Ignition switch failed. Key would not turn off vehicle.
2006 Saturn Ion electrical complaints
Page 11 of 14: complaints 281 to 310 of 392, newest first, as owners wrote them.
2006 saturn ion key is locked in ignition in the "on" position with car running. The key will not turn to the off position or allow the key to be removed from the ignition. No way to stop car without pulling the fuse and unhooking the battery.
Ignition key broke off in the ignition. Had a locksmith remove the broken key. Car would not start. Locksmith replaced the ignition switch mechanical portion. Car will not start. I went through the resetting procedure to reset the security passlock system. It would not reset and had the car towed to the saturn dealership. I have seen a large number of complaints from saturn owners about this same complaint. The only way to be able to get the car running again is to take it to the saturn dealership to be repaired, and they charge a lot of money to do this procedure. They also are very familiar with this problem and the repair of it, because they have many saturns being towed in and doing the repairs on them. Due to the large number of problems in this system of the saturns there should be a recall issued for this industry wide known problem.
Tl*the contact owns a 2006 saturn ion. The contact stated that he had been experiencing a recurring failure with the ignition switch. The key would intermittently become stuck in the ignition switch and the vehicle would not turn off without repeated attempts at removing the key. The contact also stated that during the winter the vehicle intermittently would not start without repeated attempts. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic and was in the process of being inspected at the time of the complaint. The contact also stated that while driving at approximately 25 MPH and attempting to make a turn, the steering wheel locked and a power steering service light illuminated on the instrument panel. The contact pulled over and restarted the vehicle; upon restart, the vehicle functioned normal. The vehicle was taken to an authorized dealership where the contact was informed there was nothing wrong with the vehicle. The failure continued to occur and the vehicle was taken back to an authorized dealer where an unknown service was performed on the vehicle. The failure had not occurred since the repair. The failure mileage was approximately 50,000. The current mileage was approximately 71,000.
Tl* the contact owns a 2006 saturn ion. The contact stated the key would not release from the ignition even with the vehicle in park. The vehicle was taken to a local repair facility where the ignition cylinder assembly was replaced. The manufacturer was contacted and would not provide any assistance. The failure mileage was 46,000 and the current mileage was 48,000.
1. My vehicle began having problems starting in hot weather last summer. 2. Last monday, may 24, 2010, my car would not start at the end of the day. Usually if I waited ten minutes or so and tried again, the vehicle started. This time I attempt three times in a thirty minute period and the car did not start. I had the vehicle towed to the dealership where I purchased it. Fortunately the next day, there were similar conditions and my vehicle would not start in the afternoon. 3. There were no codes there showed up on the car's computer. Due to the voltages not matching between my vehicle and the manufacturer's specification, the dealership replaced the ignition switch. I have not had any problems since even though there are been four or five days of hot weather.
I currently own a 2006 saturn ion, which I bought brand new in 2005 and has 52000 miles on it. All winter long, during days with temperatures below 40 degrees, my vehicle would not start. Upon placing the key into the ignition and turning, the "passlock" theft deterrent system is activated and locks my car's starter from firing for 10 minutes. The rest of the electrical devices in my car work, but the starter becomes locked out for 10 minutes before I can try again. I have read online that this is a common problem with saturn ions. Apparently the grease which is located within the ignition system freezes at colder temperatures and thus the ignition switch does not recognize my key. Since it does not recognize my key, the anti-theft system locks my car out for the 10 minute lock out period. Sometimes I can try 6 times over the course of 1 hour and the car still will not start. This is a dangerous situation on very cold days. I live in the northeast and this past winter we had record snowfall with many days dipping into the 0's, 10's, 20's and 30's. It would be very unfortunate if someone were to die of exposure to the elements since a car has no heat without the engine running. Someone could die from being stranded in the cold due to an ignition switch which gm/ saturn could replace for $50. I know I spent many cold days (~5-6 per week) sitting in my freezing cold car for sometimes over an hour just praying that my car would start so I could get some heat. Please make gm/ saturn fix this problem so we are no longer left out in the cold!!!!
After going out to dinner key would not come out of ignition. This is the second time this has happen since owning car. First time it happen was on 10/21/07 (mileage 22,006). I took car to saturn dealer. Ignition was fixed on 10/22/2007 ignition replaced no charges cover by dealer warranty. Second time it happen was on 3/31/2010 took car to saturn dealer next day 4/01/2010 9 am.(mileage 37,369) they did not have part so I was charged shipping charges ($15) to get part to saturn dealer. Extended warranty we purchased cover parts & labor. They replaced shifter assembly. Shifter assembly was causing key to stick to ignition dealer claims. Our car was returned on 4/02/2010 at 3 pm.. My saturn ion 2006 has had several problems recently 1/30/2010 (mileage 35,987)the car had been smelling like gas inside & outside of car I took to dealer was told fuel was leaking from fuel pump they replace fuel pump module. Extended warranty we purchased covered cost labor & parts. A month later we received a notice from saturn about the fuel pump problem. We are afraid that these problems will reoccur. Car is well taken care of, dealer is only one who services car.
I have a 2006 saturn ion on with 43,000 miles (a well-maintained vehicle at that). The problem (a common one from everything I've read/heard): recently, I was unable to shut my vehicle off; that's correct... I could not turn my car off. The key was locked in the ignition with the vehicle running. After several hours, my husband and I were able to determine the best course of action (get it to a dealer, disconnect the fuel pump fuse and battery, and spend $451 to have the ignition cylinder completely replaced; the mechanic said it was defective). Not being able to shut off a vehicle is a major safety concern (for so many reasons); you can't simply leave a vehicle running, and you certainly can't leave a running vehicle unattended (although some people probably have...how dangerous is that?).
Could not turn the car off, the key was stuck in the on position with the car still running, had to pull the spark plugs out to turn off the car and disconnect the battery to keep from draining due to being in the on position. The ignition lock cylinder was bound in the housing. Dealer replaced the ignition cylinder and housing, I don't know if they still have the old part.
While I was driving the ignition switch on my 2006 saturn ion suddenly turned to the off position causing the car's engine to stop running. This happened twice within a 2 day period. I took the car to the dealer and they replaced the ignition switch. Cost was $200.
2006 saturn ion never wrecked ignition switch stopped working correctly, and the key got stuck in the ignition resulting in having the car left running until the car was cut off by pulling the cables off of the battery posts. Was told the ignition switch was rusted and the spring in the switch had broken and had gone bad by a mechanic and had to have the ignition switch replaced and key recoded.
Car intermittenly wont start. If you stall this car and you are sitting at a stop light, there is a good chance that you wont be able to start this car right away. This could create a dangerous situation. Dealer recommended replacing the ignition switch. Worked for about a week then the same problems started again. This problem is all over the internet. Seems to have something to do with the anti-theft device on the car.
When turning ignition off sometimes the switch sticks and does not go into the lock position. The engine does stop. Also the electronic door locks do not release and I have to manually press the unlock switch on the door to release them. Some things that I have tried are restarting the engine, changing transmission from "park" to "drive" and back to "park". This works sometimes and then if not I wait for some period of time and wait to hear the doors unlock on their on at which time I am able to place the switch in the "lock" position and remove the key. This time is from a few seconds to a few minutes and there is no consistency. The dealer has replaced the ignition switch for ~$660.00 and it appeared to help for a couple of days but never resolved the issue. This car has less than 9000 miles on it and this problem started around 6000 miles. I believe that this problem should be classified as a "recall" as owners are unable to safely lock their cars. Your prompt response to this problem will be most welcome. Thank you
Tl*the contact owns a 2006 saturn ion. While driving at 65 MPH the steering wheel locked and was unable to turn. The power steering warning light illuminated on the instrument panel. The vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer. The technician stated that the vehicle was electronic and does not require power steering fluid. The failure occurred intermittently. The vehicle was taken to authorized dealer twice and was repaired. In addition, the key failed to release from the ignition with a clicking noise. After waiting a period of 30 seconds the key was removed from the ignition without hesitation. The vehicle was in the process of being repaired. The failure mileage was 98,000. The VIN was not available. The current mileage was 107,000.
Saturn ion 2006 brand new had three days when cruise control would not engage.phoned dealer was told to stop and restart to fix problem.did not change.steering wheel began to lob side to side.took to dealership was told after diagnosis it was body mount.power steering prompt appeared after repair wwhile driving expressway power steering ceased working causing me to almost wreck.will not start until 10 minute delay.cannot drive anyway with manual steering.this problem is electrical.door locks will not open or lock properly.car is very dangerous and will not allow anyone to drive it.
Driving down the road at about 35 MPH I hit a bump (frost heave) and the entire vehicle shut down. No engine, no electrical systems. The vehicle became difficult to steer and the brakes did not operate as well as when the vehicle was running. I forced the car to the side of the road, turned the key off and back on again and restarted the car.
Tl*the contact owns a 2006 saturn ion. The contact stated that the vehicle would not start in cold weather. In addition, the ignition responded as if it did not recognize the key. No matter what key was used the vehicle would not start for 20-25 minutes. The dealer stated that it would cost $90 for a diagnostic test and this didn't include any other repairs. The manufacturer advised her to take the vehicle to the dealer for inspection. The failure mileage was 61,000. The consume wanted to know what was being done about the problem, and when would she be notified. Updated 03/29/10 the consumer has since traded the vehicle. Updated 06/04/14
After coming out of carwash I attempted twice to start car. On the third try it started & then key would not turn off w/engine running when I reached my destination. I then proceeded to saturn dealer who fortunately was open and disconnected battery to stop engine. Housing, key assembly, & cylinder had to be replaced at the expense of $598.06. Dealer could not explain why or how situation occurred so as to prevent recurrence in future. Mileage was 40,071.
My 2006 ion has only 24,000 miles and has always been garaged and properly maintained. Suddenly, it would not start.....all dash lights on, headlights worked, etc. But engine would not crank. I tried later and it started right up. Next day, same routine. When I got it running, I went straight to the saturn dealer and they replaced the ignition switch. My car is out of warranty, so I had to pay. At the time, I did not realize that so many other saturn ion owners were having the same experience. I called saturn customer service and was told there were never any bulletins issued on this problem and there was no way of determining if there were any other complaints about this issue. I've read that replacing the ignition switch doesn't always take care of the problem. I am very concerned about getting stuck somewhere and don't think I should be expected to sit in a cold car, hoping the 10-minute waiting period will allow my car to start.
2006 saturn ion went to work car would not turn off ,key stuck in ignition unable to remove. Had to drive 35 miles home have someone get the car take to mechanic to disable as safety turnoff did not resolve issue actually got shocked trying it,took to saturn dealer in daytona bch,fl where car was purchased new was told ignition needed to be replaced as it was normal wear and tear then was informed they could not remove key so they had to break housing unit 500 + dollars later.filed complaint after several calls and being brushed of offered me a limited warranty oil changes,tires rotated,rental car if same problem occurs again that was less then 6 months ago,now car will not start ignition sticks with key in off position starter engages,nightmare.
Occasionally, in the morning, our 2006 saturn ion 2 will not start. The battery checks out, everything lights up on the dash display, but turning the key gets no result. If we remove the key and wait 10 minutes, the car will then start. I recently visited a buick service dept. Where the service person told me that this is a common problem, sometimes corrected by ignition switch replacement (which we had done in 2007, under warranty) and if that does not work, there is an electrical control unit which will be replaced. The total for these 2 repairs? In excess of $1,100.00 !! Here's the real kicker, he said that this will not necessarily remedy the problem! And g.m. Wants another $3 billion in bailout funds?? The funny thing is that the 1994 saturn which my son now has, with over 100,000 miles on it has been one of the most reliable cars we ever owned. The 2006 ion has only 27,000 miles on it and has been back to the dealer again and again over it's life so far. This ignition problem has happened about half a dozen times, so far. Only in the morning.
My car would not turn off and my key would not come out. I had the same problem with my vehicle last july, the exact same issue!!!! I immediately called the dealership that I purchased the vehicle from and that "corrected" this problem last year and was told to bring it in because they would have to make sure that it was in fact the same issue, in which it was. I was told that I would have to pay $40 for the diagnostic test that was ran on the vehicle and that it was going to cost 451.51+tax to have it repaired and that the warranty on the part expired 12 months after the repair for the first incident. The failure has not been corrected. After leaving the dealership, I called the customer service center of the car maker and the only thing that has been done about the failure is that they are going to call me back and that they will do their best to give me a discount on repairs. I just want to know why my vehicle continues to have repeated issues with the ignition system locking up? Is the part defective? And if so why hasn't the manufacturer done anything about it?
The vehicle was in great condition, the incident was all a sudden. I could not turn off my car and the key wouldn't come out. Because it was a holiday, I had to sit in my vehicle all night until it ran out of gas. I had it towed to the dealership and they replaced my ignition system for $451.51+tax. I had a conversation with a mechanic at a different dealership and was told that the failure was common with my make and model of vehicle.
I have not been able to turn off my ignition or remove my key two separate times. Not only that my power steering went out and was only able to be fixed by the dealership. Most recently along with the key ignition problem, there is a transmission problem. The first time the ignition was fixed it was under warranty but this time it is not. I have read several blogs of similar complaints from suffering consumers.
1. No abnormal circumstances, simply turned off at night, and returned in the morning to a car with perfectly working electrical but will not react when turning the car further. 2. It occurs randomly, the consequences are that my car is useless at the time that I need it most, the morning before work. 3. Absolutely nothing... It is a saturn ion. The issue is all over the internet, and the fix is complicated, leaving your car on for 10 minutes to get around the pass lock. If your battery survives your car will work afterward.
Tl* the contact owns a 2006 saturn ion. While driving approximately 55 MPH the "power steering" warning light illuminated on the instrument panel, and then there was loss of power steering. She was able to resume operation, but with great difficulty. The vehicle has not been repaired for the failures. The failure and current mileages were 55,000. Updated 01/20/10 *bf. The consumer stated the vehicle was parked in front of his house in idle when suddenly the speedometer read 120 MPH. Updated 01/22/10
Ignition failed to start vehicle. Vehicle had to be towed.
My car will not always start, it gets a picture of the car with a padlock on the dash but will not even attempt to turn over. It does at least three times a week and today it did it four times alone. It will start in exactly 10 minutes from the first time I tried to start it. So in the mean time my children and I sit there in the cold and wait. Or my asthmatic children hopefully do not stop breathing. I have called saturn numerous times and all they tell me is its the ignition housing we can fix it for over 300 dollars but it will go out again in three months, which they say will be the pattern for the life of the car.
2006 saturn ion does not start although all lights come up on dashboard. Battery is fine(had it checked) but the starter does not roll over. After 45 minutes (and battery reattached) car started. This occurred twice, once on april 1st 2009 and again nov 21st 2009. Probably weather related as both days were fairly cool and preceded by rain.
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