2003 Saturn Ion Interior & seats Problems

THE LOCKED AND COULDN'T GET IT TO TURN. *TR

NHTSA ID

10569001

Incident

Feb 8, 2011

Mileage

100,000 mi

I HAVE A 2003 SATURN ION. THE KEY "JAMMED" IN THE "ON" POSITION LEAVING THE CAR RUNNING. TO SHUT IT OFF YOU HAVE TO RAISE THE HOOD, PULL A FUSE, THEN GO TO THE TRUNK AND DISCONNECT THE BATTERY. THIS IS A MAJOR ISSUE FOR ME BECAUSE THE CAR IS DRIVEN BY A COLLEGE, FEMALE. GAS STATIONS, CONVENIENCE STORES AND SMALL CHILDREN LEFT IN CAR, ETC... ARE A PROBLEM, BECAUSE THE CAR IS RUNNING. I HAVE REPLACED THE SHIFTER, AND NOW THE IGNITION ($463) PLUS TAX FOR A LOCK CYLINDER ! *TR

NHTSA ID

10351786

Incident

Aug 10, 2010

Mileage

67,000 mi

THERE ARE NO EVENTS LEADING UP TO THE FAILURE. FROM EVERYTHING I'VE READ FROM OTHER SATURN ION OWNERS THIS IS A FREQUENT AND SEEMINGLY RANDOM PROBLEM. AT ANY GIVEN TIME IF IT IS COLD OUTSIDE THE CAR WON'T START. EVERYTHING LIGHTS UP, THE ENGINE TURNS OVER AND CATCHES, ONLY TO STALL. UPON REPEATED ATTEMPTS TO START THE CAR THERE WILL BE NO RESPONSE WHATSOEVER. THE ENGINE DOES NOT TURN OVER. AFTER WAITING SEVERAL MINUTES IT WILL EVENTUALLY START. THIS PROBLEM HAS OCCURRED 4 TIMES IN THE LAST MONTH; TWICE CAUSING ME TO BE LATE FOR PARTICULARLY IMPORTANT ENGAGEMENTS. UPON REPORTING THE PROBLEM TO THE SATURN DEALERSHIP WHERE I BOUGHT THE CAR I WAS TOLD THAT THEY HAVE MANY COMPLAINTS OF THE SAME PROBLEM, BUT THAT THEIR STAFF HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO RESOLVE IT. THIS HAS BEEN THEIR GENERAL ATTITUDE TOWARDS SEVERAL ISSUES I'VE HAD WITH MY CAR. I TOOK IT TO ANOTHER GARAGE AND THEY CAN'T FIND A THING WRONG WITH IT. SATURN SEEMS TO BE TURNING A BLIND EYE TO A PROBLEM THAT IS CLEARLY THE RESULT OF A POOR DESIGN SOMEWHERE ON THEIR PART. I HAVE ALSO HAD TO REPLACE CONTROL ARM BUSHINGS WHEN I WAS AT ABOUT 80 000 KM, AND NOW NEED TO REPLACE STRUTS. I AM HESITANT TO DO THIS THOUGH, AS THE GENERAL CONSENSUS AMONG SATURN ION OWNERS IS THAT BUSHINGS AND STRUTS ARE IN PERPETUAL NEED OF REPLACEMENT ON THESE CARS. AFTER REPLACING THE PARTS MOST PEOPLE FIND THAT THEY HAVE TO MAKE THE SAME REPAIRS AGAIN WITHIN 2 YEARS. FURTHER PROBLEMS I HAVE WITH MY CAR ARE: TRUNK WILL NOT OPEN WITH KEY, REPLACED WIRES ON BOTH FRONT TURN SIGNALS AND ONE HEADLIGHT, KEY WOULD NOT RELEASE FROM IGNITION, ERRATIC TRANSMISSION BEHAVIOR (I WAS TOLD THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM AND THAT I JUST HAVE TO DEAL WITH IT), SEAT BELT GUIDES BROKEN (FRONT, BOTH SIDES), REAR SEAT BELT "FEMALE" COMPONENT FALLS INTO CREVICE IN SEAT, PAINT PEELING FROM FRONT BUMPER WITHOUT BEING CHIPPED PRIOR, AND A FAULTY CRUISE CONTROL SWITCH. EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THESE PROBLEMS HAS TURNED UP AGAIN AND AGAIN IN THE ION OWNERS COMMUNITY. *TR

NHTSA ID

10263004

Incident

Mar 12, 2009

WHEN IT RAINS OR SNOWS, MY DRIVER SEAT AND FLOOR GETS WET. THERE ARE NO WATER STAINS AROUND THE SUN ROOF NOR IS THERE ANY WATER DAMAGE ON THE DRIVERS' DOOR. IN NEW ENGLAND, THE CAR IS NON-FUNCTIONAL IN THE WINTER AND SPRING BECAUSE OF THIS PROBLEM. I HAVE TAKEN IT TO THE LOCAL SATURN DEALERSHIP AND THEY HAVE REFUSED TO FIX IT. 2) I HAVE HAD TO REPLACE MY FRONT TURN SIGNALS 3 TIMES IN 1.5 YEARS. I AM ALMOST CONVINCED IT IS A SOCKET PROBLEM AND NOT A LIGHTBULB PROBLEM. 3) I HAVE HAD TO REPLACE THE BRAKES AND ROTORS TWICE WITHIN A 12 MONTH PERIOD. IN THAT TIME. I HAVE ONLY DRIVEN 17,000 MILES. ONCE IS UNDERSTANDABLE. TWICE IS EXPENSIVE AND RIDICULOUS. *TR

NHTSA ID

10212465

Incident

Oct 8, 2007

2003 ION HAS HAD BLOWER FAN, CLUTCH SWITCH, CYLINDER CABLE HOOD LATCH, BRAKE LIGHT BULB, WIPER MODULE ALL REPLACED WITH IN MONTHS APART FROM EACH OTHER. *TS THE ROTORS WERE WARPED AND THE TAIL LAMP FAILED. *JB

NHTSA ID

10150851

Incident

Oct 1, 2004

AT THE TIME MY SATURN WAS INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT IT WAS UNDER 30,000 MILES AND STILL UNDER WARRENTY. I WAS DRIVING ON A BUSY HIGHWAY AND MY ACCELERATOR GOT STUCK. AT THE TIME I COULD NOT SEE WHAT WAS HOLDING DOWN MY ACCELERATOR. IT WAS A PIECE OF PANEL THAT CAME OFF PARTIALLY THAT WAS HOLDING THE ACCELERATOR REALLY HARD AND IT WAS STUCK MAKING MY PEDAL STUCK ALMOST ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR. I TRIED TO SLOW THE CAR DOWN WITH BOTH FEET ON THE BREAKS AND THE EMERGENCY BREAK TO NO AVAIL. I DIDN'T TURN THE IGNITION OFF BECAUSE I HAD CARS ON ALL SIDES OF ME GOING 50-70 MPH. IT WAS WHEN I CAME TO A RED LIGHT THAT I REALIZED MY CAR WASN'T GOING TO STOP AND I HAD NO OTHER CHOICE BUT TO HIT AN SUV AND MY CAR KEPT TRYING TO ACCELERATE AND PUSH THE SUV OUT OF THE WAY. THAT IS WHEN I TURNED OFF THE IGNITION. I HAD TO TURN OFF THE IGNITION BEFORE ANOTHER ACCIDENT OCCURRED. THE SUV WAS DAMAGED. MY CAR WAS DAMAGED. I HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO GET MY CAR FIXED BECAUSE I AM WAITING FOR SATURN TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE MANUFACTURING DEFECT WHICH CAUSED THE ACCIDENT, SO THAT THEY COULD LEND ME A RENT-A-CAR WHILE IT IS IN THE SHOP. BUT, I CANNOT GET THEM TO GIVE ME A CALL TO MAKE AN APPOINTMENT TO GET MY CAR IN THE SHOP OR SUPPLY A RENT-A-CAR. A FORENSIC INVESTIGATOR INSPECTED MY CAR ON FRIDAY AND AGREES THAT I DIDN'T CAUSE THE ACCIDENT. HE SUPPLIED THE INFORMATION TO SATURN AND STILL THREE DAYS LATER I CAN'T EVEN GET A COURTESY CALL. THE ACCIDENT WAS ON JUNE 16, 2005. I COULDN'T GET THEM TO CALL ME TO SPEAK ABOUT WHAT MY OPTIONS WERE UNTIL THE WEEK OF JULY 1, 2005. THEN AN INVESTIGATOR JULY 8, 2005. THEY HAVE NOT MADE ONE EFFORT TO WORK WITH ME ABOUT GETTING THE CAR INTO THE SHOP. THEY HAVE NOT GIVEN ME THE TIME OF DAY TO MAKE AN APPOINTMENT WITH A SATURN SHOP LOCATION TO GET MY CAR FIXED AND SO THAT THEY COULD SUPPLY A RENT-A-CAR.

NHTSA ID

10128630

Incident

Jun 16, 2005

Mileage

27,000 mi

WHILE DRIVING. UPON STOPPING THE VEHICLE. THE CONSUMER GOT OUT TO TAKE THE CHILD OUT OF THE VEHICLE WITH THE IGNITION RUNNING. THE DOORS LOCKED, AND THE CONSUMER COULD NOT GET HER CHILD OUT OF THE VEHICLE. CONSUMER CONTACTED THE DEALER. HOWEVER, THE PROBLEM STILL EXIST. *NM DOORS LOCKED AUTOMATICALLY UPON EXITING DRIVER'S SIDE. ADDITIONAL SERVICE INCLUDE, THE A/C AND HEATER FUNTION FAILED DUE TO FAULTY CONNECTION FROM SWITCH TO RESISTOR CARD, COLLAPSE OF HORN COVER CAUSING LOSS OF AIRBAG. IGNITION SWITCH FAILED. THE SIGNAL AND RUNNING LAMPS WERE INOPERATIVE. *BF

NHTSA ID

10111698

Incident

Nov 20, 2004

Mileage

15,165 mi

FRONT SIDE DOOR LOCK CYLINDER IS MISSING OR DOES NOT SIT FLUSH TO THE OUTER DOOR PANEL. *AK

NHTSA ID

10078619

Incident

Mar 5, 2004

HOOD LATCH BROKE. THIS IS THE CABLE WHICH ENABLES CONSUMER TO OPEN THE HOOD FROM THE INSIDE. *AK

NHTSA ID

10055983

Mileage

24,000 mi

2003 SATURN ION 1. DURING COLD WEATHER THE PASSENGER SIDE WINDOW FROSTS. THE CONTROLS ARE SET FOR DEFROST, AIR ON AND BLOWER MEDIUM HIGH. EVEN WITH THE BLOWER ON HIGH THERE IS VERY LITTLE AIR COMING FROM THE PASSENGER SIDE DEFROST OUTLET. A CO-WORKER HAS A SIMILAR PROBLEM WITH HIS ION. THE DEALER SAID THE SYSTEM IS OPERATING AS DESIGNED. 2. THE HOOD LATCH FREEZES AND THE HOOD CANT BE OPENED TO ADD WINDOW WASHER FLUID. SOMETIMES YOU CAN GET THE HOOD OPEN BUT YOU CANT RELATCH THE HOOD COMPLETELY WITHOUT PUSHING THE HOOD RELEASE HANDLE DOWN. A CO-WORKER HAS A SIMILAR PROBLEM WITH HIS ION. 3. SOME THE EDGES ON INTERIOR PLASTIC PARTS ON THE ARE VERY SHARP. THE WORST IS THE COMPARTMENT DOOR TO THE LEFT DRIVERS LEG. THIS POPPED OPEN AND HAD A SHARP ROUGH EDGE. AS I EXITED THE CAR I CUT MY LEG. I FIXED THIS MYSELF BY FILLING THE EDGE. *LA

NHTSA ID

10054880

Incident

Jan 24, 2004

Mileage

14,000 mi

KEY ALWAYS STUCK IN IGNITION, CAR DOESN'T START CAR DOOR LOCK BROKEN. *JB

NHTSA ID

10039290

Incident

May 20, 2003