2005 Saturn Ion Electrical Problems

This vehicle has an electrical issue from time to time seemingly out of nowhere. There is no power steering it just shuts off sometimes it’ll stay off for an hour sometimes it’ll stay off for weeks and I can’t figure out how to fix it. It randomly fixes itself same can be said for the air conditioning And the driver side, headlight all of these electrical functions, seemingly turn themselves up or down for no apparent reason.

NHTSA ID

11699599

Incident

Apr 15, 2025

The contact owns a 2005 Saturn Ion. The contact stated that the ignition key was stuck inside the ignition key slot, and the vehicle failed to start. The cause of the failure was not yet determined. The contact was informed that the VIN was not included in the NHTSA Campaign Number: 14V171000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM). The dealer was not contacted regarding the failure. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was 167,000.

NHTSA ID

11674938

Incident

Apr 1, 2025

Mileage

167,000 mi

My key is stuck in the I can take it out the o2 seners not reading

NHTSA ID

11648021

Incident

Mar 12, 2025

When pressing the gas pedal 2/3 of the way down the pedal got stuck causing the engine to rev high while driving forward. I had to put the car in neutral, shut the engine off and manually get the gas pedal unstuck by reaching down to the floor and pulling the pedal upwards with my hands. Also I had no floor mats in my car for the pedal to get stuck on. This has happened on multiple occasions.

NHTSA ID

11500916

Incident

Jan 7, 2023

Power steering intermittently fails at random and steering wheel suddenly becomes immovable nearly causing serious accidents and endangerment to myself, my family, and others drivers on the roads.

NHTSA ID

11498929

Incident

Dec 5, 2022

I turn my turn signals on and nonthing happens in the Frontline bulbs are brand new doesn't matter back turn signal work,front turn signal dont.this has been happening since forever my inlaws didn't know we didn't know until they gave car.so don't know how long seems like forever

NHTSA ID

11457641

Incident

Mar 21, 2022

2005 SATURN ION. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO IGNITION SWITCH PROBLEM. THE CONSUMER STATED THE KEY WOULD FREQUENTLY BECOME STUCK IN THE IGNITION. THE DEALER MADE MULTIPLE REPAIR ATTEMPTS BUT, THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE CONSUMER REQUESTED TO HAVE THE VEHICLE REPAIRED UNDER RECALL.

NHTSA ID

11452729

Incident

Feb 18, 2022

It says I have 0 I repaired recalls. I have had the powers steering fail 2x. More importantly, the ignition cylinder locks up and I can’t get my keys out. I have to wait most times after turning the car off - for 3-5 minutes through a series of clicking noises in the ignition before the key will release. It is concerning because sometimes I have to get out immediately and the keys don’t release. The car automatically locks itself and if I don’t roll the window down- I become locked out. It yesterday had a issue with ignition all together and I wonder if it’s related. I was made aware again there were many recalls on this issue and hoped to get it repaired. However it now states there are none unrepaired. I’m wondering if it is a ongoing problem with the vehicle, it’s repair parts etc and if it’s just not been addressed because it’s so old that so few are left on the road. Thank you. This is a increasing problem and a daily or every time I drive it issue now. I worry too the power steering will just go out in the interstate.

NHTSA ID

11434203

Incident

Sep 24, 2021

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 SATURN ION. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH, THE LOSS MOTIVE POWER WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT STATED THAT STEERING ASSIST AND GAUGES WERE IN OPERABLE. THE CONTACT COASTED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND RESTARTED THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT SEVERAL OF THE ELECTRICAL FUNCTIONS RETURNED HOWEVER, THE ELECTRICAL FUNCTIONS FAILED INTERMITTENTLY. THE POWER STEERING ASSIST WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED INTERMITTENTLY WHEN THE POWER STEERING ASSIST WAS INOPERABLE. OCEAN CREST CHEVROLET BUICK GMC CADILLAC (855 ALTERNATE HWY 101, WARRENTON, OR 97146, (866)607-2902) WAS CONTACTED AND INFORMED OF THE FAILURE. THE DEALER SUGGESTED THAT THE VEHICLE BE TAKEN IN TO BE DIAGNOSED WHICH WAS STILL PENDING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT YET REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 110,000.

NHTSA ID

11416273

Incident

Nov 1, 2020

Mileage

110,000 mi

DASH LIGHTS GO OUT AND ALL SYSTEMS ARE YOU FUNCTIONING PROPERTY

NHTSA ID

11394883

Incident

Jan 2, 2020

Mileage

150,000 mi

DAYTIME RUNNING LIGHT TURN SIGNAL DONT WORK FOR THE PASSENGER SIDE WHICH CAN CAUSE A SAFETY PROBLEM TO OTHER DRIVERS

NHTSA ID

11222492

Incident

May 3, 2019

DRIVER LIGHTS WILL NOT WORK SWITCHED BULB AND CHECKED FUSES

NHTSA ID

11194351

Incident

Apr 4, 2019

I WAS DRIVING HOME ON A CITY STREET WHEN I NOTICED MY KEY POPPED OUT OF THE IGNITION HALF WAY, I FELT MY VEHICLE LOSING POWER, I COULDN'T ACCELERATE, THERE WAS A BUS COMING UP BEHIND, I TRIED TO PUSH THE KEY BACK IN BUT WAS UNABLE TO MOVE IT, I COULDN'T ACCELERATE AND WAS LOSING POWER, MY ONLY OPTION WAS TO PULL OVER THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, IT WAS VERY DIFFICULT TO STEER, I PUT MY HAZARD LIGHTS ON BECAUSE I DIDN'T KNOW IF I WAS GOING TO GET HIT FROM BEHIND, I CONTINUED TO PULL OFF THE ROAD, I HAD TO STOP THE VEHICLE AND PUT IN PARK, I WAS VERY CONFUSED AS TO HOW THIS HAPPENED, I HAD TO COMPOSE MYSELF, CALLED MY MOM AND TOLD HER WHAT HAPPENED, SHE IMMEDIATELY LOOKED ONLINE FOR ANY RECALL ISSUES AND CAME ACROSS THE GM IGNITION SWITCH RECALL FOR SATURN ION 2003-2007. MY MOM CALLED THE GM CUSTOMER SERVICE, P# 800-222-1020 AND INFORMED THEM ABOUT THE ISSUE RELATED RECALL. THEY SHOW THE RECALL WAS ADDRESSED ON THIS VEHICLE IN 2014 AND SAID NOTHING THEY CAN DO. SHE ALSO CALLED THE DEALER BOUCHER CHEVROLET OF WAUKESHA, P# 262-347-4107, WHERE WE PURCHASED THE VEHICLE AND THEY WOULD HAVE TO LOOK AT IT AND SEE IF SAME ISSUE OTHERWISE WE WILL GET CHARGED FOR FIXING IT. I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO BERGSTROM CHEVROLET IN MADISON, WI WHERE THEY WANTED TO CHARGE ME $100.00 FOR FIXING IT EVEN IT RECALL RELATED ISSUE. I AM AFRAID TO DRIVE MY VEHICLE FOR FEAR OF GETTING KILLED ON THE ROAD WHEN I HAVE NO CONTROL OVER MY VEHICLE AT HIGH SPEEDS. I HAVE TO COMMUTE TO WORK ON THE FREEWAY EVERY WEEK. IF THE RECALL HAS BEEN DONE THEN WHY IS THIS ISSUE CONTINUING TO HAPPEN. MANUFACTURERS SHOULD BE MADE RESPONSIBLE TO REPAIR THIS ISSUE REGARDLESS OF HOW MANY TIMES IT CONTINUES. CONSUMERS SHOULDN'T HAVE TO PAY WITH THEIR LIFE LIKE OTHER HAVE DONE SO UNWILLINGLY.

NHTSA ID

11112003

Incident

Jul 14, 2018

Mileage

99,600 mi

LA QUINTA CHEV/CADDILAC REPLACED MY IGNITION PER THE GM RECALL A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO AND NOW THE IGNITION IS LOCKING UP AGAIN. WHAT CAN I DO?

NHTSA ID

11102777

Incident

Jun 4, 2018

WHEN DRIVING MY CHECK GAS CAP LIGHT COMES ON, AS WELL AS THE COOLANT LIGHT COMES ON WITHIN 5 MINUTES OF DRIVING THE VEHICLE. THIS HAS BEEN HAPPENING SINCE 2013, IT HAPPENS DURING DRIVING ON A HWY, IN THE CITY EVERYWHERE THE CAR IS DRIVEN, I PUSH THE RESET BUTTON AND IT CLEARS HOWEVER IT COMES BACK WITHIN 5 MINUTES....

NHTSA ID

11010100

Incident

Jul 1, 2013

Mileage

100,360 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 SATURN ION. WHILE STARTING THE VEHICLE, AN ABNORMAL NOISE WAS HEARD AND THE VEHICLE SHUT OFF. WHILE THE KEY WAS REMOVED FROM THE IGNITION, THE VEHICLE STARTED INDEPENDENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V171000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM). THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 90,000.

NHTSA ID

10984224

Incident

Apr 8, 2017

Mileage

90,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 SATURN ION. WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME HARD TO MANEUVER. THE POWER STEERING AND CHECK ENGINE WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT PULLED OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND RESTARTED THE VEHICLE, BUT THE FAILURE OCCURRED ONCE MORE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED NOR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 97,200.

NHTSA ID

10854940

Incident

Apr 10, 2016

Mileage

97,200 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS 2005 SATURN ION. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE IGNITION KEY FAILED TO DISENGAGE FROM THE VEHICLE CAUSING THE CONTACT TO HAVE TO RESTART THE VEHICLE SEVERAL TIMES BEFORE IT COULD BE REMOVED. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE FAILURE CAUSED THE BATTERY TO BECOME INOPERABLE ON MORE THAN ONE OCCASION. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER BUT THE FAILURE WAS UNABLE TO BE DETERMINED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 88,256.

NHTSA ID

10823728

Incident

Feb 2, 2016

Mileage

88,256 mi

THE CAR WAS DRIVEN TO CHEVROLET AND REPAIRS WERE DONE BUT CAR WOULD NOT START , WE WERE TOLD IT HAD A BAD COMPUTOR AND WAS GIVEN THE OPTION TO PURCHASE A 1600 DOLLAR UNIT FROM CHEVROLET , WE DID NOT HAVE THE FUNDS. WE GOT A COMPUTOR AFTER THE TOLD US THIS WAS NOT A RELATED ISSUE. THEN TOWED IT BACK FOR A THIRD TO TO BE TO ITS NOT UNDER WARRANTY. WE DONT HAVE MONEY FOR AN ATTORNEY AND CHEVROLET AND SATURN REFUSES TO CORRECT THERE SREW UP. WE DROVE THE VEHICAL IN AND THEY WANT US TO TO PULL IT OUT WE DONT KNOW WHAT TO DO.

NHTSA ID

10794917

Incident

Nov 5, 2015

Mileage

177,482 mi

TURNED THE KEY TO THE ON POSITION, DASH LIGHTS COME ON BUT NOTHING HAPPENS, THE CAR WILL NOT TURN OVER. TRIED TO REMOVE THE KEY BUT IT IS STUCK IN ACC POSITION. ALL RECALLS HAVE BEEN DONE TO MY KNOWLEDGE. AFTER READING OTHER REVIEWS WITH SIMILAR PROBLEMS I AM NOW CONCERNED WITH IT TURNING ITSELF OFF ON IT'S OWN.

NHTSA ID

10788907

Incident

Nov 1, 2015

Mileage

87,000 mi

CASE # 8-1587665159 - 2005 SATURN ION ... I CANNOT GET ANY HELP WITH THIS VEHICLE AND I HAVE GONE THROUGH ALL THE CHANNELS. THE CAR DEALERSHIP STATED THE IGNITION AND POWER STEERING MOTOR WAS REPLACED,YET, I HAVE RECEIVED NO PAPERWORK STATING THIS WAS DONE. IGNITION WAS REPLACED. IF THE POWER STEERING MOTOR WAS REPLACED, IT WENT OUT AGAIN WHILE I WAS OUT OF TOWN, HAD A GARAGE REPLACE IT ALONG WITH THE MODULE BUT IT ALSO WENT OUT. TOOK IT BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP AS PAPERWORK FROM GM STATED I SHOULD DO BUT THEY WOULDN'T HONOR IT BECAUSE IT WAS A USED PART. PREVIOUSLY, THE GAS LINES HAD TO BE REPLACED AS ONE COULD SMELL GAS EVERYWHERE AROUND THE VEHICLE. I HAVE BEEN TOLD BY A GM REP THAT THE CAR IS OLDER WITH A LOT OF MILEAGE AND PROBLEMS WILL HAPPEN BUT GM OFFICIALS KNEW ABOUT SOME OF THESE ISSUES WHEN THE CAR FIRST CAME OUT ... THEY DID NOTHING FOR 10 YEARS. THE POWER STEERING CONSTANTLY GOES OUT, SOMETIMES WITHOUT A WARNING OR SOMETIMES WITH CHIMES. I AM A 68-YEAR-OLD HEART PATIENT THAT HAS TO DRIVE A VEHICLE KNOWING AT ANY MOMENT THE POWER STEERING WILL GO OUT AND I COULD CRASH, YET, GM STATES PULL THE CAR OFF THE ROAD, TURN IT OFF AND BACK ON AND IT SHOULD BE OKAY. THIS IS NOT TRUE. I AM NOT ABLE TO STEER THIS VEHICLE WITH MANUAL TRANSMISSION EVEN THOUGH GM STATES, STEERING CONTROL CAN BE MAINTAINED, AS THE VEHICLE WILL REVERT TO A MANUAL STEERING MODE, BUT WOULD REQUIRE GREATER DRIVER EFFORT AT LOW VEHICLE SPEEDS, WHICH COULD RESULT IN AN INCREASED RISK OF A CRASH. " I PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE LAST YEAR AND HAD NO CLUE ABOUT THE RECALLS. OR PERHAPS GM HAD NOT ADMITTED TO THEM YET. I HAVE NO CHOICE BUT TO DRIVE THIS VEHICLE AS IS AS IT IS THE ONLY MODE OF TRANSPORTATION THAT I HAVE.

NHTSA ID

10778564

Incident

Sep 2, 2015

Mileage

170,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 SATURN ION. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE HESITATED UPON TURNING THE KEY IN THE IGNITION AND AN ABNORMAL NOISE WAS PRESENT. THE CONTACT HAD TO TURN THE VEHICLE OFF AND RESET THE COMPUTER BY RESTARTING THE VEHICLE EACH TIME THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR A MANUFACTURER RECALL AND THEY REPAIRED THE VEHICLE FOR THE IGNITION SWITCH FAILURE. THE CONTACT ALSO NOTICED STRONG FUMES EMITTING FROM OUTSIDE AND INSIDE THE VEHICLE AND IT IDLED ROUGHLY. THE DEALER DID NOT DIAGNOSE THE FUEL SYSTEM FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS ALSO INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V153000 (STEERING) MONTHS AGO AND WAS UNABLE TO DETERMINE WHEN THE RECALL REPAIR WOULD BE PERFORMED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURES. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 200,000.

NHTSA ID

10730423

Incident

May 15, 2014

Mileage

200,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 SATURN ION. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE FAILED TO START DURING COLD TEMPERATURES. AFTER SEVERAL ATTEMPTS, THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO START THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE RECURRED MULTIPLE TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING, BUT WAS NOT ABLE TO BE DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 80,000.

NHTSA ID

10725622

Incident

Dec 15, 2010

Mileage

80,000 mi

2005 SATURN ION. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO THE CUSTOMER REIMBURSEMENT REQUEST FORM. *SMD THE IGNITION LOCK CYLINDER WAS REPLACED. *JB

NHTSA ID

10683342

Incident

May 25, 2014

MY CAR SET A CODE FOR WHAT I RESEARCHED HAS A RECALL AND I JUST PURCHASED THIS CAR JAN. 16, 2015. HOW DO I TAKE CARE OF THIS AS IT COULD BE A HORRIBLE PROBLEM. IT NEEDS FIXED. *TR

NHTSA ID

10693449

Incident

Mar 11, 2015

Mileage

112,400 mi