Failed ignition switch on a 2005 saturn ion. The ignition key is stuck in the shaft and will not disengage. The only way to turn off the car is to remove the steering column cover and unplug the disconnect under the steering column.
2005 Saturn Ion electrical complaints
Page 7 of 9: complaints 161 to 190 of 227, newest first, as owners wrote them.
1. Events leading up to failure I was getting ready to leave for work. The time of day was 9am. The temperature had been hovering around freezing all night. The vehicle had not been driven since the previous day at around 9pm. I unlocked my vehicle using keyless entry - driver door only. I inserted my key in the ignition, closed the door, pushed the clutch to the floor while fastening my seatbelt. I then turned the key to the start position. The engine did not start - the starter did not engage at all. When I released the key, the security light (an amber "padlock" icon) started flashing slowly - once per second. I then followed the restart procedure for this situation according to the owner manual - simply wait until the light stops flashing, turn the key to lock, then restart. Ten minutes later, the security light stopped flashing and remained illuminated. I then turned the key to lock, and then restarted engine. 2. The failure, how often, its consequences: the vehicle did not start due to a failure of, or a malfunction of, some component of the factory vehicle security system. It has happened a total of three times between the incident date and march 30, 2009. It only seems to occur when the temperature overnight hovers around freezing, or drops below freezing. The consequences of this failure for me have been minimal, but I was very fortunate in each instance to be parked in a safe place, where my prompt egress was not necessary. I am reporting this situation to the odi because of the potential consequences of this failure occurring during normal driving - if I stall the engine in heavy traffic and am not able to restart for ten minutes until the security light stops flashing, I would be in a very dangerous situation, and my vehicle would present a significant hazard to other drivers. 3. What was done to correct: nothing has been done to correct this failure, as my dealership has no current solution.
I have had several issues with the ignition and not being able to immediately turn the car off. The ignition will not release the key and will be stuck in the acc position most times. The most recent time I could not get the car to turn off at all. The ignition would not release or allow the key to turn even minimally. Had to unhook the battery, pull the fuel pump fuse in order to get the car to stop running. The ignition still would not release the key. I got this information on how to do this from many complaints that I read about on the internet on saturn ions having the same issue. They do not address this in the manual, and when I took my car to the dealership 18 months ago to resolve the issue then, they said nothing was wrong and they replaced the ignition which did not seem to help with the problem I was having.
2-02-07 key stuck in ignition...car would not turn off.... Ignition replaced 33,316 miles 01-14-08 transmission replaced 50,728 miles 12-20-08 car wouldn't start...clutch switch replaced 50,728 miles 8-26-08 sun roof drain clogged $199.88 59,893 miles 8-10-09 car would not start..replaced ignition switch 2nd time 72,615 miles car was bought new off lot in 2005... Towed 4 times in 4years!
I bought a 2005 saturn ion in march 2008. Since then, I have had the key get stuck on a constant basis. I had that fixed, but the key still sticks, but I push it in to release it. At least it's better than it was. The car does not like to start in cold weather. I replaced the battery. Cost $421.00. Now, at only 45,888 miles, my steering display light keeps coming on and I lose power steering. Got is checked told cost $700 total, but the only problem is: no part is available. It is on back log. So, I can't afford the part and labor anyway, but no part available? What do I do now with a car I am still paying on? I feel I a m stuck with a lemon.
Having repeat problems with 2005 saturn ion blinker. We saw there was a recall on 03 and 04 saturns for the same problem. Please look into a recall for the 05 saturn ions.
Tl*the contact owns a 2005 saturn ion. The contact stated that her key became stuck in the ignition and would not come out. The vehicle was not shut all the way off at the time and caused the battery to become drained. The vehicle has remained parked for three months. The dealer advised her to bring in the vehicle for diagnostic testing at her expense. The contact will call the manufacturer for assistance. The VIN was unknown. The failure mileage was 30,000.
I bought a 2005 saturn ion last august 2008. On november 2008, I experienced a difficulty on starting the car. So I brought it to saturn dublin for a check up and repair, and they did all the test for the car and informed that they have to replace the ignition of the car as this is the findings of their mechanic.. I agreed as I thought this was the authorized dealer mechanic, I paid for $700+, for repair, labor and parts.. But recently last week, may 2009, my car would not start again..I brought it back to the dealer and had it checked.. They said there was nothing wrong with the car, it started when they checked and they asked me to pay $130 for the check up..which I paid. A few days after I was at work, which is in union city, 22 miles away from my house and when I was about to go home,my car would not start gain.. Same problem as before... Had to call a tow truck to have my car towed.. As I relayed this to my brother in law... We searched in the net on the issue and concerns and found out I was not the only one who had these problems.. Hundreds of us were victims of this problem. Now, I did had a bad judgment on buying a saturn car.
Won't start in cold weather security system keeps it from starting. And power steering goes out continuously. On a 90 mile trip it goes out 6 to 10 times. It happens so inconsistently with different speeds and conditions
Since I purchased my car, it will not start in cold weather. I have to wait about 10 mins, try again and it will start right up. Well, about a week ago it "shut down" while I was driving down a busy street in my city. After about 4 hours of it sitting, I went back and drove it home with no problems. Then, a few days later it did the same thing while returning to work from a lunch break. I had to leave it on the side of the road and got a ride. After work, I picked it up and was attempting to drive it straight to the dealership. While driving on I-10 east, it shut down again. On the interstate!!!!! It was raining outside and the person behind me almost hit me. I don't even know how I coasted to the median, except god! My car would not drive anymore. I left it there and got a ride home with someone because I didn't want to sit in the rain alone on the interstate. When I went back at about 11:00 pm to pick my car up, it wouldn't start. I waited 10 or so mins and it started up. I drove it straight to a friends house that was nearby and left it there. I contacted gm and they advised me to bring it to saturn, which I have done many times before, so I did. They tell me there is nothing wrong with my car. So, I told them to keep it until they figure it out because I will not put my life in danger again. I have been going back and forth with gm and saturn and no one will take responsibility for this. Its ridiculous that this car is putting my life in danger. I refuse to drive it again. And now I am paying a note on something that I cant drive because it may stop working in the middle of traffic.
Electric power steering failure in 2005 saturn ion in less than 16000 miles but 8 months out of warranty. Power steering became operational after each restart, but failed again within 3-5 minutes of driving. Very difficult to steer posing a safety hazard for my wife. Dealer repair required replacement of complete steering column approaching $1000 in repair cost. Ignition switch has also failed to permit car from starting on two occasions. Dealer also replaced at the same time. Dealer returned both parts to me. I have learned that both are common failures with this car and other gm compacts. Several incidents of repeated failures of the electric power steering. There should have been recalls or reimbursement for these premature failures. No wonder gm is going bust with a product of such low reliability and poor design.
The ignition key gets stuck and will not come out of the car. This is the second time after having the ignition switch replaced last year. I took it back to saturn after the warranty expired on the new part (of course) and they kept it overnight trying to get it to fail. They greased the key and told me it was fixed, did not replace anything but blamed it on the key wearing down...
Vehicle did not start for 4 non-sequential mornings. Battery was replaced but continued happening. Saturn ion started and ran well for remainder of days it required a jump start. Upon 4th day of not starting, mechanic suggested to change ignition switch. Since done, car has no problem starting.
2005 saturn ion recall- I have this car a year ago and the problem is the ignition. Car wont start especially on a cold weather. I need to wait for 15-20 mins before it starts. I've been late at work many time s already and I've been paying for this car but I think its not worth it. And also, I can pull out the keys while the engine is running,while the car is moving. Weird! You may want to check consmeraffairs.com--search saturn ion to check on the complaints. I have pasted some for you to check out. Thank you and I am hoping that you will find a way to solve this problem. Cameron of grand rapids mi (01/20/09) I also have had the same issues with the car not starting. I bought the ion 04 brand new and everything worked fine for the first couple of years. Lately I've been late for work and missed other appointments due to the issue. This is definitely a safety issue for those of us living in the cold north. Imagine your car not starting in below zero temps. I'm not willing to freeze to death over this. In the same breath I do not have the money to spend to fix something that saturn is well aware of and based on comments on this site has happened numerous times. If they are unwilling to recall these cars and parts then I'm sure a class action lawsuit would get their attention! Laura of tampa fl (01/19/09) I am having the same problem with the ignition lock as apparently many other saturn owners. I started by calling the local saturn dealership to find out how much money they wanted me to pay them to fix this problem that they caused by using faulty parts. $171.83 was the amount quoted to me. Obviously I would like to do anything in my power to ensure saturn doesn't get a single dime more from me. I called the customer service line (800‑553‑6000)to inquire about the reasoning behind not issuing a recall. I was given the same line about it not being a safety issue.
Tl*the contact owns a 2005 saturn ion. In december of 2008, the contact noticed that the ignition failed. The failure only occurs in cold weather. The vehicle will be taken to the dealer for a diagnosis. The failure mileage was 22,000 and current mileage was 22,100.
Tl*the contact owns a 2005 saturn ion 3. The contact stated that she has been experiencing failures with the ignition in her vehicle. During cold temperatures in the winter seasons, the key would fail to start the engine. All of the interior lighting in the vehicle would illuminate; however, the vehicle would not start at all. Through online research, the contact discovered that numerous consumers were experiencing the same failure. She read information concerning warming up the steering column in order to restart the vehicle. The information stated that she must somehow heat up the steering column. The contact stated that shortly after she followed this advice, the engine started in her vehicle. She has not taken the vehicle to the dealer because the vehicle is out of warranty. She does not believe that she should pay for something that she feels is a manufacturer defect. The failure did not occur in previous winters because the vehicle was parked in an indoor garage. The vehicle is currently being parked in an outside parking lot. The failure and current mileages were 18,000. Updated 2/23/09 *cn the consumer also stated the key would get stuck in the ignition when trying to turn the vehicle off. Also the anit-theft light illuminated as well. Updated 02/26/09.
Went to start my car at 7:30 am the 1st week or so in december, wouldn't start. Went out about 10 mins later, started. It has kept happening until I went to saturn in regina saskatchewan, canada, and they went and replaced my ignition switch, that was last wednesday so that would have been jan. 7th 2009. So far no more problems.
Car will not start in cold weather at night will start in daytime in cold not a power issue, not starter or alternator some kind of odd wiring issue cause it does not happen in daytime.
I have a saturn ion1. I have 73,000 miles on it. I have a difficult time starting it on days where the temperature is below 35 degrees. I have to turn the key and keep it turned until it can run without me holding the key and rev the engine to atleast 3-4 rpms. I have to do this for 15-20 min. Until it can idol on its own, before I decide to drive or the car will not remain on. While driving it will shut off. Now if I make a sharp turn it turns off. This problem is getting progressively worse. While under warranty I had the ignition replace once. I also had been told by saturn that my keys were too heavy, so I began driving with only the key and the key ring. The problem is a huge safety concern to me. Luckily have been able to steer the car out of the way and have not had any accidents yet. It is my only car and I have a lot more to pay on it and subsequently can not afford a new car. I am stuck.
Two days after moving to nj from fl as I was pulling into my driveway the power steering light came on and the steering locked up. I found that if I turn the car off and on again the steering is good for maybe 20 minutes. I have checked the fuse and took it to a shop. The mechanic suggested I do some research because a car this young should not have these kinds of problems. I have seen similar complaints on the internet about the same model. My car is a saturn, ion 2005.
I have a 2005 saturn ion and it has a habit of not starting at times. This has happened several times since my husband and I have owned it. We turn the key in the ignition and the car will not start. We have to wait anywhere from 10-45 minutes for the car to start and it sometimes cause my husband to be late to work. This is an even bigger concern since we have a four month old son. We have not had the money or time during the week to go the saturn dealership but I have called the company who handles my extended warranty and he said that this is a common issue. From the discussion boards I gather that this is a very common issue and there should be a recall.
Saturn ion 2005 problem starting-every three or four starts, the lock symbol shows up and car will not start, panel, headlamps, accessories are operating, but starter seems locked out. After 10-20 minute wait, it usually starts.
2003 saturn ion won't start when it's cold.
At about 38,000 miles, the ignition switch locked up with the engine running. I had to disconnect the battery to shut off the engine. I purchased a replacement switch with key from the saturn dealer for about $140.00 and installed it myself (thank god I'm a mechanic) or the cost would have been about triple. Saturn does not claim any design responsibility for the thousands of key switch failures, but gm is certainly willing to take our money to repair a known design flaw. Next vehicle I purchase will be made by chrysler-2005 caravan sxt is mechanically perfect with very good fuel economy. No more gm products for this family!
I have had ignition problems with my vehicle. There have been times when one of my keys locks the ignition, all occurrences while trying to turn the car on, and I had to really work at it to get the key to turn. It could take up to 5 minutes of jiggling the key hard before it turns. This ended when I started using my other key. With this other key, there have been four separate occasions when my car would not start. When this happens, the radio turns on but there is only a buzzing sound coming from the car. If I wait long enough, the car will eventually start. However, I don't always have time to wait. This happens both after the car sits no more than a few days or after having driven it the day before. It also happens in cold weather and in moderate weather. I cannot drive a vehicle that is so unreliable, but I also cannot afford to purchase another one.
The car would not start, this has happened several times over the last two years.
Tl*the contact owns a 2005 saturn ion. While driving approximately 55 MPH on normal road conditions, the engine lost power. The check engine warning indicator illuminated intermittently on the instrument panel. Roadside assistance was called to the scene and the vehicle was towed to an authorized dealer. The technician stated that the failure was related to the ignition control module. The vehicle was repaired; however, the failure recurred. The vehicle is in the process of being repaired again. The contact was concerned of the safety risk involved. The failure mileage was 41,000 and current mileage was 61,000.
Ignition locks. Cannot get key to turn. Happened a few times.
Tl*the contact owns a 2005 saturn ion. The contact stated that the vehicle would not start. The failure is due to a recall relating to the ignition switch, but the dealer refuses to repair the vehicle for free. The dealer repaired the failure at the contact's expense. The federal safety agency campaign id number was unknown. The failure and current mileages were 45,000.
When attempting to turn my car off the key gets stuck in the ignition. The ignition switch must be turned off and the battery taken out to turn the car off. This has happened twice in two weeks. Each time the ignition cylinder has been replaced.
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