2004 SATURN ION Electrical System Problems

THE 2004 SATURN ION FAILS TO START IN COLD WEATHER, AFTER GETTING IT CHECKED IT IS THE IGNITION SWITCH. AFTER READING REVIEWS IT SEEMS THIS IS VERY COMMON ON THIS YEAR AND MAKE. THIS OCCURS AT LEAST ONCE A WEEK SOMETIMES MORE. IT HAS MADE ME LATE FOR WORK AND EVEN MISS CLASSES. IF THIS IS SO COMMON WHY ISN'T THIS PART BEING RECALLED!? APPARENTLY A "SECURITY MEASURE" HAS THE CAR NOT STARTING FOR 10 MINS, SOMETIMES 20. PLEASE HELP! *TR

IGNITION LOCK CYLINDER BROKE WHICH MADE IT IMPOSSIBLE TO START THE CAR. THE LOCK ASSEMBLY SHOULD BE FAIRLY EASY TO REMOVE BUT THE PROCEDURE REQUIRES THAT THE KEY BE TURNED TO THE RUN POSITION. WITH A BROKEN LOCK THAT CANNOT BE DONE. I WAS ONLY ABLE TO GET THE LOCK OUT BE USING BRUTE FORCE AND COMPLETELY BREAKING THE LOCK MECHANISM. I AM HAPPY THAT THIS HAPPENED AT A STORE CLOSE TO HOME AND WE ABLE TO GET A RIDE HOME. I GUESS I SHOULD BE THANKFUL WE WERE NOT ONE OF THE POOR SOULS WHO GOT STUCK IN AN ION THAT COULDN'T BE TURNED OFF. *TR

ON COLDER DAYS MY CAR WILL NOT START. IT WILL ROLL OVER A FEW TIMES AND THEN SERVICE VEHICLE LIGHT WILL APPEAR. THE CAR TAKES ANYWHERE FROM 15-30 MINS TO START LEAVING ME AND MY FAMILY STRANDED IN THE WINTER WITH NO HEAT IN THE MIDDLE OF NO WHERE. THIS OCCURS ON A DAILY BASIS IN THE WINTER AND IN THE FALL 3 TIMES A WEEK. I HAVEN'T FIGURED OUT WHAT THE PROBLEM IS YET, THEY THINK IT IS THE IGNITION SWITCH. THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL ON THESE VEHICLES THERE IS ANOTHER PERSON I KNOW WITH THE SAME CAR SATURN ION HERS IS 2005 MINE A 2004 AND HERS DID THE SAME THING HERS WAS THE IGNITION SWITCH. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 SATURN ION. ON APRIL 14, 2009, WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH, THE VEHICLE SHUT OFF WITHOUT WARNING AND THE DOOR LOCK SYSTEM FAILED. THE VEHICLE PREVIOUSLY EXPERIENCED ELECTRICAL FAILURES AND TRUNK FAILURE. THE DEALER REPLACED THE TRUNK STOPPER. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A REPAIR SHOP FOR A DIAGNOSIS. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 50,000.

I HAVE SO MANY THINGS WRONG WITH MY 2004 SATURN OF COURSE I HAVE THE COLD START PROBLEM WHICH I HAVE HAD SINCE I PURCHASED THE CAR(WITH ONLY 7 MILES ON IT). ANYTIME I DRIVE MY CAR OVER 30 MILES AN HOUR IT SHAKES HAD THAT PROBLEM FIX 2 YEARS AGO AND NOW IT IS DOING IT AGAIN. MY DRIVER SIDE WINDOW SEAL LEAKS WHEN IT RAINS. NEW PROBLEM DON'T THINK I'VE SINCE THIS ONE YET THE TRANSMISSION IN THE WINDSHIELD WIPER GOES OUT ND GUESS WHAT FOR ONLY $275 SATURN WILL REPLACE THAT FOR YOU. THIS CAR IS SUCH A LEMON. CLEARLY AS I READ OVER COMPLAINTS OF THE SINGLE MOTHERS LIKE MYSELF, THE TEACHER OR JUST SOMEONE WHO WANT A RELIABLE CAR. THIS EXPERIENCE HAS TAUGHT ME NEVER BY AMERICAN AGAIN AND DO MY RESEARCH BEFORE BUYING ANOTHER CAR. THE THING I HATE THE MOST IS THAT THEY...

I PURCHASED MY CAR NEW IN 2004 AND I HAVE HAD AN ONGOING PROBLEM WITH IT STARTING. IT HAPPENS AT RANDOM TIMES AND GENERALLY AFTER 10 MINUTES TO 30 MINUTES IT WILL START UP. I M NOT SURE IF THE FACT THAT I CAN REMOVE MY KEYS FROM THE IGNITION WHILE IM DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD HAS SOMETHING TO DO WITH IT OR NOT. IT DOES SEEM LIKE IT DOES IT MORE IN COLD/RAINY WEATHER THAN OTHER TIMES. THERE ARE STILL SEVERAL INCIDENTS WHERE IT HAS BEEN WARM AND SUNNY AND IT WONT START. I AM A SINGLE MOM WITH TWO KIDS AND I HATE THE THOUGHT OF BEING STUCK IN MY CAR W/ MY KIDS AND UNABLE TO GO ANYWHERE. I HAVE BEEN STUCK IN PARKING LOTS LATE AT NIGHT AFTER I GET OFF WORK AND ONE TIME IT WOULDN'T START ON MY WAY TO THE HOSPITAL. NO ONE...

THE PROBLEM BEGAN WITHIN THE FIRST MONTH OF THE CAR'S PURCHASE. IT WAS COLD OUTSIDE, AND THE CAR WOULDN'T START. AFTER ABOUT 30 MINUTES, IT STARTED RIGHT UP. AFTER VISITING SEVERAL MECHANICS, I WAS ADVISED TO REPLACE THE ALTERNATOR. SINCE THEN, I CANNOT COUNT THE NUMBER OF TIMES THAT I GO OUT TO THE CAR AND IT WON'T START.NOW, I AM TOLD THAT IT 'MAY BE' A FAULTY IGNITION SWITCH. I AM A TEACHER, AND CANNOT BE LATE FOR CLASS. I HAVE 34 STUDENTS WAITING FOR ME EVERY MORNING. NOW, I HAVE TO GO OUT TO MY CAR, 30 MINUTES EARLY, AND START IT. IF IT STARTS, I RUN OUT 30 MINUTES WORTH OF GAS FOR FEAR THAT IT WON'T START IF I TURN IT OFF. IF IT DOESN'T START, I WASTE 20 TO 25 MINUTES IN THE MORNING GETTING IT TO START. THIS WINTER, IT HAS NOT STARTED NO...

MY 2004 SATURN ION DOES NOT START IN COLD WEATHER. IT HAS A BRAND NEW BATTERY AND STARTER, YET IT IS STILL HAVING THIS PROBLEM. IT WILL GENERALLY START AFTER WAITING ABOUT 15 MINUTES TO TRY AGAIN. THE CONSEQUENCES ARE BEING DELAYED 15-20 MINUTES EACH TIME I WANT/NEED TO GO SOMEWHERE. *TR

CAR WILL NOT START AT TIMES , AFTER LETTING IT SIT FOR ABOUT 10 MINS AFTER CRANKING THE KEY A FEW TIMES, IT WILL START RIGHT UP. SEEMS TO BE A COMMON ISSUE WITH THIS YEAR MAKE AND MODEL, SOMETHING TO DO WITH A WHITE WIRE THAT IS PART OF A PLUG CONTAINING A BUNCH OF WIRES THAT PLUG IN UNDERNEATH THE STEERING COLUMN. THE PROBLEM SEEMS TO BE MORE LIKELY TO HAPPEN WHEN ITS DAMP OR RAINING OUTSIDE. AND WILL ALWAYS FIX ITSELF IF YOU LET THE CAR SIT FOR ABOUT 10 MINS BEFORE TRYING TO CRANK IT AGAIN. CAR HAS A NEW BATTERY, SEEMS TO BE A LOT OF POSTS ABOUT THIS ISSUE ON BULLETIN BOARDS ON LINE. SEEMS LIKE CUTTING THE WHITE WIRE SEEMS TO FIX THE ISSUE EVERY TIME. *TR

I AM HAVING A CONSISTENT PROBLEM W/ MY 2004 SATURN ION 4 DOOR 3.3 ENGINE. THE PROBLEM BEING IS NO CRANK WITH POWER ON. AFTER WAITING 10 - 15 MINUTES THE CAR WILL CRANK & START. THIS HAPPENS INTHE MORNING TRYING TO GET TO WORK, AT THE GAS STATION TRYING TO LEAVE AFTER A FILL UP, AT THE RED LIGHT IF I PUMP THE IGNITION JUST SO. AFTER READING SEVERAL ION FORUMS THERE IS A VERY LARGE PROBLEM HERE. A RECALL SHOULD BE ISSUED AT LEAST INVESTIGATED. I AM TAKING THE VEHICLE INTO SATURN MONDAY THE 3.23.09 TO HAVE OIL CHANGE & NO CRANK W/ POWER EVALUATED. I WILL KEEP YOU INFORMED. *TR

WE HAVE A 2004 SATURN ION THAT WHEN IT COLDS DOES NOT START. AT FIRST WE THOUGHT IT WAS THE BATTERY, BUT THE BATTERY IS FINE. THEN WE NOTICED THAT IT ONLY HAPPENED ON COLD DAYS. IF THE TEMP WAS BELOW 40 DEGREES F. AND THE CAR SAT FOR SEVERAL HOURS (MOSTLY MORNINGS), WHEN YOU ATTEMPTED TO CRANK, THE CAR WOULD NOT START. IF SEEMS IF YOU HAVE A DEAD BATTERY. MOST OF THE TIME IT WOULD START AFTER ABOUT 10 TO 15 MINUTES. THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS, BEING STRANDED DUE TO MILDLY COLD WEATHER. THANK GOD NOTHING BAD HAS HAPPENED WHILE WAITING FOR CAR TO CRANK. I HAVE TALKED TO SEVERAL SATURN OWNERS, AND THEY TO HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM. AT LEAST I LIVE IN FLORIDA AND IT DOES NOT STAY COLD LONG. SATURN NEEDS TO FIX THIS PROBLEM. ALSO, WAS TOLD BY A SERVICE PERSON AT SATURN TO...

MY 2004 SATURN ION HAS BEEN GIVING ME TROUBLE FOR AROUND 2 YEARS NOW. IT'S OFF AND ON. I'LL DRIVE MY CAR TO WALMART OR WHERE EVER AND GO IN THE STORE, COME OUT AND IT WON'T START. IF I GIVE IT 15-20 MINS IT FINALLY STARTS. MY DAD THOUGHT IT MIGHT BE MY BATTERY, BUT THAT WAS NEW. WE ARE GOING TO TRY AND GET AN IGNITION SWITCH NOW. HOPEFULLY THAT WILL FIX IT! *TR

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...

MY 2004 SATURN ION INTERMITTENTLY WILL NOT START IN COLD WEATHER DUE TO A FAULTY IGNITION SWITCH THAT CAUSES THE PASSLOCK VEHICLE THEFT SYSTEM TO ENGAGE. I THEN HAVE TO WAIT FOR 10 MINUTES IN THE COLD FOR THE PASSLOCK SYSTEM TO RESET SO THAT I CAN TRY AGAIN TO START MY CAR. SATURN IS AWARE OF THIS ISSUE AND HAS ISSUED A TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN FOR IT, BUT HAS YET TO HAVE ISSUED A RECALL. *TR

ON COLD DAYS IN THE WINTER MY SATURN ION 2 DOES NOT START. TURN THE KEY AND NOTHING HAPPENS. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON AND THE CAR WILL NOT START FOR 10 MINUTES. I HAVE HAD THE IGNITION KEY REPLACED AND THAT FIXES IT FOR A WHILE. I WAS FIXED UNDER WARRANTY, BUT THEY REPLACED THE PART WITH THE SAME SERIES PART SO NOW NOT UNDER WARRANTY THE PROBLEM RECURS. *TR

2004 SATURN ION, IN COLD WEATHER FAILING TO START, CRANK OR TURN OVER. BATTERY, STARTER, AND WIRES ALL CHECKED ALL IN WORKING ORDER. FIND OUT THERE WAS A TSB # 040845005 FOR IT AND WAS NEVER INFORMED OF IT. HAVE HAD THE PROBLEM FOR PAST TWO YEARS BUT NEVER TOOK IT TO THE DEALER FOR THAT BUT DID HAVE IT THERE FOR OTHER SERVICE AND WAS NEVER ADVISED OF THE ISSUE. DUE TO EXPIRED WARRANTY DEALER AND GM CUSTOMER SERVICE ARE UNSURE IF THEY WILL COVER ALL OR ANY OF THE CHARGE TO REPAIR IT. COST IS $250 FIRST EXPERIENCED LAST WINTER AND IN THE PAST MONTH THIS HAS OCCURRED 4 TIMES. *TR

MY 2004 SATURN ION DOES NOT START IN THE COLD WEATHER! IT HAPPENED AT LEAST 8 TIMES SINCE OCTOBER 2008. TODAY IS MARCH 3, 2009. BROUGHT IT TO THE DEALER AND THEY SAID THEY COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG WITH IT. ALREADY CHANGED THE IGNITION SWITCH WHICH WASN'T THE PROBLEM TO BEGIN WITH! *TR

PURCHASED A NEW 2004 SATURN ION ON 9/30/03. WINTER OF 03-04 CAR FAILED TO START IN COLD WEATHER. SATURN PUT 2 NEW IGNITION SWITCHES IN (WARRANTY) 2004. THIS WINTER (08-09) SAME STARTING PROBLEM. FAILS TO START IN COLD TEMPERATURES BECAUSE OF POORLY ENGINEERED IGNITION SWITCH COMMON IN THE SATURN ION. *TR

THE DATE BELOW IS THE DATE THE ISSUE BEGAN. I OWN A 2004 SATURN ION, THAT BEGAN WITH COLD START ISSUES THIS WINTER. AFTER LOOKING UP THE ISSUE ONLINE, I NOTICED IT IS A WELL KNOWN ISSUE WITH THESE CARS, YET THERE HAS BEEN NO RECALL. WHEN ATTEMPTING TO START THE CAR ON A COLD MORNING (OR MIDDAY), THE CAR WILL NOT TURN OVER. IT OFTEN TAKES 10-20 MINUTES OF TRYING TO GET THE CAR TO ENGAGE. I CALLED SATURN, AND THEY OFFERED NO REMEDY, AS MY CAR IS OUT OF WARRANTY (ONLY A 4.5 YEAR OLD CAR!) - AND I CANNOT AFFORD THE $250 REPAIR FOR THE IGNITION SWITCH. ON DECEMBER 26, 2008, I WAS STRANDED FOR NEARLY AN HOUR AND A HALF, AND SUFFERED FROST BITE AND MILD HYPOTHERMIA. *TR

I OWN A 2004 SATURN ION QUAD COUPE AND LIKE OTHERS, IT HAS THE COLD WEATHER FAIL TO START PROBLEM WHEN THE TEMPERATURE IS BELOW FREEZING. I STOPPED BY THE LOCAL SATURN GARAGE TO SEE WHAT TYPE OF REPAIR IS RECOMMEND FOR THIS PROBLEM. THEY ARE QUITE AWARE OF THE PROBLEM WITH NO WARRANTY REPLACEMENT. THEIR SUGGESTION, IF I DIDN'T WANT TO SPEND THE BUNDLE OF MONEY TO HAVE THE IGNITION SWITCH REPLACED WAS TO CARRY BIC LIGHTER TO WARM THE KEY. THE SERVICE WRITER SAID THAT SATURN ENGINEERING SPECED THE WRONG TEMPERATURE GREASE TO LUBE THE SWITCH. NOW, I THE CUSTOMER, HAVE TO DEAL WITH THE ANOTHER GM GENERATED ENGINEERING DESIGN PROBLEM. THIS IS A VERY ANNOYING PROBLEM BECAUSE I CAN NOT RELY ON AN OTHERWISE PERFECTLY GOOD RUNNING CAR AND CAN'T COUNT ON IT FOR AN EMERGENCY. *TR

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. *TR

I HAVE A 04 SATURN ION, IT DOES NOT START IN THE COLD, IT GIVES ME SO MANY HEADACHES, THERE IS OVER 30 PAGES OF COMPLAINTS ON WEBSITE WITH PEOPLE WITH THE SAME CAR AND SAME PROBLEMS. IT SEEMS TO BE A WHITE WIRE IN THE STEERING COLUMN, I DON'T UNDERSTAND IF SO MANY PEOPLE HAVE THE SAME ISSUES WHY IT CANT BE FIXED. IT HAS CAUSED ME TO BE LATE FOR WORK, COLLEGE CLASSES, AND TO BE STUCK OUT ON A COLD NIGHT BY MYSELF DUE TO MY CAR NOT STARTING. YOU HAVE TO TRY TO START IT AND THEN LEAVE IT ALONE FOR ABOUT 15 MINUTES AND IT USUALLY STARTS RIGHT UP. IT HAPPENS PRETTY MUCH ALL THE TIME BUT IT IS SO RANDOM YOU NEVER KNOW WHEN YOU WILL BE STRANDED. I HAVE SPENT MONEY REPLACING BATTERIES AND EVERYTHING ELSE WHEN NONE OF THIS CAUSED THE PROBLEM....

2004 SATURN ION INTERMITTENTLY WILL NOT START. HAPPENED ONE TIME LAST WINTER, BUT HAS PROGRESSED THIS WINTER. IF YOU ALLOW THE CAR TO SIT FOR 10-12 MINUTES IT STARTS RIGHT UP. I CALLED SATURN AND MADE AN APPOINTMENT TO LEAVE THE CAR WITH THEM WHILE I VISITED FAMILY IN FLORIDA. I SINCE WENT ONLINE AND DISCOVERED THAT HUNDREDS (MAYBE THOUSANDS) OF SATURN OWNERS HAVE THIS SAME PROBLEM. I CALLED SATURN SERVICE AND TOLD THEM WHAT I HAD DISCOVERED. THEY MADE NO COMMENT BUT SAID THEY HAD REPLACED THE IGNITION SWITCH. I CALLED A TOLL FREE NUMBER THAT A SATURN OWNER HAD LEFT ON AN ONLINE FORUM AND FILED A FORMAL COMPLAINT WITH SATURN OF AMERICA. SHE WAS VERY POLITE AND ASSURED ME SHE WOULD CALL SATURN AND "SEE WHAT SHE COULD DO FOR ME." THE NEXT DAY SHE SAID THEY COULD ONLY GIVE ME 10% OFF THE COST OF THE...

I HAVE HAD BY ION FOR 4.5 YEARS. I JUST HAD TO REPLACE THE IGNITION SWITCH FOR THE 2ND TIME. THE FIRST TIME WAS ABOUT 3 YEARS AGO. I HAVE ABOUT 65000 MILES. IT SEEMS LIKE THIS IS A MANUFACTURER DEFECT THAT I SHOULD NOT HAVE TO KEEP PAYING TO HAVE FIXED. THERE WERE NO WARNING SIGNS, JUST ONE MORNING IT WOULD NOT START. IT WOULD THEN START SPORADICALLY UNTIL I FIXED THE PROBLEM. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 SATURN ION. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE FAILS TO START ON COLD MORNINGS. THE FAILURE WAS INTERMITTENT. AN INDICATOR FLASHES, WHICH SIGNIFIES THAT THE PAST LOCK SYSTEM IS ACTIVATED AND THAT THE VEHICLE IS BEING STOLEN; HOWEVER, THIS IS NOT THE CASE. THE VEHICLE USUALLY STARTS AFTER TEN MINUTES. THERE IS A TSB FOR THIS FAILURE AND THE VEHICLE IS STILL UNDER WARRANTY. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THEY HAVE NEVER BEEN ABLE TO REPLICATE THE FAILURE BECAUSE IT ONLY OCCURS APPROXIMATELY TWELVE TIMES A YEAR OR IN COLD WEATHER. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 30,000.

2004 SATURN ION WILL NOT START WHEN COLD OUT. IT WOULDN'T EVEN START AT 20 DEGREES F. THIS HAS HAPPENED NUMEROUS TIMES NOW. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 SATURN ION. APPROXIMATELY A MONTH AND A HALF AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED IN OCTOBER OF 2008, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO START. THE VEHICLE FINALLY STARTED AFTER APPROXIMATELY FOUR ATTEMPTS. THE FAILURE HAS OCCURRED INTERMITTENTLY SINCE THE FIRST INCIDENT. ALSO, IN COLD WEATHER CONDITIONS, THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT START. THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN TO A VOCATIONAL SCHOOL REPAIR SHOP FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE IGNITION SWITCH WAS DEFECTIVE. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THERE WAS NO RECALL RELATING TO THE FAILURE; THEREFORE, THEY WERE NOT LIABLE FOR THE REPAIRS. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 32,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 30,000.

2004 SATURN ION WILL NOT START IN COLD WEATHER. FIGHTING SAME PROBLEM FOR THE LAST TWO WINTERS.(HAVE READ MANY OTHERS WITH SAME RECURRING PROBLEM). *TR

MY 2004 SATURN ION WILL NOT START CONSISTENTLY DURING COLD WEATHER. I HAVE REPLACED THE BATTERY ALREADY WHICH ENDED UP NOT BEING THE PROBLEM. THEN I FOUND INFORMATION ALL OVER THE INTERNET ABOUT THOUSANDS OF OTHER PEOPLE WHO ARE HAVING THE SAME ISSUE I AM HAVING. I SHOULD NOT HAVE TO SPEND MY HARD EARNED MONEY ON PROBLEM THAT WAS DEFECTIVE FROM THE FACTORY. I HAVE BEEN WAITING FOR SATURN/GM TO HAVE SOME INTEGRITY ON THIS ISSUE, DO THE RIGHT THING AND ISSUE THEIR OWN RECALL, BUT SO FOR THAT HASN'T HAPPENED YET. I HAVE BEEN EXPERIENCING THIS PROBLEM SINCE I BOUGHT THE CAR IN 2006. *TR

I HAVE A 2004 SATURN ION. IN COLD WEATHER THE DIELECTRIC LUBRICATION FREEZES AND INTERFERES WITH THE SECURITY SYSTEM - MAKING THE VEHICLE UNABLE TO START. THIS PROBLEM OCCURS APPROXIMATELY 50% OF THE TIME WHEN THE TEMPERATURE DROPS BELOW FREEZING - MORE FREQUENTLY WITH EVEN COLDER TEMPERATURES. THE PROBLEM IS OFTEN REMEDIED BY WAITING FOR 10 - 30 MINUTES UNTIL THE SECURITY SYSTEM RESETS ITSELF AND THEN TRYING TO START THE VEHICLE AGAIN. I FOUND A LOT OF COMPLAINTS BY CONSUMERS WITH THE SAME ISSUE BY SEARCHING GOOGLE. I ALSO SPOKE WITH A SATURN DEALERSHIP SERVICE DEPARTMENT. THE PERSON I SPOKE WITH AT THE SATURN SERVICE DEPARTMENT SAID HE WAS VERY FAMILIAR WITH THE PROBLEM AND VERIFIED THE DIAGNOSIS I LISTED ABOVE (DIELECTRIC LUBRICATION FREEZING RESULTING THE SECURITY SYSTEM LOCKDOWN) BUT SAID THERE WERE NO RELATED RECALLS. I KNOW THREE PEOPLE WITH SATURN IONS AND THEY ALL HAVE THE EXACT...

MY VEHICLE ON COLD DAYS WILL NOT RELIABLY START. TURN KEY, ALL LIGHTS AND INDICATORS WORK BUT START FUNCTION IS ELECTRONICALLY TERMINATED WITHIN 1 SECOND OF ENGAGEMENT. THE CAR WILL START AFTER WAITING FOR TEN TO TWENTY MINUTES AS IF NOTHING WAS WRONG. AFTER MANY TRIPS TO THE MECHANIC (DEALER AND NON) I HAVE FOUND MANY SUCH REPORTS ON-LINE INDICATING A FAULTY IGNITION SWITCH WHICH FAILS IN COLD WEATHER. THE TIME DELAY IN STARTING APPEARS TO BE SOME TYPE OF INTERACTION WITH THE THEFT DETERRENT SYSTEM. I WILL NOW PAY TO HAVE THIS PART REPLACED BUT SUSPECT, AS MANY HAVE REPORTED, THAT THIS WILL CORRECT THE ISSUE FOR ONE OR TWO YEARS BEFORE IT OCCURS AGAIN (AS MANY OTHERS HAVE ALSO REPORTED). *TR

AFTER 5 YEARS MY 2004 SATURN ION WILL NOT START WHEN THE TEMPERATURE IS BELOW +10F. THERE IS POWER ( NEW BATTERY ) AND NO FUEL ISSUE ( CLEAN FUEL SYSTEM AND FILTER ), BUT AFTER 10 TO 15 MINUTES AND A COUPLE OF HESITANT ENGINE TURNS, IT STARTS. NO ONE NEEDS AN UNRELIABLE VEHICLE WHERE WINTER TEMPS LAST SEVERAL MONTHS. AFTER REPLACING THE ANTI-SWAY BAR, BOTH HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLIES AS WELL AS OTHER ANNOYING PROBLEMS ( INSTRUMENT LIGHTS OUT, CABIN FAN NOISY ) I WILL NEVER EVER BUY ANOTHER SATURN . I TOOK THE PROBLEM ( OUT OF WARRANTY OF COURSE ) TO SATURN OF ROCHESTER AND WAS TOLD IT WAS A FAULTY IGNITION SWITCH, A COMMON PROBLEM FOR THIS MAKE AND MODEL YEAR. SINCE IT IS NOT A SAFETY ISSUE, NO RECALL WAS ISSUED AND I WOULD HAVE TO PAY AT LEAST $275 UNLESS "SOMETHING ELSE" CAME UP. BEING...

1. THERE WERE NO PROBLEMS, UNTIL IT GOT COLD OUT. 2. IF THERE IS ANYTIME THE WEATHER STOOPS BELOW 10 DEGREES F, THE CAR WILL NOT START. IT WILL CLICK AND CLICK AND CLICK, THEN NOTHING. EVERY ONCE AND A WHILE IT WILL START FOR ALL OF A SECOND, THEN QUIT. THEN IT DOES NOTHING WHEN I TRY TO START IT AGAIN. 3. I HAVE DONE NOTHING YET, BUT AFTER READING FORUMS WHERE MANY PEOPLE COMPLAIN ABOUT THE SAME PROBLEM, I'M GOING TO TRY CHANGING THE IGNITION MODULE, AND POSSIBLY GET A REMOTE STARTER. *TR

IN TRYING TO START MY CAR IN THE MORNINGS, ESPECIALLY WHEN IT IS COLD OUTSIDE, IT FAILS TO START AND MY SECURITY SYSTEM LIGHT WILL FLASH. I HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT THIS IS RELATED TO THE PASSLOCK SYSTEM, BUT IT IS NOT UNDER WARRANTY. I OCCURS 5 OUT OF 7 DAYS A WEEK. I WAS TOLD THAT THERE WAS NOTHING TO BE DONE UNLESS I DISABLE MY SECURITY SYSTEM. *TR

THE VEHICLE IN QUESTION DOES NOT START ON COLD MORNINGS AND MANY MORNINGS MISSED AT WORK, AND OTHER APPOINTMENTS. MONEY HAS BEEN SPENT ON STARTERS AND BATTERIES BUT MANY OWNERS OF THIS SIMILAR VEHICLE HAVE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM, BUT SATURN IS REFUSING TO FIX THE PROBLEM. THIS COULD BE A POTENTIAL SAFETY HAZARD WHEN THE CAR DOES NOT START IN EXTREME COLD TEMPERATURES AND THE VEHICLE HAS YOUNG CHILDREN AND ELDERLY. *TR

IT WON'T START WHEN IT IS COLD. I NEED TO WAIT 10-15 MIN AND TRY AGAIN. I SEE A LOT OF SATURN OWNERS' ARE HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM. *TR

HI, I HAVE A 2004 SATURN ION, WITH ONLY 22,000 MILES ON IT. IT SEEMS TO HAVE A PROBLEM STARTING IN COLD WEATHER. I HAD TO TAKE MY MOMS 1988 BUICK TO WORK YESTERDAY BECAUSE MY CAR WOULDN'T START IN THE COLD! IT HAPPENED ABOUT TWO WEEKS AGO, AND I WAITED ABOUT 10 MINUTES AND IT STARTED RIGHT UP. ABOUT A MONTH AGO IT HAPPENED WHEN I WAS GOING OUT TO LUNCH, SAME THING AFTER TEN MINUTES IT STARTED RIGHT UP. I CAN'T KEEP BEING LATE FOR WORK AND MISSING APPOINTMENTS AND WHEN I TAKE MY WIFE'S CAR SHE HAS TO WALK 15 BLOCKS WITH THE KIDS TO SCHOOL AND IF IT'S TOO COLD FOR THIS CAR TO START I DON'T REALLY WANT MY KIDS TO WALK. I CALLED SATURN TODAY AND WAS TOLD THEY'RE NOT AWARE OF ANY PROBLEMS, YET WHEN YOU SEARCH THE INTERNET THERE'S THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE...

I OWN A 2004 SATURN ION, WITHIN THE PAST 2 WEEKS THE CAR WILL INTERMITTENTLY NOT START IN THE MORNINGS. I PURCHASED A NEW BATTERY FROM THE SATURN DEALER AND STILL HAVE THE SAME ISSUE. THE VEHICLE WAS PLACED ON A DIAGNOSTIC MACHINE AND THE CHECK CAME BACK WITH EVERY THING BEING OK BUT THE VEHICLE DOES NOT START. WHEN I CALLED SATURN THEIR CUSTOMER SERVICE REP STATED THERE IS NO RECALL BUT TRIED TO SELL ME AN EXTENDED WARRANTY. CAN YOU PLEASE HELP ME. *TR

CAR WILL SPORADICALLY NOT START IN COLD WEATHER. STARTS FINE IN WARM SEASON. WAITING 10 MINUTES AFTER INITIAL TRY WILL USUALLY REMEDY THIS. THIS USUALLY HAPPENS 5 TIMES A WEEK AND NORMALLY IN THE MORNING. THIS HAS BEEN A PROBLEM SINCE THE PURCHASE OF THE VEHICLE. THE STARTER AND BATTER HAS BEEN REPLACED WITH NO POSITIVE RESULTS. I HAVE DONE INTERNET RESEARCH AND FOUND HUNDREDS OF OTHERS WITH THE SAME PROBLEM. PEOPLE SEEM TO BELIEVE IT IS A PROBLEM WITH THE PASS-LOCK SYSTEM BEING TEMPERAMENTAL. THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM IS SENSITIVE TO TEMPERATURE AND CONDENSATION. THE COLD START TRIGGERS AN APPROXIMATE 10 MINUTE WAIT TIME BEFORE THE SYSTEM IS RESET AND THE CAR WILL NOT TURN OVER UNTIL AFTER THAT PERIOD. I HAVE READ WHERE PEOPLE HAVE DISABLED THE PASS LOCK SYSTEM TO REMEDY THIS WITH GOOD RESULTS. I AM NOT COMFORTABLE WITH PAYING A MECHANIC TO DISENGAGE THE SYSTEM OR...

MY 2004 SATURN ION WILL NOT START WHEN IT IS COLD. THIS FIRST HAPPENED LAST YEAR, AND I THOUGHT THAT THE GAS LINES WERE FREEZING. I HAVE PUT SEVERAL BOTTLES OF DRY GAS IN MY TANK THINKING THAT THIS RESOLVES THE PROBLEM. APPARENTLY IT IS A PASSLOCK SECURITY ISSUE AND MY EFFORTS OF DRY GAS DID NOTHING. I HAVE BEEN STRANDED COUNTLESS TIMES DUE TO THE ERROR. THIS PROBLEMS RENDERS THE CAR USELESS. THE MOST RECENT OCCURRENCE WAS YESTERDAY, BUT THIS HAPPENS WAY TOO OFTEN. *TR

BOUGHT THE CAR UNDER WARRANTY, NO CRANK/NO START BECAUSE OF FAULTY PASSLOCK SYSTEM. SATURN "REBOOTED THE COMPUTER" (SATURNS WORDS). THIS WAS IN MAY OF 06. STRANGELY, THE CAR HAS "DIED" IN AT LEAST 3 DRIVEWAYS AS THOUGH THE BATTERY WAS DEAD. I HAVE TAKEN THE CAR TO A GARAGE AND HAD THE BATTERY TESTED AND IT WAS FINE. RECENTLY, WHEN THE WEATHER IS COLD, THE CAR WILL NO CRANK/NO START AND THROW THE PASSLOCK CODE. ON THE DASH, SOMETIMES IT SAYS SERVICE ENGINE IT MAY OR MAY NOT RESET AFTER 10 MINUTES. THE VEHICLE HAS BECOME UNRELIABLE AS I AM NEVER SURE IF I AM GOING TO GET TO WORK ON TIME OR NOT. I CALLED SATURN LAST WEEK. APPARENTLY SATURN IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM, BUT SINCE THEY ARE GOING TO INCONVENIENCE ME TO DRIVE 200 MILES TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THEN CHARGE ME $100 TO WALK THROUGH THE...

WONT START DUE TO PASSLOCK/IGNITION PROBLEMS IN COLD WEATHER. HAVE NOT REPLACED ANY PARTS YET AS FUNDS ARE LIMITED. *TR

CAR WILL NOT START WHEN IT IS COLD OUTSIDE. THE CAR USES THE GM PASSLOCK SYSTEM. OFTEN AFTER SEVERAL INSTANCES OF WAITING 10 MINUTES, AND TRYING AGAIN, THE CAR WILL START. *TR

2004 SATURN ION PASSLOCK FAILURE WHEN THE TEMPERATURE IS BELOW ABOUT 25 DEGREES THE VEHICLE WILL NOT START. LIGHTS COME ON, RADIO WORKS SO THERE IS POWER, EVEN WITH ANOTHER CAR TRYING TO JUMP START THE SATURN IT WILL NOT START. YOU HAVE TO WAIT AT LEAST 10 MINUTES FOR IT TO START. THIS CAN HAPPEN ANYWHERE AT ANYTIME, HOME, GAS STATION, ETC. HERE IS A LIST OF OTHER PEOPLE WHO HAVE HAD THIS FAILURE. HTTP://WWW.CARSURVEY.ORG/VIEWMORECOMMENTS_REVIEW_97661_4.HTML. *TR

I HAVE A 2004 SATURN ION. IT WON'T START WHEN IT GETS COLD AND THE CHAT ROOM SAYS ITS A COMMON THING .IT'S THE IGNITION SWITCH AND THEY KNOW ALL ABOUT IT BUT KEEP RIGHT ON CHARGING US TO REPLACE SOMETHING THEY SHOULD BE DOING .AS ITS BEEN GOING ON SINCE 2003 ION AND STILL IS ON THE 2007 ION.. THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL ON ALL SATURN IONS GM KNOWS BUT DON'T CARE. AND THEY WANT US TO BUY GM THAT'S A JOKE . *TR

I HAVE A 2004 SATURN ION WHICH THIS MORNING WOULD NOT START AFTER I LEFT A CONVENIENCE STORE. IT WAS A LITTLE HESITANT IN STARTING ABOUT A WEEK AGO. BOTH TIMES WERE EXTREMELY COLD COMPARED TO NORMAL THIS TIME OF YEAR. THIS MORNING I FIGURED IT WAS A BATTERY PROBLEM. WELL AFTER SOME INTERNET RESEARCH IT WOULD SEEM THAT THESE VEHICLES HAVE PROBLEMS STARTING IN THE COLD AND EVERYONE ELSE'S DESCRIPTION ONLINE DESCRIBES WHAT HAPPENED ME TO ME PERFECTLY. WOULDN'T START, WALKED THE MILE HOME, CALLED FOR A TOW TRUCK, GOT BACK, STARTED RIGHT UP WITH NOT PROBLEMS. *TR

I OWN A 2004 SATURN ION. IT DOES NOT START IN THE COLD WEATHER (AROUND 36 DEGREES F AND BELOW). I HAVE REPLACED THE STARTER AND TWO MONTHS AGO I BOUGHT A NEW BATTERY. MY MECHANIC ASSURED ME THE BATTERY IS TOP OF THE LINE AND GUARANTEED TO START IN COLD WEATHER. HOWEVER, IT DID NOT START YESTERDAY IN 30 DEGREE WEATHER. ALL LIGHTS TURN ON BUT CAR DOES NOT CRANK. DOES NOT EVEN MAKE NOISE. I HAVE RESEARCHED THIS THROUGH VARIOUS DISCUSSION BOARDS AND MOST OF THEM AGREE THAT THERE IS A FAULTY SWITCH IN THE IGNITION THAT LEAKS LUBRICANT. WHEN THE LUBRICANT FREEZES, THE PASSLOCK ANTI THEFT ALARM DOES NOT GET IT'S ELECTRICAL SIGNAL SO IT ACTIVATES AND PROHIBITS FUEL FROM BEING USED SO THE CAR DOES NOT START. I TAKE VERY GOOD CARE OF MY CAR, BUT I HAVE SPENT A LOT OF TIME AND MONEY TRYING...

DURING THE COLDER DAYS MY PASSLOCK SYSTEM DENY MY CAR TO START. I OR MY WIFE WILL HAVE TO SIT IN THE CAR FOR 10 MINUTES TO BE ABLE TO TRY IT AGAIN. IF IT DOESN'T START ATE THE 10 MINUTE MARK WE HAVE TO WAIT ANOTHER 10 MINUTES. WE HAVE WAITED A 1/2 AN HOUR FOR IT TO START BEFORE. I HAVE NO TRUST IT WILL START AT ANY POINT. WE NEED TO WAIT THE 10 MINUTES NEARLY EVERYTIME FROM END OF NOV TO FEB. *TR

SATURN ION WILL NOT START. SPORADICALLY THE VEHICLE WILL NOT START. PROBLEM IS CAUSED BY ISSUE WITH IGNITION SWITCH PASSLOCK SYSTEM. AFTER WAITING A PERIOD OF TIME (10 MINUTES?) SYSTEM WILL START VEHICLE. HAS BEEN AN ON GOING ISSUE SINCE PURCHASING VEHICLE. *TR

MY SATURN ION 2004, BOUGHT SEPT. 2007 FROM CARMAX, FREQUENTLY DOES NOT START WHEN IT IS COLD OUTSIDE. FOR EXAMPLE, IT WAS ABOUT 33 DEGREES THIS MORNING AND EVEN WHEN I JUMPED IT, THE CAR WOULD NOT START. I HAD THE SAME PROBLEM LAST WINTER- MY FIRST WINTER HAVING THIS CAR. WHEN THE WEATHER IS WARM, I DO NOT HAVE ANY PROBLEMS WITH MY CAR STARTING. I HAVE HAD THE BATTERY CHECKED AND THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH IT BUT I AM GOING TO GET THE STARTER CHECKED TODAY. I HAVE BEEN READING ABOUT THIS PARTICULAR PROBLEM ON VARIOUS ONLINE FORUMS. APPARENTLY THERE ARE MANY OTHER PEOPLE WHO HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM BUT THERE HAS BEEN NO RECALL. AS AN EDUCATOR, I CANNOT AFFORD TO PAY FOR REPAIRS THAT ARE NOT GOING TO FIX THE PROBLEM, AS I HAVE READ PEOPLE ONLINE HAVE ALREADY DONE. I CANNOT AFFORD TO BUY...