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Engine & cooling

Saturn Ion Engine problems by year

286 complaints filed with NHTSA about the Saturn Ion's engine & cooling. Stalling, loss of power, oil consumption, overheating, head gaskets, timing chains and engine failure.

Engine complaints by model year

YearEngine complaintsCrashesInjuriesRecalls
200743330
200671200
200537210
200456000
200379110

Latest Ion engine complaints

2003 Saturn IonElectrical systemEngine & cooling

I took my 2003 Saturn ion to my local Chevrolet dealership in Lincoln Illinois and they refused to complete the recall issues (2) both are to do with the ignition and keys.thwy told me it was not fixable it needed a whole steering column that would cost me they said around $800.so it has now been 2 weeks my car has been there at Graue Chevrolet Dealership unfixed and they refused to fix please help me it's my only means of transportation and I have health issues that I have to go to Dr appointments quite frequently.

Filed Incident Electrical system · Unknown or other · EngineNHTSA 11755714
2003 Saturn IonEngine & cooling

2003 Saturn ion, consumer writes in regards to broken timing chain. The consumer stated while driving the timing chain broke, nearly causing a crash in the middle of an intersection.

Filed Incident EngineNHTSA 11441262
2005 Saturn IonSteeringElectrical systemEngine & cooling

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....

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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.

Filed Incident Steering · Electrical system · EngineNHTSA 11416273
2007 Saturn IonElectrical systemDriver assistanceEngine & cooling

I need to know why your system shows no recalls for my vehicle using the vin number, but has (7) recalls if I use year/make/model, the system should allow me to run the vin, see all recalls, and even report with proof if the recall is complete, like a check list. Your system is useless if the manufacturer is not agreeing to the recalls under the year/make/model and assigning the recalls to the vin to grant approval to dealers to repair, a dealer will not complete a gm recall unless gm approves of the recall for a...

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particular vin. I have electrical issues with my vehicle that falls in the category of the recalls, but I'm not paying out of pocket for these repairs, when they are known safety issues.

Filed Incident Electrical system · Electronic stability control (ESC) · EngineNHTSA 11319384
2007 Saturn IonAcceleration & cruise controlEngine & coolingFuel systemCrash

Car cuts off a/c wont work unless on max and makes noise when turning. Cpu issue like rpm fluctuates I think its the fuel pump and gas pedal assembly cpu problem and its jerks alot dealer said aint nothing the can do bout it but they suppose to fix it with in 30 days of purchase time. So it cuts off while riding and jerks while im on the breaks

Filed Incident Vehicle speed control · Engine · Fuel / propulsion systemNHTSA 11281970
2005 Saturn IonEngine & coolingFire

Tl* the contact owned a 2005 saturn ion. The contact's son observed an orange glare coming from the back of their house. The family ran outside together and discovered that the son's vehicle was on fire. The fire department was down the street, but took twenty minutes to arrive at the scene. The contact's nineteen year old son extinguished the fire with water from the house. A police report was filed and there were no injuries. The vehicle was totaled. The dealer and manufacturer were not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 217,000.

Filed Incident EngineNHTSA 11230171
2006 Saturn IonEngine & cooling

Tl* the contact owns a 2006 saturn ion. While driving approximately 15-20 mph, the vehicle stalled. The contact was able to restart the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to vandergriff chevrolet (located at 1200 w interstate 20, arlington, tx 76017, (682) 323-2486) to be diagnosed, but the mechanic was unable to duplicate the failure. The contact stated that the failure recurred five times. The vehicle was not repaired. The vehicle was not included in nhtsa campaign number: 14v047000 (air bags, electrical system). The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 113,000.

Filed Incident EngineNHTSA 11149448
2007 Saturn IonElectrical systemEngine & cooling

Tl* the contact owns a 2007 saturn ion. While driving 35 mph, the vehicle stalled and all the warning indicators illuminated on the instrument panel. The vehicle was coasted to the side of the road. The contact attempted to restart the vehicle, but was unsuccessful. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the battery needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired, but the failure recurred. The vehicle was not taken to a dealer. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 150,000.

Filed Incident Electrical system · EngineNHTSA 11123216
2006 Saturn IonBrakesEngine & cooling

Tl* the contact owns a 2006 saturn ion. While driving various speeds on different occasions, the brake pedal was depressed and the vehicle stalled. In addition, the check engine warning indicator illuminated. The vehicle was able to restart and was taken to chevrolet of dover (1450 s dupont hwy, dover, de 19901, (302) 760-9956), but the diagnosis and repairs were unknown to the contact. The failure recurred. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 185,000.

Filed Incident Service brakes · EngineNHTSA 11115106
2007 Saturn IonElectrical systemAirbagsSteeringBrakesEngine & coolingCrash1 injury

Tl* the contact owns a 2007 saturn ion. In october of 2016, while driving 65 mph, the brake pedal was suddenly depressed. However, the contact crashed into the rear of a vehicle and, in turn, another vehicle crashed into the rear of the contact's vehicle. The air bags did not deploy. There were no injuries sustained. A police report was not filed. The local dealer was not contacted to diagnose and repair the air bag failure. The failure mileage was unknown. In december of 2017, while driving at unknown speeds, a...

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pick-up truck crashed into the rear of the contact's vehicle. The contact sustained injuries to the right knee, which required medical attention. The air bags did not deploy. A police report was not filed. The vehicle was taken to an independent auto body mechanic, but was not diagnosed or repaired. The local dealer and manufacturer were not contacted. The failure mileage was 43,000. Additionally, while driving, the steering seized and the vehicle stalled. The vehicle was taken to an unknown local gmc dealer in bakersfield, california where it was diagnosed that the locking system and ignition key needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired; however, the failure recurred. The manufacturer was not notified. The failure mileage was unknown. The vin was not available.

Filed Incident Electrical system · Air bags · Steering · Service brakes · EngineNHTSA 11099248
2005 Saturn IonEngine & cooling

I have had issues with my car even after I have had some recalls done to it. The biggest issue is when I am driving or stationary with my car on, the car rumbles and feels like it is tugging backwards. The cylinder 2 keeps misfiring (p0302). I have seen several saturn ions that are having the same issue. Over the past four years this has been a problem consistently. There are periods where it doesn't happen much and sometimes it happens every time I drive. Furthermore, my car still doesn't turn on/off all the way sometimes and the ignition switch messes up.

Filed Incident Unknown or other · EngineNHTSA 11098513
2003 Saturn IonEngine & coolingFuel system

Fuel line to throttle body leaked fuel due to stress cracks. Part that failed is " no longer available" according to gm parts sales. .Mechanic welded cracked pipe and said eh has fixed quite a few of these. I have receipt from repair shop

Filed Incident Engine · Fuel / propulsion systemNHTSA 11093262
2006 Saturn IonEngine & cooling

Takata recall the engine is on. When I turn the key to turn the engine off, the key doesn't go in the off position. I have to turn the engine on again and then try to turn the engine off.Sometimes 2 or 3 times I have to turn the engine on and then try to turn the engine off. The car is parked.

Filed Incident EngineNHTSA 11053821
2006 Saturn IonDriver assistanceEngine & coolingFuel system

Engine reduction, serious safety concern, was almost hit by a semi, engine reduction light comes on, lose power and car slows at a high rate causing extreme safety hazard in traffic, must pull off interstate turn car off to reset, happening 2-3 times a day, strong smell of gas, have a leak and it is not covered under the warranty, sooner or later someone is going to be cruising down the interstate and their saturn is going to reduce engine power and they will not have time to get out of the way, they will be plowed...

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down by a semi. Are we going to continue to allow gm to ignore this issue like they ignored the ignition switch probelms until it starts causing deaths, why not solve the issue before the deaths start to occur, it seems the older these year models get the worse this problem becomes. I was forced to put a date, but this is an ongoing problem that is getting increasingly worse with the fuel leak, maybe one day the engine will reduce power at the same time I will get run over by a semi and the car will explode into flames from the fuel leak they are not recalling for my vehicle

Filed Incident Electronic stability control (ESC) · Engine · Fuel / propulsion systemNHTSA 11040840

Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) complaints and recalls, checked daily. Complaints are owners' own reports and are not verified. How we use the data

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