2006 Saturn Ion: multiple warning lights

Filed Mar 3, 2015 · Electrical, Engine · HI

While driving the car will automatically shut off. I can be on the freeway at 55 miles and the car will just die. I can be at a stop light and the car will die. I have taken it in and twice they said they found nothing however the problem still exist. I thought that with the recall repair of the ignition switch it might help but it hasn't and my key still gets stuck in the ignition at times and I don't even have anything hanging on the key only the remote. Basically once you feel the car losing power and all dash lights show up, you need to restart the car to proceed. Very dangerous especially on the road.

Filed Aug 4, 2014 · Electrical · 92,000 miles · TX

About two years ago I started experiencing problems with the ignition switch on my 2006 saturn ion 2. The key would get stuck in there, or be hard to put it in all the way before starting the car. At times the engine would stay on even after key was out and all the instrument cluster lights would all come on even when the engine was off. Suddenly my instrument cluster stopped working all together (all gauges dead) with the exception of the warning lights. They would always stay on even when car was off and key was out. Later, just as sudden the cluster worked fine again, only to die a month later leaving all warning lights always on again. While all this was happening I was still having issues with the ignition. Mechanic told me that the ignition switch was causing the cluster to malfunction and eventually burned it out. Because of financial issues I was unable to replace the switch or the cluster at the time. When I received the ignition switch recall letter, I took it to get replaced and explained the cluster situation but dealership refused to replace the cluster and said it was a different issue. For months I have not been able to tell how much gas I have, how fast I'm driving or the temperature of the car. It's frustrating and expensive to repair. I have stayed stranded on the highway with my children several times, but gm will not help resolve the electrical issue.

Filed Nov 30, 2012 · Electrical, Steering · 16,607 miles · OK

This vehicle was purchased brand new and driven very little. Protected in closed in garage. Drove to colorado springs for vacation and went to visit relatives. Parked vehicle in front of relative home and the key couldn't be turned to shut off the car. Fortunately there was a neighbor of my relatives that new how to shut it off by disconnecting the battery cables. To start the car the cables had to be hooked back up. Drove to ferguson buick gmc in colorado springs and they checked it. The tumbler came apart, won't turn off , replaced ignition lock. Was charged for housing kit (15857948), code cyl, cylinder kit (20869121), labor and cost of parts totalled $614.22. With only 16, 607 miles from 2006 to 2012 this should not have happened. Today, november 30, 2012, I went to drive my vehicle and when I started the engine all the lights on the dash and message about steering off trac keeps flashing and it said something about steering fluid, brakes and the lights were going crazy. I am afraid to drive it so I drove it back into my garage. Couldn't drive it like that. Now what is wrong. This vehilce has been paid for since 2008 and only has 19, 000 miles on it. My husband bought me this vehicle as a surprise and little did he know he would get pancreatic cancer the following year. He wanted me to have a dependable extra vehicle. I cannot keep paying money to fix a vehicle that I am afraid to drive. May get stranded somewhere. I wouldn't feel in good conscious to even sell it to anyone. Not worth what he paid for it.

Filed Dec 2, 2011 · Electrical, Fuel system · 30,000 miles · TX

My car is only 5 years old and now has 36,000 miles on it. Whenever it is cold outside my car does not start. All of the lights work and the car will make a click, but the car itself will not turn on. I have been stranded multiple times at night in the freezing cold with no way of getting home. Two times I have been stranded in a dark parking garage. This is constantly re-occurring problem and I see that hundreds of people have had the same issue. When I have taken my car to the shop I have been told it is electrical problems. This problem should be recalled as many people have the same problem. Also, I have had many issues with the fuel system. I have already had the fuel injector replaced,and the fuel tank replaced. It is in the shop again today because there were more issues with the fuel system. The fuel in my car was not heating up the right temperature, and I was getting about 30% less miles per tank than before. Over the few years I have had cords to the fuel system replaced, removed, adjusted, etv. I have spent thousands of dollars on repairs for a 5 year old car with 36,000 miles on it. And it is the same problems happening over and over.

Filed Sep 28, 2011 · Electrical, Steering · 50,067 miles · IA

On sunday, september 25th, 2011, I was driving on a familiar road in town when all of the warning lights on my vehicle suddenly illuminated and began blinking. The speedometer, fuel gage, temperature gage, and RPM indicator all went down to zero and the message center began saying "trac off" and "pwr str." as this happened, my power steering went out. I pulled over and turned my car off. My car would not turn back on. After about one minute, I was able to start my car again and resume driving as normal. This has happened on four other occasions since the first time, three days ago. The last time it happened I was going around a curve and I almost went into the ditch. In addition, it is also important to note that at 40,000 miles, the vehicle began having the same issue (message center occasionally flashing "trac off" and "pwr str", and the ABS and emergency break lights going on). The dealer found that the steering column was shorting out and had to replace the steering column in the vehicle. This leads me to believe that this is an electrical problem...

Filed Feb 9, 2010 · Electrical · 24,000 miles · OH

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.

Filed Nov 23, 2009 · Electrical · 28,000 miles · CA

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.

Filed May 24, 2009 · Electrical · MO

We bought our saturn ion 2 from my husbands sister when it had 10,000 miles on it. That winter ('06) the car began a pattern of not starting when the weather was cold, 20 degrees or less. All the lights,radio, ect. Worked fine but the theft lock system locks the ignition for 10 minutes, and this can happen several times in a row! It was fine come spring, but then came winter '07 and the problem only got worse. Saturn refuses to help. They think you don't know how to start your car and tell you that they can't "replicate" the problem or find any record of it in the cars computer. Now, after enduring a horrible winter of trying to get the car to start almost every day no matter what temperature, the car is doing it in the late spring! We have had 50's to 70's every morning, yet half the time it still will not start! How can we rely on this car when gm says nothings wrong?