2006 Saturn Ion Suspension Problems

HIGHWAY BOUNCING? UNBALANCED FEELING UNDER VEHICLE? REPLACE STRUTS ASAP!! OKAY FOR THE PAST 30,000 MILES I HAVE BEEN EXPERIENCING WHAT I COULD DESCRIBE AS A CONSTANT BOUNCE. THE BOUNCE HAS NOW BECOME SO VIOLENT THAT CROSSING A BRIDGE ON A HIGHWAY THE BUMP WILL INCREASE THE AGGRESSION OF THE BOUNCE TO THE POINT THAT YOU BOUNCE RIGHT OFF OF THE ROAD. I HAVE SLOWLY BEEN TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT CAUSES THIS BOUNCING WOBBLE. AFTER NEW RIMS,CV-HALF SHAFTS, LUGNUTS, TIRES, STABILIZER END-LINKS, TIE-ROD ENDS, INNER TIE-ROD ENDS, AND BALL JOINTS. THE BOUNCE GOT MORE CONTROLLABLE FOR A SHORT PERIOD. NOT LONG AFTER THE NEW PARTS STARTED TO BREAK DOWN AGAIN. FINALLY DURING THE PURCHASE OF ALL OF THESE THINGS OVER AGAIN. I FIND AN INSTANCE WHERE THIS EXACT THING HAPPENED TO ANOTHER INDIVIDUAL. DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY WITH THE CONSTANT BOUNCE AS ALWAYS (4 MECHANICS ---- I AM PRETTY MECHANICALLY INCLINED, BUT COULD NOT DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM) THIS OTHER INDIVIDUAL GOES UP ON A BRIDGE (HIGHWAY SPEEDS) AND BOUNCES STRAIGHT ACROSS AND RIGHT OFF OF THE HIGHWAY INTO THE DITCH. LUCKILY IN BOTH OF OUR CASES WE WERE ABLE TO STOP THE VEHICLE BEFORE HITTING ANYTHING OTHER THAN SOME TALL GRASS AND SLIDING AROUND IN THE DIRT A BIT ON THE SIDE OF THE HIGHWAY. HE TAKES HIS FAMILY AND CAR TO THE NEAREST MECHANIC (THEY WERE GOING ON VACATION) AND THIS MECHANIC KNEW EXACTLY WHAT THE PROBLEM WAS. RELIEVED THIS PERSON WAS THAT HE HAD FINALLY FOUND A MECHANIC THAT SOLVED THIS WRETCHED, ANNOYING, AND ODD PROBLEM I HAVE NEVER EXPERIENCED BEFORE. THE STRUTS WERE COMPLETELY SHOT. THE CAR WAS NOT SAGGING ACCORDING TO MEASUREMENTS. BUMPS WEREN'T VIOLENT. AFTER REPLACEMENT OF THE OLD STRUTS I COULD LITERALLY PUSH THEM DOWN WITH ONE FINGER. LET GO AND WATCH AS THEY JUST RELAX IN PLACE. ANYONE EXPERIENCING A HIGHWAY BOUNCING WOBBLE LIKE SOMETHING IS UNBALANCED THEN REPLACE YOUR STRUTS!! *TR

NHTSA ID

10630276

Incident

Aug 25, 2014

Mileage

111,000 mi

I FIRST BOUGHT MY 2006 SATURN ION IN MARCH OF 2013. THREE DAYS LATER I NOTICE THAT WHEN I WOULD GET ON THE HIGHWAY MY CAR WOULD SWAY EXTREMELY BAD. OUR HWY SPEED IS 75. GOING 70MPH WAS TOO MUCH AND IT WOULD SWAY A LOT. MIND YOU I WAS PREGNANT AT THE TIME. THE CAR SPUN OUT AS I WAS EXITING THE HIGHWAY. I WAS TERRIFIED BECAUSE CARS WERE RIGHT BEHIND ME. THANK GOD I GOT OUT OF THE WAY BEFORE I GOT HIT. YOU CAN UNDERSTAND HOW UPSET I WAS DUE TO THE FACT THAT I WAS 4MONTHS PREGNANT AT THE TIME. SINCE THEN MY HUSBAND HAS SPUN OUT 5 TIMES DRIVING OUR CAR. WE'VE TAKING IT TO THE MECHANICS MULTIPLE TIMES AND THEY DON'T EVEN KNOW WHAT TO DO WITH IT. OUR WHEEL ALIGNMENTS ARE FINE. ALSO, OUR KEY GETS STUCK IN THE IGNITION A LOT UPON TURNING IT OFF. SO WE HAVE TO USE THE BUTTON WHICH IS IN THE STEERING WHEEL JUST TO GET THEM OUT. ALSO, LATELY THE CAR PICKS AND CHOOSES WHEN IT WANTS TO ACCELERATE. LATELY I CAN FLOOR IT AND THE CAR WILL STILL BE GOING 30MPH. ALSO, LATELY WHEN WE GO TO TURN ON THE CAR, IT TAKES AWHILE AND MAKES A SOUND AS IF THE BATTERY IS DEAD, BUT THEN IT SOON COMES ON. I HAVE HAD NOTHING BUT PROBLEMS WITH THIS CAR FROM THE START. I THOUGHT THIS WAS A GOOD BUY, BUT EVERYDAY I REGRET IT AND I FEAR FOR ME, MY HUSBAND, AND MY CHILD'S SAFETY. PLEASE DO SOMETHING ABOUT THIS ISSUE. MATTER OF FACT JUST TAKE OUR CARS. WE DON'T NEED THEM FIXED. JUST TAKE THEM PLEASE! *TR

NHTSA ID

10599104

Incident

Mar 25, 2013

Mileage

20,000 mi

2006 SATURN ION. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO VEHICLE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM ISSUES. *SMD RECENTLY, THE EMERGENCY BRAKE THE CONSUMER STATED THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED TWICE AND FINALLY, THE FUEL INJECTORS WERE REPLACED. RECENTLY, THE EMERGENCY BRAKE LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND STAYED ON WITHOUT THE EMERGENCY BRAKE BEING PULLED. ALSO, WHEN SHE PUSHED THE SHIFTER KNOB, THERE WAS A NOISE IN THE STEERING COLUMN. THERE WAS AN ISSUE WITH THE ELECTRICAL POWER STEERING. IT WOULD GO OUT AND RESUME NORMAL OPERATION, WHILE DRIVING. *JB THE CONSUMER STATED SHE HEARD A KNOCKING NOISE, WHEN SHE DROVE OVER A BUMP AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED AGAIN. UPDATED 08/06/14

NHTSA ID

10593030

Incident

Jun 2, 2014

THERE HAS BEEN AT LEAST 4 TIMES THAT WHILE MY CAR WAS IDLING AT EITHER A RED LIGHT, STOP SIGN, OR WHAT HAVE YOU, MY CAR WOULD JUST SHUT OFF AFTER MAKING A ROUGH IDLING NOISE. THIS SCARED THE CRAP OUT OF ME THE FIRST TIME IT HAPPENED. IF I WERE TO SHUT MY CAR OFF & TURN IT BACK ON, IT WOULD THEN GO AWAY. IT MADE ME WEARY OF DRIVING BECAUSE YOU NEVER KNEW WHEN OR WHERE THAT COULD HAPPEN. THE SECOND INCIDENT WOULD BE MY POWER STEWING. MY CAR WOULD "DING" AND THE POWER STEERING LIGHT WOULD COME ON MAKING MY WHEEL STIFFEN UP IMMEDIATELY. AGAIN, IF I WOULD TURN THE CAR OFF AND THEN BACK ON AGAIN, THE PROBLEM WOULD STOP... FOR A LITTLE BIT. STARTED OFF AT ONCE OR TWICE A WEEK, THEN ONCE A DAY MAYBE, NOW I CAN'T EVEN GO A BLOCK FROM MY HOUSE WITHOUT IT COMING ON. FRUSTRATING AND DANGEROUS TO SAY THE LEAST. *TR

NHTSA ID

10585175

Incident

Mar 1, 2014

Mileage

93,000 mi

MY ION HAS HAD CONTINUOUS STEERING AND SUSPENSION PROBLEMS SINCE 2009. I HAVE EXPERIENCED THE PROBLEMS WITH THE STEERING MOTOR (WARNING LIGHT COMES ON - LOSS OF POWER STEERING) AND HAD THE STEERING MOTOR REPLACED. I HAVE REPLACED THE SWAY BAR, CONTROL ARMS, LINK, AND MUCH MORE. AND, I STILL HAVE DIFFICULTIES STEERING - HAVE A CONSTANT CLUNCKING NOISE FROM THE FRONT END AND NOW HAVE BEEN TOLD I NEED THE RACK & PINION REPLACED - ESTIMATED COST $550. THE VEHICLE CURRENTLY HAS 82,000 MILES. THE STEERING & SUSPENSION PROBLEMS BEGAN IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE VEHICLE HIT 50,000 MILES. *TR

NHTSA ID

10547352

Incident

Oct 9, 2013

Mileage

82,000 mi

POWER STEERING REPEATEDLY SHOWS UP ON THE DASH AND THE POWER STEERING DOES SEEM TIGHT AND ITS A LOUD CLUNK WHEN YOU TURN THE WHEEL BACK AND FOURTH SLOWLY. ITS COMMON AND THERE HAS BEEN A RECALL IN SOME STATES A LOT OF PEOPLE GOT THIS PAID FOR AND ITS 1200 TO FIX. *TR

NHTSA ID

10481246

Incident

Oct 5, 2012

Mileage

138,478 mi

CAR BEGAN TO MAKE EXCESSIVE RATTLING AND CLUNKING IN FRONT END AND THE STEERING FELT VERY LOOSE. TOOK TO GM DEALER AND THEY FOUND THE ENTIRE FRONT END PRETTY MUCH SHOT. CONTROL ARM BUSHINGS, SWAY BAR LINKS, AND STRUTS ALL REPLACED. THE DEALER SAID THE STEERING COLUMN WAS FRACTURED AND NEAR FAILURE. STEERING I SHAFT AND COLUMN WERE REPLACED. AROUND $3000 IN PARTS AND LABOR AT 71000, NOT MY IDEA OF A QUALITY BUILT VEHICLE. MAJOR SAFETY HAZARD FOR SOMETHING WITH THIS KIND OF MILEAGE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10473942

Incident

May 21, 2012

Mileage

71,000 mi

THE FRONT BOTH DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDES MAKE NOISE WHEN GOING OVER BUMPS OR UNEVEN SURFACES. THUMPING, RATTLING FROM FRONT OF CAR WITH SUSPENSION. THE CONTROL ARMS AND SHIFTS ARE WORN AND NEED TO BE COMPLETELY REPLACED WITH NEW BUSHINGS AND NEW BALL JOINTS. *TR

NHTSA ID

10429096

Incident

Jun 1, 2011

MY KEY HAS GOTTEN STUCK IN THE IGNITION IN THE "ON" POSITION THREE TIMES NOW. I HAVE HAD TO PURCHASE THE PAY FOR PARTS AND LABOR THREE TIMES. MY BALL JOINTS HAVE GONE OUT. MECHANICS SAY THIS IS VERY ODD FOR A NEWER VEHICLE (2006 SATURN). *TR

NHTSA ID

10419154

Incident

Jul 25, 2011

Mileage

69,000 mi

YES A FEW MONTHS AFO I FINANCED A 2006 SATURN ION LEVEL 3 SINCE THE FIRST WEEK HAVING IT HAVE HAD NOTHING BUT PROBLEMS INCLUDING A MAJOR GAS LEAK AND SEVERE GAS FUMES INSIDE AND OUTSIDE THE CAB WHEN RUNNING AND NOT. THE DEALER HAD GIVIN ME NOTHING BUT LIES AND THE FUN AROUND AND ATTITUDE. HAD BEEN DOCUMENTED BY AN OUTSIDE MECHANIC THE CAR IN UNSAFE TO BE ON THE ROADS AND SHOULD NEVER HAVE PASSED INSPECTION WHICH THE DEALER DID. I REALLY NEED HELP. I KNOW IT'S A GOOD CHANCE IT'S A FLOOD CAR THEY SOLD ME. [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

NHTSA ID

10363599

Incident

Aug 18, 2010

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 SATURN ION. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 5 MPH HE ENCOUNTERED A BUMP IN THE DRIVEWAY. THERE WAS ALSO A LOUD RATTLING NOISE OUTSIDE OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE TECHNICIAN STATED THE FAILURE WAS CONTRIBUTED TO BOTH FRONT LOWER ARM BUSHINGS. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED AT THIS TIME. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 26,000. UPDATED 2/22/10 *CN UPDATED 05/13/10.*JB

NHTSA ID

10302136

Incident

May 19, 2009

Mileage

26,000 mi

TL*- THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 SATURN ION. WHILE DRIVING AT 75 MPH AND ATTEMPTING TO APPLY PRESSURE TO THE BRAKES THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT STOP. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A LOCAL REPAIR SHOP AND IT WAS INSPECTED BY A TECHNICIAN THAT DETERMINED THAT THE BALL BEARINGS WHERE PRESSING ON THE BRAKES CAUSING THE BRAKES TO FAIL. THE RIGHT AND LEFT CONTROL ARM WHERE REPLACED AT A COST OF 668.91. THE CONTACT IS IN THE PROCESS OF CONTACTING THE MANUFACTURER. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 17,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 17,417.

NHTSA ID

10266530

Incident

Mar 13, 2009

Mileage

17,000 mi

D

NHTSA ID

10246127

Incident

Jan 10, 2008

Mileage

6,000 mi

I BOUGHT MY 2006 ION BRAND NEW WITH ONLY 10 MILES ON IT NOW THE CAR IS AT 27K MILES AND NOW IT HAS A CLUNKING NOISE IN THE FRONT SUSPENSION, I HAVE TAKEN IN TO DEALER MANY TIMES THEY HAVE REPLACED 1) INTERMEDIATE SHAFT 2) LOWER CONTROL ARM REAR BUSHING 3) CATALYTIC CONVERTER 4) STEERING RACK: AND ON TOP OF ALL THIS IT HAS BEEN 8 MONTHS AND MY CAR IS STILL NOT FIXED. THE DEALER TOLD ME THEY DON'T KNOW WHAT IT IS. I HAVE DONE SOME RESEARCH FOUND TSB'S FOR THIS BOTH OF WHICH THEY HAVE SUPPOSEDLY ALREADY DONE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10234290

Incident

Nov 1, 2007

Mileage

15,000 mi