOS ON THE STEERING WHEEL AIR BAG COVER. THESE ARE HARD TO FIND IN AN EMERGENCY, AND IMPOSSIBLE TO QUICKLY FIND WHEN DRIVING AT NIGHT. THIS HAS RESULTED IN A FEW NEAR MISSES, BECAUSE THE HORN COULD NOT BE ACTIVATED QUICKLY ENOUGH TO ALERT ANOTHER DRIVER THAT THEY WERE LEAVING THEIR LANE. I HAD TO SWERVE EVASIVELY TO PREVENT THE ACCIDENT. SATURN DEALER IN PAST HAS SAID THAT HORN WORKS NORMALLY. THIS IS THE ONLY VEHICLE THAT MY WIFE OR I HAVE DRIVEN IN THIRTY YEARS THAT HAS THIS PROBLEM. IT APPEARS TO BE A POOR DESIGN, AND SOMETHING SHOULD BE DONE TO RECTIFY IT. THE HORN IS USELESS IN A SUDDENLY DEVELOPING EMERGENCY SITUATION. DATE IS NOT SPECIFIC; AS FORM WOULD NOT ALLOW SUBMISSION WITHOUT A DATE. I HAVE NOT HAD AN ACCIDENT YET, BUT THIS SHOULD BE RECTIFIED BEFORE SOMEONE HAS A SERIOUS ACCIDENT. *TR

MY 2003 SATURN ION WOULD NOT START AFTER BEING OUT IN COLD WEATHER. THIS HAS HAPPENED BEFORE AND I AM TIRED OF IT. BASED ON RESEARCH I HAVE DONE ON THE NET, IT APPEARS SATURN IS AWARE OF THIS AND DOESN'T SEEM TO CARE. *TR

WONT START IN SUB FREEZING WEATHER FOR AT LEAST 15 MINUTES. *CN

2003 SATURN ION. THIS CAR WILL NOT START IN THE COLD WEATHER. IF THE TEMPERATURE IS BELOW 32 DEGREES F FOR AN EXTENDED PERIOD OF TIME, THE CAR WILL STALL. THIS WILL BE A RECALL ITEM ONCE WE GET TOGETHER AND SUE SATURN FOR THIS OBVIOUS NEGLIGENT BEHAVIOR. THIS PROBLEM IS WELL KNOWN AND IS CONTINUAL. PERHAPS WHEN SOME UNFORTUNATE SOUL IS STRANDED IN THE WILDERNESS AND DIES, THEN THE MANUFACTURER WILL PAY ATTENTION TO THIS COLD WEATHER START PROBLEM. THE PUBLIC IS WELL AWARE OF THE PROBLEM AND SO IS SATURN. IT WOULD BE WELL WORTH IT FOR THE CORPORATE OFFICE TO CRUNCH THE NUMBERS AND DECIDE TO RECALL THE VEHICLE FOR THIS PROBLEM. I HAVE READ THAT THE DIFFICULTLY MAY HAVE TO DO WITH A TYPE OF LUBRICANT ON THE STARTER, WHICH HARDENS IN THE COLD WEATHER. THE CAR STALLS AS A RESULT, AND THEN THE PASS-LOCK KICKS IN. AFTER 8 MINUTES, THE CAR MAY START, OR ONE MAY HAVE TO WAIT AN ADDITIONAL 8 MINUTES (OR MORE) FOR THE IGNITION SWITCH TO LOOSEN UP ENOUGH TO START THE ENGINE. HOWEVER, THE CAR MAY STALL YET AGAIN---AND SET OFF THE PASSLOCK SYSTEM YET AGAIN. SATURN IS NEGLIGENT AT THE VERY LEAST--AND CRIMINALLY NEGLIGENT IF THEY KNOW OF THIS PROBLEM---THE POTENTIAL DANGERS OF IT---AND DO NOTHING. SERVICE BULLETIN:040845005 NHTSA ITEM NUMBER:10007431 MFG BULLETIN DATE: 20060301 COMPONENT: ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH BULLETIN SUMMARY: NO CRANK, NO START WHEN AMBIENT TEMPERATURES IS COLD - DIAGNOSTIC TROUBLE CODES (DTCS) B2960 AND OR B3033 ARE SET. *CN

I WAS DROVE MY CAR HOME ONE NIGHT AND THE HEADLIGHTS WERE WORKING FINE. I WENT IN THE HOUSE CHANGED AND GOT READY TO LEAVE AGAIN WHEN I TURNED ON MY HEADLIGHTS THEY DID NOT COME ON. THOUGHT MAYBE IT WAS THE BULBS THAT WENT OUT BUT THE BRIGHT LIGHTS WORKED. HAD THE BULBS CHECK THEY WERE FINE, I ALSO CHECKED THE FUSES TO MAKE SURE THAT WAS BURNT OUT. AFTER A WEEK THE LIGHTS STILL WERE NOT WORKING TOOK IT TO A CAR MECHANIC AND THE ANALYSIS SHOWED SOME SENSOR. HE REPLACED THE SENSOR AND IT DID NOT FIX THE PROBLEM MY LOW BEAM HEADLIGHTS ARE STILL NOT WORKING. *TR

THIS IS AN ONGOING PROBLEM WITH MY SATURN ION 2003. IT WON'T START WHEN IT'S COLD AND IT HAS LEFT ME STRANDED ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS. BY THE MULTIPLE COMPLAINTS THAT I SEE FROM OTHER PEOPLE ONLINE, THIS IS A BIG PROBLEM. IT HAS SOMETHING TO DO WITH THE PASSLOCK SECURITY SYSTEM AND THE IGNITION SWITCH. IT GETS VERY COLD HERE IN COLORADO AND I JUST DON'T WANT TO BE STRANDED AGAIN. HTTP://WWW.CARSURVEY.ORG/VIEWCOMMENTS_REVIEW_97727.HTML SOME OF THESE PEOPLE HAVE "FIXED" THE PROBLEM AND IT IS STILL OCCURRING. IT WOULD BE NICE TO SEE SOME KIND OF RECALL ON THIS PROBLEM. THIS IS NOT THE ONLY PROBLEM I'VE HAD WITH THIS CAR. I WILL NOT BE BUYING A SATURN AGAIN. *TR

MY CAR HAS FAILED TO START SEVERAL TIMES IN THE LAST WEEK. IT SEEMS TO BE RELATED TO THE IGNITION SWITCH AND THE TYPE OF LUBRICANT USED IN IT AND IT'S REACTION IN COLD WEATHER. AFTER DOING A TON OF RESEARCH, I HAVE FOUND THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE THAT HAVE COMPLAINED OF THE EXACT SAME ISSUE. THIS SEEMS TO BE A RECURRING PROBLEM THAT NEEDS TO BE A RECALL. *TR

WHEN IT RAINS OR SNOWS, MY DRIVER SEAT AND FLOOR GETS WET. THERE ARE NO WATER STAINS AROUND THE SUN ROOF NOR IS THERE ANY WATER DAMAGE ON THE DRIVERS' DOOR. IN NEW ENGLAND, THE CAR IS NON-FUNCTIONAL IN THE WINTER AND SPRING BECAUSE OF THIS PROBLEM. I HAVE TAKEN IT TO THE LOCAL SATURN DEALERSHIP AND THEY HAVE REFUSED TO FIX IT. 2) I HAVE HAD TO REPLACE MY FRONT TURN SIGNALS 3 TIMES IN 1.5 YEARS. I AM ALMOST CONVINCED IT IS A SOCKET PROBLEM AND NOT A LIGHTBULB PROBLEM. 3) I HAVE HAD TO REPLACE THE BRAKES AND ROTORS TWICE WITHIN A 12 MONTH PERIOD. IN THAT TIME. I HAVE ONLY DRIVEN 17,000 MILES. ONCE IS UNDERSTANDABLE. TWICE IS EXPENSIVE AND RIDICULOUS. *TR

I HAVE HAD SEVERAL OCCURRENCES OF IGNITION TROUBLE WITH MY SATURN ION. IT SEEMS IN COLD WEATHER (FROM 60 DEGREES F AND BELOW) THAT IF THE ENGINE DOES NOT START RIGHT AWAY, THE PASSLOCK SECURITY SYSTEM SWITCHES ON AND WILL NOT ALLOW MY CAR TO BE STARTED FOR 8-10 MINUTES. THIS HAS CAUSED ME SEVERAL TIMES TO BE STUCK, IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT, ALONE, IN <30 DEG WEATHER WITH A CAR THAT WILL NOT START. THIS PLACES ME IN A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION. *TR

SATURN ION 2003 PROBLEM WITH STARTING THE CAR AROUND/BELOW 32`F, THIS IS SECOND COLD SEASON I AM HAVING OCCASIONAL PROBLEM WITH START THE ENGINE PROCESS, AFTER EXTENSIVE ONLINE RESEARCH I AM FINDING "THE BIG FAMILY" OF SATURN OWNERS WITH THE SAME PROBLEM RELATED TO IGNITION SWITCH/PASSLOCK SENSOR. *TR

SATURN ION 2003 FAILS TO START WHEN COLD OUT. REFERENCE NHTSA #10007431. SATURN DOES NOT ADMIT THIS IS A DESIGN FLAW. BUT WILL CHARGE YOU AND ARM AND A LEG TO FIX THE PROBLEM. I WENT TO ALLDATA WEB SITE AND THE SHOW NUMEROUS PROBLEMS WITH THE 2003 SATURN ION BUT GM FAILS TO RECOGNIZE THIS IS A PROBLEM. *TR

ON TUESDAY, DECEMBER 11, I STOPPED AT A BLOCKBUSTER TO DROP OFF SOME MOVIES. WHEN I RETURNED TO MY CAR, IT WOULD NOT START. THE ENGINE WOULD NOT EVEN TRY TO TURN OVER. I HEARD A CLICKING NOISE, AND CALLED A FRIEND TO COME AND GIVE ME A JUMP. I TRIED TO JUMP IT, AND THAT DID NOT WORK. I IMMEDIATELY CALLED A SATURN DEALERSHIP THAT IS NEARBY WHERE I LIVE. I TOLD THEM WHAT WAS GOING ON SO I COULD BRING IT IN AND HAVE IT LOOKED AT. I SAID THAT MY CAR WOULDN'T START, WHEN I TRIED TO JUMP IT THAT DIDN'T WORK, AND THAT MY KEY IS NOW STUCK IN THE IGNITION AND WON'T COME OUT. HIS RESPONSE TO ME WAS, "I BET IT'S THE IGNITION SWITCH. WE HAVE BEEN HAVING A LOT OF TROUBLE WITH THOSE NOW THAT THE WEATHER IS COLD. DID YOU SAY YOU JUMPED IT? YOU SHOULDN'T HAVE DONE THAT. THAT CAN CAUSE THE BATTERY TO HAVE A SHORTAGE". TODAY, I HAD MY CAR TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY DIAGNOSED MY CAR WITH AN IGNITION SWITCH PROBLEM AND A DEAD BATTERY. I HAD THEM REPLACE BOTH, AND I ALSO KEPT BOTH OF MY OLD PARTS. *TR

THE TIMING BELT BROKE ON MY 2003 SATURN ION ON 11-28-07. THE CAR ONLY HAS 67,000 MILES ON IT. UNFORTUNATELY WITH THE BELT BREAKING IT MESSED UP THE VALVES, HEAD GASKET AND FUEL PUMP. WHICH IS COSTING ME ALMOST $3000. THE BELT SHOULDN'T HAVE BROKEN WITH THAT FEW OF MILES ON IT. NOW I AM DOWN TO ONE CAR AND IT HAS BECOME A HUGE HASSLE. I AM NEVER GOING TO BUY A SATURN AGAIN. IN MY OPINION THE WARRANTY IS AWFUL AND THE CUSTOMER SERVICE IS NON-EXISTENT. THE WARRANTY IS ONLY ON THE FIRST 30,000 MILES AND OR 3 YEARS. THE CUSTOMER SERVICE CAN NOT HELP ME IN THE SITUATION. *TR

THE TIMING CHAIN BROKE ON THE VEHICLE. ALL I DID WAS GO TO START IT UP AND IT WOULDN'T START. I HAD TO HAVE IT TOWED TO A GOODYEAR BUT THEY COULDN'T FIX IT. SO RIGHT NOW IT IS BEING LOOKED AT BY A MECHANIC. HE SAID THAT THE TIMING CHAIN IS BROKEN AND BECAUSE OF THE BREAKAGE I NOW HAVE TO HAVE THE VALVES REPLACED AS WELL AS THE THERMOSTAT, THE FUEL PUMP AND THE HEAD GASKET. ALL OF THESE WERE DAMAGED BY THE CHAIN. THIS IS NOW COSTING ME APPROXIMATELY $3000. ALL OF WHICH IS CAUSED BY A FAULTY BELT THAT SATURN INSTALLED ON THEIR VEHICLES. *TR

SATURN 2003 ION WILL NOT START IN THE WINTER, WHEN TEMPERATURE IS 32 DEGREE'S OR LOWER. *TR

AFTER CRASH AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. *TR

KEY STICKS FORWARD WHEN TRYING TO START. CAR WILL NOT START WHEN IT GETS COLD OUTSIDE. HAD IT TOWED IN. REPLACEMENT PART # 10392423 IGNITION SWITCH. *TR

MY COMPLAINT IS THAT MY CAR SHUTS OFF WHILE I'M DRIVING IT. THE FIRST TIME IT HAPPENED I WAS LEAVING WORK AND HAD JUST MADE A RIGHT HAND TURN AND AS I WAS ACCELERATING THE CAR COMPLETELY TURNED OFF, I WAS GOING ABOUT 30 MPH WHEN IT HAPPENED. I WAS ABLE TO PULL THE CAR TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD WITHOUT INCIDENT. I TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP IMMEDIATELY TO HAVE THE ISSUE FIXED. I WAS TOLD THE PROBLEM WAS THE BODY CONTROL MODULE, SO IT WAS REPLACED AND I PICKED UP MY CAR. TWO WEEKS LATER I WAS ON MY WAY TO WORK ON A BUSY HIGHWAY DURING RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC AND WHILE I WAS IN THE LEFT LANE GOING 65 MPH THE CAR COMPLETELY SHUT OFF. I PUT ON MY FLASHERS AND COASTED TO A STOP, USING SOME BRAKES, BUT I COULDN'T STOP TOO SUDDENLY OR I WOULD HAVE BEEN REAR-ENDED. I WAS IN THE LEFT LANE NEXT TO A JERSEY WALL, THERE WAS NOT MUCH OF A SHOULDER SO I WAS PARTIALLY ON IT AND PARTIALLY BLOCKING TRAFFIC, I AM VERY LUCKY TO NOT HAVE BEEN HIT. IT WOULD BE A REAL TRAGEDY FOR SOMEONE TO BE KILLED DUE TO THIS MALFUNCTION BEFORE NOTICE WAS TAKEN AND THESE CARS RECALLED COMPLETELY. *TR

I HAVE A 2003 SATURN ION. MY CAR WILL NOT START WHEN IT IS COLD OUTSIDE. I READ THROUGH MESSAGE BOARDS AND FOUND MANY PEOPLE HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM. I ALSO READ SOME PEOPLES CAR ACTUALLY STALL WHILE DRIVING, WHICH SOUNDS RELATED TO ME. LOSS OF POWER STEERING AND BRAKES WERE ALSO POPULAR COMPLAINTS. THESE CARS ARE OBVIOUSLY RIDDLED WITH ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS AND ARE ROLLING DEATH TRAPS. I PERSONALLY EXPERIENCED POWER STEERING LOSS ONCE, BUT IT NEVER HAPPENED AGAIN SO I THOUGHT IT WAS A FLUKE UNTIL READING OTHERS POSTS. I HAVE TAKEN THE CAR TO SEVERAL MECHANICS AND HAVE FOUND NO RESOLUTION. I FOUND A TSB STATING THAT A FAULTY IGNITION IS THE CAUSE OF THE COLD STARTING PROBLEM, SO I WILL LIKELY REPLACE IT. *TR