2004 Saturn Ion: hesitation when accelerating

Filed Jun 5, 2018 · 96,250 miles · PA

When stopped at either a traffic light or stop sign, once I take my foot off of the brake and place it on the gas pedal the car hesitates like it's gasping for gas however, the gasping only happens for a few seconds and then the car drives normally! What is stumping me, why does the new problem only happen intermittingly! I just had a rebuilt transmission installed back in march of 2018 because the car originally had a problem with the transmission slipping into gear! I took the car back to aamco, the place that installed the rebuilt transmission and advised them that my car was acting up again with a new problem. Because the new problem happens intermittently, there are no error codes showing for the mechanic to give a diagnosis of the new problem. I am so frustrated because the car was my first car and being retired and on a fixed budget another car isn't something I can invest in!

Filed Mar 20, 2014 · Transmission · 124,000 miles · MI

I purchased 2004 saturn ion 3 in 2013 and within 30days I started having problems with transmission. Vehicle would stall out and begin to hesitate around 35mph. I started inquiring about transmission issues on internet and observed this is a common issue with this vehicle. I'm getting no help with this issue with gm dealership. With all the other owners complaints about this transmission issue with the saturn ion there should be a national recall to fix transmission defect on this vehicle.(CVT or vti transmission).

Filed Jul 20, 2005 · 23,200 miles · PA

My car hesitates when shifting from first to second gear. Once the clutch is out and you apply the throttle the car goes then looses power and then goes again. This car was is in the shop the last 26 of 39 days for 4 seperate attempts to fix it. The dealer states they can not fix it and that saturn corporate has no idea what is wrong with it either. No one from saturn customer care has once asked me for my side of the story or the 6 pages of documentation on how I was treated and told would be done to repair my car. The dealership that I purchased it from has told me there is nothing they would do to repair my car. My car is now at another dealership the day after I was told to pick it up because the service engine light came on in approximatley 60 minues after pick up from the original dealer that I purchased it from. It seems there are mant saturn ion redlines with this same problem on the internet...

Filed Sep 13, 2004 · Acceleration, Body · IL

While the vehicle parked while running the vehicle idling high on its own. The driver noticed while driving the vehicle would hesitate and would stalled. The driver tried to restart,but was able to do so. The driver was able to drive the vehicle to the dealer. The mechanic informed the driver that the vehicle was operating as design. *nm (possible valve sticking) when accelerating from stop, the vehicle would hesitate, then take off at a high rate of speed. This would also occur in reverse as well. There were times when accidents would almost occur. There would be high RPM's of 6000 plus. This was an intermittent problem. It was believed to be a problem with the vti transmission. Additional problems: wind noise when sunshade was cracked, turn signal would not cancel on turns and the chime would go off and was an intermittent problems, the driver's side dash seemed loose and or misaligned, and the wipers would not clear the window.

Filed Jul 6, 2004 · Transmission · 7,100 miles · WI

We own a 2004 saturn ion3 quad coupe, it has a different transmission then the others. We bought the vehicle on december 31, 2003. It had 91 miles on it. We noticed the transmission seemed to hesitate a little going from first into second. When we took it in for it's first oil change in march, we asked them to look at the transmission. They reported back that it was normal for a 4 cylinder to act the way it was. Assuming they knew what they were talking about we left it at that. We took it in again for paint damage they had caused when they had the vehicle for the oil change, and again asked them to look at the transmission (only about a week later). They again reported they test drove and it was fine. Now this past week for it's second oil change on tuesday, june 29th, we again asked them because it seemed to have gotten worse. They again reported it was normal operation. Not a week after that report on sunday, july 4th amidst out 4th of july celebration we drove a block and a half from home and turned a corner onto the main road. When I went to accelerate the car revved and didn't switch into second gear. It fought to go faster in first gear, but never switched. We noticed immediately and tried parking and again moving into drive, thinking maybe it had dropped itself into neutral. Again the same thing, we slowly turned the corner and putted our way back down the block to the driveway at 5 miles an hour so as not to further damage the engine due to transmission failure. The car currently has 7000 miles on it and a transmission that doesn't work. We meet with the dealership today to discuss retribution.