Three times when the temperature has been below 30f I have not been able to start my saturn ion. Each time I have had to call on star to get a jump start. All three times the jump start has gotten my card running. I have taken the car to have the battery and starter checked both checked out fine. I see there is a gm service bulletin number : 040845005 and a the federal safety agency item number : 10007431 established for this complaint. I feel as though gm should recall these vehicles and be responsible for the repairs.
2006 Saturn Ion electrical complaints
Page 13 of 14: complaints 341 to 370 of 392, newest first, as owners wrote them.
Saturn ion has trouble starting when the weather is cold. It is the pass lock anti-theft system that so many other people are having troubles with. Saturn dealer will not admit to any problem.
Car will not start on cold mornings, getting worse - had battery tested and nothing wrong.
2006 saturn will not start due to faulty ignition. 4 months out of warranty. Called every saturn dealer within 200 miles. All know of the problem and know immediately what is needed to fix it. They tell me that this has been an ongoing problem for a few years. Yet no recall.
I have a 2006 saturn ion that I purchased in april of 2008. I had trouble from the first day I purchased it. The ion randomly does not start. I've had a mechanic test the battery and said it tested out fine. I had one mechanic tell me it was the starter which would be over $400, another tell me it was the ignition, and another tell me that on only mechanics that had the parts were the dealerships. My car has not started every single day for the last three weeks and randomly since last april. I've missed work due to this issue. The frustrating thing is that my other vehicle that's over 9 years old is more reliable than this saturn. Looking online, I've realized how many others are having the same problem. It needs to be recalled!!!!
Ignition switch is bad. The car will not start,the computer will not disarm.
Tl*the contact owns a 2006 saturn ion. The contact stated that the vehicle would not start in cold weather. In addition, the ignition did not recognize the key. He inserted the other key into the ignition and the vehicle started. The manufacturer advised him to take the vehicle to the dealer for inspection. The failure mileage was 10,000 and current mileage was 11,000. Updated 02/24/09. *lj the dealer replaced the ignition switch. Updated 02/24/09.
2006 saturn ion 3. Key would not come out of ignition. It started out just ever so often about 6-8 months ago and steadily became more frequent. Took the car in to the dealer, and they put in a new cylinder and housing and I also got a new key. The warranty was out in 8/08, so I ended up paying $572.40 for repairs. I came home and am still having same problem with the key not wanting to come out of ignition at times.
Purchased vehicle new as a demo, told there was 'minor panel damage but fixed like new" found out car was in chain reaction crash both front and rear. Body and frame still not fixed, keeps cracking windshields now ignition system has failed. Read many other problems with same issue from year 2000 and up on the car. Needs to be a recall or someone needs to pay for this junk car besides me. Starter would stick in after starting car, took it to the dealership 3 times but they could not "reproduce" the situation, therefore would not repair. Now look where I'm at.
I own a 2006 saturn ion which fails to start intermittently; research shows that the security system fails to recognize the key. It usually starts after a wait of 10 minutes or so, after the security system resets. My handicapped daughter drives this car and I see this as a danger to her security and safety. Saturn needs to resolve this widespread problem.
My 2006 saturn ion got hard to start and then the key got stuck in the on position and cannot be moved, you cannot shut the car off, I looked online and there is hundreds of thousands of people with the same problem, these vehicles should be recalled.
Tl*the contact owns a 2006 saturn ion. The contact noticed that the vehicle would intermittently fail to start after the first attempt. The vehicle would turn over without power. After waiting approximately ten minutes for the security system to reset, the vehicle would successfully start. After attempting to restart the vehicle after it stalled or was turned off, it would occasionally not function properly until waiting ten minutes for the security to activate. The contact stated that the ignition switch was faulty. The dealer replaced the ignition switch at the contact's expense, which remedied the issue according to a tsb. He called the manufacturer to inquire about reimbursement and they referred him to the federal safety agency. The manufacturer stated that they could not provide reimbursement due to the extended warranty. The current mileage was approximately 65,000 and failure mileage was approximately 40,000.
I have a 2006 saturn ion. Approx 20% of the days when the weather is cold the car will not start. If I wait for 10 minutes, it will start. Searching on-line discussion forums indicates this is a common ion problem related to the security system's failure to recognize the key. Today's occurrence promoted me to file this complaint.
Key was stuck in the "on" position and ignition would not turn off. Called onstar, the representative called all saturn dealers in my area but all were closed. We figured out which fuse was replaced. Took car into saturn dealer the next day and was told I would need a new ignition housing and key code. Total repair cost was $500. The car was out of warranty range. I agreed to the fix and called saturn corporate to ask about this and was told I should have bought the extended warranty. Corporate representative was rude and offered no help or solution.
This is the second complaint I have filed on my 2006 saturn ion. I have been tracking a problem I have been having with it not starting in the morning. The problem is with the passlock system that allows fuel to pass to the engine, a so called anti theft deterrent. This morning I sat in my car in the driveway for 30 minutes waiting for the system to reset itself. Looking at various websites, gm has had this problem repeatedly for quite some time. I have contacted saturn corporation, received assistance from a customer service rep, taken my car to the nearest dealership (70 miles away) and the dealership "can't duplicate the problem" and says they have "never heard of this problem before". I took over 20 pages of documentation with me showing thousands of gm customers that are experiencing this same problem. The dealership wouldn't even look at the paperwork. Something needs to be done about this issue. My car is only 2 years old. I was sold a defective product, gm knows the passlock system does not work properly but continues to treat their customers like they are idiots. It is dangerous to be stranded in a car that will not start with children in the car and ridiculous to have a car dictate when it will start.
1st occurrence - unable to move ignition key from run to off while vehicle is running. Would not be able to stop motor in the event of an emergency situation. Had to remove fuse and disconnect battery to stop engine. Dealer replaced lock housing. Problem re-occurred in less than a month.
Saturn ion will not cold start on cold mornings. The key turns to the on position but will not start the vehicle. It does absolutely nothing in the ignition mode. No crank-nothing. This is the fifth time this event has occurred. Fist occurred at 40k. Still happens at 49k. When outside temperature rises the car will start normally. The saturn dealership where we purchased this ( our ninth saturn ) is now closed. We were referred to a chevy dealership. Can't help wondering how this could help. It is obvious, that despite our brand loyalty, we are now getting the cold shoulder in more ways than one.
I purchased a 2006 saturn ion which intermittently (about once a week) does not start. This is a common problem with saturn ions as evidenced by a basic internet search (see http://www.consumeraffairs.com/automotive/saturn_ignition_lock.html). I'm having to have the ignition switch sensor replaced but the problem remains. This is a very dangerous defect during winter months when the car might randomly not start in an isolated area. The dealer from whom I purchased the vehicle is not willing to make the repair at his expense despite it is a well-known failing of this vehicle.
I purchased a 2006 saturn ion 3 four-door sedan in april 2007. In the past two months, I have had three or four occasions where the car would not start. This typically occurs when the weather is cold, especially when there has been frost overnight. *tr what will happen is that when you first put in the key and turn it to the start position, nothing will happen. There is no crank or engine noise other than a slight buzzing sound sometimes, but the car will not start. If you hold the key in the start position, the security lock icon appears on the dashboard information panel. If you keep trying to turn the car on, it will not work, but if you wait exactly ten minutes from the initial attempt to start the car, it will then turn on. I have tracked this problem down to the ignition switch or the passlock security system on the car. Many drivers of 2003-2006 saturn ion vehicles are complaining of this issue, and it is very clearly a faulty system that will not be fixed by a simple part replacement.
Tl*the contact owns a 2006 saturn ion. The contact stated that she could not manually turn off the vehicle because the ignition module locked on its own. She took the vehicle to the dealer and they stated that the ignition cylinder was corroded and needed to be replaced at the cost of $400. She is in the process of having the cylinder repaired. In addition, the passenger air bag warning indicator would illuminate on the instrument control panel, which meant that the air bag was inoperative. The dealer replaced the air bag sensors at the cost of $800. The manufacturer stated that they would partially reimburse her in the amount of $398.80. The failure mileage was 58,000 and current mileage was 67,000.
I purchased a 2006 saturn ion in oct.2007. About 2 months later we started experiencing problems with the car not starting. They key will turn, but the car will not start, especially early in the am when my son is trying to leave for school. It will start a couple of hours later however. My son will leave for college next year and I'm extremely concerned about him being stranded somewhere due to this problem. I've read hundreds of similar complaints online and so far, saturn has not issued a recall. There is something seriously wrong when this many people have the same problem and saturn will not acknowledge it and do the right thing. This is an ongoing matter. It happens 4-5 days a week - usually in the morning, but has also happened at night.
My husband came home and went to turn the car off and the key would not budge. The car was still running and the key was stuck in the ignition. I called on-star from my car and he got a roadside assistant on the phone and I was told that my car needed to be towed to the dealership. A tow truck driver came out and could not disable the car and had to tow the car, while it was running, to the dealership. We researched this problem online and found that it was fairly common in our vehicle. We were told the next day by the dealership that the ignition switch and housing unit needed replaced. I called gm corporate to ask if this was a recall and/or if someone was looking into this problem and all I was told was that was not a safety issue. I was livid and will never deal with gm again for such a lousy response. I have two young children and what if I would have been stranded with them in the car while it was running. Tell me that is not a safety issue. I do have the old parts.
Tl*the contact owns a 2006 saturn ion. While driving 75 MPH, the cruise control stopped working. The power steering, battery, and coolant warning lights illuminated on the instrument panel. The contact also noticed that the vehicle would no longer accelerate. The vehicle has not been diagnosed by the dealer. The contact did not notice any differences beforehand. The current and failure mileages were 51,000. Updated 10/16/08 *bf the consumer also stated the key became stuck in the ignition. Updated 10/21/08.
Ignition switch locked up in the run position could not turn vehicle off.
My car is parked, but I can't turn the ignition off. The key comes out, but the engine is still on.
I purchased my '06 saturn ion in june '06. Just last week, I parked my car at a local store and when I attempted to turn off the ignition, the key wouldn't budge. The ignition had locked up. After several attempts, I contacted my local saturn dealership and they told me I would need to bring the car in immediately to be able to turn off the engine. Once I arrived at the dealership, they told me the situation and how they can fix it at a cost of $300+. With no other options, I agreed and they promptly fixed it within the hour. However, as I paid my bill I asked the service representative what the cause of the ignition lock was and he said it was a faulty part from saturn and that it is a common problem. To me, that means saturn should be taking care of the charges and these faulty parts!! There should be a recall and a replacement made by saturn!! I have had two saturns and have always had good experiences and was very disappointed with how they handled this "faulty" situation! And to top it off, on my receipt, parts were less than $40 so labor was hundreds of dollars for less than 1 hour of work for their own faulty part. Unreal!
The ignition would not turn off and the key removed. I had to pull the ignition fuse to get the car to shut off. I towed the car to the dealership where it was purchased and was told that this was not covered under the warranty that was purchased with the car. It costs $750 to replace the ignition and the shift lever cable.
I have a 2006 saturn ion. The car has been running great. I got into my vehicle after work, and started the car. I stopped at a local gas station to get gas, and the key would not turn off. I had to pump my gas with the car running, which is an extreme hazard to myself and others around me. I continued to jiggle the key trying to get it to move, and it would not budge. I drove the vehicle home, and contact my saturn dealership to see if I could get this worked on. They reported that it would be over a week before they could get to it. The key continues to be jammed, the doors won't lock, and anyone could steal my car at anytime. I have researched this on the internet, and seems to me a major problem with saturn cars. Why isn't this a recall??
My wife and I own a 2006 saturn ion which we bought used last december. Last night when pulling into her parents driveway while on vacation the key would not turn to the off position once put in park. The car was stuck running with the key in the ignition and would not come out. Fortunately I have a little background in mechanics so was able to pull out the ignition relay switch then disconnect the battery(which is in the trunk, so couldn't shut the trunk either or I would not be able to connect the battery again) just so the car would shut off and not drain the battery as all the accessories were still on. After researching this on the internet I have found dozens and dozens of different people having the exact same issue. Unfortunately my car is no longer under warranty so I will have to pay for this entire bill out of pocket. When and why is this not a recall yet??
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!
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