2005 Saturn Ion Engine Problems

TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2005 SATURN ION. THE CONTACT'S SON OBSERVED AN ORANGE GLARE COMING FROM THE BACK OF THEIR HOUSE. THE FAMILY RAN OUTSIDE TOGETHER AND DISCOVERED THAT THE SON'S VEHICLE WAS ON FIRE. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS DOWN THE STREET, BUT TOOK TWENTY MINUTES TO ARRIVE AT THE SCENE. THE CONTACT'S NINETEEN YEAR OLD SON EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE WITH WATER FROM THE HOUSE. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED AND THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE VEHICLE WAS TOTALED. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 217,000.

ENGINE WOULD NOT DE-ACCELERATE AND HITTING THE BRAKES DID NOT STOP THE VEHICLE. I WAS PASSING CARS ON A HIGHWAY,AND I COULD NOT GET THE ENGINE TO DOWN SHIFT. IT FELT LIKE IT WAS IN CRUISE CONTROL, AND IT WAS NOT. I HIT THE CRUISE CONTROL BUTTON TO MAKE SURE I HAD NOT HIT IT BY MISTAKE. I HAD NOT. I DOWN SHIFTED INTO LOW GEAR THAT DID NOT STOP THE ENGINE FROM RACING. I PUT IT IN NEUTRAL THAT DIDN'T HELP. I MANAGED NOT TO HIT ANY CARS. I PUT THE CAR IN A SNOW BANK NEAR A GUARD RAIL. THERE WAS NO CRASH BECAUSE I MIRACULOUSLY KEPT THE CAR UNDER MY CONTROL AND THE SNOW/ICE KEPT ME FROM HITTING THE GUARD RAIL. (I FELT LIKE I WAS GLIDING.) AT SOME POINT WHEN I WAS IN THE SNOW BANK, I HEARD THE ENGINE FINALLY KICK ITSELF DOWN. I CALLED THE LOCAL POLICE FOR A TOW TO MY DEALERSHIP. THE DEALERSHIP TRIED TO BLAME ME, BUT I TOLD THEM IT WAS MECHANICAL FAILURE. I WAS INFORMED THAT THERE SHOULD HAVE BEEN OVERRIDES. THERE WERE NOT. THE CAR WAS REPAIRED. I WAS TOLD THAT THERE WAS A HIGH AND LOW VOLTAGE READING TO THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL, AND POSSIBLE THROTTLE ISSUE. BATTERY REPLACED, PEDAL REPLACED, AND THROTTLE BODY SERVICE PERFORMED. I WAS TOLD THAT THIS WAS "A PERFECT STORM." LATER I WAS TOLD BY AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC THAT THE FLY BY WIRE SYSTEM WAS THE ISSUE. THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE. I WAS AT RISK AND SO WAS EVERYONE ELSE. I DO NOT FEEL COMFORTABLE DRIVING KNOWING THAT AT ANY TIME THIS COULD OCCUR AGAIN TO ME OR TO ANY OTHER CAR ON THE ROAD THAT HAS A FLY BY WIRE SYSTEM. I MAINTAIN MY VEHICLE BY REGULAR VISITS TO DEALERSHIP MECHANICS, AND THERE WERE LESS THAN 100,000 MILES ON MY CAR. *TR

THE GAS PEDAL GETS STUCK WHILE DRIVING AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON. CAR WILL NOT EXCEED 5 MPH EVEN IF THE PEDAL IS PUSHED TO THE FLOOR. CAR MUST BE TURNED ON AND OFF 3 TIMES FOR THE PEDAL TO GO BACK TO NORMAL. ANOTHER INCIDENT IS THE CAR WILL STALL WHEN STOPPING AT A LIGHT OR STOP SIGN. TURNS BACK ON WITH NO PROBLEM. I HAVE HAD ALL RECALLS PERFORMED. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 SATURN ION. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH, THE DRIVER MADE A SUDDEN TURN WHEN THE ENGINE STALLED AND CAUSED A LOSS OF STEERING CONTROL. THE DRIVER THEN TRAVELED DOWN AND CRASHED INTO AN EMBANKMENT. THERE WERE NO INJURIES AND A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED AT THE SCENE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 165,000.

ENGINE FAILED AT 125,000 MILES. ENGINE SPECIALIST DETERMINED CYLINDER #4 OIL STARVATION AS THE CAUSE. OIL CHANGE INTERVALS HAVE ALWAYS BEEN APPROXIMATELY 7500 MILES. ENGINE STALLED OUT AND WOULD NOT CRANK TO RESTART. ENGINE WILL NEED TO BE REPLACED. COST: APPROXIMATELY $4,000.

WHEN I WAS PULLING OUT OF THE PARKING LOT OF MY JOB THERE IS A SLIGHT DIP IN THE ROAD WHEN EXITING THE PARKING LOT ON TO THE STREET AND AS I WAS PULLING OUT MAKING A RIGHT TURN AND I WENT OVER THE BUMP AND MY CAR SHUT OFF AND I WAS NOT AWARE IT HAD SHUT OFF UNTIL I WAS ALMOST AT A COMPLETE STOP. THAT WAS THE VERY FIRST TIME IT HAPPEN, IT SHUTS OFF ALMOST EVERY TIME I HIT A BUMP. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 SATURN ION. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT START INTERMITTENTLY AND WITHOUT ANY WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THEY ADVISED THAT THEY WERE UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 78,000. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 103,000. *TR

JUNE 12-MY CAR RECEIVED COMPLIMENTARY MAINTENANCE. AT WHICH POINT, THE CAR WOULD NOT START. THE BODY CONTROL WAS REPLACED. AFTER MOVING OVER 1800 MILES, THE CAR WOULD NOT START. JUNE 16-HAD IT SERVICED AGAIN AND TO MY KNOWLEDGE, THE CAR HAD BEEN DAMAGED DURING SERVICING AT DEALERSHIP ( DROPPED OFF FOOT JACK AND DAMAGED RADIATOR AND AC CONDENSER). JUNE 17-AFTER COMMUTING 80 MILES AND THE PASSING OF 9 HOURS, THE CAR WOULD NOT START AGAIN. THEN AFTER 3 HOURS, IT STARTED ( AS I WAS IN AN UNFAMILIAR LOCATION). JUNE 21-ITS 8 AM AND I AM ABOUT TO LEAVE FOR WORK, THE CAR WOULD NOT START. TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP AFTER IT STARTED 3 HOURS LATER, RIDING IN ANTI-THEFT MODE. LEFT THE CAR OVERNIGHT AND HAD TO GET A RENTAL. JUNE 24- PICKED UP THE CAR AND THE DEALER COULD NOT DETERMINE THE ISSUE AND ASSUMED THAT IT HAD BEEN ABSOLVED. JUNE 30- 7 AM. THE CAR WOULD NOT START AGAIN FOR 4 HOURS. TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP, COULD NOT DETERMINE THE ISSUE. MY CAR HAS YET TO BE FIXED AND I HAVE BEEN STRANDED IN A NUMBER OF UNFAMILIAR PLACES. SOMETHING IS VERY WRONG WITH THE IGNITION BECAUSE THE POWER OF THE CAR COMES ON, BUT THE ENGINE WILL NOT COMMUNICATE TO COME ON. *TR

THE KEY STICKS IN THE IGNITION WHENEVER I TRY TO TURN THE CAR OFF. IT TAKES AWHILE BEFORE I AM ABLE TO GET IT OUT, CAUSING THE BATTERY TO DRAIN. I HAVE HAD TO REPLACE MY BATTERY ALREADY. THIS IS A MAJOR ISSUE THAT AFTER DOING SOME RESEARCH A VERY COMMON ISSUE FOR ION OWNERS. WITH IT BEING SO COMMON I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY A RECALL HAS NOT BEEN DONE. I COULD HAVE BEEN STRANDED SOMEWHERE BECAUSE OF THIS. *TR

UNABLE TO TURN KEY IN THE OFF POSITION OF MY 2005 SATURN ION WHILE THE ENGINE WAS RUNNING. HAD TO EVENTUALLY UNHOOK THE BATTERY TO TURN OFF THE ENGINE AND HAVE THE CAR TOWED TO A SERVICE STATION WHERE THEY ENDED UP BREAKING THE KEY TO REMOVE IT FROM THE IGNITION AND THEN REPLACING THE ENTIRE IGNITION LOCK MECHANISM. *TR

1. EVENTS LEADING UP TO FAILURE I WAS GETTING READY TO LEAVE FOR WORK. THE TIME OF DAY WAS 9AM. THE TEMPERATURE HAD BEEN HOVERING AROUND FREEZING ALL NIGHT. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN DRIVEN SINCE THE PREVIOUS DAY AT AROUND 9PM. I UNLOCKED MY VEHICLE USING KEYLESS ENTRY - DRIVER DOOR ONLY. I INSERTED MY KEY IN THE IGNITION, CLOSED THE DOOR, PUSHED THE CLUTCH TO THE FLOOR WHILE FASTENING MY SEATBELT. I THEN TURNED THE KEY TO THE START POSITION. THE ENGINE DID NOT START - THE STARTER DID NOT ENGAGE AT ALL. WHEN I RELEASED THE KEY, THE SECURITY LIGHT (AN AMBER "PADLOCK" ICON) STARTED FLASHING SLOWLY - ONCE PER SECOND. I THEN FOLLOWED THE RESTART PROCEDURE FOR THIS SITUATION ACCORDING TO THE OWNER MANUAL - SIMPLY WAIT UNTIL THE LIGHT STOPS FLASHING, TURN THE KEY TO LOCK, THEN RESTART. TEN MINUTES LATER, THE SECURITY LIGHT STOPPED FLASHING AND REMAINED ILLUMINATED. I THEN TURNED THE KEY TO LOCK, AND THEN RESTARTED ENGINE. 2. THE FAILURE, HOW OFTEN, ITS CONSEQUENCES: THE VEHICLE DID NOT START DUE TO A FAILURE OF, OR A MALFUNCTION OF, SOME COMPONENT OF THE FACTORY VEHICLE SECURITY SYSTEM. IT HAS HAPPENED A TOTAL OF THREE TIMES BETWEEN THE INCIDENT DATE AND MARCH 30, 2009. IT ONLY SEEMS TO OCCUR WHEN THE TEMPERATURE OVERNIGHT HOVERS AROUND FREEZING, OR DROPS BELOW FREEZING. THE CONSEQUENCES OF THIS FAILURE FOR ME HAVE BEEN MINIMAL, BUT I WAS VERY FORTUNATE IN EACH INSTANCE TO BE PARKED IN A SAFE PLACE, WHERE MY PROMPT EGRESS WAS NOT NECESSARY. I AM REPORTING THIS SITUATION TO THE ODI BECAUSE OF THE POTENTIAL CONSEQUENCES OF THIS FAILURE OCCURRING DURING NORMAL DRIVING - IF I STALL THE ENGINE IN HEAVY TRAFFIC AND AM NOT ABLE TO RESTART FOR TEN MINUTES UNTIL THE SECURITY LIGHT STOPS FLASHING, I WOULD BE IN A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION, AND MY VEHICLE WOULD PRESENT A SIGNIFICANT HAZARD TO OTHER DRIVERS. 3. WHAT WAS DONE TO CORRECT: NOTHING HAS BEEN DONE TO CORRECT THIS FAILURE, AS MY DEALERSHIP HAS NO CURRENT SOLUTION. *TR

WE HAVE HAD THIS PROBLEM NOW GOING ON THE 3RD TIME WITH OUR SATURN ION. NO CRANK NO START, LIKE YOU CUT THE POWER OFF TO THE CAR. NO GAUGES ,NO LIGHTS NO EMERGENCY SIGNALS. THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH THE CIRCUIT BOARD IN THE FUSE BOX, IT SEEMS TO BREAK CONTACT WITH IN THE AREA THAT CONTROLS THIS. THE FIRST TIME THE DEALER CHANGED THE PART, 2ND TIME WE HAD NO WARRANTY AND HAD TO PAY $550. NOW IT HAS DONE IT AGAIN. THE FIRST TIME MY WIFE WAS DRIVING HOME AT NIGHT WHEN IT JUST SHUT OFF AND THERE WAS NO LIGHTS OR EMERGENCY SIGNALS AND SHE WAS ON A DARK HIGHWAY. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 SATURN ION. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE TURNING AT APPROXIMATELY 20 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FAILURE WAS EXPERIENCED MULTIPLE TIMES. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 200,000.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 SATURN ION. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH ON NORMAL ROAD CONDITIONS, THE ENGINE LOST POWER. THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED INTERMITTENTLY ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE WAS CALLED TO THE SCENE AND THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER. THE TECHNICIAN STATED THAT THE FAILURE WAS RELATED TO THE IGNITION CONTROL MODULE. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED; HOWEVER, THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE VEHICLE IS IN THE PROCESS OF BEING REPAIRED AGAIN. THE CONTACT WAS CONCERNED OF THE SAFETY RISK INVOLVED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 41,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 61,000.

MY 2005 ION 2 WAS SERVICED CONTINUOUSLY BY THE SATURN DEALERSHIP SINCE ITS NEW PURCHASE. THIS CAR HAS NEVER HAD A ENGINE INCIDENT, OVERHEATING, OR MISSED OIL CHANGE/SERVICE AND AT APPROXIMATELY 35,000 MILES THE ENGINE SERVICE LIGHT WOULD ACTIVATE INTERMITTENTLY. THE PROBLEM WAS BROUGHT TO THE SATURN TECHNICIAN AND DEDUCED TO EITHER A GAS TANK SEALING ISSUE OR OXYGEN SENSOR MALFUNCTION. THE OXYGEN SENSOR WAS FINALLY REPLACED ON IT 48,000 SERVICE CHECKUP, YET THE LIGHT WAS STILL ACTIVE. A COMPLETE COMPUTER CODE DIAGNOSTIC REVEALED INTERNAL MISFIRE ISSUES WITH THE #1 CYLINDER. THE MECHANICS EVALUATION WAS THAT THE ENGINE CYLINDER OR BLOCK IS WARPED AND CAUSING COMPRESSION BLOW BY & MISFIRING. THE RECOMMENDED SOLUTION IS TO CHANGE THE ENGINE BLOCK AT A COST OF $6, 800. OR WORK ON TEARING DOWN THE ENGINE AT AN UN-ESTIMATED AMOUNT. ALTHOUGH I HAVE A 3 YEAR WARRANTY TO APRIL 2008, I HAVE EXCEEDED THE MILEAGE OF THIS PURCHASED WARRANTY BY OVER 14,000 MILES. I AM UNCERTAIN WHETHER I SHOULD GO FORWARD WITH THIS REPAIR, TRADE-IN THE CAR, OR SEEK MY DAMAGES THROUGH MY ATTORNEY IN LOS ANGELES. WHEN I PURCHASED THIS NEW ION, MY FATHER IN LAW WAS SO IMPRESSED THAT HE BOUGHT THE SAME MODEL 5 DAYS LATER AT THE SAME DEALERSHIP. AN INTERESTING NOTE IS THIS IS OUR 3RD SATURN IN THE LAST 11 YEARS. WE BELIEVE IN THE BRAND, LOVE THE SERVICE & SALES DEPARTMENTS, BUT ARE NOT SURE ABOUT ITS FUTURE WITH OUR FAMILY. *JB

CONTINUOUS LOW RPM CAUSING STALL-OUTS WHEN STOPPED IN TRAFFIC. RPM AT LOW IDLE IS NO HIGHER THAN 650 TO 750. ENGINE ALWAYS FEELS LIKE IT WILL STALL. DEALER STATES THAT "THIS ENGINE IDLES AT A LOW RPM" (COMPARED TO MOST CARS THAT IDLE AT 950 RPM). *NM

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 SATURN ION. WHILE DRIVING 50 MPH ON AN INCLINE THE VEHICLE LOST POWER, THE STEERING LOCKED, AND ALL OF THE LIGHTS ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT PLACED THE VEHICLE IN PARK, AND WAS ABLE TO RESTART THE VEHICLE. ON FOUR OCCASIONS THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 54, AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 10,087. *AK UPDATED 06/08/07 *TR

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THERE WERE SEVERAL PROBLEMS WITH THE VEHICLE. WHILE TURNING THE IGNITION ON, THE BATTERY LIGHT ILLUMINATED FOR 30 SECONDS. SECOND, THE DRIVER'S SIDE WINDOW FELL OFF THE TRACK AND CAUSED THE WINDOW TO FALL INTO THE DOOR. THIRD, THERE WAS A GRINDING NOISE HEARD IN THE MOTOR AND THE VEHICLE HESITATED. ADDITIONALLY, THE HEADLIGHT SEAL AROUND THE HEADLIGHT WAS BROKEN ALLOWING WATER TO GET INSIDE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER AND ALL REPAIRS WERE MADE.

DT: THE CONTACT STATED VEHICLE STALLED SEVERAL TIMES AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. THERE HAS BEEN NO WARNING PRIOR TO EACH INCIDENT. THIS WAS THE FOURTH TIME SHE TOOK VEHICLE TO A DEALER. EACH TIME THE DEALERSHIP TOLD HER THE PROBLEMS WAS FIXED. SHE DID NOT KNOW WHAT REPAIRS THE DEALERSHIP HAD DONE PREVIOUSLY. SHE DID NOT HAVE ANY OTHER PROBLEM WITH THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE IS AT THE DEALERSHIP NOW AND HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED. *AK UPDATED 01/25/06. *JB

DT: THE CONTACT STATED VEHICLE STALLED WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED. THERE WERE NO WARNING LIGHTS INDICATING A PROBLEM WITH THE VEHICLE. THE DEALER COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. *AK UPDATED 01/11/06.