Hi I am a kind of new owner of an 04 saturn ion, this is actually the second complaint I've filled out. Last July I had a mechanic friend look at my fuel filter and he had said the fuel line needed to be cut off becuase of how rusted on to the original fuel filter I'd got it with was and I didn't believe him so I replace it myself and when I got it off I had cleaned up the metal fuel line the best I could and put a new filter on. Well now it leaks gas right where the hook up is and very strong fuel smells come from there too, I've gotten numerous comments about how un safe that is to be driving it but I need to have a way to work and then someone had mentioned to check for recalls and I seen on there that this car did have a recall for faulty fuel filter gas lines. If you could get back to me as soon as possible about an inspection if needed or whatever else you'd need on my behalf. Please and thank you for your time
2004 Saturn Ion: gas smell in the cabin
15 of the 898 complaints about the 2004 Saturn Ion describe gas smell in the cabin.
- owner complaints
- 15
- of this car's complaints
- 2%
- typical mileage
- 100,000
- recalls
- 2
Gas smell in the cabin by model year
What owners say
Tried taking fuel filter off last july took a whole weekend of using penatrating oil and freeze off then I finally got the tabs to come loose, I thought maybe I messed up the new filter or didnt get enough rust off the fuel line and that's what was causing the strong smell of gas nd poor performance but changed it again and still that same problem but now theres a leak. The car was on back tire ramps the girl fuel filter change then the 2nd one was done with a hoist and currently this car is the only thing I can count on to make it to work, thank you for your time and consideration.
Tl* the contact owns a 2004 saturn ion. While driving 30 MPH, the contact was stopped by the police due to the smell of fuel and sparks coming from the fuel tank. The vehicle was towed to a mechanic who diagnosed that the fuel line was rusted and needed to be repaired. A police report was filed. The failure mileage was 200,000. The manufacturer was aware of the failure.
Strong gas smell & started noticing poor gas mileage and it got worse. Then notice it is leaking gas by the rear driver side tire. Also the running lights automatically come on during the day but not at night.
Tl* the contact owns a 2004 saturn ion. While the vehicle was parked, the contact noticed a strong fuel odor. In addition, fuel leaked from the rear of the vehicle. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The VIN was not included in the federal safety agency campaign number: 04v003000 (fuel system, gasoline). The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 62,000.
Tl* the contact owns a 2004 saturn ion. The contact stated that there was a fuel odor when the vehicle was started. The failure recurred and the contact reached underneath the driver's seat and felt fuel leaking from the fuel tank. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 46,714.
Tl* the contact owns a 2004 saturn ion. The contact stated that when the ignition is turned to the on position, the vehicle had a fuel odor. The failure recurred several times. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The VIN was invalid. The approximate failure mileage was 190,000.
Was driving when I noticed a gas smell really strong it got worse when then I noticed that I was going threw gas like crazy and didn't know why . One day the smell was so strong when I got out the car I looked under that car and saw that one of lines was leaking gas I am worried because I do have kids in my car and that its a bad danger chance of fires to start
Tl* the contact owns a 2004 saturn ion. The contact stated that there were strong fuel fumes emitting inside and around the vehicle. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 150,000. Updated 12/03/15*lj updated 12/15/15.
Tl* the contact owns a 2004 saturn ion. While driving at various speeds, the steering wheel seized without warning. The contact stated that there was also a smell of fuel coming from the vehicle. The contact stated that the steering shaft and fuel lines failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 20,000.
On the 20th of july I noticed a very strong smell of gasoline in my garage. I checked the gas can for my lawn equipment and it was not the source on the odor. I backed out of the garage and noticed a somewhat substantial puddle of gas right in front of where my rear tire was. As the car was still running I looked under the car at the suspect location and noticed steady drips coming from under a plastic clip which held the fuel lines. Further investigation showed that the fuel lines had rusted through right at that clip. After reading up on this problem it seems that this is a extremely common problem which affects both ion and cobalt vehicles since I believe they are "delta" bodies. Due to the nature and the amount of occurrences this problem should be addressed by gm. It is my only vehicle and I do not have the 400-500 dollars to repair this. A recall should be issued since the leak is scant inches from the exhaust pipe and therefore is a safety issue and a severe fire hazard. Gm should cover the cost of the repair. I am the original owner of the car.
Tl* the contact owns a 2004 saturn ion. After the vehicle was parked, a fuel odor emitted from the vehicle without warning. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 79,000. Ma 10/2
Related recalls
Fuel system, other: delivery: fuel pump
- What is wrong
- Certain vehicles equipped with supercharged 2.0l 4-cylinder (lsj) engine were built with a fuel feed pipe that could crack and leak fuel near the fuel rail. If fuel leaks from the fuel feed pipe, there would be a noticeable fuel odor around the vehicle.
- Risk
- Fuel leakage, in the presence of an ignition source, could result in a fire.
- Remedy
- Dealers will replace the fuel feed pipe assembly. Owner notification began on june 9, 2004. Owners should contact saturn at 1‑800‑972‑8876.
Recall number 04V281000 · Recall details
Fuel system, gasoline
- What is wrong
- Certain passenger vehicles equipped with 2.2l 4-cylinder (l61) engines were built with a fuel filter that could corrode prematurely on the exterior surface.
- Risk
- If corrosion on the exterior surface of the fuel filter progresses to the point of creating a hole in the shell, fuel droplets could form and drop to the ground. If an ignition source is present, a fire could result.
- Remedy
- Dealers will replace the fuel filter assembly. Owner notification began on december 30, 2003. Owners should contact saturn at 1‑800‑972‑8876.
Recall number 04V003000 · Recall details
Questions about the 2004 Saturn Ion fuel smell
Is gas smell in the cabin a common problem on the 2004 Saturn Ion?
15 of 898 owner complaints about the 2004 Saturn Ion (2%) mention gas smell in the cabin. The model year with the most reports is 2006.
Is there a recall or service bulletin for this on the 2004 Saturn Ion?
There are 2 recalls and 0 service bulletins for the same area of the car. Check them below with your VIN.
Other symptoms on the 2004 Saturn Ion
Won't start 168Power steering loss 116Stalling 41Loss of power 39No deployment 25Wipers 19Fuel leak 18Steering lock-up 17Engine failure 15Check engine light 14Fuel pump 9Jerking 9Warning lights 9Grinding brakes 8Transmission failure 8Door locks 7Tire blowout 7Headlights 6Adaptive cruise 5Brake failure 5Fire or smoke 5Hesitation 5Slipping 5
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