Tl* the contact owns a 2006 saturn ion. The contact stated that after starting the engine, the key became stuck in the ignition switch and the vehicle could not be turned off. The contact indicated that on some occasions the battery would become drained because the key could not be removed. The vehicle was diagnosed and repaired by the dealer and the ignition switch was replaced but the failure persisted. The dealer then replaced the ignition micro switch and the defect was remedied. The manufacturer was not notified of the defect. The failure mileage was 25,000.
2006 Saturn Ion electrical complaints
Page 6 of 14: complaints 131 to 160 of 392, newest first, as owners wrote them.
Re: the current recall of the ignition switch on gm vehicles. I wanted to put in a report that I was made aware of this defect from a dealership repair man back in early 2008. I purchased my vehicle in early 2007 and a year later I was unable to start my vehicle. I can't recall the exact scenario but think some lights came on or something, because I knew to call the saturn dealership in golden valley mn to report the issue and ask what they suggest. The repair person said that he was pretty certain it was my ignition switch, based on the symptoms I reported with the car. He told me how to get it started by doing something different with the key in the ignition, and sure enough I got it running. He said to bring it in right away and they would take care of it. When I got there, he said there would be no charge, as "gm should have made a recall on this because many people have had this problem, and I don't know why they aren't doing that." fortunately for me I did not have an accident from this, but interesting that back then, the dealership knew exactly what the issue was and questioned then why nothing was being done.
#1. Key. In 2008 the key started getting stuck in the ignition when I attempted to turn the car off. The car kept running. It would take up to 10 tries before the engine stopped. Even then I could not always get the key to come out right away. I could not get the key to turn when trying to start the car. The key often would also get stuck in the ignition and I could not get it out and would have to leave it in. 2014 I could not get it to come out at all and at one point the car would not shut off. Mechanic replaced (at my expense) the ignition. #2. When I purchased the car an add on offered was a passive kill switch called id system. Repeatedly the air bag light would come on, and the on-star system also notified me. It would go back off. I took it to the dealer in 2006 and 2007 was told since the light was not on then that they could not/would not do anything. In 2013 the light was always on. I was also having other electrical problems (see #3). I went to an auto electrical shop. While diagnosing the initial problem the shop found that when the kill switch was put in the company had taken out the relay for the air bag and put the put the id system relay in it's place. The result was that neither worked. The shop pulled out the kill switch relay and replaced the air bag one. Which I paid the bill for. Now the air bag light is starting to come back on at times. I assume the air bag is not working. #3. In 2013 the alarm on the car started going off by its self.that day it went on and off 5 or 6 times till I realized it might be my car. The neighbor said there was no one around it at the time. I don't turn on the alarm. I ended up disconnecting the battery. I took it to the shop (see #2) but since it was not doing it then they could not find the problem. #4 I have never been notified by gm that others were having these problems.
The car would not start on several occasions. Would have a hard time turning the key in the ignition and it will start after 15-20 minutes. This would happen anywhere, anytime. So, we took it to the dealer biddulph mazda, which is where we purchased it. They serviced the car. They tested the starter, there was nothing wrong with the starter. They could not pin point the problem, so they told us to have a new key made. Got a new key made, but the problem continued. To this day, it still happens occasionally.
Tl* the contact owns a 2006 saturn ion. The contact stated that she was unable to remove the key from the ignition switch. The contact indicated that the battery had to be disconnected in order to turn off the power to the vehicle. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified. The failure mileage was 58,000.
My car was being parked in my driveway on january 4th around 12:30 a.m., when the key would not turn the car off, nor would it come out of the ignition. That just so happened to be the weekend of the famous polar voprtex, featuring a snow storm and record-breaking freezing temperatures. I drove my car to the nearest repair shop, and requested an emergency road service technician through my insurance company. When he arrived, the only way he could turn the car off was to remove a fuse. Once examined on 1/8/14 by the repair shop, it was determined that the car would then have to be towed to the nearest general motors dealer, advantage chevrolet in bolingbrook, il. After being notified by the dealership of what the problem was, being quoted the price of $431.00 to repair it, I researched the ignition switch problem and discovered over 500 complaints on the same issue, make, and model car as mine. I then notified general motors' customer service department to try and at least get some money off the repair bill, but to also notify them that there is a defect with the 2006 saturn ion ignition switches. Needless to say, I got no assistance from gm with the bill, and there are still other consumers out there who will be milked for hundreds of dollars for this same repair.
I was rear ended on the freeway on 11/17/13. I went to get it fixed about a week later. They had my car for about 3 days. When I went to pick up my car, there was no power steering. When the gentleman tried to put power steering fluid in it, he noticed it was electric. He said it must have gone out. Now I have to pay to fix my power steering and I didn't have my car when it went out!
Tl* the contact owns a 2006 saturn ion. The contact was making a right turn at 15 MPH when the driver's side door opened without being engaged. The contact also stated that he was unable to shut the engine off. The vehicle was taken to the dealer for inspection where the contact was informed that the ignition barrel switch seized and was fractured. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who confirmed the failure and also stated that the door latch was fractured. The ignition barrel switch was repaired but not the door latch failure. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 59,000.
On some cold days, the car will not start. This is an intermittent problem. The lights, radio, etc. Will turn on when the key is turned, but the car will not start and the anti-theft indicator light will blink. You have to wait anywhere from 10-30 minutes for the anti-theft system to reset to allow the vehicle to start. I only have this problem on cold days. This has happened multiple times and we've contacted gm twice, but they say they have never heard of any complaints.
Each time I kill the engine I have to sit and wait for the string of electronic tics to quit before my car will let go of the key. Each episode seams to differ on the length of time it, takes or decides, to let go of the key.
I was driving my 2006 saturn ion on a local street, picking up my child from school, when the ignition went off. The car had no power & I had only a few seconds to steer the car off to the side before the power steering stopped working. I put the car in neutral & coasted to a stop. I turned the car off, waited a minute, & then turned the key again. At that time, the car started up again & I took it directly home. In the days following this incident, several different times the ignition would go of by itself. It felt as if the key was not staying in the on position. Not being aware of a warranty from saturn, I took it to a local repair shop. When the mechanic tried to take the key out of the ignition, it would not turn off or come out of the steering column. He was forced to disconnect the battery in order to turn the ignition off & needed to replace the part in the steering column where the key goes in. Because the mechanic had to disconnect the battery, I was also forced to take the car to the dealership a few days later to have my remote lock reprogrammed. I had to pay out of pocket for both of these repairs, because I was unaware that gm had a special warranty covering such issues. I never received a letter about this problem, but it is a recall issue in other states.
Tl* the contact owns a 2006 saturn ion. The contact stated that while driving 70 MPH, the vehicle stalled with the illumination of all of the warning gauges. The vehicle was moved to the shoulder where it was restarted and functioned normally. The vehicle was taken to the dealer for diagnosis and repair. The battery was replaced but the failure recurred. The vehicle was not further repaired. The manufacturer was notified about the incident. The approximate failure mileage was 52,000.
I bought my car used off of a used car lot, the power steering was recalled and it got fix, but now the electrical system is messed up. My car alarm will go off all hours of the night, the windows wont roll all the way up and the key gets stuck in the ignition and I can't turn my car off. My drum brakes on the back absolutely shattered on the inside of the drum.
Drove to local market, 5 minutes from my home, key stuck in on position, could not turn car off, drove back home, contacted on-star road side assistance-fuse to disengage fuel pump was pulled and battery disconnected (it was the only way to turn off the car)-car towed to gm dealer replacement of ignition switch with core drilling to fix vehicle-cost $340.00 plus cost of rental car for 2 days!
Vehicle operator tried to turn off motor while in a paid parking lot. Key was stuck in ignition and car would not shut off. Dealer stations were closed at time of incident. Operator returned 30 miles home after various attempts to remove key and a family member disconnected the battery. Next day the battery was reconnected and operator went to dealership where ignition lock cylinder, housing and key were replaced for $461.47 plus tax.
Tl* the contact owns a 2006 saturn ion ii. The contact stated that the key became lodged in the ignition switch and he unable to turn the vehicle off. The contact mentioned that he had to disconnect the battery in order to turn off the vehicle. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure and current mileage was 127,000.
With regards to the 2006 saturn ion, my ion has suffered three of the major problems described in the complain section of the federal safety agency web site. {1} fuel leaking from fuel pump area. {2} ignition key gets stuck in the on position car can not be shut off. {3} power steering stops working while car is running making it difficult to steer. With regards to the last problem I brought my car to a g.m. Dealer and was advised that the problem was the power steering motor. They replaced the motor at no charge.telling me it was under warranty. They also advised me that there was a recall regarding the fuel pump modulator. I am now fighting with gm to try and get my money back. With regards to the sticking key in the ignition I believe that if we get enough complainants maybe the federal safety agency can do something. If you have suffered any of these problems and have not repaired your auto please head straight to your local gm dealer . If you have paid for repairs out of your pocket your gm dealer has proper paperwork for you to submit.
After driving vehicle and arriving at destination, the normal attempt to turn off ignition and vacate vehicle failed insomuch that ignition key failed to turn to the off position due to a stuck ignition cylinder. Car could not be turned off and removing battery terminal failed to kill the engine. Only after a critical fuse was removed would the engine die. Internet searches has revealed a chronic trend for this failure and typical repair costs at dealerships average over $400. If this failure should occur at an accident scene where there is spilled fuel the consequences could be life threatening. I am appalled that gm has not issued a recall to what is obviously either a flawed design or the use of inadequate materials in the construction of their ignition lock assembly.
In the summer of 2010, while attempting to turn off my car my key became stuck in the ignition. All attempts to remove key failed and had car towed to dealership. Was told that lock ignition fell apart and needed to be replaced. Because car was still under warranty I did not have to pay for repair. Nearly three years later (june 2013), I was attempting to turn off my car and key was stuck in on position. Again all attempts to get key out failed. Had to get service technician to turn off car by removing fuse in car to turn it off. Towed car to dealership and was told that lock ignition needed to be replaced again. This time car was not under warranty and I had to pay out of pocket for repair and rental car. Less than one month later I had begun to smell gas on the outside and inside of my car. Brought to service center and was told that fuel pump was leaking and fell under recall so I am not responsible for paying but still have to pay for rental car. I believe that the lock ignition part should be recalled because many people have complained about this defect. Additionally, the fact that so many issues with my car stem from part defects that I have no control over, gm should be made responsible for replacing the car and/or providing monetary compensation. I hope this complaint will be investigated thoroughly and some remedy should be given for people who have purchased this car and now have to deal with the numerous defects. I, like many others, cannot afford to buy a new car and should not be stuck with a lemon.
Key became stuck in ignition. Could not remove, car would not shut off. Emergency ignition release did not work. Took car to authorized gm dealer, was told the ignition cylinder and housing had fallen apart and needed to be replaced, and that it is frequently seen with this car model. Total repair cost $569.97.
In august of 2008 at appx 37000 miles, the ignition switch locked in the 'run' position. Since the car was a manual, I stalled it out and called a locksmith, who could not remove or turn the key either. He disconnected the car from the battery so that it would not drain due to the accessories still being active. He told me how to reconnect the battery so that I could drive in for repairs. I have not had any more problems until yesterday (june 2013) at appx 100000 miles. The ignition would not turn beyond the accessories position. After several attempts, key positions, clutch positions, I was able to start the car and immediately drove it to a repair center. I have seen numerous similar complaints on this website and yet there are no recalls for this faulty ignition problem. I have had the issue from both sides (couldn't turn off and couldn't turn on).
My saturn ion has had to have the ignition and or the steering column replaced on four separate occasions since 29,000 miles .it currently has 143,000 miles and has issues once again. Each time either the key would click back only one notch and could not be removed, the car could not be turned off at all due to the key being "frozen" in the cylinder or the key would not spring back from the starting position to the run position thus making a grinding noise after car started. The last dealership said they were going to report the incident to gm as they have done for other car owners before, but with no result. Each time it has cost me anywhere from $350. To $700.00 not including towing and renting of an alternate vehicle. I understand that it technically not a safety issue but I feel this should be looked at and recalled so it does not become one when a little kid climbs into a car that can not be turned off or the key removed from the ignition and gets seriously hurt or worse.
The ignition wouldnt turn off, the key came out, leaving the car running. I tried wiggling the key, checking the shifter, everything, this is the 2nd time this has happened. Ive seen an extreme amount of complaints about this, and feel something should be done, gm is loosing a lot of business due to not solving this issue.
Tl* the contact owns a 2006 saturn ion. The contact stated that the ignition failed and the key could not be turned or released from the ignition to shut off the engine. The battery and fuel sensor was disconnected in order to power the vehicle off. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure and current mileage was 100,000.
I was driving my saturn ion 2 under normal conditions 5/6/13. I parked the vehicle and attempted to turn it off but the key would not move. The ignition was locked. I could not turn off the ion. I drove to a mechanic, who disconnected the battery. I paid $292.68 for a new ignition lock and ignition cylinder. I see hundreds or thousands of similar complaints online yet at no point did gm notify me of the potential problem nor offer to fix it.
Tl* the contact owns a 2006 saturn ion. The contact stated that he was unable to turn the ignition to the off position to remove the key. The vehicle remained powered on and the contact had to disconnect a wire under the steering column to turn off the vehicle. The check engine warning light would occasionally illuminate. The vehicle was inspected by the dealer however the cause of the failure was undetermined. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure but offered no further assistance. The failure and current mileage was 57,117.
The key sticks in ignition and the car can't be turned off unless the battery is disconnected or the fuel pump is disconnected. This causes a safety hazard to the average user, like myself, who isn't aware what needs to be done poses the risk of being shocked or burned trying to turn off the car.
2006 saturn ion manual trans. Key got stuck in the ignition in the on position. To turn car off, need to stall engine (pop clutch), then disconnect battery since electrical circuits remain on. Repair was ignition lock replacement by dealer (approx $400). Based on comments at the federal safety agency and other sites, this is a very common problem for this vehicle type.
My key became stuck in the ignition and would not turn while the car was still running. I had to pull the fuel injector fuse and disconnect my battery to turn the car off. In researching this problem online, I've found that tons of other saturn owners have encountered this same problem with their ignition cylinders. I believe since this is such an expensive and common problem, that there should be a recall made on this part.
My car will not start when it is cold it has to warm up before it will start right up now when it is warm out side not cold it starts right up. Then my key got stuck in the on position and could not cut the car off. Had to look on google for other similar problems to find out how to get the car to turn off.
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