2006 Saturn Ion: fire, smoke or burning smell

Filed Oct 29, 2017 · Driver assistance, Engine · 134,000 miles · FL

Engine reduction, serious safety concern, was almost hit by a semi, engine reduction light comes on, lose power and car slows at a high rate causing extreme safety hazard in traffic, must pull off interstate turn car off to reset, happening 2-3 times a day, strong smell of gas, have a leak and it is not covered under the warranty, sooner or later someone is going to be cruising down the interstate and their saturn is going to reduce engine power and they will not have time to get out of the way, they will be plowed down by a semi. Are we going to continue to allow gm to ignore this issue like they ignored the ignition switch probelms until it starts causing deaths, why not solve the issue before the deaths start to occur, it seems the older these year models get the worse this problem becomes. I was forced to put a date, but this is an ongoing problem that is getting increasingly worse with the fuel leak, maybe one day the engine will reduce power at the same time I will get run over by a semi and the car will explode into flames from the fuel leak they are not recalling for my vehicle

Filed Mar 11, 2017 · Fuel system · 101,683 miles · GA

In october of last year (2016) I started smelling gas really bad so I took my car to a local repair shop and had it checked out (my local dealership is about 20 miles away). They said it was the fuel pump and it needed to be replaced right away and in my mind all I was thinking was my car could catch on fire so I had them repair it right away( $437.79). Later I find out that is under a special coverage recall and it could only be repaired by the dealership for the repairs to be covered. I contacted customer care and was told to submit the paperwork and they would check into it . I submitted paperwork in january 2017 and have waited for response , now in march 2017 I decide to contact them because I have had no need they tell me that my request was denied because the reimbursement campaign ended in 2014. I was told that if I have the problem again they would be happy to repair it at the dealership. My car is 11 years old and 104,050 miles on it. I wold hope that the pump would last longer than a few thousand miles because from what I understand it has a mileage cap. So in short I am out almost $500.00 .

Filed Aug 19, 2014 · Fuel system · 64,000 miles · GA · fire

Tl* the contact owns a 2006 saturn ion. The contact stated that fuel fumes were emitted in and around the vehicle. The contact mentioned that the vehicle was park and when she returned the next day the vehicle had caught on fire. The vehicle was not diagnose or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified about the problem. The approximate failure mileage was 64,000.

Filed Apr 5, 2014 · Electrical · 120,000 miles · TN · crash · fire

Per witnesses my daughter's saturn ion hit the rear of a semi truck that had stopped on northbound I-81 near mile marker 210.5. The witnesses state that the air bags did not deploy. The car caught fire and was destroyed.

Filed Feb 17, 2014 · Engine · 192,000 miles · OK · fire

While traveling between 70-75mph on I-35 southbound between 2nd st. Merge and 15th street exit in edmond ok, we went to change lanes (middle lane to right lane) and there was a sudden boom, the car lost control, began to spin out of control (numerous slides and 2-360 deg turns and being flung in a backwards motion). As we attempted to get to the side of the road, our car began to spin out of control - we spun into a 360 degree turn, car caught fire as the oil was dumped from my car and sprayed all along the underneath of my car and tires, we slid sideways towards concrete barrier separating n-s bound traffic, went into a second 360 degree turn, slid sideways - as we started heading once again forward towards oncoming traffic the vehicle suddenly started going backwards (even though car was in drive)... We finally stopped facing oncoming traffic in sideways motion. Tow/mechanic inspected the car and found 3-4inch hole in the engine block - diagnosis - that push pin broke without warning and blew the hole. No warning was given of any kind of engine malfunction issue - no warning lights, nothing. We could of / should of been killed (per the eye witnesses who stopped to help us), our only saving grace was the oil which sprayed the road and our tires keeping us upright and not rolling. This needs to be investigated, recalled and fixed before someone is not as lucky as us.

Filed Oct 1, 2012 · Fuel system · 53,000 miles · FL

The car all of the sudden had a very bad smell of gas but no licking anywhere, two weeks later just park the car at my home and all of the sudden literally rain gas out of the car , had to call a tow company and finally paid extra $250.00 so the dealer carmax had to change the entire system, they only cover have of the total, it was really scary thank god it didn't caught fire. There is a recall but I don't know if we can get a refund or how does it work??

Filed Jun 29, 2012 · Driver assistance, Engine · 41,400 miles · CO

Bought my saturn ion 2 2006 in 2005 obviously brand new and was talked into purchasing a $1500 bumper to bumper warranty. I immediately had problems but was told by saturn mechanics nothing was wrong with my car. In 2009 as I was getting home the key got stuck in the ignition and wouldn't turn off, I couldn't turn off the car at all. I was lucky that the dealership was open and able to unplug the battery. They fixed it but the warranty wouldn't pay, so I paid out of pocket to fix it. Well, last sunday it happened again, in 105 degree heat. I had no where to take it since dealerships are closed sundays. My car ran for over 5 hours because no one could figure out how to unplug the battery. Only a professional knows how to turn off the car safely, yet many people risked turning it off. I am sure some people would find it easy to turn off the car by disconnecting the battery but still it not safe. My car was so hot no one could touch it, I was afraid it was going to start on fire. This is a very common problem and needs to be investigated and recalled. We have to be able to turn off an engine. Please investigate this issue, saturn nor gm will take responsibility for this defect, even though when you google saturn ion 2 2006 all the reviews say the same thing about the ignition cylinder.

Filed Jan 24, 2012 · Fuel system · 107,500 miles · CA

Initially started with gas fumes odor...now once car started huge puddle of gas under rear end of car. Car is currently parked as cannot afford to repair at this time, however this is a major safety hazard as it could have caught on fire at any time with amount of fuel leaking when driving and once parked!!! It appears there have been several complaints/issues regarding this yet no recall in the state of calif?? Do we have to wait until their is a death before something is done?

Filed Oct 4, 2011 · Fuel system · 130,000 miles · TX

2006 ion. Strong gas smell developed over a week in sept 2011. An independent technician found gas leaking from top of tank. Research lead me to the federal safety agency campaign id number: 09v419000. Gm performed the recall on only 53k cars in az and nv in oct 2009. Seems the fuel pump module connections are made of plastic and crack with heat and road vibration. However, a call to saturn revealed they are hiding behind a VIN specific recall and that the other thousands of ions with this serious safety-defect are only covered by gm for 10 yr/120k mile "special coverage warranty" extended to this defective part. Had saturn/gm informed me my car might burst into flames back in feb 2010, when they were to notify the 53k owners in az and nv, I would have had this repair done asap as I would still be under their "special coverage" limitation. I am angered and outraged that gm seems to take the position of "let's wait until the car becomes a death-trap" before we tell people they might be in danger and replace the defective parts. With no notification, I continued to drive my ion. Now that the car actually has became life-threatening, I am "not covered" by gm's special coverage. My ion does not qualify because I am over this artificial limit if 120k miles. All vehicles with this defective part should have been notified. This is criminally negligent. Bet you my mileage was below this artificial limit in february 2010. Because the problem didn't show up until after 200+ days of over 90 degree days in east texas - I have to pay $600 to repair their obvious defect. The repair costs are unfair, but the safety issue screams for justice. I guess someone's family will have to die in a tragic fireball before someone takes gm to task for this seriously dangerous fuel system defect.

Filed Jul 21, 2011 · Fuel system · 82,000 miles · TX

I have a saturn ion VIN number [xxx], this car has a recall for fuel system, gasoline:delivery:fuel pump, well my car has a fuel leakage under, I called gm 1800 number they told me I have to go to a chevrolet dealer for a diagnostic, I call this jupiter chevrolet dealer I spoke with anthony, he told me he will give me an estimate for the repairs, he said I have to pay the diagnostic between 90-100 dollars, I told him, my car has the same symptoms of the recall, he asked for the last 8 digits of my VIN number and he said, my car was not in recall, I told him but is a 2006 saturn ion I have a fuel leak, my fuel is dripping, I cant drive my car like that, it's unsafe, well he told me if my car is not in recall I have to repair my car on my own, I don't understand, my car has the symptoms of the recall, and the dealer doesn't want to do anything? They will do something when my car is on fire? Please help me, thank you very much. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6)

Filed Jul 14, 2008 · Electrical · AR

Going to a dinner at mothers house - started the car just fine - arrived at destination - put the car into park went to turn it off - key would not turn it was stuck in the 'on' position and not moving period...had to pull the fuse out for the ignition - aaa wouldn't come out on a sunday evening - nowhere in northwest arkansas to drive the car to be looked at because everywhere is closed - now - even though my car is off the key is still in it, and I have to essentially put a plastic 'key' into a fitting underneath/inside the steering wheel to turn off and start my car. Anyone can walk by and try to break into my car because they see keys in the ignition - if I didn't have the friend that new something about cars my car would have overheated and probably caught on fire, because no one would come out and help me. ...ridiculous!

Filed Nov 30, 2005 · Electrical · 65 miles · IN · fire

We were driving down the road in our less than 72 hour old car and the underneath caught fire. The fire department said it must have been an electrical fire but saturn says we must have it a moving blanket! We had 3 small children in the back seat and barely got them out before the fuel line caught fire. Who's idea was it to make fuel lines out of nylon anyway?