Ignition Module Problems of Saturn ION - part 1

Have been having electrical problems with my 2007 Saturn Ion for several months. The radio will turn on and off by itself and it's display panel flashes all kinds of patterns, can't usually tell if it's on or off, since the flashing occurs either way. The windows will quit working but after turning my car off and on repeatedly, they will work again. Today the power steering went out while I was backing out of a parking spot and I couldn't turn the wheel. After pulling back into the spot and turning the car off and on, the problem went away and I drove home. I told my dad what it did and he said my sister had the same problem with her Saturn vue and she had to have her body module (?) replaced. He said hers got to the point that the lights would turn off and on and sometimes she wasn't able to start her car. There was a recall on my Saturn Ion's steering column and they replaced it and had to put in a new ignition along with new keys. I know my car is older, but since my sister's Saturn vue had the same odd electrical take overs, it may be too common of a problem. Thank you for your attention and have a good day. 😊.

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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.

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Power steering goes in and out very dangerous to drive or control ignition switch repaired this is just as dangerous models pontiac g and chevy cobalts have same power steering module and were recalled not Saturn models.

My car loses power and the battery light comes on and the car stops. The radio and lights stay on. I must restart the car. It does this randomly. Reading is p0300 so anyone that is having this problem it may be a bad ignition module. The ignition switch was replaced on July 14, 2014 and made this problem worse.

I heard on tv that gm had recalled the Ion because of deaths associated with fires from leaking fuel modules and failing ignition switches. So, I called gm and was told that they will only fix the tyhe ignition if it fails and the fuel module when ypu can show it is leaking. It seems like if they have a problem with their parts they should try to fix them prior to stalling on the freeway or having the vehicle burst into flames from leaking fuel. Am I off base here?.

I purchased my 2006 Saturn Ion 3 in 2008 from a dealership. I have had all the recall issues happen to my vehicle. 1) I have replaced the ignition switch and cylinder twice due to the car being unable to shut off. This happened in 2008 and again in 2012. Both times it was covered under warranty and repairs were done by gm dealership. Even though these have been replaced I was told they need to be replaced again under the recall because those parts are faulty as well. I have been in contact with the dealership and was told they do not have the parts yet and will let me know when they are available. 2) in November 2013 my vehicle smelled of gas and was making me and my children sick. I had it checked out at the dealership and it was the fuel module. This was covered by a ntsb warranty extension. 3) my vehicle will intermittently shut off or lose power steering. When I took it into the dealership in 2013 they told me they would not touch it if they could not replicate the problem. It has not been fixed. 4) this issue is not mentioned in any of the complaints I have read here, but I have seen others complain on the internet. Beginning in January of 2014 there is a strong odor of exhaust fumes in my vehicle. My personal mechanic said there is a leak that is going into the cabin. My vehicle is slow to accelerate and feels shakey. There is also a loud noise coming from the engine compartment. I have to drive with the windows down at all times. I have had nothing but problems with this vehicle since right after I purchased it. I do not have a second vehicle nor the means to buy one. I rely on it to get me to work and to transport my family. It is very disappointing to have to deal with these issues over and over again.

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A new ign lock cylinder was replaced at firestone in dubuque, iowa, because the car would not turn off even with the key extracted from the ignitgion. The car had been shutting down while our daughter was driving the car for about a week. Repair cost $374. 26 our daughter being at college did not drive the car much the rest of the month and came home to decorah, iowa, and on the way home and while home the car continued to shut itself off, with the last time being on a hill she was able to coast into a parking space, but the car had to be towed to the dealership in decorah, where report shows: checked for codes b1443 devise ignition off, run and crank, b2957; security system sensor circuit low voltage, b2958 security system; data high, b1441, checked fuses and wiring( all worked at this time);removed and replaced body control module, programmed module, and relearned theft deterent, cleared coades and test drove, $852. 50 cost of repair.

When it is cold outside (around or below freezing) or just very wet outside my car will not start. It has what is described as a "no crank/no start with full power" issue. My car has complete power, but it will not turn over. A technical service bulletin says that it is my ignition switch or the body control module. This appears to be a "normal" problem with Ion's in all model years.

Vehicle was unable to be shut off, key was stuck in the ignition, I unhooked the battery and the vehicle was still running. This same vehicle had a recall on the fuel pump module and was leaking gas, had this occurred at the same time it would have been very unsafe for the car to have been running the entire time with a gas leak. Fortunately I had just repaired the fuel pump module 1 week prior to this issue with the ignition.

After going out to dinner key would not come out of ignition. This is the second time this has happen since owning car. First time it happen was on 10/21/07 (mileage 22,006). I took car to Saturn dealer. Ignition was fixed on 10/22/2007 ignition replaced no charges cover by dealer warranty. Second time it happen was on 3/31/2010 took car to Saturn dealer next day 4/01/2010 9 am. (mileage 37,369) they did not have part so I was charged shipping charges ($15) to get part to Saturn dealer. Extended warranty we purchased cover parts & labor. They replaced shifter assembly. Shifter assembly was causing key to stick to ignition dealer claims. Our car was returned on 4/02/2010 at 3 pm. . My Saturn Ion 2006 has had several problems recently 1/30/2010 (mileage 35,987)the car had been smelling like gas inside & outside of car I took to dealer was told fuel was leaking from fuel pump they replace fuel pump module. Extended warranty we purchased covered cost labor & parts. A month later we received a notice from Saturn about the fuel pump problem. We are afraid that these problems will reoccur. Car is well taken care of, dealer is only one who services car.

I have a 2003 Saturn Ion and it has the same starting problems reported extensively on this website. On cold days, the car will not start at times. It always seems to happen at the most importune times and locations. When this happens, there is no noise and no cranking sound when I turn the ignition key on. However, when I try to start the car about 5 to 15 minutes later, it starts without any problem. I replaced the battery, but it did not make any difference. The alternator checks out fine. I believe the problem is a faulty ignition module, but that is a guess on my part based on the numerous online complaints by other Saturn owners. There is only one authorized Saturn dealer/service facility left in the houston. The technician there told me he has serviced numerous Saturns with the same exact problem and that replacing the ignition module seems to fix the problem, although not in every case. He said that gm has not issued a bulletin or recalled Saturns to repair the units. Gm's denial of a potentially lethal problem is not unlike that of Toyota in addressing stuck accelerators and braking problems. Maybe gm does not care because it is closing down its Saturn division. I can see where Saturn owners, who are unaware of the extent of the starting problem, wind up having their batteries, alternators and other components replaced at enormous cost and inconvenience before Saturn suggests replacing the ignition unit. This is a situation that is ripe for exploitation because the problem is intermittent. The national transportation safety board needs to weigh in on this safety issue and not wait for people to get hurt.

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Car refuses to start when turning key in ignition. Passlock icon flashes on dashboard and "service vehicle" comes up on message panel. This is a cold weather starting problem due to the intermittent malfunction of the passlock circuit in the ignition (key) switch. Passlock module has been replace 3 times by dealer. Last time 2006. Saturn has a complaint file under my name, VIN, and phone number. This is an ongoing problem that happens every winter when the temperature drops below freezing. It is also a known problem, yet gm refuses to recall the cars affected. Out of warranty dealer repair runs over $ 500. Recent failure to start has happened at least 10 times since December of 2008.

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My 2004 Saturn Ion intermittently won't start. This began about a week ago. I took it to a local car repair shop, and they advised me that there are 2 service bulletins for my car that pertain to this problem: one is for reprogramming the body control module (bcm) and the other is for an ignition system repair. They told me to bring the car to a Saturn dealer to be repaired. I plan to do so tonight. I learned that this is a very frequent problem that Saturn is well aware of, but that Saturn won't make this a recall because then Saturn would have to pay for the diagnosis and repair. Please have gm/Saturn change the 2 service bulletins (listed above) to recalls!.

Vehicle initially had trouble starting, made strange sounds,check engine light on,would not go over 25-30mph. , followed towtruck to Saturn dealer, was told this was a common problem with this make & model, there were thousands of complaints known and that gm was aware of it but had not recalled. Turned out that it was the ignition module, switch,coil, harness etc. , just under $800 to repair. It's still sitting in the garage. Thing is. . . I purchased this car almost new b/c I had an older car & wanted a new car in case the other quit! wow. Who new? power steering also groans and its full of fluid. Because of this,(ignition), the key had to be manually pulled out, to get the engine to stop running,all the electrical system remained on, had to disconnect the battery, was told do not know what else may have been damaged as a result, the dealer said the transmission may have been damaged as a result. Yet they don't want to recall because of the re-organization? what about my safety? god knows what could have happened if I was on the highway when this happened!.

The contact owns a 2006 Saturn Ion. The contact stated that she could not manually turn off the vehicle because the ignition module locked on its own. She took the vehicle to the dealer and they stated that the ignition cylinder was corroded and needed to be replaced at the cost of $400. She is in the process of having the cylinder repaired. In addition, the passenger air bag warning indicator would illuminate on the instrument control panel, which meant that the air bag was inoperative. The dealer replaced the air bag sensors at the cost of $800. The manufacturer stated that they would partially reimburse her in the amount of $398. 80. The failure mileage was 58,000 and current mileage was 67,000.

Ignition problem - engine won't start, passlock prevents ignition. I live in texas and it's rarely that cold in the mornings, every time this has happened to me it has been a cold wet blustery day but not freezing. Car acts like the battery is dead, but frequent manipulation of the passlock remote will eventually clear the problem. This has left me stranded several times, and if Saturn knows about the problem, and hasn't done anything about it in the 5 years that it has been occurring, then they should be held criminally negligent. They should be made to correct the problem with the ignition and the passlock system, and replace or repair the control module at no cost. My door locks no longer work, and in speaking to other owners I can expect a downward spiral of electrical failures in the coming months.

On several occassion while it has been cold out, my vehicle would not start. As a matter of fact the vehicle would not even attempt to roll over. The only way I could seem to resolve the situation was by "jump starting" my Saturn with another vehicle. This has happened so many times in the winter that I finally got sick of it and parked the Saturn and drove a different vehicle. I am so sick of my car that I am ready to sell it. I recently found out about this site. After reading the first 20 some results and seen that everyone was having the same issue I was. I can not believe that there is not a recall on this part. I read other complaints too and am glad that I have not ran into their problem yet. If Saturn does not fix this problem really soon, I will sell my car and I will never buy a Saturn again. They are really making a bad product that they will eventually never sell again. After all these complaints, why has nothing been done to recall the problem. To anyone who reads this, never buy a Saturn. It is not just the Ion. I have heard several other issues with other vehicles.

Our 2003 Saturn Ion has a permanent default, in that it will not start in cold weather. And the term "cold" is relative. Saturn told us the ignition switch is faulty. Thus, we paid an excess of $200 to rectify the problem. However, this "solution" lasted only a little over one year. Now, Saturn tells us that though we have the updated ignition switch, it still causes the same no-start problem, and we need a $575 (plus tax) body control module. We had to pay $104. 54 for Saturn to tell us this. Obviously, this is a problem caused by the manufacturer , which is leaving many people stranded morning, noon, and night in various locations around the country. The problem should be immediately rectified through a recall.

Tl- the contact owns a 2004 Saturn Ion. The contact stated that the ignition switch key was engaged repeatedly and the engine would not operate. The failure occurred ten times. The vehicle was towed to the authorized dealer for diagnostic testing which detected a trouble code related to a module. The contact was uncertain of the part that was replaced. The problem continued and the vehicle remained at the dealer for further investigation. The manufacturer was notified of the problem. The approximate failure mileage was 34,000. Mah.

My 2004 Saturn Ion 3 will not start at times on cold mornings, the battery was replaced and still no start. . It is in the shop right now after reading other complaints on an online forum I see this is a wide spread and yet Saturn does nothing to help, it seems to be in the ignition switch, bcm, and or the passlock system.

I purchase a 2004 Saturn Ion (6/11/04), brand new. The first sign of cold that year, late November, the car would not start at all. After awhile(10-15 min. ) it would start up like nothing was wrong. I brought it in 12/28/04, which they replaced the ignition lock module; saying "that was the problem". I still had issues with the car through the winter, and they didn't know was what wrong. Everytime I brought it in, they would find nothing wrong and send me on my way since they couldn't reproduce the issue. The next winter than same thing happened. I was stuck in the cold a few mornings before work trying to get the car started. Saturn claimed it was too cold outside for my car to start, and told me to wait a bit before bringing it in. (it maybe went below 0 degrees that week twice) fed up I brought it in again on 1/17/05, which they replaced my block assembly, wire harness, starter, battery, and wire connecters. They really weren't sure what was wrong they admitted, but it seems to work now. The car would work for a few weeks, then the same issue arises again. On 4/15/05 Saturn had to replace my radio receiver for faulty issues. That same winter, my car would not start in the cold again. It was brought in on 12/20/05, which they replaced my ignition switch saying the usual "this will fix the problem". Now, just under two years later, I am back to having the same issues of my car not starting in the cold. Saturn is now throwing their hands up saying I must purchase another ignition switch, and pay them to put it in for a total of $220. Unacceptable. I may have taken actions sooner, but I wasn't aware there were many more Saturn Ion drivers with the same issues I had.

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.

I bought the car brand new, drove one mile off the lot, the engine stopped and would not start. It was towed the next morning to the dealer and they replaced the engine control module. At 15,400 miles the car again would not start, they replaced the ignition switch. At 16,000 miles the chime for the ignition would not turn off and the ignition housing was replaced. At 19,500 miles I complained that the car would start and immediately turn off again, the dealer said nothing was wrong. The next day the ignition would not turn off and the key was stuck. They replaced the ignition housing again. At 22,300 miles I complained that the key was sticking in the ignition, the dealer said nothing was wrong. About 6 months later (last weekend before leaving to go out of town) at 27,200 miles the ignition would not turn off and the key was stuck again. The ignition housing was replaced for the third time! I contacted the manufacturer and was only offered a one year extension on the warranty. What good will an extended warranty do for a car that you can't trust to drive because you never know whether it will start or turn off when you need it to!!! I will never buy another Saturn again!!!!!.

I purchased a 2006 Saturn Ion in June of 2005. Over the course of the last six to eight months, I have been noticing a problem with the key being stuck in the ignition. The key would require a slight "jiggling" in order to be drawn from the ignition. About two and a half weeks ago, the key became stuck in a position where it could not be turned off at all thus resulting in the inability of the engine to shut off. The car was still operable, but it would not shut off. I contacted my Saturn dealership who during a particularly acute display of poor customer service, advised that I would require new parts for my vehicle which would result in a cost of nearly $500. 00. The parts included ignition cylinder , ignition housing, key and key coding. After receiving the repair, my key continues to get stuck in the ignition. Although the car will turn on and off, the key will either come out with repetitious "jiggling" or will not come out at all. Many a day, I've had to leave my car with the key in the ignition because I simply did not have the time to fiddle with it. The time required to dislodge the key averages to about 15 minutes. The key fails to come out of the ignition. As I am still making car payments, this is very dangerous situation to be in. The keys presence in the car establishes it as a target for theft. I am a woman who must commute a half hour to and from work in a large metropolitan area.

This happened three times now. First time the daughter was driving and the vehicle service engine display came on and all electrical power went out. Immediately pulled to the side of the road. Turned off the key, checked under the hood for smoke, and called dad because the car was stuck in park with the key stuck in the ignition, and the windows locked in the down position. Called roadside assistance ,the extended warranty - no problem, they will tow it to the nearest Saturn dealer, 180+ miles away through a rain storm. Several days later had to drive round trip to retrieve car from Saturn dealer, who has replaced 7. 5 amp body control module fuse, but didn't know why it blew out. Got back home , 180+ miles and no problems. Daughter entered the car, went 8 miles, bang same thing. To replace fuse called Saturn to make an appointment. Drove car back to Saturn 180+ miles to get fuse to blow 3 times on way back by adjusting the lh RV mirror. They kept the car for one week and replaced lh mirror switch. Picked up car from Saturn. Dealer no problems for about a month. Today she was heading to work, adjusted lh RV mirror and bcm fuse blew out, everything went dead. Called Saturn why do I have to pay to have them fix what I just paid to have fixed , $50. 00 deductible, and what was the real root of the problem? when was this going to happen again? checked this site for other similar problems. Found odi #10152158 noticed that the vins were very similar - 9th digit was different. Mine was 0, and theirs was x. Did not know if that was significant. It happened twice 13 months apart. We have been able to duplicate. 1 original failure, 3 duplicated by myself, and now another failure. Don't think it was the mirror switch. It was the bcm? owner loved Saturns. He owned 3. 2006 vue, 2006 Ion quad coupe, and 2003 Ion sedan. This was a lemon. Saturns were not lemons. This was a little elctronic glitch is. , and a safety hazard that could get someone killed.

The contact owns a 2004 Saturn Ion. The contact stated that the security system was re-designed and caused the vehicle to not be able to start. The dealer replaced the ignition switch but the problem continued. The dealer then stated that the body control module needed to be replaced. The contact called the manufacturer who offered no assistance. The vehicle had not been repaired. The failure mileage was 40,641 and the current mileage was approximately 96,000.

If the weather becomes cold, the car will not for about 45 minutes of sitting in the car and trying to start it over and over. It has been to the shop twice, but at the time, the car worked properly. Both times, I was told that I need a new battery. I am now saving the money to have the ignition module replaced. Saturn just keeps telling me to replace my battery. How many do I need?.

We own a 2004 Saturn Ion. Every time the temperature drops into the below 30ã‚â° f, the vehicle will not start, even though the battery is good. Saturn has issued a technical service bulletin on this problem because it is so widespread and pervasive of a problem. This is a recall situation due to defective engineering on the part of Saturn/gm, and the owners should not have to bear the financial burden because of defective engineering on the part of Saturn/gm. In addition, putting a small electric heater in the compartment of the car to keep the car warm, so the car will start when it is cold, presents a dangerous situation (fire, property damage, etc) owners of affected Saturn's should not have to endure.

I have a 2004 Saturn Ion. I purchased it in July of 04. It now has 73,000 miles on it & just startedto have this problem. On very cold mornings (15-25 dgrees) it will not start. After trying to start it after 15-30 minutes (or tryin to jump it off) it finally cranks. Now I have researched this problem on the web (where I got this website) & numerous Saturn owners are having this same problem. Apparently it is the bcm (body control module). It is around $600 to replace this. Why should the owners have to pay this if its a part that should be clearly recalled! its Saturns fault, make them pay the money. Not single mothers such as myself!.

The contact owns a 2003 Saturn Ion. The contact stated that the vehicle would not start in cold weather. The vehicle takes over one hour to start and the dealer could not duplicate the failure. The vehicle has not been repaired. The manufacturer stated that her VIN was not included in the GMC ignition module recall (number 03033-03c-06). The VIN was unknown. The failure mileage was 56,000 and current mileage was 98,000.

Vehicle purchased new March 4, 2006 standard 3000 mile service completed may 24, 2006 no problems at time service date: August 7, 2006 mileage 4963 tech: dino schaefer electrical:(1)car would not start, steering: (2)rubbing sound when turning, other: (3)acceleration feels like trying too hard solution: ignition switch replaced 2 & 3 unverified service date: August 15, 2006 mileage 5152 tech: dino schaefer steering: (1) car would not start solution: body control module faulty/replaced [still had rubbing and acceleration issues but I dismissed as quirks of car] service date: August 18, 2006 mileage 5268 tech: steve deldonno steering: (1) squealing when turning steering wheel solution: lubed intermediate steering shaft boot service date: August 30, 2006 mileage 5457 tech: john carlen steering: (1) steering wheel still squealing when turning other: (2) customer requested alternate transportation due to length of repairs, multiple concerns solution: (1) gear assembly/power steering replaced (2) customer provided with hertz rental car vehicle repossessed by gmac for non-payment September 22, 2006 (date +/- 3 days)after customer tried to negotiate lower payments due to pending disability case gmac refused vehicle sold at auction gmac demanding payment of remaining balance problems not with Saturn company but with gmac Saturn manager mark is outstanding I am unable to finance any new vehicle at this time pending post traumatic stress disorder disability appeal still require vehicle to transport elementary age child diagnosed with tourette syndrome/attention deficit hyperactive disorder to medical appointments and pets to veterinarian unable to afford attorney for legal action was gmac reason for repossesion really for nonpayment or to hide Ion problems? my opinion: gmac used situation to protect themselves thank you.

The contact owns a 2004 Saturn Ion. In cold weather conditions, the contact had to make several attempts to start the vehicle. The dealer stated that she needed to replace the ignition module at the cost of $300. The vehicle has not yet been repaired. The manufacturer referred her to NHTSA. The failure mileage was 60,000 and current mileage was 107,000.

As I was going to start my 2004 Saturn Ion this morning, it would not turn over. The car would not start. I waited 15 minutes and tried again and it would not turn on. The transmission light was on and the service vehicle warning was on. This is not the first time I have had this problem. I was late for work due to this. I could not get the car started. My car has been serviced recently, so I know it is not my fault. I contacted the dealership at 9 am and was told to bring the car in at 4:00 pm , if it would start. Otherwise it will be towed and I will receive a rental.

Ignition problems, car will not start and then starts after a while. Dealer is blaming it on remote start.

I own a 2003 Saturn Ion. The battery went dead today because my wife left the lights on by accident. When the battery in this model car becomes discharged two undesireable problems arise. I feel that both of them introduce safety concerns. First, the key won't come out of the ignition switch through normal means. Second, the car can't be moved! the gear shift lever remains in the park position. I feel that a car designed such that these two problems occur when the battery fails is a poor design. The instruction manual provided with the car makes no mention of these problems occuring with a dead battery. In order to jump a dead battery in a car it is often necessary to move the car I n order to jump the battery from another car. I feel having an intentional design in a car that prevents it from being moved by the owner creates a safety concern. Regarding the key situation, my wife left her entire set of keys in the car when they got stuck in the ignition switch. Many important keys were left in the car unattended. It could have made a bad situation much worse. It turns out that the instruction manual in the car discusses how to get stuck keys out of the ignition switch, but no mention is made in the book that keys will get stuck in the ignition switch when the battery goes dead. I spoke to the consumer complaint department at Saturn regarding this concern, but it is not Saturn's policy to respond to this type of customer complaint. Since I feel these two problems do have a safety impact, I decided to register this complaint with the NHTSA.