Starter Problems of Saturn ION - part 1

March 2015 - dealership replaced the recalled ignition. Shortly after the car wouldn't start a few times, and I replaced the starter. June-July 2016 - the car wouldn't start and the passlock light would turn on. After resetting the passlock (leave the ignition turned to the run position for 10 minutes) it would start imediately. July 11, 2016 - taken to the same dealership and told them it started after the ignition was changed. Told that it was the body control monitor ($829). Repairs finished July 15, 2016. August 4, 2016 - car taken back for trouble starting once more. August 8, 2016 - ignition changed once more, but charged again because gm wouldn't cover it. I find it ridiculous that my car worked fine until I had a part changed due to a recall, and now that replacement was faulty and I'm being charged for it!.

See all problems of the 2004 Saturn ION 🔎.

2003 Saturn Ion. Consumer writes in regards to replacement parts not available to complete starter switch recall.

See all problems of the 2003 Saturn ION 🔎.

The contact owns a 2004 Saturn Ion. The contact stated that while driving at approximately 40 mph, the instrument panel and automatic door locks failed. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the starter needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 137,000.

Car was parked tried to start would not start with jump. Had towed determined problem with starter. Fixed overnight drove off lot then lost power steering same night just avoided accident. Found out recalls on both total of 8 on this vehicle. Only had since 8/1/2014 never advised of any recalls on vehicle and mccafferty Ford in langhorne,PA did not offer to assist advised its not their responsibility to check recalls. Car can be driven 10-15mins then steering locks up. Have to wait for car to cool down then steering comes back, 10-15 mins same problem. There is also recalls related to air bags.

See all problems of the 2007 Saturn ION 🔎.

When you turn the ignition key to the off position sometimes you can not remove the key and when you can not remove the key you can not open the doors because it has automatic door locks when you put the car in gear to move. When this happens you must restart the car until the ignition releases the key, which puts undo wear and tear on the starter and system. I have taken it to a shop three times to have it repaired but they say they can not find any problem. So they kept the car a week to try to find the problem. I just learned that the shop I am taking it to has all the appearance of a dealership but they are not a dealership.

See all problems of the 2006 Saturn ION 🔎.

Has happened at approximately 10 times over the last 2 months when starting the car in cold weather (approx 10 degrees fahrenheit or less) the car fails to start when key in ignition is turned. Attempts to start car immediately thereafter fail to start car. Radio, lights, fan, etc, will turn on but car does not attempt to start. Security lock symbol and check engine light stay on. If 10 minutes time is allowed to pass, car will start on first attempt and ecurity lock symbol and check engine light do not light up. There have been 2 instances where car did not start after trying for an hour with waiting 10 minutes between starting attempts. Starter has been replaced as well as ignition switch. Doing research on the web, this seems to be common problem with Ions and Saturn had failed to make any recognition/solutions to the problem. It is quite frustrating waiting for 10 minutes in your car to try to start it again when temps are below zero degrees.

See all problems of the 2005 Saturn ION 🔎.

This is not the first problem I have had with this vehicle nor was it the last. Just one that I have documented. The vehicle completely would not start and I had to have it towed to epperly tire and auto. The day before the car shut off while I was at a red light and it took cranking multiple times before I could get it to start again. I was told by epperly that this was because I needed a new starter and the wiring in my vehicle needed to be replaced. I got all needed repairs. This did not fix the issue, the vehicle is still shutting off while I am driving.

The contact owns a 2006 Saturn Ion. The contact stated that the key became lodged in the ignition switch. Once the ignition was turned on, the vehicle attempted to restart independently. The check engine warning indicator was illuminated. The dealer stated that the key and the starter needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 100,000.

Ignition would not shut off would not release to turn off I see there is other veh. Having same issues we need this fixed so we don't run into more problems that could go wrong (like new motors) can't shut off motors and then starters get worn quickly just a thought.

Wife and children riding down road when car turns itself off and looses all power. She was luckily enough to merge across 2 lanes at a coast with no brakes or power steering to bring the car to a stop. Then it took up to 30 min of sitting on the side of very busy I-16 till the security light stopped flashing and she could continue her way home with my 2 and 8 year old kids in the car. Now all the car will do is flash that passlock light after I have replaced the ignition switch,starter,battery,alternator and many fuses also following the relearn procedure each time.

My car won't start due to ignition switch malfunction. I've replaced ignition switch as suggested by owner's manual to no avail, problem persists. I've also taken the car for service to a certified gm/Saturn service center (dealer service). The car battery and starter motor are in good condition. Only after many, many, attempts to start the car it'll eventually turn on. Once car is turn off, for example stopping at gas station for gas, problem manifests itself again, car won't start. There are numerous accounts of this problem (2006 Saturn Ion ignition switch malfunction) found by doing an online (internet) search. Please help!.

My 2005 Saturn Ion will not start when it's cold, I replaced the starter, I replaced the neutral safety switch, I replaced the ignition switch, I was extremely frustrated. I cut the white wire after roll starting as my car is a manual and taped off wires, car now starts anytime I need it to, gm / Saturn need to recall this issue and quit being cheap and fix there mistakes.

I have had same problem with 2004 Saturn since day when I bought it. Take to dealer and they dont know what the problem is. Bought new battery cause that is what a mech said to do need larger size. Last month every time never failed you get in vehicle turn key on . Sounds like it wants to start, but no you have to wait 10 min then turn key and it starts. Cold or warm weather didnt seem to matter. I was told maybe starter! so I took it to a new mechanic that I had a dealing with on another issue differnt vechicle. He did testing and replaced the pass lock key . Something to do with the alarming system. So knock on wood. . This last week starts everytime its working. Total cost for part is 250. 00 plus you need to have new key made and coded.

I own a 2005 Saturn Ion and when its cold, car won't start. The passlock illuminates and sometimes takes 30 minutes to restart. I have spent over $700 trying to fix it like changing ignition and starter and the problem still persists. I have been late numerous times for work and was stranded the other night for 30 minutes in the middle of nowhere in minus 20 degree weather. ( that is a safety issue. ) I am fed up and can't believe there is no recall.

2007 Saturn Ion. Consumer states that his starter was able to allow water or salt brine into the starter during winter conditions. His vehicle left him and his three year old stranded in cold weather because of this problem. The entry of water and/or salt into the starter stopped the starter from rotating the engine.

I live in minnesota when the temp drops below 30 degrees my 2004 Saturn Ion2 won"t start. This just started happening last winter, I had no problems before that. I bought a new battery last winter. I took my car to the Saturn dealer they could not find anything wrong. Usually it takes from 15minutes to half a hour for car to start. But today was different went out to start my car because the temp was 28degrees this morning I tried to start my car for over a hour I was almost late for work still no start. Then I tried starting my car when I got off work still no start. I spoke with a coworker she had the same problem she replaced battery, starter, and alternator and her does not start when it rains. Why is there nothing being done to solve this problem. Even though the car was sold by Saturn it has gm parts. Something is seriously wrong and something needs to be done to correct this.

The car wont start and I changed the battery and had the alternator tested and starter both passed I attempt to start the car the ignition switch clicks then stalls, security system kicks in reads "service engine soon" after about 20minutes the car starts, hear rattling noise in front suspension this is happening all the time for the past year since I bought the car.

My 2007 Saturn Ion's ignition lock cylinder is broken. Apparently this is a very common problem with Saturns, and fixing the problem once is not a guarantee that it will not need to be replaced again. When I arrived home, my car would not turn off. The key would not turn back, however, we could completely remove the key, and we could turn the key to the on position. My husband was able to turn off the car by pulling a fuse from the under the hood of the car after a little bit of research and a lot of wasted gas. We purchased a new ignition lock cylinder from the closest dealership, but that did not resolve the problem. We have now learned we also need to replace the ignition starter switch. There is no reason that this many Saturns should be having the exact same problem. . Read more...

The contact owns a 2003 Saturn Ion. The contact stated that upon entering the vehicle and attempting to start the vehicle, it failed to start. The vehicle eventually started after a couple of attempts. She took the vehicle to the dealer for diagnostic testing. The dealer informed her that she needed to replace the starter. The vehicle was repaired. She also stated that the key was getting stuck inside of the ignition which made it impossible to turn the vehicle off or remove the key from the cylinder. The vehicle was inspected for that failure and informed her that she needed to replace the ignition switch. Instead of replacing the ignition switch due to cost they opted to reprogram the key so that she could remove it no matter what gear the vehicle was in. The failure mileage was approximately 70,000. Updated 2/23/11.

Bought a 2003 Saturn Ion 2 and it will periodically lock out the ignition system so you have to wait 8-10 minutes to start the car. We have replaced, the ignition switch, starter, battery, and a few other parts to no avail. It was once in Jan. Of 2010 and then again in March, but now in June it has happened 3 times in 2 days. I read on a forum that people were having this problem in cold weather climates during winter, but hawaii is a moderate climate year round, no excuse.

I put the key in the ignition, turn the key to start, and the on board security system (passlock) disables the car. I have to wait 15 minutes to try to start the car again. This is an intermittent problem that has been happening the entire life of the car. The dealership says to replace the ignition switch, but after a few months it starts happening again. The ignition turns, it's that the passlock security system sees random key turns as attempts to steal the car and disables the starter. Very dangerous since it strands you wherever you are.

2003 Saturn Ion. This car will not start in the cold weather. If the temperature is below 32 degrees f for an extended period of time, the car will stall. I have read that the difficultly may have to do with a type of lubricant on the starter, which hardens in the cold weather. The car stalls as a result, and then the pass-lock kicks in. After 8 minutes, the car may start, or one may have to wait an additional 8 minutes (or more) for the ignition switch to loosen up enough to start the engine. However, the car may stall yet again---and set off the passlock system yet again.

For the past several years I have had an issue with my 2003 Saturn Ion starting in the cold weather. I have had my starter checked along with several battery replacements, yet there has not yet been a stop to this issue. I've looked online for solutions to this issue and unfortunately no one has a solution only complaints. This seems to be an issue with thousands of Saturn Ion's and gm does not seem to feel the need to recall the vehicle. This is a safety issue as far as I am concerned. I have read about mothers and children being stranded because they are unable to start their Saturns in the cold weather and they do not have anyone in the vicinity to help them out. The car usually takes about a half hour to start after initially trying - which no car should have to do. Please get on gm/Saturn to do something about this issue.

I currently own a 2006 Saturn Ion, which I bought brand new in 2005 and has 52000 miles on it. All winter long, during days with temperatures below 40 degrees, my vehicle would not start. Upon placing the key into the ignition and turning, the "passlock" theft deterrent system is activated and locks my car's starter from firing for 10 minutes. The rest of the electrical devices in my car work, but the starter becomes locked out for 10 minutes before I can try again. I have read online that this is a common problem with Saturn Ions. Apparently the grease which is located within the ignition system freezes at colder temperatures and thus the ignition switch does not recognize my key. Since it does not recognize my key, the anti-theft system locks my car out for the 10 minute lock out period. Sometimes I can try 6 times over the course of 1 hour and the car still will not start. This is a dangerous situation on very cold days. I live in the northeast and this past winter we had record snowfall with many days dipping into the 0's, 10's, 20's and 30's. It would be very unfortunate if someone were to die of exposure to the elements since a car has no heat without the engine running. Someone could die from being stranded in the cold due to an ignition switch which gm/ Saturn could replace for $50. I know I spent many cold days (~5-6 per week) sitting in my freezing cold car for sometimes over an hour just praying that my car would start so I could get some heat. Please make gm/ Saturn fix this problem so we are no longer left out in the cold!!!!.

I recently purchased a Saturn Ion 2003 and it at times doesn't start. This has happened on numerous occasions and even after replacing the starter. After about 10-15 minutes, the car starts up. I cannot have a car that could possibly leave me stranded miles from my house in the cold.

The contact owns a 2005 Saturn Ion. The contact stated that when trying to start the vehicle, the lock out warning light would illuminate and the vehicle failed to start. The contact stated that the failure would only occur on an intermittent basis when the temperature was 35 degrees and below. The vehicle was inspected by a dealer who informed the contact that they would need to replace the starter. The starter for the vehicle was replaced yet the failure persisted. The VIN was unavailable. The failure and current mileage was approximately 20,000.

2006 Saturn Ion does not start although all lights come up on dashboard. Battery is fine(had it checked) but the starter does not roll over. After 45 minutes (and battery reattached) car started. This occurred twice, once on April 1st 2009 and again Nov 21st 2009. Probably weather related as both days were fairly cool and preceded by rain.

The event leading up to the failure was driving 3 miles from work to babysitters. The failure is the car refuses to turn over after turned off. This happens commonly in colder weather. Battery was replaced, starter was replaced, and then after research learned this is an ignition issue Saturn is aware of.

The contact owns 2005 Saturn Ion. The contact stated that in cold weather the vehicle would not start. The contact had to wait 15 minutes before the vehicle would start. The contact took the vehicle to the dealer who could not find a problem with the vehicle after a diagnostic test. The dealer suggested replacing the starter and the contact agreed with the repair. After the vehicle was repaired the vehicle continued to have an issue starting in cold weather. The contact stated that the manufacturer should issue a recall. The failure mileage was 125,000.

Car won't start in cold weather. Battery and alternator fine. Had remote starter removed, as suggested by service center ; now have no running lights or keyless entry. Have had the Saturn Ion 2004 since oct. 5th, 2009. Have had to have the car jump started 5 times since. Since this is under warranty it is going back to the dealers for good. I hope no one else decides to buy it until Saturn owns up and fixes this defect. Unsatisfied customer. 11-21-09.

I currently own a 2005 Saturn Ion-2. I have owned this car since it had 12 miles on it. In 2007 my car did not start one morning and since it was still under warranty the local Saturn dealership replaced the starter. Starting last year this problem returned. When I turn the starter all the lights come on but the starter wont even try to start. This happens mostly when its cold, but not necessarily. It happens at all different times of the day, and is very random. I missed work on more than one occasion and even missed a job interview because of it. Everything I have read online says you have not done a recall because it is not a safety issue but last weekend at 1am, when is was 10 degrees outside, I was stranded in the middle of nowhere because my car wouldn't start. Not only is it unsafe for a single female but that temperature is below freezing and it is completely unsafe, because I could freeze to death while waiting in my car for it to start. I purchased a new ignition switch and installed it in the way the dealership instructed me to, but the car wouldn't start at all after I did that and I had to re-install the old one. This was $30 I cant get back and my car still wont start.

2006 Saturn Ion went to work car would not turn off ,key stuck in ignition unable to remove. Had to drive 35 miles home have someone get the car take to mechanic to disable as safety turnoff did not resolve issue actually got shocked trying it,took to Saturn dealer in daytona bch,FL where car was purchased new was told ignition needed to be replaced as it was normal wear and tear then was informed they could not remove key so they had to break housing unit 500 + dollars later. Filed complaint after several calls and being brushed of offered me a limited warranty oil changes,tires rotated,rental car if same problem occurs again that was less then 6 months ago,now car will not start ignition sticks with key in off position starter engages,nightmare.

2003 Saturn Ion with 58,000 miles had been running fine. After a brief stop for shopping, the car would not start. It made only a clicking sound when the key was turned. This had never happened before. After about 10 minutes, it would turn over once and then nothing. After about 40 minutes, the car started. It was a cool day, but this had never happened before on even colder days. One dealer checked the battery and the starter and found nothing wrong. Another location identified the battery as low. It was replaced. But the real cause of this event is still a mystery. From other complaints, I see this is not an uncommon event in a 2003 Ion. I am very concerned, now, that it will happen again and still there will be no remedy. Are there no recalls because no one can figure out what is the cause of the problem or how to remedy it?.

Our 2003 Saturn Ion fails to start at times. Typically when this happens it is a cold morning. We replaced the battery and starter. The problem persists. Hundreds of people have cited the very same problem on car discussion sites.

I own a 04 Saturn Ion. I have been having a constant problem starting the car. When the temperature is below 40 degrees, the car won't start. All the dash lights are illuminated. So I know the battery isn't the problem. I have to wait 20 minutes before the car starts up. After doing some research. It looks like the problem is the starter switch. The grease hardens up in the cold, then the security system locks out the starter switch. I have read hundreds of complaints on message boards regarding this problem. I know gm and Saturn know of this problem also. They are saying this isn't a safety problem. I think it is. Many people are having to sit in their cars when it's below freezing, waiting twenty minutes to start their Ion's. What about parents with kids? what about if someone is trying to carjack myself? I don't have away to escape by driving off.