NHTSA Complaint #10301938 — 2003 SATURN ION

CAR WILL NOT START IN COLD WEATHER. THIS BEGAN 3 MONTHS AGO AT THE BEGINNING OF THE WINTER SEASON, UNFORTUNATELY THE FIRST DAY OF A NEW JOB. THIS HAPPENED A NUMBER OF TIMES UNTIL I WAS LET GO FOR SHOWING UP LATE TO WORK (APPARENTLY, A CAR THAT PROBLEMATIC WAS INCONCEIVABLE). I HAD THE BATTERY REPLACED, BUT THAT DIDN'T HELP. THIS HAPPENS SPORADICALLY, BUT MOSTLY IN THE EARLY MORNING OR LATE EVENING WHEN IT'S COLDEST OUTSIDE. THIS PAST WEEK ALONE, MY CAR WOULDN'T START 3 TIMES. I'VE DONE SOME RESEARCH ON THE INTERNET AND HAVE FOUND HUNDREDS OF COMPLAINTS OF THE SAME PROBLEM IN SATURN ION'S (2003-2006 MODELS). SOME COMPLAINTS HAVE SUGGESTED IT'S THE IGNITION, THE PASSLOCK KEY, OR AN ELECTRICAL ISSUE, AND MY MECHANIC IS LOOKING INTO THE FUEL PUMP. THE PROBLEM IS THAT THE DIAGNOSTIC DOESN'T READ A PROBLEM IF THE CAR IS STARTING, WHICH SEEMS TO BE THE CASE BY THE TIME THE MECHANIC'S SHOP OPENS (WEATHER CONDITIONS ARE FAIRLY GOOD IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA ON MOST DAYS). THE OTHER DAY, MY CAR HAD STALLED WHILE DRIVING IN HEAVY RAIN CONDITIONS, THANKFULLY ON A SMALL RESIDENTIAL STREET, BECAUSE IT DID NOT WANT TO RESTART. IT TOOK 10 MINUTES TO GET THE CAR GOING AGAIN. YOU CAN IMAGINE HOW DISASTROUS THIS SITUATION COULD HAVE BEEN WHILE DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY OR BUSY CITY ROAD. THIS IS AN EXTREMELY DANGEROUS ISSUE THAT MUST BE TAKEN SERIOUSLY BY GM. I HAVE ALSO MADE COMPLAINTS TO THE FTC & TO SATURN. FROM WHAT I'VE READ ONLINE, REPLACING THE PART DOESN'T EVEN HELP BECAUSE ALL OF THESE ION PARTS ARE FAULTY. PLEASE SEE TO IT THAT CONSUMERS ARE PROTECTED. THANK YOU. *TR