NHTSA Complaint #10627683 — 2006 SATURN ION

THIS CAR HAS A MANUAL TRANSMISSION. I TRIED TO PUT IT IN GEAR TO BACK OUT OF THE DRIVE WAY AND IT WOULDN'T BUDGE. SO I LET IT ROLL BACKWARDS IN NEUTRAL TO THE STREET. I PUMPED THE CLUTCH TO SEE IF THAT WOULD WORK. IT WOULDN'T GO INTO FIRST GEAR WHEN I WOULD TRY TO GET IT IN GEAR IT WOULD SLOWLY MOVE FORWARD EVEN THOUGH IT WASN'T IN GEAR. I CHECKED THE FLUID LEVELS AND THEY WERE FINE. I TURNED OFF THE CAR AND TRIED TO PUT IT IN FIRST IT WENT INTO FIRST GEAR JUST FINE AND WHEN I TURNED THE IGNITION ON, IT LUNGED ME FORWARD. I DROVE ABOUT 25 FEET WHILE TRYING TO CHANGE INTO SECOND GEAR, IT WOULDN'T BUDGE. SO I HAD TO TURN OFF THE CAR AGAIN SO IT WOULD GO INTO FIRST GEAR THEN I STARTED IT UP AND IT LUNGED ME FORWARD AGAIN. I NEEDED TO TURN AROUND TO GET BACK TO THE HOUSE BECAUSE SOMETHING WAS CLEARLY WRONG. I TRIED ONCE AGAIN TO PUT IT IN SECOND, SAME PROBLEM I HAD TO TURN IT OFF THEN THROW IT IN FIRST AND START IT UP REAL QUICK. I FINALLY GOT IT IN SECOND GEAR AND DROVE IT HOME. I STAYED IDLING IN SECOND GEAR IN FRONT OF MY HOUSE FOR ABOUT 5-7 MIN. THEN I TRIED TO GO AND IT WORKED, IT WENT INTO GEAR WITH EASE, AND CHANGED INTO ALL THE OTHER GEARS WITH EASE AS I DOVE THROUGH THE NEIGHBORHOOD JUST LIKE IT WAS A BRAND NEW CAR AGAIN & ALL DAY LIKE NOTHING HAD EVER HAPPENED. NOW EVERY MORNING SINCE THE SAME THING HAS HAPPENED SO I TAKE THE SAME STEPS, I PUMP THE CLUTCH AND LET IT SIT ABOUT 5 MIN. AND END UP APPLYING PRESSURE TO GET IT INTO GEAR AND IT WILL WORK ALL DAY UNTIL THIS MORNING. IT WILL STILL GO INTO GEAR WHEN ITS OFF AND STARTS THE SAME WAY AS I EXPLAINED BUT NOW AFTER WAITING THE 5-7 MIN BEFORE I TAKE OFF IT STILL WONT GO INTO GEAR OR "FIX ITSELF" LIKE IT DID BEFORE. HAVE MANY PEOPLE COMPLAINED ABOUT THIS? I'VE BEEN THE ONLY OWNER OF THIS CAR AND REPORTED IT TO MY LOCAL DEALER, IT WILL COST $115.00 JUST FOR THEM TO DIAGNOSE IT AND IM ON A LIMITED INCOME. *TR