One problem related to clutch pedal/linkage has been reported for the 2005 Saturn ION. The most recently reported issues are listed below.
Events leading up to the failure: upon engaging the clutch (pressing on the pedal as usual) I heard a loud pop/crack noise and the pedal became very loose and went all the way to the floor very easily. Date/time/place of failure: on 4-19-2011 at 9:20 am while parked in a residential parking lot. The failure is described as the clutch pedal not properly engaging the hydraulic clutch due to a bracket or some other part of the assembly's breakage. This bracket holds a piston in proper place to actuate the hydraulic clutch as the pedal is depressed to the floor. Since the bracket is broken, the clutch will not engage fully, if at all. I have temporarily placed double-sided foam tape where the bracket used to be on the pedal so that the piston rod can remain somewhere close to its original mounted position - so that I may drive the vehicle. Since the failure, the transmission exhibits a grinding noise when shifting into third gear - presumably due to the partial engagement of the clutch. This bracket's failure presents a loss of control safety issue which I feel should be addressed by the manufacturer; when coming to a stop earlier today, I was unable to shift to neutral while coming to a stop - which nearly caused a crash.