Saturn Ion - Ignition Lock

Almost a year ago, the throttle body on my 2005 Saturn Ion became gummed up and I had to take it in for service. The throttle body was not a major fix but once my car was at the shop, it turns out a totally unrelated issue occurred as the ignition switch broke or the shop mechanic broke it and that needed to be replace before they were able to determine that the throttle body was only gummed up, a $50 fix but the ignition switch was $200 plus! And guess what is now acting up?

I can't get into the car and turn the ignition switch on the first turn 100% of the time. Mind you, there has been only one key on the key ring since the change last year, as to make sure there was no added stress on the ignition switch. I am going to have to take the car in again for the ignition switch because the problem is getting worse and worse. It seems only a matter of time before I won't be able to turn the ignition switch to start my car. There definitely seems to be a flaw in the ignition switch on the 2005 Saturn Ion. When will there be a recall to correct this and what do we do in the mean time? Keep paying $200 plus?

This ignition problem is obviously a manufacturer's defect, please help. I purchased this car for my daughter going to college. I do not have the money to fix a car that is falling apart at no fault to us.

Wow, I must not get out much. I had no idea that "every" other Saturn owner was experiencing the same ignition switch problem! What the ****! Mine was replaced by a Saturn dealer a couple of years ago and now experiencing the same problem again. My windows no longer go down. My power steering is out. I think I purchased an overpriced, plastic "Barbie" car!

Have a 2006 Saturn Ion 3 with about 58K miles. Loaned it to father-in-law for the weekend. He calls to tell me he can't turn it off. Drives to GM dealer, who pulls fuse to turn off car. Two days later, I get the call that it will cost $600 to fix ignition. How do we get GM to own up to this obvious recall issue with the Saturn ignitions! Any lawyers out there?

For the second time in less than 4 months, my key has gotten stuck in the "on" position, and I have not been able to turn off my Saturn Ion 2006. The first time, I spent nearly $350.00, to have the entire ignition (numerous parts) replaced. This second time, the mechanic has had the car for two days, and is still trying to resolve the issue. The cost is yet to be determined. This is both unacceptable and dangerous. With Saturn out of business, someone needs to be held accountable, as I have read in this forum, numerous other complaints, either similar, or identical.

My 2006 Saturn Ion with only 43,500 miles on it would not start because of not being able to turn the key. I had to be towed to the GM dealer. They replaced the ignition housing and cylinder at the cost of $413.00. It's still acting up somewhat when I try to turn the key, it seem to stick somewhat. I just hope it keeps starting the car. After reading all the complaints about the same problem, I think it's about time there was a recall on this problem. I am going to call the consumer affairs department of Saturn at 1-800-553-6000, I found this number online. I hope everyone who reads this also calls this same number.

In June 2011, my 2007 Saturn Ion would not turn off. I took it into Firestone and it was the ignition lock cylinder. It was broken. Firestone replaced it for $222. I wrote GM and told them about this problem. I received a return call from them stating that since there was not a recall on this problem, there was nothing they could do. In December 2011, same issue, car would not turn off. Firestone replaced ignition lock cylinder again. I had to pay $7 for the new key. Cylinder lock under warranty.

Today, 1/18/2012, same problem, car would not turn off. I took it back to Firestone and they are at a loss for words. They told me they do not know what could be wrong. They said maybe the first two cylinder locks had manufacturing problems but they can't believe it would happen a third time. I went online and there are many complaints about Saturn ignition locks. Now that Saturn no longer exists, apparently GM will not take any responsibility. I have been very lucky that the three times this has happened, it has been during Firestone's business hours.

My 2003 Saturn Ion has developed the same ignition lock, and not starting problems, in the last 6 months.

I have a 2005 Saturn Ion. I have had the same problem with my car for over a year. I have not brought it in because I do not have the money to get it fixed then have the problem happened again. I am fed up with this car. I will be trying to call the dealership. There needs to be a recall on this problem!

Also just recently I have had problems with it shutting off. It did it twice to me in 1 day-- when I coasted to a safe spot, I put it in park, shut it off and it wouldn't start for at least 5 minutes. I am not sure what is going on. If anybody else has problems with this, can you please email me or something. We all need to do something about these problems we keep having.

**.com. I want to hear about similar problems.

Three months ago the key got stuck in ignition. The case around the cylinder broke and a part got stuck in the cylinder, resulting in $650 of repair. Yesterday, the key got stuck again. Now a tiny metal part that protects the tumbler springs broke. But since those parts were new, they were on warranty. The consequence is $650 of repair plus gas.

It's the same for me. I own a 2006 Saturn Ion where the ignition locked, and I couldn't stop my car. The only way to stop it was to "stall it". It was 11 pm. No garage is open at that time. I made a complaint to GM. They called me and said to go to a dealer to see if it's not related to the power steering because they have a recall on that and of course at my own expense. I already know that it's not so it's going to cost me over $100 just to confirm that "sorry, it's not related to that". They told me to "call us back if it's not and we'll see if we can help you." I'm a single mom, I don't have $600 to get my car fixed because after reading all the reviews, it seem to be a very expensive repair. So please go on GM/Saturn and make a complaint. Maybe they will make recalls about it if everyone makes them aware of the problems because at first I called a few dealers and they all seem to be very surprised at this problem. No one has ever heard about this kind of problem.

I have a 2005 Saturn Ion 3 that I bought new. It has been a great car. In April of 2011, I went to start my car and it would not start. I turned it off and tried to take the key out of the ignition and it would not move. It was stuck in the ignition and I could not get it to do anything. On January 4, 2012, I tried to start my car and it would not start.

On the first incident, I had it towed to Firestone who has done all the work on my Saturn 2005 Ion 3 since the warranty expired. The steering wheel column had to be removed to get the key out of the ignition and the battery was replaced. On the second incident, I had it towed again to Firestone. The mechanic was able to start it. He began to research problems with Saturns and found the ignition problem. He advised me to take it to Saturn for an ignition replacement.

I have a 2005 Saturn Ion Quad Coupe. I had issues off and on for a couple years from miles 50,000 - 90,000. Currently at 105,000 miles and the last 15,000 miles, the ignition stops at ACC and is locked every single time I turn off the car. I wait and hope every time that my key will come out, but held hostage by the lockout until a miracle occurs and the ignition releases the key without rhyme or reason. Sometimes this takes 1 - 10 minutes. Makes it difficult to valet or go anywhere with friends!

It looks like I am one of many who own a 2003 Saturn Ion where the ignition lock cylinder locks up & can't remove key. It happens many times, twice this week. I went to the auto store & got a new cylinder. I tried to put in it, but now the key goes in & out easily but the whole cylinder will not turn at all, so the car cant be started! I'm going to have to tear apart the steering column maybe. I don't want to have to buy another new part costing $84+ tax especially since the new parts probably are defective also. It does absolutely no good to buy the new part & it doesn't work when you install it.

Since now the cylinder is completely stuck & doesn't move at all, I can't even use the car! I have to carpool my wife to her job etc, and can't afford to buy another car. Since Saturn & GM knows about all the Saturn owners having this same problem, there needs to be a major recall and a class action suit to repay all the owners for the expenses they incur because Saturn/GM stopped making new cars, and the local GM mechanics, etc. just throw up their hands and say 'sorry'! This is a consumer nightmare.

I have 07 Ion with 30000 miles. Also, I am a mechanic for last five years. I had the ignition lock problem last night when I got home. It seems to be a recurring problem and needs to be addressed by GM. This is a costly problem for most and could result in a bigger issue such as theft. Do not hesitate to call your local dealership and raise hell!

I have a 2003 Saturn Ion and just spent $649 to have the ignition switch replaced. The light would constantly come on and the key would get stuck and it would lock up on me. This has been going on for about 2 years. It stopped for about a year and then about 2 weeks ago it started up again. When I took it in for repair, I had to go to the dealer. I found out this happens to most Ions. This is unacceptable. And he said he would not be surprised if I am back in 6 months. What can be done if anything? This just does not seem right, other than selling my car. But I cannot afford a new one. Please help!

My wife got a 2003 Ion 2. It is automatic transmission but no power. The ignition key would not turn all the way off, many times. We tried all the items in sequence, different ways (i.e. emergency brake, transmission in park, seatbelt on/off, you name it. Sometimes it would turn off and come out, but mostly not. I found in the manual I could press the "electronic park actuator plunger" button under the steering wheel, and then the key would turn back to off and, removal could occur. This is in the "features and controls" section of my manual page 95.

It must mean the "park" position of the transmission lever is not making contact with another switch? Another person here said this same thing; "Emergency release of key: remove a small round plastic plug on the underside of the steering column housing, just right off the center. Using a finger, find a metal contact inside and above the plug, that when pressed to the left, will release the key for removal. This is done every time I leave the car, and obviously keeps me from loaning my car to anyone". It has caused a lot of trouble.

My fiance has a 2002 Saturn SC2 with low mileage (43,891). I just went outside to check the mileage in order to submit this complaint like so many others and now the key will not come out. The motor turns off but will not release the key. Here is the real safety issue. I can pull the shifter from park through all of the gears without stepping on the brake petal! The car is parked on a hill and anyone can pull the shifter and let it roll down the hill! The problem has just recently started to exist since the temperature has gone below about 40 degrees. The car was in like "showroom" condition when purchased about 3 years ago.

Well, I had my car repaired at my expense, but after submitting a complaint, I was able to get them to offer me a refund of at least something and give me an extended warranty. I urge everyone with with any kind of car problems to contact GM/Saturn and make the problem known. Maybe there will be more recalls if everyone makes them aware of the problems.

I tried to go to our 9 pm service Christmas eve but could not get my Saturn Ion 2006 to start, or even to turn the key. This is the fourth time this has happened. I have replaced the battery and gone to a mechanic three times and am now stuck.

Last night after stopping at a local store, I attempted to turn my 2006 Saturn Ion off. The key would not move backwards and therefore, I could not remove it from the ignition slot. Obviously, I was unable to turn the car off. Since it was about 6:30 when this happened, I tried a couple of auto parts stores, but they found the problem strange. Finally, I drove it to a certified dealership for them to keep overnight. Today I found out that the key, cylinder, and housing would need to be replaced for $650.00! I am the only one earning money for my kids and myself. The consequence is that I do not feel I can afford a new car, so I am stuck paying for a problem that perhaps should be officially recalled. I can tell from this website that I am not the only one with the problem.

I own a 2007 Saturn Ion that I purchased new. It has 48,000 miles on it. I went to work one day and my car wouldn't turn off and the key wouldn't come out. I drove it to my mechanic who had never heard of the problem. He had to replace the ignition, cylinder, and housing for $450. I called the place I bought the car and they quoted a price of $1,100 - $1,300. He also said that with their experience with this problem sometimes they only had to replace two of the parts and might be able to do it for $600. Obviously, it had happened a lot. I would like to know what it takes to get a recall or reimbursement. If anybody has any suggestions, I would love to hear them. I don't know what to do to start a class action suit. I also had to replace my radiator in June because Saturn doesn't put a guard under it to stop the rocks from hitting it. It took $550 to replace it.

Key would not come out of the ignition. Could not shut car off and ran into the same issue. When I spoke with GM, they had never heard of this problem. After giving them my VIN #, I was told there were 2 to 3 recalls for my car but nothing for the ignition problem. The person from GM then got a GM dealer from Austin on the phone with me who proceeded to tell me if I bring it in for $115 they will hook it up to figure out what was wrong. I have got an estimate for approx $400 to fix it. I was told the ignition was about $60 but if the housing is bad that adds another $160, $50 for a new key and programming. Besides the fact that they have to be replaced with the same defective GM parts and that it can happen again at any time.

On December 13, 2011, I went to church at 6:15PM and my 2006 Saturn Ion would not turn off. I started freaking out. I called the local GM dealership but they closed at 6PM. I then left the church parking lot and went to my neighbor's house because he is a mechanic. He told me to pull the fuse to the injectors and disconnect the battery when I got home then bring it to the dealership in the morning. I brought my car to the dealership this morning and I am waiting on answers.

My 2004 Ion has major issues with the ignition system, even a junk yard part costs 250-300 dollars, and I have to put it in. This is a known manufacturer's problem that has not been recalled by GM.

I am never going to buy another GM product and I will spend my hard-earned money on a Ford vehicle. I would like to sue GM Corporation for not doing the right thing and repairing/fixing this known manufacturer's problem. I, however, have limited funds to do so. I am a firm believer in "what goes around, comes around."

I have a 2006 Saturn ION with only 60K miles and it has been in the shop for manufacturer defects 3 times already. I paid 200 for the ignition lock in May since the key will get stuck and I could not turn car off. I am a single parent with kids and it was scary when your car is stuck. I also paid $300 for a new camshaft actuator and selenoid. Now in December another valve malfunctioned and I called customer service and they gave me the run-around.

I dealt with a district specialist named Vince and one named Drew and they both laughed at me and told me I am out of warranty since it's past the 5 year mark and there is nothing they can do even though the dealer told them on the phone that it's a manufacturer defect. I was told by Drew from Saturn, "Sorry, these things happen" They had promised to give me at least a 10% discount and the dealership told me that they had no documentation. They never returned my calls. I have paid over $1000 out of my pocket for manufacturer defects and this car only has 60k. It keeps failingvalve, keys, fuel pump. Help.

I had the ignition replaced in May, 2011. Now that the weather is getting cold, my car has refused to start twice. This is more of a safety issue than not being able to get the key out of the ignition. When is the government going to step in? I haven't taken it to the dealership, but I am expecting a grand run-around while they try to bully me into paying for something they've known is a problem.

The ignition switch I can put the key fine on it, but when it comes to take it, it gets stuck. I'm just frustrated with it. It's just so ridiculous that i have to sit in the car and wait until I heard a clicking sound on the steer wheel column. And now with the winter, if the temperature is low like approximately 20s degrees Fahrenheit, the car won't start at all. I believe myself the company should take the action and responsibility over this. About most of the people who owns a Saturn got the same issues.

I just had an experience where I could not turn the key backward to turn off. It was a very scary situation. I had to find someone to show me how to pull a fuse and then disconnect the ground cable to the battery so as not to run the battery down. The key is left in the on position. It looks like many people are dealing with this and I was told that this is a Saturn/GM issue. Has anyone found recourse to correct this very common occurrence with these vehicles?

Same as all of the rest. Key will not come out of the ignition. I had to stall the car to kill the engine and unplug a harness to kill elec. I would love to talk to a lawyer if they don't take care of this issue with a recall. I have not taken it in yet. I will not pay for a problem they made. I have removed the plastic under the steering wheel; only 1/2 would come off due to my key being stuck in the ignition. I unhooked the green harness this way. I can still use the car. I risk it being stolen with the key stuck in the ignition, but that would be a gift from God.

I have a 2004 Saturn ion and have trouble getting my keys out of my car. Sometimes, I have to sit there for more than 5 minutes fiddling with the key and the shifter so it registers that the car is parked. I also have a difficult time getting the car to start, especially when the temperature gets below 40 degrees. The battery has been checked multiple times but does not seem to be the issue.

I am at a complete loss with my 2004 Saturn Ion. I am having issues with the ignition, check engine light, cooling system, and my power windows. I do not know what to say other than I am completely unsatisfied with it. I rid myself of the last vehicle due to the headaches with it and got myself into another costly disaster. I am a single mother of two, full-time student, and work full-time and it's draining my bank account every time I turn around.

We have had our 2005 Saturn Ion for three years. Nothing but problems! Two months into owning the car, I was leaving to take my daughter to school and the security light came on and would not let me start my car. It took ten minutes to start. I had the ignition replaced and only two months later, it happened again. I took it in again and they told me they didn't see any problems with it. I took it home and now, we have programmed ourselves to leave the house 10-15 minutes earlier to make sure the car will start. Right now, at this very moment, my car will not start. It has not started at all today, I tried numerous times but nothing.

When I turn the key, the security light flashes and the engine light comes on too. The dealership doesn't have any open appointments till Tuesday and now are down to one car. Starting tomorrow, I will get to wake my children up at 4am to take my husband to work in Roseville. Ridiculous! How can a dealership be able to stay in business selling faulty vehicles and never have to recall any of the major, not to mention, extremely dangerous problems? An attorney, class action lawsuit? Enough is enough. Maybe after that, then maybe GM will actually do their job and fix the problems that obviously exist.

Spring 2011, we bought a 2007 Saturn Ion2 from a local dealer. I noticed that there was a lot of complaints about the ignition switches. I asked the dealer about it, he said he "hasn't heard any of it". The car had 80,000 miles but was in excellent condition. The key switch did stick occasionally, we were told to get another key made. I told them if I have a problem with this, I expect them to fix it at their expense. All they said was, if it fails within the 30 day warranty they will replace it. The switch is now locked up. I get the bill. What crap. Saturn should be held liable for using known defective switches.

I am literally fed up with Saturn. I have been having all sorts of problems with this car, from the key being stuck in the ignition, to the car not starting anytime the temperature is below 50 degrees, to the car stopping in the middle of the traffic. I have notified Saturn and even payed them before they went out of business, to fix this problem and yet it still exist. I have contacted the BBB and was stated that nothing could be done because I was past the warranty and lemon laws for the state of TN.

Someone needs to help us. Within an hour, I have read about 20 complaints. Does it take that many complaints to get attention about these cars? This is horrible. I'm so upset with Saturn, GMC, and BBB, for not supporting their customers.

I have a 2004 Saturn ION and my key kept getting stuck in the ignition. One day, I came home and could not shut my car off. I was just getting home from taking my daughter to the doctor because of a temperature of 103 (plus it was also 90 outside) so instead of taking her in my house to let her rest, we went to the mechanic. Fortunately, I didn't take it to a Saturn dealership, where I would have been way over charged. I went to the local mechanic where I paid $300 to get the key out of the ignition and have a new ignition installed.

Obviously, this is not just a fluke and Saturn needs to pay for the repair. Now, neither of my windows will go up or down either; one stopped and then three months later, the other. I don't know why Saturn is not around anymore.

After having the car for less than a year, my key got stuck in my ignition. It took a mechanic to show me how to pull the plug on the ignition cylinder lock. Currently, I am homeless and my car is all I have. Obviously, if I cannot afford a roof over me or my children's head, I cannot afford to have this problem fixed by anybody! I am not the only one that has experienced this problem, and I feel like suing GM for making such a stupid piece of ** plastic car! Not only is the key stuck in my ignition, but the fuel line is just hanging underneath my car. The windows won't work sometimes, and the car sounds and shifts like an old manual 4-cylinder engine! Way to go Saturn on ** up a car so bad that GM didn't even want to continue the Saturn car models!

I have been battling the same issue with the ignition lock - I can't get the keys to come out immediately. I had the ignition lock cylinder and the ignition switch both replaced but still my keys are getting stuck in the ignition. This is making me so angry because I'm still making payments on a 2005 Saturn Ion where I've got an extreme case of anger developing because of the manufacturing malfunction.

I have a 2005 Saturn Ion 3. The key won't release from the ignition when I shut the motor off. I have to sit in the car and keep trying to remove it, or wait a few minutes until I hear a thud in the column before it will release. I had a 1993 Saturn, and it had the same key release problem. Saturn should have found a remedy or upgrade to this problem by now.

For the past 12 months I have been experiencing some starting problem with my 2005 Saturn Ion. Sometimes, I put the key in the ignition and turn it and the car does not start. However, after taking the key out and waiting between 7 and 10 minutes and trying to start, it starts without any problem.

As mentioned, this problem has been going on for the past 12 months. So today, after reading some of the blogs and a posted phone number (**), I decided to call, the lady answering the phone was very polite and helpful. She called a buick dealership and got the service person on the phone. I asked this person if he had ever heard of this problem and he acknowledged that he did not. But after pressing further, he admitted that he had heard of this problem but need the car to further troubleshoot the problem and that they will charge a fee to do.

I'll wait and see what happens. I am not ready to contact an attorney yet.

My 2005 Saturn Ion with 12,000 miles has problems with the ignition switch that will not turn off. I had service on this problem three times. I never know when the key will stick and I cannot turn the motor off. I am 82 years old and do not want to buy a new vehicle. I do not want to pay $550 dollars to have it repaired for a manufacturer's defect.

It was the second time the key locked, and I was unable to remove it. The first time it happened at 9,000 miles; I was over one hour from home, and drove back home. I pulled the fuse, and it was towed to the dealer. It was under warranty, and the ignition replaced. The second time it happened it was at 37,000 miles. I was in the parking lot for doctor's appointment when it happened. I missed the appointment. I drove to the dealer, and they replaced the ignition. I paid for labor only, but am going to ask GM to pay for that too. It was very stressful and scary. The comments are that this is a defective part.

I own a 2005 Saturn Ion. I love this car but the ignition lock issue is a big concern. I have been battling this ignition lock for years. I took it twice to the Saturn dealer in 2007. They first said it was the ignition cylinder and then they said it was the ignition switch. It was neither. Fortunately, my warranty covered the service. There is a sensor in the shifter that indicates that the car is in park. Through my trials and errors, if you are parked on a flat angle, inclined or declined, the shifter is not allowed to engage fully into the park position and your key will remain locked up.

A huge pain and I have sent my complaint to the FTC but have not heard anything. Don't bother taking it in anymore. Start the vehicle, shift it out of gear and put it back in park. Shut off the vehicle or move the car to a different parking spot (flat, inclined or declined). To know if it's engaged or not, you will hear a clicking sound coming from the steering column once you have pressed the brake and put it into park. What a pain and a serious hazard!

My 2005 Saturn ignition switch will not release, leaving the key unable to be removed and unable to restart the car. This is a failure of the security system that is designed to delay the key release for 20 seconds. The timing is off. It may take minutes or never!

Emergency release of key: Remove a small round plastic plug on the underside of the steering column housing, just right off the center. Using a finger, find a metal contact inside and above the plug, that when pressed to the left, will release the key for removal. This is done every time I leave the car, and obviously keeps me from loaning my car to anyone!

This is an obvious part failure by Saturn, and needs to be addressed by GM. Do we have enough angry Saturn owners with malfunctioning ignition switches to initiate a class action?

Like everyone else, my key got stuck in the ignition and would not turn off. I had to unplug the battery and take the fuse out to get my car off. I would also like to be involved in a class action suit against GM because I don't believe that we should be responsible for their faulty parts not working. I should not have to worry about if my car will turn off or not. That should be recalled and corrected.

For the 3rd time now, my '06 Saturn Ion will not allow me to turn the key past "on" to attempt shutting off the car. I had a mechanic friend "fix" the problem the first time by removing the ignition lock and realigning the solenoid. When it happened again, he replaced the tumbler. Now that it has occurred a third time, within 2 years of owning the vehicle, I am furious.

The key stuck in the ignition. It cost over $400 to get it fixed. This should be a recall. I contacted the manufacturer and they have never responded. Currently, the car is in the shop because it is shifting as if it is manual transmission, when it is an automatic. Then, it just quit working totally. The 2007 Saturn Ion was purchased in 2007.

Last year, my key got stuck in the ignition and I paid $800.00 dollars to have a new ignition in Aug 2010. Now, I'm having the same problem again. I brought it to the dealer who said that there was no problem. They lubricated the ignition and the key came out.

Now, two weeks later, I'm encountering the same problem. I cannot believe that there is no recall on this. I refuse to keep paying for the same ** problem. Apparently, I was not the only consumer with this problem with the 2007 Saturn Ion. It was crazy and expensive to keep repairing it. The dealer informed me that the part has a one-year warranty. Either the U.S. makes crappy parts or there is a major issue with this.

I have a 05 Saturn with 45,000 miles. When the ignition key is turned off, it cannot be removed nor can I restart the car. It appears to be a failure of the security lock system installed on the 05 car.

Check your auto manual. The key is supposed to release after about twenty seconds.

I have a 2003 Saturn Ion. This is the second time that the ignition has locked. I got the car in 2007 and in 2009, it locked. It was still under warranty so I took it in and had to pay $50 for them to look at it. They replaced the ignition and the cylinder. It is now 2011 and I am having the same problem. I just got it replaced last week for $175. My car is no longer under warranty so I had to pay out of pocket, not to mention that I no longer have a job and I am still making payments. After getting it fixed last week, it started getting stuck again today. I will be filing a complaint and will be calling Saturn tomorrow. I hate this car now and I will never get a Saturn or GM ever again!

About 6 months ago, my key would not turn all the way to the off position and slide out. The mechanic stated that it was the shift solenoid and ignition. Now 6 months later, my car wont turn off. I would put it in park and try to turn the key to the off position but the key would not budge. I have to disconnect the ignition fuse to turn the ignition off and then disconnect the battery cable so the battery won't die.

I bought my wife a brand new 2007 Saturn Ion. I have had it back in dealer service 4 times, with no solution to key getting stuck in the ignition. I have finally given up. I will have to sit in the car for up to 10 minutes until the car decides to release the key, as if it has a mind of its own! Very frustrating!

Key was stuck, it won't turn to full off. I can't get power to fully turn it off.

My mother purchased a 2007 Ion and has had problems with the ignition --trying to get the key out of it! She took it to the GM dealer and they said nothing was wrong. She has 3,500 miles only on it and it is not covered under warranty now because of the years. Still, the problem is going on. GM should be made responsible for the repairs! What can be done?

They said it was the key; the tumblers were bad, and they re-keyed it. The Saturn still locks up, and cannot get the key out. Another problem is it would not steer the other day. I waited for a while then it steered just fine, and drove home. How do we get a recall on this issue? You buy a car and pay a lot of money, and then it has no reliability. I am concerned about going anywhere using a car that will just get me stranded.

I went out of town in my 2006 Saturn Ion. While I was there, I could not turn the ignition off on my car. The key was stuck and would not turn back so I could turn the car off. Thank God, I had a spare key in my purse and was able to lock the car and leave it running. I had a few things to do in town, so my car was on for 6 hours or more. I just had to make sure that I had enough gas in it. I just found out that it's going to cost me $300 to have this problem fixed.

Same as most of you, my key got stuck in the "on" position, and would not come out. We asked a mechanic friend who said: Disconnect the ignition fuse (it's a tiny red fuse marked #10); if you are going to be out of your car for very long, go ahead and disconnect the battery as well. We've been driving our car like this for 2 months now, as we cannot afford a new ignition. This will get really inconvenient during rainy season. Please, Saturn...someone, anyone....Recall this so we can all get our cars fixed and get on with it! Please!

I am very disappointed that Saturn had not addressed my ignition/steering column problem. Yesterday, I got home from work and parked my Saturn, in the garage, only to discover that I could not turn it off and the key was locked in the ignition. Fortunately, it was early enough to get it to a garage, before they closed for the day.

Unfortunately, they have to take the whole steering column apart to get the key out. They plugged the button near the ignition, and did not release it. I would certainly like to see a class action law suit filed, against GM for not resolving this problem, as it seems to have been reported with IONS, for the last 7 years or so, as far as I can see. I just got the loan paid off, so the timing for the car to fall apart is coincidental.

This is the second time my ignition switch has locked up. I own a 2007 Saturn Ion Quad Coupe Manual and have almost paid off the darn thing. I have friends who can replace it just for cost of parts and a case of beer but this is ridiculous. Class action suit would be great for all the time and money spent on one part that is obviously faulty. I'm willing to do anything to get Saturn/GM to become responsible for their faulty ignition scheme.

2006 Saturn Ion got to work and could not shut my car off. I work at a jail so I could not go in and go on the internet to find the closest Saturn dealer, which I find out later is an hour away in Stockton. I took it to the first auto repair I found and it cost almost $700.00 to get it fixed. I am submitting my bill to Saturn, with a formal complaint to get this reimbursed. I see lots and lots of this happening and it should be a recall.

The 2006 Saturn Ion key gets stuck in the ignition. It will come out while in ACC position, but the key won't turn all the way back to off. I had no idea that this was a common problem. I am the only owner of this car. It now has 100,000 miles.

My wife was unable to turn off the engine on her 2006 Ion. The key was stuck in the ignition in the on position. She had to take time off work to take it to a mechanic. I'm surprised to see that this is such a widespread problem and there has been no recall. I will probably never buy another GM vehicle.

I have a 2005 Saturn; the ignition will not shut off. I have read all the other reports on here, and feel something should be done about this on going problem. My wife called me at work telling me that she could not turn the key to shut the car off. I had to call a friend; have him come over and pull the fuse, and disconnect the battery. Now we are short one car until I can fix this.

I bought my 2006 Saturn Ion with only 30,000 or so miles around this time last year. This past winter, it was constantly "not turning on". It would take me about 50+ tries in order for it to start. I took it to several trusted mechanics who couldn't find any problem at all. Now as I am waiting for a potential employer to call me back about a job, I have no vehicle. My transmission just stopped working! The gears change perfectly fine but drive, neutral, and first and second just don't do anything at all. But reverse works perfectly well.

The ignition problem is continuing with more problems than GM knows. There should be a recall because it is an ongoing problem with the 07 Ions. I just paid $400 for the repairs on my 07 for the ignition replacement and GM should be footing the bill.

It is happening all too often and most people will not report it.

I purchased an almost new 2008 Saturn Ion. Immediately I experienced mechanical problems. After taking it to the dealership, I found that the key was stuck and the engine wouldn't shut off. In the end, I would need to replace the ignition, the ignition module, etc. to the tune of over $800.

I had paid almost $10,000 into payments and haven't been able to drive the car for over two years. It just sits collecting dust.

My 2006 Saturn Ion would not turn off and the key was locked in the ignition. I am a nursing student and I missed a very important meeting due to this issue.

I drove to a Firestone and he said that he has fixed at least 50 Saturn Ions with this same issue this year. He also said due to Saturn parts being in an unorganized warehouse, it would take at least five to 10 business days until he would be able to receive the part. So I could be out of a car for possibly two weeks. And it will cost around $600 for repair and labor. I will also have to pay for a rental during this time!

Saturn and General Motors need to be held accountable if so many consumers are having the same issue! The key of my 2007 Saturn got locked in the "on" position and couldn't turn "off". I know other Saturn owners who have had the same problem; I found numerous complaints on the Internet.

I bought a brand new 2006 Saturn ION. Yesterday, the key decided to get stuck in the ignition. I couldn't twist it out so I eventually ended up yanking it out. I had to disconnect the battery so it wouldn't deplete as well.

The key of my 2007 Saturn got locked in the "on" position and couldn't turn "off." I know other Saturn owners who have had the same problem; I found numerous complaints on the Internet.

When I got home in my 2007 Saturn Ion, I couldn't turn the ignition off. I had to pull the ignition fuse to turn the engine off and disconnect the battery cable. After browsing the Internet, this seems to be a common problem which Saturn has not addressed.

I own a 2006 Saturn Ion 2, original owner. I will say I did not have any major issues with my car until I got home, tried to turn off my car when the ignition would not turn leaving the car running. After several attempts, the key just came out with the ignition still running.

I realized nothing would work, so I stalled the car, unplugged the battery and had it towed to a Saturn dealership. They "supposedly" replaced my ignition for $480 plus $140 for the tow. They said it's been a common problem with this year, make, model and mileage but they haven't recalled it yet.

I truly hope that if enough people complain about it, they will issue the recall and we can all get reimbursed for our hard-earned money.

The timing chain in my 2003 Saturn Ion snapped. It is a problem I noticed that was fairly common in these vehicles. My car showed no signs of having an issue, and then just shut off on the highway.

I have a 2007 Saturn Ion. Last year, during summer, I got in the car to go to work and my key would not turn in the ignition. So, I missed work, had to get a tow, and had to have the ignition lock/cylinder replaced on my car (that I am still making payments on). Now, a year later, my key keeps getting stuck when I try to turn the car off.

I've owned my Saturn Ion for 6 years. About 2.5 years ago I discovered that my key would get stuck in the ignition of the vehicle after turning the car off. The engine shuts off, but the power (lights and radio) remains on. I called Saturn and they told me to bring it in. At this time, I had driven about 58000 miles and was still under waranty. They acknowledged the issue (in writing) and said the entire ignition piece of the car had to be replaced. They also said they would have to order the parts. I took my car back while they ordered the parts. After about a month, I called asking when the part would be in because I hadn't heard anything. They told me "Oh, the part came in yesterday. You can bring the car back and we'll fix it." I brought the car back and since I was now over 60000 miles, they said I was no longer under warranty, and the job would cost more than $500. I argued that they documented the issue while I was still under warranty with no success.

The Saturn mechanic said I should have called for the part sooner, and that "if I had ordered a pizza and it was not delivered in an hour, would I not call before a month had gone by to check on it?" I told him he was full of it since he told me the part had "just come in yesterday". He then told me that I should have stopped driving the car to keep the milage under 60000. I told him it was my only car to which he responded "I would have paid to rent a car rather than pay $500 to have my car fixed." I told him had I known his willingness to pay, I would have called him and allowed him to rent one and pay the bill for me. Needless to say, I refused to pay for the work, and never got my car fixed. I took the complaint to corporate only to have the complaint "closed out" with no solution and no notification. I opened another one, and yet again got no solution. Eventually (after about a year of argument), they told me they would perform the job for $100 plus parts. I told them that Saturn would never get another dime of my money and did not take them up on their so-called "offer".

On 2007, Saturn Ion key got stuck in ignition and it will not come out. There are far too many complaints about this on the web to be a coincidence. There was nothing that would kill the ignition. Even disconnecting the battery does not kill the engine. That's a first. I have to pull out the fuel switch five hours later.

Wow, what if I were stuck in the middle of nowhere with a running car? How unsafe is that?

Saturn needs to make a recall on 2006 model of ION. My car keys normally gets stuck in the key ignition yet I have only owned my vehicle for a year. I can't believe this has gone out. I have reviewed comments about other owners of the same vehicle of the same year with the same problems which I think is a dealer issue. They have to recall these vehicles for these problems. I don't feel that the owner should be putting their hard-earned money in something that has factory defects. They need to be recalled. It is not very safe when you are unable to turn off your vehicle.

After having our Saturn Ion for nearly seven years, my wife drove the car to worship this morning with no problems. At 11:30 this morning she left to take our oldest child to church camp in Syracuse, Indiana and when she went to turn off the vehicle she found that it was a useless effort. The key was stuck in the ignition!

I have a 2006 Ion 3, last year at a doctor's appt the key got stuck in the ignition while the car was running and I could not get it out. I am a disabled grandmother of 2 young grandchildren and luckily they were not with me when this very frightening mechicanical break down occurred. I called On Star, they sent a tow truck and the driver was able to pull the fuse to the engine to shut off the car. The vehicle was still under the warranty and it cost me $100 for the deductable, but there is no price amount for how I felt going thru this experience in the parking lot and missing a very important appointment.

metal flakes, he said each time the key goes in the ignition peices of the key metal goes into the assembly.

Thank you so much for your posting of the plunger piece that I can push myself to release the key. I feel a great relief knowing that I am safer driving knowing this information.

I think it's terrible that Saturn allowed this very unsafe problem to go on.

I have a 2006 Saturn Ion 3. 2 weeks ago, I stopped to do some shopping and could not shut off the engine because I could not turn the key in the ignition. I had to disable the engine and have the car towed to the repair shop. Now it has happened again and I will have to have the car taken back to the shop and worked on for the same problem.

I have a 2003 Saturn Ion, a couple of days ago I drove by to check my mailbox and when I got back in my car found to my dismay, the key wouldn't turn in the ignition! Tried everything i could think of, turning the steering wheel, jiggle the key, tap the key, screaming and yelling... NOTHING! So one $34 parking ticket, 72 hour to tow notice, $26 new key from dealer, $55 tow to service shop, I am told the ignition cylinder and housing need to be replaced and the low, low price of $609!!! I was curious to find out if this was an average cost or if some shopping around was needed. I was quite shocked to find out SO MANY complaints about Ion ignition problems!

My problem was the key not turning & told a new cylinder, housing, and re-keying of my car is needed. I am terrified to spend this money for parts that seem faulty! Most complaints seem to be about the key getting stuck & not being able to turn the car off!!! This is what I have to look forward to?! Who can/will guarantee this won't happen to me? Who will be responsible for my safety & piece of mind? Let alone the damage to my checkbook?! I am appalled at the amount of complaints I have encountered & can't believe nothing is being done about it!! I need my car & will have to eat the cost & hope for the best. I can assure you, if I am the "victim" of faulty parts, you will hear from me again!

My 2007 Saturn Ion would not turn off and I could not get my key out of the ignition. I called AAA and when they came to my house, they said they couldn't disable my car and I would need to take it into a shop. It was after 5:30 pm and I eventually had my fianc disable my battery to get my car to shut down. The next day I had AAA tow my car to Subaru of Dayton.

My final bill was $598.18 to replace ignition cylinder. After looking online, I have seen numerous consumers that have encountered the same issue with no apparent recalls from Saturn. I am very troubled by this obvious defect in the car and I would most certainly be hiring an attorney had I crashed as a result of this problem. I am planning to pursue this further with other agencies as well.

I am reposting a comment from someone else since I met with wild success this morning following her advice:

"I visited this site a few days ago searching for answers to my dilemma of being unable to remove my key from the ignition of my 2005 Saturn Ion. My battery was dead, the electric trunk release button was inoperable, and the key to open the trunk where the battery is located was hopelessly stuck in the ignition. Reading through the feedback of others with this similar problem of the key not turning enough to remove from the ignition and the money spent on locksmiths and mechanics. Well, I went out to look a little more into my problem. I discovered a small removable panel that is located right underneath the ignition which I popped off. There I got a flashlight and looked up inside and saw assorted wiring along with a small white button (more over to the left side of the opening) that when pushed in to the right, as it is installed sideways rather than up & down, releases the key automatically. I feel this need to be addressed as I feel that many people are probably paying a lot of money out to locksmiths/mechanics that are simply pushing this button and then charging them for repairs that they really didn't do."

Thank you so much to the original poster of this comment. It cost me $500 for the same problem less than 6 months ago by a private mechanic. Since they showed us that the old ignition they removed, I don't think we were defrauded by them. It, however, had to be replaced once before by the Saturn dealership and because it was not under warranty at that point, cost me about $600. With the sleazy way, Saturn has handled this problem for so many complainants. I would not be at all surprised if at that time, I was defrauded. I'd be willing to bet that I probably was because Saturn would have to have known about this switch'!

That explains why, when I talked to Saturn this morning about the problem, before I fixed it in 10 seconds by myself, they insisted that I need take it to the dealership even though I told them that the parts/labor would be covered by my warranty from the other shop that did the work 6 months ago. The Saturn representative told me to take it to the Saturn dealership and pay $135 for diagnostic fee' and if they determined that it was Saturn's fault, they would reimburse me the fee and fix the car! I would love to get involved in a class action lawsuit because so many people have been out so much money by something that is basically, Saturn's fault!

In June of 2010, the ignition key in my 2007 Saturn Ion became stuck in the "on" position and I had to stall the car by popping the clutch. I had the vehicle towed to a GM dealer outside of Richmond and was told that I had too many keys on my key ring and that it put too great a strain on the ignition switch. The new ignition cost me $430 and apparently had nothing to do with my keyring.

Well, boy oh boy by the amount of complaints about the Saturn Ion ignitions & keys begin stuck, I'm not surprised that today it happened to me. I have a 2006 Ion 69,000 miles. Great car so far but came home and put it in park and slow and behold, my key wouldn't come out! Never seen anything like it ever. Had to take it to repair shop and they pulled the fuel pump fuse so the car wouldn't stay running. It of course had to occur after work and couldn't get a rental car, so I'm missing a day of work unpaid! In my case. Such **!

I purchased a 2005 Saturn Ion from their GM Saturn Dealership and have found it has a defective ignition lock. I noticed small problems in getting my key out of the ignition. When placing the vehicle in parking, turning the key to turn the car off and removing the key from the ignition have become a significant problem. After 50,000 miles, it started to occur more frequently. Now out of 10 attempts to take the key, if I can turn the car off, 5 times it will not release the key.

I have been living with the problem of the key not turning off far enough to be removed for a couple of years by pushing in the plunger in the steering column. They knew about this problem. Rather than fix it, they put a note in the manual about how to work around it temporarily. My Ion is a 2003 model. From what I've read here, the '06 and '07 models are the same. So they obviously made zero effort to address the problem.

Now I am having more and more trouble with the key, which refuses to turn from the off position when I try to start the car. The position of that little plunger seems to be irrelevant to this new problem and I am sure that I am going to be stranded somewhere with no way to start my car. I will also never buy another GM. Ever!

Unbelievable. I've had my Saturn Ion for 5 years. I'm about to be done paying it off and the ignition switch is locking, and I can't turn the car off. This is the 2nd time in two months time frame that this has happened. I'm appalled that this was never recalled. I'm even more upset that it has apparently happened to Every Ion Owner! Why wasn't this recalled? I cannot believe that I thought I would drive this car over 100,000 miles. I am so let down. GM, you are awful, but you did the right thing to close Saturn down.

My ignition turns off, but the key only goes half way back to ACC position. Then it takes from 10 seconds to 5 minutes before the key goes back, enough to come out. My engine does shut off. I did change the ignition and there is no real fix. If it helps anyone else. under the steering column there is a square plastic piece that can be pulled off.

Up inside the hole is a little plunger that you push toward the driver's door. That plunger will release the key all the way off. It may shut off the engine for people with the engine running problem. The manual tells of this plunger in it also. To fix it easily, take the screws off the steering column and wire or tape the plunger down permanently and the key will turn off every time. This is going to work as long as the plunger is in. Good luck!

I own a 2007 Saturn Ion 2 with just over 24,000 miles on it. And just my luck, my warranty expired 200 miles ago. The key won't come out when the vehicle is put in park and shut off. I see i am not the only one with this problem. I can't believe this wouldn't fall into a recall status. Luckily in the owners manual, I was able to read by popping a piece of plastic from under the the steering column and pushing on a plunger. This disengaged the key from the ignition.

From the hundreds if not thousands of other exact problem I see, this is a costly fix and even when repaired, this doesn't guarantee the problem won't happen again (which is why this should be a "recall"). Tomorrow after work I plan on contacting the Saturn dealership. If they are willing to replace the ignition parts and labor "no charge" I guess I can go on and continue my otherwise proud status of owning a Saturn. This is my second Saturn and I was extremely happy with my first. Still though, even this best scenario I'm stuck driving and sitting at the dealership while the problem is fixed. I will come back and post how this situation is handled.

I have a 2006 Saturn Ion and my car got stuck to the running position. I was told it would cost $400 so I found someone to fix it for me for $90 so when I went to get my car yesterday, he told me my wheel bearing was going out on the driver side. I only have 64,000 miles on the car.

18 months ago, I pulled my car into my mechanics garage because I was having problems with my key not coming out of the ignition switch after the car was off. When I attempted to shut off my car it would not turn off (luckily I was at my mechanics). After several hours and $600, I was on my way and trying to figure out what had happened. My car is only a 2005.

Well, as I sit here tonight I am currently waiting for my Saturn Ion to be returned to me after the third ignition switch is put in, costing about $700 this time. Thank you Saturn. No wonder you guys are going out of business. And also both of my front windows have fallen in, the electric motors to both windows have went out. I will never buy another Saturn or GM vehicle again.

When my driver side window fell in, my car was rained in before I knew the window was broken. When my passenger side window fell in my 10 year old and I had to drive to the dealership in 35 degree weather, because they would not tow it, I have had to sit in the car for several hours waiting to figure out how to shut it off so no one would would steal it. Besides routine upkeep. ( which has been done faithfully) I have spent over $3000 on repairs that I should not have to had done, due to this car being poorly made.

This past Friday September 3, 2010, the key in the ignition of my 2006 Saturn Ion got stuck in the on position and I was unable to turn off my car with the key! Luckily I have a manual transmission and at least could stall the car to kill the engine. I took the car to the GM service department (GM now services Saturns) to have it fixed, which they of course had to disconnect the battery so my battery wouldn't die while it sat and waited to be worked on.

After a few days, I was quoted $430 for the replacement of my steering wheel housing, key cylinder and labor. I previously researched this problem online and was horrified at how common it was for Saturn Ions! This is a terrible safety hazard and is not a normal maintenance issue! I complained to Saturn about it since there was no recall on this problem. They claimed they would not reimburse me since my car was no longer under warranty and there have been no recalls.

I would like to put together a class action law suit against Saturn for this problem because it is a very common occurrence for Saturn Ion owners and Saturn has not taken any responsibility for it. If you have had this problem, I implore you to make a complaint to Saturn so they can document the number of occurrences. But also help me to sign a class action law suit! This is ridiculous!

On a Tuesday afternoon, right after the Labor Day holiday weekend, my 2007 Saturn Ion would not turn off. The key was stuck in the ignition. I went to a local car repair shop near my job, and they couldn't figure it out. I called my roadside assistance through GEICO. They told me that my insurance did not cover any ignition problems.

I called at least three different dealerships, and just stayed on hold. I got through to one guy who recommended that I use a hammer. I took it to a local place near my house, because I knew that it was a major issue, and that I would probably have to walk home. They have no idea what was wrong. But the gentleman called a friend at a Saturn dealership and asked if there were any recalls. He said no, but acknowledged that many people were having ignition problems. Finally, I took it to another car repair place, and it cost me $487. I needed a new ignition and housing unit. Saturn should be ashamed of themselves. They knew about this problem, and just brushed it under the rug. I guess someone has to die or be seriously injured before they will recall the parts. That's disgusting! Don't buy a Saturn Ion.

I drove to the mall. The car could not be shut off. The key stayed in start position and would not allow me to stop the engine. I returned home and attempted to get help in order to know what to do. I researched the owner's manual and other Saturn complaints. After much frustration, we were able to pull a fuse and remove battery cables. Now I must have it towed for service and repaired! It was Labor Day so no one was working to help me! I will have to take care of the problem tomorrow.

I drove my car to the store and when I got home, the key would not turn off and is stuck in the on position. The car would not cut off at all. I have called many dealerships and they say that they have never heard of this problem. I attempted to call Saturn and was told that they no longer exist. I cannot drive my car at all because it is still in the on position. I have lost my job because this is my only form of transportation and no one will touch it.

I could not turn the key off to remove the relay and disconnect the battery. I had to buy a new ignition cylinder which cost me $105.00. Then I had to get a used to steering column that cost me $96.00. All I want from GM is $111.00 for the parts.

When we could not turn off the ignition on our 2006 Saturn Ion today. I frantically looked to the internet for a solution. I was mortified to see how many people have had the very same problem, hundreds, if not thousands. By the time I called GM, I had read so many complaints about the same issue. I was livid! My hubby tried pushing the button on the bottom of the steering wheel, and got nothing. He disconnected the battery and pulled the fuse, thanks to those of you who shared your solutions.

We were supposed to be sending our daughter to college in five days with this car. Now, she will have no car and we will have to let it sit until we have the money to fix it. We will be selling this car as soon as it is fixed and will never buy GM again. I am sickened by the lack of responsibility taken by GM to remedy this problem. I will also be talking to an attorney tomorrow and referring him to this website in an effort to get a class action suit started against GM. Although, since GM is now run/owned by the government, aren't they protected against lawsuits? Hmm....

This past Friday, my ignition lock cylinder broke. I took it to a local GM dealership and they told me they would have to order the parts and could have it fixed Monday or Tuesday at the latest. When I was quoted an estimate, the repair without the housing would be around $300, with the housing it would be about $600. Then I'm also paying $50/day for a rental car. The GM employee who I talked to at the dealership informed me that this is a reoccurring problem with Saturns and I found this to be true after doing research online. When I called and complained about how they were going to charge me for a faulty part installed in the vehicle, I was transferred to GM's corporate office.

After sitting on the phone with them for an hour, on hold for the majority of that time, they informed me that they are not willing to help me. The list of reasons they gave me were the dealership isn't familiar with this vehicle, it is past warranty, GM would have to pay out of their own pocket for parts/labor, the service manager of the dealership isn't willing to help out, and it isn't a recalled item. The corporate employee told me to check out NHTSA and file a complaint there, which is exactly what I intend to do.

I have owned my Saturn for four years, have 62,000 miles. I do expect problems to start coming up and I do not complain about having to pay for normal wear and tear on my vehicle. However, when it's something that occurs "more than once a week", which is how often the employee of GM told me he saw this, I am going to point out that this is a problem that needs to be dealt with. All that Saturn owners can hope for is that somewhere down the line, NHTSA will see this is a real problem and recall the part. But right now we have to deal with GM employees who do not want to pay out of pocket for a defective part.

'06 Saturn Ion. Key stuck motor wont turn off. Second incident in two years. This seems to be a frequent problem with Saturn owners. I watched my personal mechanic handle the problem. Much of the panels of the dash must be removed to get to the ignition cylinder and automatic gear shift. There is a thin strip of aluminum (1/4x3/4 in) that retains the spring mechanism of the ignition key and tumblers on the ignition cylinder. This had been previously remedied by Saturn Service using superglue to retain the aluminum plate. Complaints of this problem found on the net indicate that customers have been charged several hundred dollars in addition to new parts and locksmith charges which are not necessary and which end up in recurring problems when fixed with superglue.

I bought a new 2007 Saturn Ion, the same day that my twin sister did, from the same dealer. Within 1 week (last week for me, the week before for my sister) we both had the same problem. The key was stuck in the ignition and it was in the upper 90's outside. My tank was low on gas, and I couldn't get the key out or the car to stop running. So I tried opening the hood of the car and finding the fuse to stop the car from running, but burnt my hand in the process. Then I called Roadside Assistance.

They sent someone to tow my car to the dealer. It needed a new ignition lock and housing. I complained to the manager that the same problem happened to my sister a week before with the same make and model Saturn that was purchased from the same dealer as me on the same day and that I felt this was a flaw with the materials and didn't think it was fair I had to pay. They said they could give me the parts for free, but not the labor. So, I still had to pay $340. I think this presents a safety issue.

I googled the problem and found it's a common one with Saturn Ions. It's a safety issue because people can end up stranded in extreme heat or extreme cold or extremely dangerous areas of town. What if my elderly grandmother had been in the car with me and had to wait outside in 99 degree weather because the key was stuck in the ignition? I feel as though there should be a recall and that I should get all my money back. I am in the middle of playing "phone tag" with Saturn (the corporation, not the dealer) to try to get reimbursed for the cost of labor for my vehicle. $340 and having to get rides to work for several days. Burnt hand from trying to pull the switch to shut off my car because it was in the upper 90's and almost out of gas. I couldn't fill it up with gas while it was still running (the key was stuck in the ignition with it on, so it was impossible for me to turn the car on).

My 2007 Saturn Ion with only 34,000 miles on it got the key stuck in the ignition and my car was stuck running. It wouldn't turn off. I had to have the ignition lock cylinder and housing replaced and get new keys. When I searched the internet I saw this was a common problem, yet there has not been a recall. There needs to be a recall! This is unsafe. The ignition should never break, let alone after 34,000 miles. Getting the ignition lock cylinder and housing replaced and getting new keys was over $600. The corporate office is supposed to send me a check for $230 to cover parts, but not labor. There needs to be a recall! This is unsafe. The ignition should never break, let alone after 34,000 miles.

I am the owner of a 2004 Ion Saturn. Approximately 6 months ago, my car started having problems with the ignition sticking when I would attempt to start my car. I would turn the steering wheel, which would either lock or allow me to start the car. Unfortunately, for approximately a month, this has not been the case. Instead, I have had to jiggle the gear shift, pray and try to turn the key. After several minutes it will turn. Today, I decided to call the GM dealer and ask what it would cost to diagnose the problem.

I was quoted a price of almost a hundred dollars. After speaking with the GM dealer, I consulted my owner's manual and on page 2-25 and 2-26 it addresses "Shift Lock Release" to be used in case of dead or low voltage battery. Some of the complaints seem to lead to the same area that the manual gives instructions on how to remove your keys from the ignition. It seems to me that the company designed the car knowing that these problems would happen. What I can not understand is how GM mechanics are being paid for repairs that never should have been.

To be honesty with you, I am reluctant to take my car to the dealership and become part of a continuous repair mill. I think that they should be investigated whether they knew that the car would fail after a certain amount of time. Before I purchased my Saturn I owned a Suzuki Swift, which one day would start but would not allow me to shift it into gear. My brother who owned a Tracker told me to look on the panel where the gear shift was located for a small panel. He instructed to me to remove the panel and use a screw drive to adjust the gear shift. I looked in the manual and it gave the exact instructions on how to adjust the gear shift. I never had the problem again! Could someone post if they are having similar problems? I would hate for this to happen to someone at night while they are alone. I have not incurred any expenses yet, but I am sure I will.

I have a 2005 Ion bought brand new. In December of 2007, I could not get the key out of the ignition. They replaced the switch, part# 10392423. I had a control assembly, (I could not get the key out of the ignition again) floor shift replaced on 6/25/10, part# 15793389. On August 07, 2010, (I could not get the key out of the ignition again, 3rd time in 3 years) had to take it to a GMC dealership, since Saturn dealership closed its doors.

I had to replace the ignition lock cylinder# 15785084. (I am reading all of this info off of my receipts) Ed Bozarth Chevy stated: found the key would not allow the vehicle to be turned off. I found that the ignition cylinder had come apart (same thing that happened in 2007) and I had it replaced. I am so grateful I extended the warranty. So I went to Saturn's website and saw, "Ask a Saturn question, get an answer ASAP." You have to pay for this if you accept the answer given to you. I did not accept, due to everything he told me, I had already new, because I went through it.

This is the sum of what I was told: "Recalls are normally only issued for safety concerns. Occasionally, a recall will be issued for customer satisfaction on a well-known problem. Since this is not a safety issue and Saturn is now out of business, there will likely be no recalls issued. The problem can be fixed, it is likely that it is just throwing parts at the car because they see the same issue all the time and 95% of the time those parts will fix the complaint. There is an underlying issue that will need to be addressed. This will require a little more digging and diagnosis on the part of the dealer." I hope I could help. Does anyone want to buy a 2005 Saturn with 30,000 miles?

Most of the time my key would not insert into the ignition, when it did, it would not turn It was just stuck in the Acc mode and it would not come out. Then of course my battery died, so AAA came and gave me a jump. I took it to the place where I bought my 2005 Saturn Ion with 46,000 on it and they said I had to take it to a Saturn dealership.

Well, Saturn tells me that the extra warranty I bought would not cover this problem, and that I would have to pay around $600.00 to get it fixed. I am a 77yr-old female and I care for another lady with her transportation. So I had to take what was left of my SS check and get this fixed. My concern is that my granddaughter has reviewed many complaints on the internet about this problem, so I wonder why has there not been a recall? Or at least a silent recall. This is horrible. What I had replaced was ignition lock, housing and cylinder.

I bought a used Saturn Ion in April 2010, 57,000 miles on it. The other day, my son-in-law took it to the store and couldn't get it to shut off. The key is stuck in the ignition and the car won't shut off. We have been shutting it off by pulling a fuse and disconnecting the battery. Today, I took it to a mechanic. I called a Saturn place in Cleveland and they said it would cost $500.00 to fix it! Hopefully, my mechanic can fix it for less. I have read on the computer that lots of owners have had this problem. Why haven't these cars been recalled?

About 4 yrs. ago, I started having problems with my key getting stuck in the ignition in the ACC position. Sometimes it would be for a few seconds and sometimes for a few minutes. And I would keep hearing this clicking noise in the steering column until it would finally release the key. One time, I got tired of waiting for the key to be released and went in the house with the intention of going back for the key later. Well, I forgot and the next morning, going crazy looking for my key, I remembered I left it stuck in the the ignition! The battery was dead! Now it is happening almost every time I turn off the car! I'm scared one day I will not be able to get it out at all!

When the problem first started, I took it to Saturn and they said that the remote start I had someone else (Not Saturn) but in the car was causing the problem. That it was like a virus to the car's computer system. They told me to have it removed, they did not put it in, they could not remove it. I could not find the person who put it in to take it out so I have been dealing with it.

We bought a used 2007 Saturn Ion in 2008. It had trouble with the ignition within the first week. The dealership gave us a new key. 1 1/2 yrs. later, the key continues to stick in the ignition. Thank God it has not been stuck in the running position. My 17-year-old daughter drives this car to YMCA camp in the mountains for work on the weekends. I really hope a recall is set up soon.

The ignition on this car is defective, so is the power steering, the radio, wheel bearings, fuel pump etc. The only way this car will be recalled is to complain. GM extended the warranty months back to cover the wheel bearings, if you have paid for them, file a complaint and demand reimbursement. I received a letter yesterday stating the power steering warranty has now been extended. If you are 10 years within the vehicle originally being serviced or under 100,000 miles, you would have only received the letter if you filed a complaint with them.

If you did not, call the 800# and file a complaint then call 800#, the # dedicated to the power steering reimbursements, the forms to be reimbursed if you already paid to have the repair is due by Aug 31, 2010! In addition, file a complaint with the NHTSA, this is the government entity that monitors defective parts and demands the manufacturers to recall them, you can file the complaint online. I am personally dedicated to spread the word because this vehicle should have been recalled a long time ago, it is flat out defective. Call and complain. It's the only way we can get a nationwide recall!

I just bought a used 2006 Saturn Ion from Carmax a few months ago. I was driving and once I parked, my car wouldn't turn off. The key was stuck in the ignition and could not be pulled out. I brought it to two places carX, and Midas, and they said they had never seen this before where the car wouldn't turn off. I noticed 50 pages of the same problem on this website! People need to call Saturn and complain because this is the only way it will be recalled. I spoke with Saturn today and this is what they told me.

I bought my 2005 Saturn Ion about 3 years ago and I have loved it everyday since. However, several months ago, my key started getting stuck in the ignition in the "ACC" position. It will be stuck there for anywhere from a few seconds to several minutes, all the while I can hear the ignition lock clicking inside. Initially it only did this on a rare occasion, however it has gradually increased in frequency so that now it happens nearly every single time I drive the car. There really doesn't seem to be a solution for this because after reading several pages of other people's identical complaints, even paying several hundred dollars to replace the ignition lock the problem still occurs. This is a very serious problem and I'm appalled that GM has not issued a recall for their defective part that has obviously negatively affected thousands of customers.

My key would not turn my car, sometimes it would work if I turned the steering wheel, other times it would not. I brought it to the GMC dealership and they replaced the ignition. $360 cost for the repair. A month later, my car would not shut off. I turned the key and it would not move. I called the dealership and was told to bring it in since the only way to shut it off was to disconnect the battery. 2 days later, they replaced the ignition housing for another $400. This is not an isolated problem. 90% of the 2004 and 2006 Ions have the same exact problem with the car not shutting off. This should be recalled since a person could get stuck in the middle of nowhere when the car would have to run out of gas to eventually stop. Anyone else have this problem please complain. The more complaints they get maybe a recall will be issued.

My 2007 Saturn Ion won't shut off and we can't remove the key. I will be on the way to the dealership shortly, but the first time it happened my son was told the entire service department had gone home early! While looking for "what to do" on the internet I saw many, many Ion owners have this problem but no solution. I have reported my Saturn to the National Safety Administration (NHSTA) and I hope the others do the same!

2005 Saturn Ion 2,68,000 miles. Black River Falls WI. Went to lunch and Saturn would not turn off and key would not come out. Drove to a GM dealership and service did not know what was wrong. I live an hour away so took it to where I bought the car and after the NEW key was made it did not help. Couple hours later I received the $475 bill. They are fixing it as we speak and sounds like GM will drop the ball on a recall according to all you others that are in my same position. $475 bill, 1/2 day of work and 2 trips for dropping off car and picking up.

I have a 2005 Saturn ION with the same issue as described by many owners on various websites and discussions, sometimes I cannot turn the key fully to get it out of the ignition. The engine will turn off but the key gets stuck in the on' or ACC' position and will not turn to off'. After jiggling and turning the engine on and off, sometimes jamming the gear shifter into park really hard, it eventually clicks' and allows the key to turn completely to off'. I checked with Saturn when it first started doing this several years ago and they told me they issued me a new key but it never fixed the problem. So I've been living with it since. The problem has become much more frequent and now I have found that many experiences the same issue but there doesn't seem to be a fix, never from Saturn and nothing now from GM. Any help in figuring out the issue and getting it repaired and paid for would be appreciated! Frustrating, time consuming, frequent issue with a car that is bought brand new in 2005.

Over the course of two months, I've had problems with my ignition column. I replaced the part on my own with advisement from the dealership parts rep. He walked me through the process via multiple phone conversations and was more than willing to help. I decided to do this since the dealership was going to charge me $450 to have it fixed. With my GM certified part newly installed, I was able to drive for approx. 3 weeks and then it happened again. I now am at the dealership's mercy. I had it towed and they used a center punch to fix the problem of the housing. That was a ninety dollar expense.

Third time...Here we go again. My car will not turn off and had to pull the battery and fuse in order to disengage the engine. My keys are now stuck in the ignition and am getting the run around from the dealership. I just called the Saturn Consumer Hotline and was promised a call back within 5-7 min. 20 min later nothing. What do I do? I see that there are multiple complaints in regards to the same problem. Why is GM getting away with this?

I have a 2006 Saturn Ion. My ignition key was stuck in the "on" position and I could not turn the car off. After driving home, I pulled the fuel pump fuse in order to stop the car from running and then disconnected the battery to keep from draining the battery.

Upon taking the car to the dealership, I was told the ignition cylinder needed to be replaced and the cost would be about $310. He then called back to say they needed to replace the housing as well at an additional cost of $100 and it would be up to 4 days to get the part. This appears to be a common and expensive problem.

While pulling up to my house one Friday night, the key in my Saturn Ion III wouldn't turn, meaning I couldn't turn my car off. With my 19-month-old in the back seat, I drove around Knoxville, first trying Saturn of Knoxville (which had closed), then the Chevy dealer in Knoxville (also closed for the night), then to a Pep Boys (who said they had no idea what was wrong with it, but referred me to AAMCO) then to AAMCO. The guy at AAMCO was very helpful and nice, and although he couldn't fix it immediately (nor did he know what was the problem), he was able to turn off the car by unhooking the fuse and the battery.

The key still wouldn't budge. He said he could fix it Monday, and gave me a rough quote. When I got home, I Googled the problem and found several complaints about this problem (ignition switch lock) and read many similar stories of this happening. Appalled that this hadn't been recalled yet, I called the Saturn Customer Assistance Center. A girl I initially talked to was nice, told me that she had calls like this all the time, in fact this was the third one she'd dealt with that day. She assured me that if I moved my car to a GM dealer, she would get the cost covered since it was clearly a defective part.

So, Monday morning I rented a car, drove it to AAMCO, left the rental car at AAMCO and took my broken Saturn to the local Chevy dealer. After two days, they were able to fix my car. In the meantime, I called Saturn on 6 different times, every time being promised a call back and that the charges would be covered, they just had to get a hold of the dealer. When my car was ready, I asked them if GM had contacted them about covering the charges and they said no. When I got there, I called them directly and handed my phone to the service guy. They asked him a few questions, then got back on the phone with me and said that I would be reimbursed for the charges, but that I needed to pay them up front in order to get my car. They assured me that a "district specialist" would be calling me back to arrange for reimbursement.

Hesitantly, I paid for the car ($483 + $78 for the rental car) and waited for the call. Unfortunately, I missed her call three days later (and after several more calls to Saturn), she left me a message that sounded something like this: "Hello Ms. Tobin, please call me back at the following number and I will address your concern as soon as possible." Having left her 6 messages over the last 3 weeks, and having received no calls back from her, I called Saturn again. After an hour on the phone with a representative that talked in circles about how the only person I could talk to was Ms. **, and as soon as she called me back, we could have this issue resolved, I was transferred to Ms. ** and got (surprise!) her voicemail. But don't worry, they understand why I'm frustrated and won't be dropping the ball on this one! $561, plus half a day lost wages dealing with transferring the car to their dealership, plus several gray hairs and hours of aggravation.

I bought my 2005 Saturn Ion brand new. I have never had any problems with it, up until about a year ago. My key keeps getting stuck in the ignition! Just as many of you have been saying, I myself have been experiencing the same problems! I am able to start up my car fine but when it comes time to turn the engine off and take the key out, the key doesn't move! However, I have not experienced not being able to turn my car off. My ignition will shut off but my key just gets stuck about 2/3 of the way and won't let me take it out. I then have to start my car back up and let it sit for about 2 minutes. Then my key will release without a problem.

I have tried just about everything to resolve this issue. I have tried lubricating the key hole, making a new key, making sure the steering wheel is perfectly straight. The only thing left would be to replace the ignition or buy a new car and unfortunately right now neither of those is an option!

I loved my Saturn until this started happening! Now I can't wait till I have enough money to get rid of it and buy me a new car! I have been late on several occasions to several important events because of this! I literally have to leave my house at least 15 minutes earlier just so I can make enough time for my key to get stuck! This is beyond annoying and very frustrating!

As many others on this site have stated, I drove a short distance this evening and when I got there, the car would not turn off and the key would not come out. I talked to a mechanic friend of mine who looked at it and eventually had to disconnect the ignition fuse and the battery.

I don't have the money to get this fixed. There are so many people with the same problem. Why isn't there a recall on this?

I put key in ignition and car started. I drove home but could not turn key off; it was stuck in the ignition. I had to find someone to help me figure out how to shut the car off so we pulled out fuse and disconnected battery. I see there are other complaints about this issue. Is there no recall on this problem?

Here we go again. We are having problems with the Saturn Ion 2005. My mom and I both loved the car (we both own one). Lately the key will not come out of the ignition. (By the way, if you take the cap off of the underside of the steering column, you can find a small emergency release button to get the key out) However, last night I had the horror that many of you had, the key would not come out and the car was running. AAA had no idea what to do, so like others, I pulled the fuse. Now I am on my way to the Saturn dealer. I guess I will have to pay for it. Not only will I miss the time to do all of this, but now I have to worry about my 82 year old mom being in a car like this! We need help to get a recall!

I bought a car on Monday from CarMax (White Marsh). To be specific, the car was an '06 Saturn Ion. Now, I'm not holding CarMax responsible, but at the same time, I can't have been the only one complaining about ignition problems. Within the three days I had it, the key got stuck on five different random occasions. I would attempt to turn it off but it wouldn't actually make it to the "O" representing "off." I had four other people try and they had issues, too, but of course, the guy at CarMax didn't have any problems. Thank God for Google because now I know it's not just me having these issues.

Two weeks ago, I filed a complaint because my 2006 Saturn Ion would not shut off. I could not turn the key in the ignition to shut it off. Two weeks and several hundred dollars later, I come out of the zoo with my grandkids only to discover that now my car won't start, because the key cannot turn far enough to turn the motor on. Thank God for cell phones.

After several panicked phone calls, I got in touch with my son, who called the mechanic who fixed my car the first time. He called the locksmith company that coded the ignition switch and we had to wait for him to come out. Guess what? It was the same problem. A brand new factory part didn't last 2 weeks. The locksmith said that it was a poorly designed system, and that GM has had numerous problems with it in Chevys and Saturns. Try being stuck in the parking lot of a zoo for three hours in the hot sun with three children after spending the day walking at the zoo. I was a wreck. I am afraid to drive my car anyplace now, and I can't afford to go out and buy a new one. I don't even know how much it's going to cost at this point because the locksmith said he'd bill the mechanic. Why hasn't there been a recall?

My Saturn Ion has died once again, yet this time i was not able to jump the car or anything as i usual have. The car is a 2005 Saturn Ion and as I have seen many people have had this problem over the years yet nothing has ever been done to do anything about it. The car failed to turn off, give my key back, and has drained the battery many, many times.

I purchased a new 2007 Saturn Ion from a Saturn dealership in Salt Lake City, UT, with 28,000 some miles in October of 2007. I haven't had really any major problems until recently. I was driving home from the grocery store. When I went to turn the car off, the key wouldn't turn back. After a few more tries, I was able to turn the key off and take it out. This happened a few more times in the next couple of days. I researched the issue on the internet and found hundreds of similar complaints.

This past Saturday, I was on my way to my 15 year high school reunion. When I arrived at the venue, I couldn't turn off my car! I couldn't even take out my key! I read the manual, which instructed me to locate the "plunge" release. This enabled me to take the key out, but the car was still running! I ended up taking out the fuel pump fuse, which stopped the car from running. But, the panel lights and radio were still on. I had to disengage the battery to turn those things off. When I was ready to leave, I engaged the battery and it started right up!

I called Saturn warranty this morning about my issue. They "apologized" for the issues, but said it was not covered under warranty. So, I took it to a Toyota dealership and had them diagnose it. Sure enough, $300 later, I will need a new ignition cylinder lock and set of keys. Not only does this hurt financially as we prepare for our wedding in two months, I am more outraged by Saturn! They obviously have known about this problem for a long time and have done nothing to fix the issue or compensate the victim. Isn't it about time for a recall Saturn/GM? Isn't it about time to do what is right - recall the problem and compensate those appropriately - or are you going to continue to run away with your tail between your legs? The right thing should and needs to be done!

I brought my 2005 Saturn Ion about ten months ago (Oct 2009). As soon as I got it, I started experiencing problems with it as far as not starting early in the morning. I got on the internet and found that it is a problem with the passlock system that locks you out because the anti-theft system gets triggered by the cold weather. Needless to say, around March, the problem stopped because it didn't get as cold outside anymore. However, last night, I ran to the store and to my surprise when I got there, my car would not shut off. The key will not budge at all and I have to put it in gear and let it die to get it to shut off (it's a manual transmission).

I dropped it off at Firestone this morning and have to spend 100 dollars just to see what is wrong with it, but looking at all the other problems people are having with their cars, this needs to be a recall by GM. I will say that, at least, Toyota is making an effort to correct the situation. I would hope GM would do the same.

Add me to the list of people who are unhappy with Saturn. This evening I drove my 2006 Ion to the store and was unable to turn the car off. The key wouldn't budge. I drove home, and my son, who is good with cars, couldn't turn it off either. The dealership said that something broke in the ignition and we'd have to pull the fuses and disconnect the battery. I took it to my son's mechanic, who managed to turn it off after pulling the fuses and completely disconnecting the battery. I know it will cost hundreds of dollars to fix and I know that many people have had this problem.

Why hasn't there been a recall? Where is the class action lawsuit? I just thank God it didn't happen earlier when I had my daughters and granddaughter out of town. My daughter and grandkids are visiting from out of town and now I don't even have a car to take them anywhere. I'll be lucky if I get it back before I have to drive them to the airport Monday.

I'm having a similar experience as other Saturn Ion owners have reported. Just about a year ago, I noticed the key getting stuck in the ignition of my 04 Saturn Ion 1. This would happened after I put the car in park and turned the key back. The key would only turn to the half way point and would stop before getting to the position at which it could be removed. Eventually, after 3-10 minutes, I could remove the key. I could also hear clicking noises as it was jammed. I also started to experience similar problems when trying to start the car. The key wouldn't turn beyond that halfway point, and I could also hear the clicking noise.

This would only happen once in a while, so I was not overly concerned, but then it started happening almost every time I used my car, so I contacted the local GM dealership in March of '10 since Saturn had already closed. They told me it was the ignition lock cylinder that needed to be replaced and that it was not covered by my extended warranty. I didn't think this diagnosis sounded right, but figured they're the ones who would know. It cost me about $350 out of pocket to replace, but something still seems wrong with it.

First of all, I can still hear clicking noises when I insert/remove the key. There were maybe 2-3 times in the last 3 months when the key got stuck again, although it came out within 10 seconds. I'm concerned that the problem was something completely different, and I cannot afford to bring my car back to the dealership again so they can play guessing games. Even if they do no work on the car, I am charged a $100 diagnosis fee. Saturn needs to recall whatever part is defective and reimburse all of their customers who have had to pay out of pocket for the repair. My car is now out of warranty, and I'm disgusted since it's a complaint I had and tried to get fixed while it was under warranty.

I have had my 2005 Saturn Ion for a little over 2 years. About 3 months after I bought it, it wouldn't start. I would turn the key and the lights and radio would come on but it wouldn't start. I finally got used to this problem and was used to being stuck in various parking lots from 10-30 minutes before the car eventually starts. The other day, I ran to the store and when I went to park the car wouldn't turn off! The key came right out but the car was locked and wouldn't shut off. My husband removed the fuse and disconnected the battery to get the car to turn off.

It has been 8 days and I still don't have a car. I have called many locksmiths/repair places and no one is exactly sure of the problem or the price. I have been quoted $150-more than double that. I have known many people that have raved about Saturns, so I thought I was making a good purchase but I will never buy another Saturn again. They need to recall these especially when I see the dozens of websites and thousands of complaints.

I have a 2006 Saturn Ion and I bought it brand new, so I've had it for about 5 years. About two years ago, I started having problems with my ignition. When I go to shut the car off, my keys stops at ACC and wont turn off all the way. I tried everything to get it to come out. Sometimes if I wait a couple seconds it comes out but other times I have to turn the car back on and shift the gears and pump the brakes. It always ends up coming out but I need to know what will fix it. The motor isn't going but my battery is so I can't ignore the problem anymore. If anyone can help me I'd really appreciate it.

I got home from shopping with my Saturn 2006 Ion II, and tried to turn the ignition off and it would not turn off. I tried to get the panel under the steering wheel off and had trouble getting it off, so I could get to the Shift Lock Release, and couldn't find the plunger at first, and then it wouldn't move either like it said it would to get the key out. The key came out, but it still would not turn off the ignition and the engine kept running. I tried three times to talk with Customer Service and Roadside service through On Star and Saturn and got very little information of how to stop the engine from running.

Finally, the last person at Roadside Service for Saturn helped me to remove the fuse 16 for the fuel injectors which cut the engine, but then didn't tell me how to remove the battery cable and it was still powered on. Thank god for a friend who came over to help me get the maintenance-free battery cable unscrewed, not un-bolted, like in older cars, to remove the battery cable, so that the power would not be drained by all the remaining power that was on. What is bad is that the so-called authorized service dealer for Saturn in my town is not open on Saturdays. Saturn, at least use to have Saturday hours for Service. Why isn't the government forcing GMC and Saturn to recall this defect. They get Toyota to do things, but for Americans they do little! Help Government regulators!

I went to the grocery store today and my ignition wouldn't turn off. I just had this problem repaired in December. Luckily my ex husband is a mechanic and showed me how to take the fuse out and disconnect the battery so I can use the car over the Holiday weekend. Twice in 6 months, something needs to be done about this problem.

I needed a lighter vehicle to tow behind a vintage motor home so I sold my excellent 1992 Isuzu Rodeo 4WD and bought a 1998 Saturn that had been outfitted with towing device already. It has 122,000+ miles of which 8,000 are mine. Today the ignition key would not go into the lock position so it would not come out. After checking this website I looked for the small opening under the steering wheel. There was nothing on this model year. With some changing gears, Park, Neutral, Drive, moving steering wheel, turning it on and driving backwards and forwards, shutting it off, the key remained stubborn. But for whatever reason it went into the lock position and it came out! Torrents of rain and heat here with the recent passing of Alex hurricane.

An hour later, back to the laundry and the key still wouldn't come out again. But this time I figured it had something to do with the brakes so I pumped them slowly to full power several times with the gear in Park. The key turned to lock and came out without a hitch. Problem solved? I doubt it but we'll see tomorrow.

I tried putting the brake down as hard as possible two or three times and holding it on the last pump. Then try to remove the key.

I bought my 2005 Ion at the end of 2004, and have loved it and had no problems until a few days ago. I parked in a lot for a doctor's appointment and could not turn the car off or take the key out of the ignition. A few people spoke of a compartment you can access to disengage the key -- this still didn't work for me. AAA came and was able to stall it by popping the clutch (I have a manual) and was able to start it again, but could not turn it off normally or get the key out. I took it to a mechanic and it'll be $480 to replace the parts and fix it. My warranty just ran out so it won't be covered.

My friend works for a service shop and she said they sent out this bulletin, which are almost always notes that admit they know they have a defect and it has to be fixed: Condition. Some customers may comment that the key sticks, binds, is hard to insert, or will not rotate in the ignition cylinder. This condition may be caused by lack of material to re-stake ignition lock cylinder tumbler retainer plate.

Correction. Important: When attempting any repair to the ignition lock cylinder, replace the ignition lock cylinder, tumblers, and retainer plate using new components. Do not attempt to reuse any original components. $480 repair.

I am 18, my dad gave me my saturn ion about a year ago when my mom got a new car. it is a 2005 Saturn Ion, and we bought it new. About two years ago it started having ignition problems (the key would go to the accessory position but would not shut the car off, and the key would not come out). I would literally have to get everywhere thirty minutes early. The key might come out on the first try, or the twentieth. I found a small little compartment under the steering wheel. it is about the size of a quarter but it is square. I opened it up and pressed a button in there (it is not hard to find, just stick your finger in there and you will feel the button). Now anytime my key doesnt come out I just press that and it works every time. Hope this helped someone else!

I had purchased a brand new Saturn ION in 2006. A couple years later I started having problems with starting the car, especially in cold weather. I would try to start the engine and the ignition would just click. It wouldnt even turn over. After waiting 5-35 minutes it would eventually start. Because it wouldnt start in the morning it continuously made me late for work. I took it to a Saturn dealer and they said some part was bad. Its been a few years so I can't recall what exactly. Luckily my car was still under warranty so it didnt cost me anything. The moring after I get it back from the Saturn dealership, the car still would not start.

I then had to call AAA to have it towed because after many attempts it would not start. So obviously it wasnt even the part that they said was causing the problem the first time around. They then claimed it was due to my remote starter that was installed in my car about a year and half prior. They disconnected the starter. After that the car to this date hasn't had any problems starting but now reading all these websites I wonder if it was my starter at all..? Then yesterday, I pulled into my driveway, put my car in park and proceeded to turn off the car. To my suprise my key was stuck in the ignition and the ignition would not turn to the off position!!!!!!! I tried everthing. Turning the steering wheel, putting it in different gears, moving the car and then putting it into park again.

To no avail. I called Saturn and asked what I should do. They told me to call a locksmith!!! I asked if other Saturns have had this problem and he admantly said no. My next step was to call my regular mechanic and he chuckled and said he just fixed a 2007 Saturn Vue with the same problem. And said I would have to pull a fuse and disconnect the battery to get my car to stop. Which worked but the key is still stuck in the ignition. I didnt believe what my mechainc told me was a coinedence about the Saturn Vue having the same problem so I google it. Thats when I found a site pretty much dedicated to Saturn owners compalining about this SAME PROBLEM. Its unbelievable this has not been recalled. I just finished paying off my car and I get hit with this. GM better step in and resolve this mistake.

I had the exact same problem as so many others have listed below. Got home from work last night, and could not shut my car off. Reparked on the side of the street, instead of in the driveway, thinking that maybe by moving it off the slope, it would shut off. Finally clicked, and the key turned and the car shut off. Later on, I went to run some errands, but had to turn around and drive back home because I could not get the car to shut off in the parking lot. Tried for a good 15 mins. Even drove to a QT where a police officer was sitting and asked him to help me. He couldn't get it either, so I just drove home, since it was 8:30 p.m., and no mechanic shops were open. Had to ask two of my neighbors to try and help me, since my fiance is out of town for work, and my dad lives 3 hrs away.

Finally, one of them decided to disconnect the fuse for the fuel tank, to kill the motor, then also disconnected the battery to get the lights to turn off. The key actually came out of the ignition while we were trying to shut it off. Of course, the car didn't shut off, but the key did come out. He had to come back over this morning, and hook everything back up so I could drive it to a Chevy dealership, and have them fix it. We did see the part about the button underneath the steering column in the manual, which also makes me think they were obviously already aware that this problem may occur...why else would it be printed in the owner's manual?

When I took it to the dealership, they didn't act surprised, and fixed it...for $300! I just bought this car in January 2007, and 5 days after purchase, I had to take it in to have the ignition switch replaced. Now, another issue with the ignition. My family has owned 4 saturns (not to mention a few chevrolet vehicles), and I can honestly say that although they get high milage, I will NEVER buy a Saturn again...especially since the dealerships have all but disappeared. Just called 1-800-972-8876 (Saturn customer service) to file a complaint. Said a district rep will contact me in 24 hrs to see what can be done. The rep told me there was no recall on it. I told her, "yes, I know that already....I just paid $300 to have it fixed. I'm not asking if there is one... I'm saying there SHOULD be one!".

Key stuck in ignition and won't turn off while engine running on 2007 Saturn Ion.

There are other things wrong with Saturns, but my Saturn Ion also developed ignition problems just like the ones listed. But, I found a way around it and it didn't cost anything! If your key gets stuck, there is a bypass switch under the steering column you can press that will release the key and allow you to turn the car off. First, feel around on the underside of the column toward the right for a little cover. When you find it, get a little knife, screwdriver, (or maybe your fingernail) and gently open the cover. Then, using your left thumb, feel around for a plastic button that should be towards you, and press it. (Don't worry, you won't get electrocuted.) Voila! The key comes out! If your Saturn has developed this problem, you will need to keep that little cover off and press that button inside the steering column each time you want to turn the car off.

How did I find this out? The owner's manual, at least for the 2007 Saturn Ion, tells you how to access that switch. This tells me that GM knew from the start that the ignition switch was going to have problems. I just hope the bypass switch holds out until I can trade my car in for something else.

Having issues (once again) with my 2005 Saturn ION ignition. The key keeps getting stuck! I can turn the ignition off (but not completely) & pull the key out. Now it's not allowing the ignition to be turned on at times. This is the 2nd time it's happened. Took it to the dealer this morning & just like EVERYONE else, it's costing almost $400.00. I keep telling them this same thing happened & was repaired about 2 years ago. They don't have any record of it. They keep telling me I am thinking about the $800.00 they charged me for fixing the steering column when the steering got tight. I know they are wrong but I am not sure where my paperwork is. Is there a recall for this issue? I am unemployed & for me to have to pay for this again is ridiculous! I don't have the money.

2005 Saturn Ion, the key was stuck in the ignition and wouldn't turn at all. It was stuck in the "ON" position with the car running. There was no way to shut it off. I found a GM complaint phone # 1800-972-8876 Anyone that has had this problem needs to call. This issue should be a recall. It's costing people 100's of dollars.

Went out to start my 2005 Ion and it was dead. Could not get the key out. Finally got the steering wheel to lock and the key came out. Replaced the battery but now the steering wheel won't unlock, key won't turn, and it is stuck in Park. Will have to tow it to an uncertified Saturn service center (chevy) locally but if they can't fix it will have to tow 70 miles away to a certified center. Don't know if they can get it on the tow truck if it won't roll or turn!!!! Very frustrated--loved my car until this week!!

2006 Ion key stuck in ignition with car running. Like so many others. Lousy product and no help from Saturn or GM who washed their hands of a piece of crap.

The key was stuck in the ignition and wouldn't turn off. We looked on the internet, and found out there are a dozen sites where people reported the very same thing.

We took it to the GM dealer for service, it cost about $400. The key still sticks when we try to take it out. I'm worried it's going to do it again.

This car should have been recalled. I'm going to talk to a class action law firm and this needs to be reported to the Highway Safety commission.

Like everyone else on here. I have a 2007 Saturn Ion. I turned on my car and went to the store. I parked the car and when I tryed to turn it off I couldn't. The key was stuck and would not turn off. I drove home and it would still not turn off. I unpluged the battery to see if that would turn it off. no such luck. So I took the ignition fuse out and that turned the car off but the key was still in the ignition. When I googled for help then I find out that other people are having problems. That they are having to pay over 300 to fix something that they need to recall and fix ASAP. DO THEY THINK ALL THE PEOPLE THAT ARE HAVING PROBLEMS CAN PAY OR SHOULD PAY I DON'T THINK SO.

I just pulled into my driveway this evening and my 2006 Saturn Ion would not turn off. The key is stuck in the ignition. My husband was able to turn it off with the battery, but the key is still stuck. I am amazed at how many comments I just sat here and read of others having the same issue. I can't believe Saturn has not issued a recall! I have no idea what I'm going to do come Monday morning, because I sure don't have $200-$400 for this repair. Is their a number we should be calling? We need help!

Like many others I could not shut the car off and had to disconnect the battery to get it to turn off. This happened June 4, 2010. The repair was $500 cdn. What is interesting is after picking it up the same problem happened again the very night I got the car back. I took it back again and GM repaired it at no additional cost but said it was a bad part i.e. the ignition. If the new part was bad and had the same problem obviously the original part had the same issue. My warranty ran out Sept 09.

Saturn Ion Ignition Lock - Like everyone on the website, I've had problems with the Ignition on my 2005 Saturn Ion. Over the 5 years I've had it not start and lock up maybe 3 times, but that never lasted more than 5 minutes. For the last year it's been a daily task getting my key out of the ignition. The car will turn off, but the key stays in the ignition. Normally have 1 or 2 minutes it will unlock, but this is an annoying daily event. The dealership said they would 'look at it' but it's out of warranty and I'm not paying big bucks for the current inconveience.

Well this past week my key has been getting stuck in the ignitation and won't turn at all. I have started using my spare key but it still is getting stuck. When I called my local GM repair department they tell me they don't work on Saturns. I am really upset at GM. Why have they not acknowledge the problem and do the honorable thing and have a recall? I will NEVER buy another GM car again. What happened to pride of work and commitment to excellance. Well it is apparent GM has none of these qualities. Financial strain to put out extra money to repair a problem that should be corrected because of defect. Being late for work or safety out on the road with my child.

I went to the bank with my kids and then was going to family dollar went to turn my car off it wouldnt trried reputting it in park nope nothing so i called my brother took car to him he tried nothing called saturn well we are closing but u can bring it in tomorrow and we can put it on a machine and that was ona coast 100 for the machine and then what ever it would cast from there once they found out what was wrong with it. So I took it too a machanic my friend new it was also close to my home since i had 3 kids i had to walk home with it was the ignition had to replaced and i had to get a new key to due to the fact the key was bent also this all happened on on may 7 2010 this car was brought brand new it is a saturn 2006 it was my moms my mom past away dec 2007 and she left it to me it is in my name now and also i asked saturn if there were any recalls on this part they said no but when i looked on hear there are plenty of people complaining about the same situation and some dont even have the money i was able to borrow the money but i also need to pay it back. I hope something can be done about this matter.

I own a 2006 Saturn Ion. Triple AAA came out to disconnect the battery and had to have them tow it to DOBBS. This cost me $300.00 to fix. This sucks.

i purchased a used 2007 saturn vue in dec 2009. my key keeps getting stuck inthe ingnition. I took it to their service department & was told it would cost me around 300.00 it get it fixed. I have only had the suv for six months & am very dissatified with this kind of service.

I have a 2005 Saturn Ion 2, and I tried leaving for work this morning but my car would not start, nor make any noise while I was trying to start it. Then when I tried turning it off and pulling the key out it was stuck. Tried jumping the battery, tried turning the key on and off for 30 seconds, moving the wheel, jiggling the key.. nothing worked. Even my horn wouldn't work nor would my car "ding" from having the door open w/ the keys in ignition. There has been so many complaints about this WHY HASNT THERE BEEN A RECALL? I've had SO many problems with this car, and I will never buy one again.

My 2007 Saturn ION2 is stuck in the on position. I bought the car from DriveTime and took it back to them. Of course it was 7pm. After talking to the warranty department, it may or not be covered. I am very upset. Then Drive Time, could not bring me home or provide a loaner car. More uoset. It is time for GM to have a recall on this car! I do not have money to throw away. I want someone to pay for it other than me. Since it is a credit restoration company, they can have it and oh well, there goes my credit score.

Like everyone else on this list, I turned on my car and the key won't turn in the ignition so the car wouldn't stop. It happened on Memorial Day so when I took it to the dealership they unplugged the fuses and let it sit there until the service department opened today.

As so many others came o a stop went to shut the car off and the key will not move the houseing and cyliander were broken 448.00 later it is repaired i contacted GM to be told that the car is out of warrenty and they cannot provide any cost assistance. They only thing the Regional Service rep could do is file a compliant on my behalf. Beside the loss of 2 days of work driving 60 miles to the repair site and then 448.00 for a problem GM has to be aware of and does nothing.

Like so many others I am having trouble with my ignition. I can go months without an issue and then all of a sudden the car will refuse to start. I let it sit 15 to 20 minutes and try again and it sstarts without issue. I have gone through this routine more times than I want to count.

I bought a 2006 Saturn Ion and just today I went to work and tried to turn off the car and could not. I took it in to find out what was wrong and they told me that it was the ignition switch. Great! Now I see it is a common problem and could happen more than once. This repair will cost me $260 today. What if it happens again? Why should I pay for it? Any other GM car, there would be a recall and they would fix it. Once this car is paid off, I am going to see it and buy something else, maybe a Honda Civic. Gee, wonder why GM is going down.

We bought a 2006 Saturn Ion new. We have had it for four years now and the ignition lock cylinder has already gone bad. Our key suddenly just wouldn't turn at all and we couldn't turn off the car with it. We have to turn off the car by pulling out a fuse. This has in turn somehow damaged the battery, too, which now needs to be replaced. The ignition lock cylinder issue has happened to too many people with this car! Saturn should fix this and reimburse people because this is obviously due to using very low quality materials!

I own a 2006 Saturn Ion 2. I purchased it brand new..The car is running, the key is stuck and will not turn off. I see that I am not alone with this problem. Where do we go from here?

We bought this Saturn Ion 2005 brand new. And with only 56.000 miles it's giving a lot of problems. The ignition of this car sucks. They have been more than four times. I have waited more than 40 minutes for the car to start. I am a pregnant woman and I am always with my son who is 4 years old, which means when I have to wait for that car to start I have to wait with 90 degrees outside with my son and my pregnant myself. Really hot. I don't know what to do because I have made a search on this issue and almost everyone is having this problem who had Saturn Ion. I can't deal with this no more. I need help. Please someone tell me what to do.

The consequence of this problem is that I been have wasting money for this problem like tow truck and mechanics. And I really feel stressful,which is bad for a pregnant woman. And one more thing, I am always late for my check-ups or any other appointments I have, which sometimes they have to cancel and give it me later on. It is affecting me because I need those appointments. Thanks again. Please help me solve this problem.

My key will not turn off. The Saturn Ion has been a good car up until now. From all of the complaints about the ignition cylinders going bad, you would think that they would recall it. But they don't recall anything unless there is a death involved. I would love to buy American (but GM don't give a **). So I tell you this, I am buying a Toyota next time! I don't have the money to pay for this so I have been pulling the fuse to kill the car, then disconnecting the battery which is now causing other issues with the car. But I can't afford to shell out $500 or more dollars to fix it.

I bought my 2003 Saturn Ion used in 2005. I did have to have the starter replaced due to the fact that it would not start in cold weather. Now the key gets stuck in the ignition and I can't turn the car off. I've had a new ignition switch put in, and I'm still having the same problem and my mechanics are scratching their heads, wondering what the problem is and how to fix it. I need to take the car back in, but I'm not confident they can find the problem. I'm writing this because I finally read up on Saturns and found it is a common problem with the Ions.

So far I've spent $225.00 on the new ignition switch that has not solved the problem.

As many other people on this site have stated, I also have one of the 2006 Ions that has ignition problems. A year and a half ago, my car stopped while I was driving off an exit ramp on a major highway. I brought it to Saturn and they said the ignition switch went bad. They replaced it for free under the warranty.

Off and on since I bought it, I have had issues with the key getting stuck in the ignition for no reason however today I got the wonderful experience of having the key get stuck with the car still on. I tried to turn the key forward again to see if it would move at all and the key came out, the car remained on though. I was at Costco with my one-year-old son who also has spina bifida (ie. very bad idea to be stuck with him in the rain) I called the people at Saturn and they told me to get back in and drive it to them but there was nothing else they could do.

When I got there, a man overheard my story and gave me a free loaner but when I asked them what the problem was, they said again that it was the ignition switch. They also stated that my warranty was likely just up. I have been looking online and I see complaints about this everywhere. This is insane. Someone is going to get really hurt in one of these cars. With the bad publicity GM has already gotten and the lack of trust people already have in them, they better start getting on the ball with these things. I think the lawyers should jump on this one. It would be an easy win and GM is already in a lot of trouble with the public as it is!

Allow me to add my voice to the chorus regarding the ignition switch problem on the Saturn ION. I have a 2005 model and for the third time in roughly as many years, the key has been stuck in the on position (i.e., I have not been able to turn the car off). The dealership fixed it for free the first time and for labor costs the second. I guess we'll see how they handle it this time.

I own a 2006 Saturn Ion with 43,000 miles; it's a well-maintained vehicle too. To my surprise, recently, when I went to shut off my vehicle, I couldn't. That's right. My car would not turn off. The key was locked in the ignition; it wouldn't budge. My husband followed me to a GM dealer (where we left it overnight), pulled the fuel pump fuse, and disconnected the battery. It cost us $450 to have the ignition cylinder replaced.

Apparently, many others have experienced similar problems with this type of vehicle. They (GM) obviously used inferior/defective parts, and because it's not associated with "normal wear and tear," consumers should not have to foot the bill; obviously, there needs to be a recall.

When I started my 2006 Saturn Ion 3, all was fine until I tried to turn the car off. The key would not turn back to the off position. I pulled the ECM fuse to stop the car. I left the car at the dealership, only to find out that the key cylinder was the problem--poor workmanship, and the cost was over $200.00. To me, this is a defective piece of equipment and should be replaced at no cost. I have never had this problem in 30 years. This is a General Motors problem and everyone should email them with their complaints.

My 2004 Saturn Ion won't start early in the morning when the weather is cold. I see there are numerous complaints about this same problem with the ignition in this car. I have replaced the battery, but that didn't fix the problem. I am late for work every day. I need to find someone that can help me repair this problem. Cost of new battery is $120; cost of diagnostics, $50. Have not replaced the ignition switch yet. Late for work every day trying to start the car.

I have a Saturn Ion and when it is cold, it will not start. I have taken it to Paradise Chevrolet, but they say nothing is wrong. I have changed batteries. It only happens in cold weather. Please issue a recall before I lose my job. Because of this I have missed work, and missed a flight. I spent too much money on fixes that have not worked. They say they have a warning on it, but not a recall and it is very expensive. I can't afford that or a new car.

My 2004 Saturn Ion has some of these same problems. The car won't turn over when the weather is cold. The ignition will click or do nothing. I have replaced the battery, which I now know is not the problem. I have been unable to rely on my car for work because I work at night and I have a fear of my car not starting at night in the cold weather, so I rarely drive it. I have also spent more than $100.00 on unnecessary parts.

I have a 2004 Saturn Ion, and the key gets stuck in the ignition constantly.

As with all the other people on the complaint page, my Saturn will not start in the cold, has ignition module that is out and cannot be reprogrammed, leaks profusely, and has a layer of velvet mold on the entire car interior. Grandkids or no one for that matter can ride in it. It has sat in the driveway for 9 months undriven. I had to buy another car just to get to work. Also, lights do not work in the rain, etc., etc. ketting it go back. I want balance erased.

I've had my 2004 Saturn Ion for about a month. One cold morning, I went to start it and I couldn't get it to even turn over! You can imagine my frustration. After reading so many of the stories of other Saturn Ion owners, I set out to find an answer. I went to youtube and found a video where a guy cuts the white wire to the pass lock and his car started up every time.

I have a 2005 Saturn Ion and I cannot get it to turn off. I went to Target and could not get the key to turn back. I had to go back home and disconnect the battery. My key is still in the on position. I have read several complaints from other owners of Saturn, so why hasn't there been a recall? I think this is only fair to us consumers. How many more people have to go through the same thing. I now have to wait until Monday and take it to the dealership where it is going to cost me too much money. I also have to depend on someone else to get me to work and back.

I have a Saturn Ion 2003, and much like everyone else, my car will not start in the cold. This morning it took me 25 minutes to start which is unusual. Usually, it is 10 minutes, but I've noticed it bounces from 10 to 30 to whatever. I have had it checked out at numerous places and no one seems to know what the problem is. Based on everyone else saying it is the ignition switch, I think I have no other choice than to replace it. Saturn has not returned any of my e-mails. Recall! Everyone needs to work together on this one. I have spent too much money paying people to look at it as well as replacing the battery. I am very upset!

I have a 2006 Saturn Ion and there are no Saturn dealers even close to where I live. Like most people, my ignition module has been giving me fits. My car started acting up when it would get cold, now, it won't start unless it's boosted. I called the dealer who said it was common but that dealer is so far away I couldn't risk driving there. The car began to quit while driving down the road and it's in the shop as we speak. They replaced the ignition switch but the car won't accept the new one and they can't reprogram it no matter what they do.

I am in debt still for this car so a new one isn't possible. GM needs to be held accountable. I nearly lost control of my car with my kids on the way to school. It quit as I was going through a steep curve, and I had to restart it. The repairs are expensive and no one seems to be doing anything about it. I cannot believe there hasn't been a recall. I am calling GM to complain today. It may not do any good but they need to do something because someone will get hurt. Haven't they learned from Toyota's mistakes?

I have a 2004 Saturn Ion and in the past 2 months, I've had the battery and the starter replaced because of issues with the car not starting. Today my daughter and I were leaving the grocery store and the car wouldn't start. Needless to say, I was a little irate. But I feel a little better knowing that there are more people with the same starter issues. After about 10 times (or more), the car finally started. I feel that GM should be doing something about this issue. Between the new battery and new starter (that I probably didn't need), I spent almost $400.

Same as many people, my 3003 Saturn Ion has ignition problems. Sometimes, I cannot get the key out of the ignition, sometimes for no apparent reason, the car will not turn over, and then 15 minutes later, it will. We've tried everything, and it is not the battery. My son-in-law suggested perhaps the alternator, and I'm reading here people are finding it is not. Luckily, I know about this problem, I have to be patient and it will start, so I haven't paid any tow bills. One time, I went over a bump and the car just shut off by itself.

I went to start the car, and the key would not turn. The gear shift was also stuck in park. The cost of the tow was $125 due to not being able to shift into neutral. My Allstate representative told me, after looking at the car, that the broken pin in the steering column was known to be a common problem in that particular car (Saturn Ion, 2005). The final bill came to $369+. I also required a rental car for one week that cost about $300.

This is going to be my second time replacing the ignition switch and paying almost $220 at the dealership for a faulty part. The car will start when it wants to with no signs of a problem up until the switch doesn't want to work, then you wait and it is fine almost 20-30 minutes later. I think this item should have been recalled years ago. I've been out of a ride to work many times before thinking it was a dead battery, coil pack, starter problem, alternator problem--you name it. I am tired of spending money on something that should be reliable.

I have a 2003 Saturn Ion and it has the same starting problems reported extensively on this website. On cold days, the car will not start at times. It always seems to happen at the most importune times and locations. When this happens, there is no noise and no cranking sound when I turn the ignition key on. However, when I try to start the car about 5 to 15 minutes later, it starts without any problem. I replaced the battery, but it did not make any difference. The alternator checks out fine.

I believe the problem is a faulty ignition module, but that is a guess on my part based on the numerous online complaints by other Saturn owners. There is only one authorized Saturn dealer/service facility left in the Houston. The technician there told me he has serviced numerous Saturns with the same exact problem and that replacing the ignition module seems to fix the problem, although not in every case. He said that GM has not issued a bulletin or recalled Saturns to repair the units.

GM's denial of a potentially lethal problem is not unlike that of Toyota in addressing stuck accelerators and braking problems. Maybe GM does not care because it is closing down its Saturn division. I can see where Saturn owners, who are unaware of the extent of the starting problem, wind up having their batteries, alternators and other components replaced at enormous cost and inconvenience before Saturn suggests replacing the ignition unit. This is a situation that is ripe for exploitation because the problem is intermittent. The National Transportation Safety Board needs to weigh in on this safety issue and not wait for people to get hurt.

This is about the 2006 Saturn Ion. We were told when we bought it that the new ones were not defective. The car won't start just like all of the others. We took it in before the warranty was up and the dealership said it was common, that the ignition needed to be replaced and then the new one might go bad as well. We are dealing with the 20 minute wait because we can't afford to get it fixed and now the car's warranty is up. To make matters worse, the power steering goes out as we are driving down the road. This is common as well. Yet, after many attempts and dead ends, noone will help us and no recall will be done. American car manufacturers can go belly up.

My 2005 Saturn Ion won't start with this cold weather. I've had a repair shop check it out and they changed the battery. It didn't help. My mechanic is stumped. Then I saw this website and realized that going to a Saturn dealer would be a waste of time and money. I had planned to buy a new GM minivan to replace my aged clunker, but after seeing this happening to all these people, GM is now off the list. Maybe a GM boycott might get these people to take responsibility for their defective cars!

I've experienced the same problems with starting my Saturn during cold weather. I've circumvented this problem by installing a remote start for my vehicle. It bypasses the ignition and the car starts every time! It was worth the $150 for the remote start. I've already paid for two batteries, which they claimed were the problem for the non-start.

I have a 2006 Saturn Ion that does not start in the mornings that it is cold. This is very aggravating when you only have one car to depend on, and it's not even reliable. There have been many mornings that I have been late for work and clinicals. I have replaced the battery, but that didn't help. I have tried everything I know to do, and it hasn't worked. Sometimes it takes me anywhere from 20 minutes to an hour to get my car to start. I believe that Saturn should have to do a recall on the car to fix the problem. And there are many owners of this car that has the same problem!

My key is stuck in the ignition. In the past, the car security system would trigger for no apparent reason, and the car will not start for 15-20 minutes. When the car was under warranty, I was told nothing was wrong. Now that there is no longer a dealership and the car is no longer under warranty, I cannot get the keys out of the ignition. I am learning this is a common problem and feel that the dealership likely was aware.

Like so many others that have complained, my 2003 Saturn Ion has been a nightmare. When it's cold outside the car will not start, the key gets stuck in the ignition until I bang on the gear shift than it comes loose. I've changed the battery and fixed numerous other issues that it's cost me anywhere from $1000-3000. This is just absurd and I think Saturn or GM needs to take some responsibility for there vehicles. Their answer to everything is we don't know but yes you do, it's a matter of wanting to help the consumer.

The ignition switch of my 2005 Saturn Ion had to be replaced. GM will not recall this despite complaints from all over North America! Take it from me; the quality of GM's vehicles is a sham. I am the original owner of a 2005 Saturn Ion and couldn't start my car in freezing weather. I had to use a portable heater to warm up my ignition switch and start my car!

GM refuses to recall Saturn Ions and it is no wonder GM discontinued producing Saturns! With the constant freezing weather, we have been having in Toronto this winter. I finally threw in the towel and had a GM Chevrolet dealership replace the ignition. No other repair shop can do this and there aren't any Saturn dealerships around anymore.

Not only did the cost of replacing the ignition switch cost me a bundle, but the dealership cautioned me that I may also have to replace the body control module. This is the computer component in my car that checks, regulates and operates its electronic devices. I can only guess how much that will set me back. Bottom line: With the recall problems it is having, I just may take up any incentive Toyota offers to buy its vehicles, even if it means GM going belly up!

This is in regards to my 2003 Saturn Ion. It has just started bout a month ago. It just doesn't start on some days. When I go out to start it for work, it acts like it wants to turn over, but then it doesn't. Since I have read the complaints in here, it seems like this has been an issue regarding Saturns, and I truly believe it should be fixed, or replace our vehicles with one that we can depend on. Every time I take my vehicle in to have a system check, nothing shows up. Imagine that! That is because it is running, and the time to have it checked is when it won't start. I have an appointment regarding my car tomorrow, and I feel I should not be the one to have to settle for something that is the maker's fault. It has caused me to be late for appointments. I am afraid of getting stuck at school, which is an hour away. My daughter lives with me and my granddaughter. This is a problem. It needs attention. You have all these complaints, now do something about it.

Sold a car with ignition problems and the dealership went out of business. Key broke off in the ignition. The ignition still would not turn. The steering wheel was locked.

I bought a used Saturn on the summer of 2008 for our daughter so she could get to work. As soon as the cold weather hit, she started experiencing issues with the car not starting and/or the key getting stuck in the ignition. We, too, like many others, were told it was the battery so we had it replaced (was a pretty penny). Still, we have issues with it starting. And the crazy thing is that it will start when it is 20 degrees out; but then, the next day when it is 35 degrees out, it won't. There is no rhyme or reason to when it will start or when it won't.

This is very frustrating and dangerous. Several mornings, she will go to leave for work and it won't start. So now, she is in jeopardy of losing her job because she has become undependable. In the evening, when she goes to leave and it doesn't start, she is now subject to who knows what crimes. Something needs to be done about this. It is unfair to the consumers to have to continue to be subject to this. The car manufacturers are aware that this is a known problem--but instead, turn their heads.

I bought a used 2003 Saturn Ion, and it has one of the problems I am reading about over and over. It won't start, in my case cold weather or warm doesn't matter. I have to wait ten minutes, yes I've time tested it, and then it will start. This has happened numerous times. I talk to Saturn, they say they know about the problem, but there doesn't seem to be a fix for it because, as I have read, people have changed the ignition and so forth to no avail. It doesn't fix the problem.

The problem seems to be in some security chip or something, or just designed into the car. It is ridiculous that it has not prompted a recall. At least here in CA I don't have to worry about my child freezing; it's more a problem of overheating, but still dangerous, especially for the very young and the elderly. It's annoying, inconvenient and it should be fixed, and not at consumer's expense. It has caused me to be late to work, get my kids to school late, and to miss appointments. It has stranded me in the pouring rain, or outside on 100 degree afternoons where I've gotten out and sat under a tree for 10 minutes waiting the thing out. Frustrating.

I have had the problem of intermittent starting ever since it's been cold out this year. It seems that it occurs when it's below 0 degrees F. I have replaced the battery and the ignition module has been replaced once by the previous owner. I called the dealer and they say that it's definitely the ignition switch again! That is not right, the car is only five years old so the "new" ignition switch is less than that! I have been without a car for three days now because of it, and I wasn't able to go to work a day because of the problem.

I have been having numerous problems with my car starting when it is real cold outside and then it goes little while and then repeatedly does this again and again. I have replaced battery and now I am told that the ignition switch is bad and needs to be replaced. I have heard numerous and numerous of people having this exact problem. Some even have replaced starters all together. If this is constant problem with Saturn, why is there no recall on the ignition switches?

I have a 2006 Saturn Ion Quad coupe that I bought in 2005, and recently, in the past year or two, I have been having the same problem hundreds of other people are having. I put the key into my car, and turn it to start the car, but the car does not start, and the passlock security system light starts blinking. I usually wait about 15 minutes before I try it again, and then the car starts. I guess people think after 15 minutes, the robber will leave the car. One time, it happened 3 times in a row, making me wait 45 minutes, and being late for work. I have been stranded at school, at work, at my house, I have been late for a dinner appointment, late getting to the hospital that my daughter had to say in for a month after she was born.

It always seems to happen when the temperature is below 60, and almost always happens in the morning before 9 AM. From reading all the other complaints, it sounds like I am going to have a tough time getting this fixed, and if that's the case, then there should be a recall. It may seem that 15 minutes is nothing to GM executives, but when their employees start showing up 15 minutes late for work everyday, maybe then they would do something about it, or would they just fire them, and hire employees who don't own GM cars?

In 2006, I bought a new Saturn Ion. The past year on numerous occasions, the vehicle will not start. There's no reason, as the battery is good and the car only has 10,000 miles. In checking on the internet, it appears this is a continual problem with this model of vehicle. Now that Saturn is out of business, there's no way to have it repaired. We request that GM be held liable and a full refund for manufacturing this defective vehicle.

This is an operational defect that can cost some one their life if they have to wait 5-10 minutes before they can start their car. GM shoud fix the problem & do a recall. We need a class action suit filed against GM for this defect.

2005 saturn ION will not start in negative tempatures. going with out my car when it won't start, letting a garage keep it for a week, hoping the tempature gets cold enough so the machanic can see whats going on and buying part you do not need.

I have read about all of these issues with peoples cars not starting and I seem to have the same issue. It has been going on for about 3 years and every time it happened for the first year or so I had my car in the shop. I've had my starter looked at as well as several battery replacements over the past several years. It has cost me well over $1,000 to try to fix up the issues with the car starting alone and it is truly starting to make me angry.

I often times cannot remove my key from the ignition. There doesn't seem to be any rhyme or reason to when this occurs, it's just random. I've resorted to just leaving the key in the ignition. The ignition housing has been replaced twice. The first time when suddenly the Passlock system engaged and left me stranded. When it happened again I was told it was due to my remote start. I haven't used the remote start since and haven't had that issue. The dealer did say that the ignitions have been a common issue. When the key started getting stuck I took it back and they replaced the ignition again. The dealer said I was all set but that same day it happened again. Of course the extended warrenty has expired. The problem is getting worse, happening more often and taking longer to release (10 minutes sitting in my driveway one evening jiggling the stick shift). Sounds like I'm lucky though, my car always shuts off and always starts.

My 2003 Saturn Ion 3 Quad Coupe will not start, and will magically be able to start after 10 minutes. The battery has been tested to be fine, and it appears as though there is a faulty ignition switch that is not functioning correctly. This problem should be dealt with via a recall from GM.

I would say the ignition was the culprit the whole time. Hard to believe with seeing the pages and pages of comments here that this known problem has not become a recall. Disappointing. I am out over $350 on repairs that did not fix the problem.

I bought a 2005 Saturn Ion new in 2005 and still own it. As with other owners of Saturn Ion I have had constant problems with the ignition switch. The car will not start in cold weather (minus 10 degrees Celsius or lower) nad I have to use a portable heater to heat the ignition switch from inside the hood (up to 15 minutes). Also there are times I cannot get my key out of the switch unless I jimmy my keys for a while. My biggest fear is being somewhere where the temperature drops suddenly and I can start the damn car.

what i dont understand is how can so many people have such a problem with a car and it be brought to there knowledge and there stillbe nothing done about it, i all i can say is that i will never buy a saturn again as for the service is horrible and u can not get any satifaction from them. i know i will be presueing is matter further there has to be something the little guys can do about this problem and to fix it with out going in the poor house. signed dissatisfied customer. i have been stranded in the freezing cold minus 30 out sitting there waiting for the car to deside to start.almost got frost bit.

2003 Saturn Ion. The car won't work when it's cold. I called a dealership in Vestel NY and they knew what the problem was immediately. I have an appt. on XMas eve to get it fixed. The cost will be $200.00. In the meantime, for those that can't get this fixed, carry something that will heat the ignition up. When i was home i ran an extension cord from the house and hooked up my hair dryer up. It took just a couple seconds to get the car to start. You can try heating the key up in your pocket, it should be warm enough to get the car started. Good luck to everybody. I hope they will recall this part and reimburse everybody for the expense.

My car a 2003 Saturn ion along with many other saturns I see here. Has the same peoblem with the ignition/ anti theft part in the car being defected from the manufacture. I ask everyone on here complaining about their saturns ignition problem to the FTC( Fed. Trade Comission this is the goverment group that enforces recalls. There is more then enough of you with this problem to get a recall named on the saturn ion.

I'm having the same issues that a lot of ION owners are having. Car will not start when it is cold and the passlock system kicks in. Once this kicks in you have to leave the key in the accessories position for 10 minutes, passlock will then shut off and you can retry.If it does not start you have to wait another 10 minutes to try and start. Supposedly this is because of grease that is in the ignition switch. This grease freezes up when cold. It does seem to help if you warm up the ignition switch with a hair dryer or lighter.I don't know why GM does not recall this. They are passing their screw up onto the consumer.

This problem has left many people stranded. It is just a matter of time till some one is in a really bad situation because of this. 'Sorry your having a heart attack maybe I can start the car in another 10 minutes'. I wouldn't be surprised if someone froze to death because of this. At the very least I know people have missed many hours of work. Anyways, I am going to replace the ignition switch to see if this works. I already bought a remote start which bypasses the passlock when remote start but no one will install this on a manual car. If anyone has an automatic I would highly recommend doing this. You will have to get a bypass module with this. Good luck ION owners. Thanks GM!! Why would I mind bailing you out?

We need to get this resolved as I don't want my wife and baby to freeze to death because the car is not reliable. I've just checked to see if this happens to others and too my surprise a lot of people have the same problem. This should be a recall for GM or are they waiting for someone to die first? Please help us. Has left us stranded many times in extremely cold weather.

There is an obvious problem with the ignition in the ION line. My car, as well as others, will not start for 10 min or more at 10 min intervals. I called the dealership and they are aware of the problem, but no recall or assistance is available to do the $350+ job.

2004 Saturn ION. Subject: No Crank or No Start, DTC B2960 and/or B3033 Set (Replace Ignition Switch). Models: 2003-2006 Saturn ION. Built Up To and Including VIN Breakpoint 6Z147837. can't remove key or shut the car off! UNSAFE

I have the same problem as many of the others with the Saturn key lock getting stuck. My car is 6 years old and just started this problem. I find that if I SLAM the shifting gear several times forward after I've stopped this helps to jimmy something that releases the lock. It's pain in the neck and now today when I was driving my car kept bucking and sounded like the engine was slamming-I have a bad feeling it has to do with the ignition lock not connecting. I think I'll just trade it in rather than wasting the time and money getting it fixed (over and over again I'm sure)

I see that many many people have the same problem with the saturn ion ignition's. Cant anybody with a little muscle get GM to help the little guy? After all we just loaned them a few billion.Thanks, signed Not wanting to stop running in oregon. I have no idea WHAT IT WILL COST THIS TIME.

2004 Saturn Ion 2 ignition failure, key cannot be removed but engine does shut off. First time today.

The key to my Saturn Ion jammed in the ignition lock and the car could not be turned off when I arrived at work. I could not turn the car off so I drove to a mechanic where they also had no idea how to disengage the car. I then drove to a Saturn Dealership where the Saturn mechanics seemed all to familiar with my problem. They informed me that to fix the problem, it would cost 330$ for labor and part. It took Saturn a couple of hours to replace the ignition part, in total, I missed about 5 hours of work that day.

I called Customer Assistance with GM and first talked with a lady named Viviana who was helpful but ultimately, had little authority. I was then transferred to Tier 2 Regional Supervisor for claims, Pamela C. I was told by Viviana that Pamela would call me within 24 hours. We played phone tag once and from that point on, all of the work came from my side. I repeatedly tried calling Pamela or being transferred from someone else and not once did she pick up my call.

One month later, after calling her 5 times and leaving messages, Pamela calls and tells me that our claim is denied because the car is outside warranty and there is nothing that can be done. I asked for her supervisor and she said that she does not have that information (either she won't give it to me or she doesn't have a supervisor) and that my claim ends with her.

Set back 330$ for replacement part and labor, 5 hours of lost work and many additional hours of wasting time trying to contact Pamela C.

2004 Saturn Ion, Ignition Switch problems, the key cannot be removed from the ignition when you put the vehicle in park, I have read other complaints on your website regarding this same problem, I went to the NHTSA website and filled out a complaint form, there are no recalls by Gm for this wide spread problem. Thankfully have been able to remove the key without having to pull a fuse or leave the car running. If everyone that has this problem would fill out the complaint on the NHSTA website maybe they would investigate and mandate that GM recall the vehicles for free replacement.

Saturn ion 03 Ignition fails to start in cold weather. Been stuck at a 711 for the last half hour trying to start it (usually only takes a ten minute wait). Known safety issue by Saturn.

Filling this out via my iPhone while waiting in my car hoping it'll start on the next attempt.

RE: 2005 Saturn ION....For the 3rd time since March of 2008, our key got stuck in the ignition. THis time same as the first time the car was running and we could not shut it off. We usually had service with BOb Moore in Edmond, Ok but he no longer has Saturn. So we called the one above. Joey informed us that our Warranty, which we purchased when we bought the car in 2005, had expired. We knew that but this is a recurring problem and we feel should be covered by Saurn. We had to hae it towed to the dealership so we now have a huge tow bill plus we were informed the cost to repair is $400. We feel this is very unfair since the key stuck in the ignition earlier was not repaired properly. In fact, Joey's comment was that they will fix it this time so we have no more problems. My husband and I would appreciate any help you can give us.

This is for your list of complaints on the Saturn ION ignition lock problem. The past two days when I shut off my car after arriving home from work, the key caught, but turned off. Now today the key was locked in the on position in the ignition and I could not turn the car off. I took it to one mechanic who said he could not fix it, so I took it to the dealership. First they quoted me a possible $700 to repair it if the cylinder had damaged the housing. Later they called me and told me the cylinder had not damaged the housing so it is going to cost $319 to repair. Looks like it's a known problem judging from this site. Too bad I still owe so much for the car, or I would trade it in after all the problems I've had. Too bad. I had a 2000 Saturn SC2 that was a really good car. After GM took over the manufacture of Saturns, quality nose-dived.

my college daughters 2006 saturn ion could not turn off car ignition switch. she was stuck out in country at friends house at midnight and had to call aaa. finally fixed by saturn after 450.00 repair and saturn acted like they had never heard of this problem before. after several attempts to get some of my 450.00 back saturn consumer relations keeps blowing us off.

It has cost me 120.00 to have the car towed to the dealer twice in a year and 162.00 for each of the two previous repairs. This repair I am haveing done under "Good will" because the last Ignition cylinder was replace 4 months ago. 120.00 to have the car towed twice. 162.00 for each of the last repairs. (12 month/12000 mile parts warranty)

I purchased my 17th year old daughter a Saturn Ion 2007 in March. She went to get some gas before school and could not turn off the car in order to put the gas into it. She went back home and called me. I was on my way to work so I have a friend to check the car. He nor my brother was able to turn the key in the ignition. They had to disconnect the battery inorder to turn the car off but the key would not come out. That evening, after having another male friend who work on cars try to take the key out, we called the Saturn dealership. The operator knew exactly what the problem was and told me to bring it in the next morning which was Saturday. The driver's side window also would not go down. The motor was completely out. The fuel pump was also not working properly. It also had to be replaced. This is only a two year old car and we should not be having these type of issues. Thank God, I had an extented warrenty. As a result, that Monday I had to continuely call the dealership for them to fix the car inorder for my daughter to have her car for school on Tuesday. I will be getting rid of this car as soon as I can. We barely have had this car 5 months and already having major repair issues. I will never buy another Saturn.

I purchased a used Saturn Ion1 in Fall of 2005. The ignition switch failed in 2007. The car would not turn on consistantly. I paid to replace the housing and cylinder in 2007. 30 days later the same part failed. Saturn did replace that part for free at that time. On August 27th 2009, The Saturn Ion1 would not turn off. The key could not turn to the off postion so that it continued to run. AAA was called to disable the car and it was towed to the dealership to be serviced. The exact same parts that failed in 2007 failed again in 2009.

Clearly there is a defect in these parts. An ignition switch should not go bad every 2 years. This is not a high wear and tear part. A car should be able to turn on and off an excessivley large number of times. This part should not continue to fail. A car that fails to turn off is an enormous saftey issue. If you leave the car unattended and turned on, someone could be hurt or killed. It would have been criminal to do so.

AAA came to disable the car and tow it to the dealership. The same part had failed yet again. GM will only pay for the part and not the labor. I fully paid for the labor to replace this part in 2007. I believe that GM is not taking responsiblity for it's know problem with defective parts. GM has a history of ignition switch failures. GM should stand behind their replacement parts.

Also, the District Specialist lied about contacting with a resolution. She only contacted the dealership. She refused to respond to more tha 10 messages left on her phonemail. She repeated failed to follow through on her written commitments via phone contact. Her supervisor was notified to the problem but I doubt that anything repercussions will follow.

I am very disappointed in GM parts and more disappointed in GM customer service. This company is struggling with poor sales because the cars have poor reliablity. If GM stood behand the cars and their replacement parts, maybe people would buy more GM vehichles.

I currently own 2 GM cars and 1 Toyota. I will never buy another GM vehichle again. I think people should think twice before purchasing any GM product. If GM does not stand by their own products the consummer should not buy GM vehichles. It costs $311.50 to repair the car. Fear that this problem will occur again in this same vehichle.

I feel sick reading all the complains of other people in the same situation as me. Saturn should recall these Saturn Ion cars and other problematic cars. I believe in American buying American, but this is really sad. I am not buying any Saturn products again, and I will make sure that all of family and friends are warned. Because of this, I missed school, and my husband missed work. We are are just ordinary citizens that are trying to make both ends meet.

Research indicates that this is a long time on going problem with all Saturn products yet nothing is done to correct the problem even though dealers recognize this as a real problem. on a long trip away from home this is a great problem as the key cannot be removed and this leaves the car open to easy theft. this could also cause a great increase in insurance policy costs.

Key stuck in the ingnition.

I own a 2004 Saturn Ion that I purchased brand new from a Saturn dealership in East Texas. About a year ago, I was unable to start my car because my key would not turn in the ignition. It seemed to be frozen in the off position and would not budge. I had to have my car towed to the dealership where the ignition cylinder was replaced and I was charged for the repair. Yesterday I started my car and when I tried to turn it off, the key was stuck in the 'on' position. I could not shut off my car, nor could I remove the key.

The Saturn dealership I had bought the car from in Tyler Texas closed a few months ago and the nearest Saturn dealer is almost 100 miles away in Mesquite Texas. I called them and they said they could fix it for me if they did not have to order any parts, but I would have to drive it to them and get it there before their service department closed at 7 pm. They did have a local shuttle that could take me somewhere if I needed a lift, but they stopped running at 5 pm. This meant I would be playing 'beat the clock' to get there in time for a ride to a motel if they needed to keep the car for repairs.

I asked if the ignition was an ongoing problem since this was the second time I had dealt with a 'frozen' ignition that I could not turn on or off. He said they had seen some Saturns come in with that problem but it was not a recall item. He then said that perhaps my key was worn and that was the reason for it not moving. I just broke 50,000 miles on my odometer. I have driven a variety of vehicles since I began driving 31 years ago. Many of those cars had well over 100,000 miles on them and I have never had this issue before while using car keys and ignition cylinders with three times the wear as my current Saturn.

The mechanic at the Saturn dealership also asked if I had tried removing the key from the ignition with pliers. I told him no and that I had no intention of trying that since I could end up causing more damage by trying to force it. I gave up on the idea of taking my car almost 100 miles to get it serviced for an obviously defective part, so I made some calls and found a local mechanic who was willing to work on it for me that day. Once again I am eating the cost of this repair as well as having the inconvenience of being without a vehicle while it is in the shop. I asked the local mechanic if he had seen this problem with Saturns and he replied yes, but it usually involved cars that had ignitions that would not move to start them.

I have heard of many other people having this exact same problem. The ignition/key will freeze up in the off or on position and they are unable to remove the key or to start/shut off their vehicle. This is an issue that Saturn needs to address by either fixing it free of charge when it happens (and I'm sure it will happen again, it has already happened twice to me in the 5 years I have owned my car) or Saturn needs to consider recalling this faulty ignition cylinder.

I have all the paper work from the Saturn Dealership for any work that has been done on my car since it was purchased and can give exact dates and costs for repairs and towing. Right now I am out the cost of towing, the cost of the repairs, loss of a days work while it was in the shop for repairs. If I choose to have an authorized Saturn dealer work on my car the nearest dealership is nearly 100 miles away because of the closure of the Saturn dealership where I live. This will cost me gas and possibly a hotel room for the night or the cost of a rental car if they need to order parts or keep it for more than a day for repairs as well as time off from work.

My dad purchased a 2005 saturn ion a few years back, now which has arond 55k miles on it. When I was given the car, we were already having problems with the key not coming out of the ignition. (it would shut to the acc position, but not actually shut the car off). sometimes i can get the key out easily on the first try, sometimes I cannot. However, last night i spent 15 minutes trying to get the key out, and my dad came out and got it out after about 10 minutes of fidgeting. i cant afford to be getting my car fixed on a monthly basis. its rediculous, and reading all of the reviews just makes me sick.

This is just ridiculous for this to be happening to so many people with the same kind of car. Saturn why haven't you recall this vehicle. I guess someone has to die before you will do that, if then. I will never purchase a Saturn again or recommend anyone to purchase one.

After a hard day of work without warning, my key would not come out of the ignition. I got home from work and I couldn't cut the car off or take the key out of the ignition. The car continued to run. My dad went outside and tried to get the key out and it wouldn't come out. He spent the next two to three hours on the phone back and forth with roadside assistance and Saturn (Lewisville and Hurst). He finally got the engine off, but in order to do so he had to go to the trunk and take off the battery cable and one of the fuses (which he was told to do so by a Saturn mechanic).

Two Saturn employees at two different locations told him that this was a big issue (ignition locking) with the 2006 Saturn ion 2 and that it needed to be recalled. The service advisor then informed my dad that Saturn couldn't do the recall, GM had to recall the vehicle. My car has been in the shop now for two days and I haven't heard anything. This car was my first "new" car and I have had problem after problem with this vehicle. I have written a letter to the dealership and to the owner of the dealership. My dad has spoken to the owner of the dealership and I have also spoken with him. I am a senior in college and I work part time. It is not reasonable that the consumer be held responsible and accountable (financially) for a known manufacturer defect.

I have a 2006 Saturn ion and the ignition switch colllapsed... i was out and my car would not turn off.. i am a single female who did not know how to shut my car off.. i had to call a tow truck to come and take my car to the dealer and he had to remove a fuse and unhook the battery to get my car to shut off. looks as if saturn is having a lot of issues with this. if you google it right now there seem to be a lot of 2006 saturn ions with this issue. should be a recall on this issue.

Ignition lock that seems to be very common now that I am resarching it. Went to move the car after our guests left on the 4th iof July and could not turn it off. The dealership seemed to now right away how much it would cost me and how to turn it off quickly. A little too familiar with the problem. Part is supposed to be ordered and fixed tommorow, but I will be declining service and taking this matter further.

My key is stuck in the ignition. I had to put the car in gear and let off the clutch in order to kill the engine and I still cannot turn the key off of the on position. This appears to be a recurring problem with Saturn Ions. Mine is a 2006 Ion 2. There should be a recall for this safety hazard. My car is now VERY vulnerable to theft! and I blame SATURN.

purchased this car in 04 from a dealer it was a good running car until oct of 05 one day i cut the car off it had regular maintence went to start it i didnt start i sat in the parking lot for 45 min it started i took it to the dealer they said the ignigtion switch was going out it cost me $225 dollars in 08 same problem cost $332 now the key is stuck in the ignition wont cut off its now sitting in the yard

Key for my wifes car would not turn and could not shut off engine sound like this is a ongoing problem. There should be a recall for this

I as well own a 2003 Saturn ION, it is about a year old for me and I started experiencing the same type of problem this winter. Any time it was REALLY cold out my car would either show the Service Vehicle light OR just wouldnt start. I heard from a few people that I needed to replace my ignition sylendar, well after looking into it more I found out that it was the ignition censor, I had it fixed for you $80 and have not had a problem since.

However just recently I have been getting the same code again, when I took it to the shop they told me it was something to do with my oil pressure censor, how true that is I am not sure I have not had it looked at yet. I also have just recently been having the issue where I can not get my keys out. I am able to shut the car off but I can not turn the keys past the accessories spor tot tkae them all the way out, it takes me forever to fight with it. It has been an extremly frustrating issue and I do not want to pay an extreme amount to have it fixed. Is the car really worth it?

I have a 2007 Saturn ION 2. I never had any problems with it until the last few months. First my driver side window would not roll down from time to time now it does not roll down at all and neither does the back right window. Yesterday I got home from work and could not take the key out of the ignition to turn off the car. The key was jammed in the ignition. I called Saturn and they asked me to drive it over there. Today they tell me that it's going to cost $1530 to fix everything. WTF! They lent me a loaner but still I think it should be covered since so many people are having problems. I was a loyal Saturn car. This is my second one. I think I am going to trade it in at the end of the year and just get something else. This car has been hell for me.

I couldn't turn the key in my 2006 Saturn Ion. The ignition switch would not turn to he LOCK position so I couldn't shut off the engine. I went inside the house and "googled" my problem. I was shocked to see that I wasn't the only Saturn owner that has had this problem.

I called the Saturn Service Department the next morning, (Monday, so I missed a day of work) and after explaining what happened to the service rep he told me that he is pretty sure that it was the ignition cylinder lock because it is a common problem that other people have been having. I take my car to the NEAREST Saturn Dealership, 19.55 miles from my home and leave it for them to look at. The service rep calls me at 4:45pm and tells me that he has great news, that it is the ignition cylinder lock that was broken and they had the parts, so I would have my car back tomorrow.

Then he hits me with the cost. $510.00 is what it will cost to replace the cylinder lock and the housing since it was also damaged. I am a single mother and money is tight. I don't really have a choice but to have the repairs because I cant even turn the engine off, let alone take the keys out of the ignition.

So now I am out $510.00, and I missed 2 days of work. I already cant afford the repair cost, now my paycheck is going to be short 2 days. If GMAC/Saturn is aware of this problem then they should follow through with what they claim on their website, "GM stands behind you and your Saturn like never before. " I agree that there should be a recall issued.

I purchased a 2006 Saturn Ion 3 in 2007. It had low mileage and seemed a decent value. Since my purchase however, I have replaced the power steering module ($900)and the torque converter ($900). Yes, the car was out of warranty. The most annoying aspect of my ownership has been the ignition/anti-theft system. After spending $1800 for a used vehicle I had proudly perceived a good value, I was reluctant to effect any further repairs on a nuisance.

You see, the car does not start if there happens to be a shift in air temperature. A frustrating 10 minute wait later, the car starts. I have had the gauges, including the speedometer surge from one extreme to another and suddenly normalize.The crowning frustration occurred yesterday. My wife needed the car for an appointment and when she got into the car it would not start. No problem-wait ten minutes; it will start. No. The car is completely dead. The lights, instruments, etc. do not operate. Battery? Why then, is the transmission locked tight, the ignition mechanism will not allow the key to disengage; the trunk will not open.

Monday, I will call Saturn, complain, pay a towing bill and ultimately pay for yet another repair. I have owned Saturns and have been a GM customer for decades. Since their recent disbursement from the federal government, tantamount to putting a band-aid on a gunshot wound, I perceive this as the worst kind of double-dipping. My loyalty has waned and my patience is depleted. The so-called American-made moniker no longer holds sway. A once great company has become a victim of union induced entropy. Benefits in place of quality, in my business equates UNEMPLOYMENT. Consider my vote cast.

I have only owned the car for about 6 months? I see all your complaints and realize that many of you have fixed this problem multiple times. I have decided to write a complaint to the attorney general of PA. Please participate with me to have this problem recalled. IT IS A SAFETY ISSUE. Whether the dealer wants to believe it or not, something is going to evolve from this situation. What will it take for Saturn to recognize its customers?

I have had the same problem with my car as others have. I have an 03 Saturn Ion 3 and have been late to work several times because the car would not start. I have started it and driven to the gas station and it quit on me there. After trying over and over and over again waiting at least 20 min it finally kicked over. As for the key getting stuck in the ignition, thats never happened however I do hear the clicking inside the steering column while driving, parking or waiting with vehicle in idle.

I have replaced the starter and have had several mechanics look at the vehicle and they told me since its out of warranty to not drive while its cold. While being in Texas its not usually cold here, but this past season the few times it has been are the times that its happened to me. Saturn should address this problem and have the vehicles fixed at their expense regardless if GM plans to phase out the Saturn line, maybe if the cars were decent enough with no problems then they would have more money.

I two have a 2003 Ion at least 3 times a week my car won't start. When it is cold it is even more often I can't tell you how many times I have been late to work, or been written up at work for being late I bought the car with the expectation of getting to work on time. i should not have to pay hundreds of dollars to pay for the repairs my self.

Some one needs to hold saturn responsible for repairing these vehicles at no cost to the customer as they are aware of the problems and continue to sell these cars to unknowing customers. this is bad business i will never own another saturn and will certainly tell everyone in hearing distance to avoid them.

I bought a 2005 Saturn Ion 6 DAYS ago, and am having the same problem not being able to get the key to turn to the lock position so I can remove the key. The dealership will gladly fix it, at MY expense! I noticed the problem when I test drove it, and was told oh, you just have to push in when you turn the key in reality he was saying yep, it is your problem now! I haven't even made the first payment on the car yet, and I have been quoted from $300-$700 to get it fixed.

I'm glad I researched the problem because I have been told a lot of different things that were wrong with it. I also found out that the Saturn plant in Spring Hill, TN where my car was made is now Chevrolet Traverse. I think if everyone who posted here reported this to the Federal Trade Commission and the Better Business Bureau we could all get results.

hello there!! it happened to me twice already that I could not start my Saturn ion this morning. 6:30 am getting ready to go to work my car could not start. I tried and tried and nothing. the lights were ok, so I knew that it was not the battery. the same issue happened back on December 22, 2008 and after a 5min I turned the steering wheel and started and was able to drive it with no problems until this morning that happened again. glad that my girlfriend was able to take me to get my 2nd car and get to work.

Same problems as reported by MANY before me and same results (being stranded, losing work time, safety issues) 2005 Saturn Ion 3. AM seeing trends online posting sites and mine follows suit with the same problems. 1.) Won't start when weather is below 30 degrees 2.) key will not come out, gets stuck in the ON postion. I have had to invest in getting the key switch, ignition,etc replaced TWICE in the past 6 months - Saturn parts used 3.) windows esp on drivers side randomly fall out...first they get like a fin or shark tail appearance as they come out of the track and then they fall completely off track and won't go up again. Have had that fixed 2 times now and need it again. Windshield is loose and air blows through all the time.

My car is in the shop again today as I couldn't get it to shut off. This is a big problem and I like others want to pursue lemon laws, want Saturn to issue a recall and fix the problem. They have a TSB out on it,but not a recall. Seems like so many of us with 2005 2006 Ion have the same problem, at what point does it become Saturn's problem to take care of us? I will never buy Saturn again nor will those that have seen me go through all this trouble. I bought the car brand new and have been the only owner. I can't wait to get rid of it and buy an oversees vehicle, I tried American and it is so unreliable and that is sad. Saturn needs to be forced to stick by its customers.

A great deal of money put into car and I live paycheck to paycheck like many Americans, I can't afford this car payment and all the troubles! I have lost wages and time at work. I have had to rent other vehicles to get to work while this one was being repaired. I have been stranded in remote locations in the dark in the city - it could have put me in grave personal danger. I am sick of this car being unreliable and the maker not forced to do anything about it! There are THOUSANDS of owners of same vehicle going through the same problem.

I own an 04 Saturn Ion 3 Quad Coupe.. I love my car except for the issue with the not liking to start in cold weather. The pluses are that its cute and sporty and gets very good gas mileage. the suicide doors are actually very convinent with lower elementary aged kids. Its fun to drive (when it will start). I've gotten tons of compliments on it. (Now I am wishing I would have sold it to one of those admiriers.) Well unfortunately now, the weather has warmed up and my car still won't do anything. I am at my wits end. I had the ignition replaced 2 years ago. I just replaced the starter, and yet nothing happens other than a clicking.

I love the design of the car, but I am furious that I am making payments on a car that does nothing! I actually was ready to trade it in and get a bigger vehicle, but I was a little hesittant... well there is no question now! As soon as its running, I'm done with it. I want a car that I can rely on to start and get me to work on time. This was the first time for me to get a non-Ford car, and I can't say that it makes me want to buy another Saturn, or GM. It won't start and I live 125 miles from the nearest dealership; I finally took it to the local GM dealership. I called a hours after having it towed there, and the guys in the service department said that they were about to throw their ands up and say that they couldn't do anything with it.

Also a trim piece on the driver side door fell off with no noticeable external stimuli. Luckily I was able to order the part online and replace it myself. I want it to look nice when I get rid of it. I called Saturn again today, after being cut off by someone the other day, and I do have to say that the second person I talked to at Saturn seemed to be sincerely concerned and helpful. She called the GM dealer here and is supposed to call me and the dealership back to see if anything has been accomplished. She is definitely the bright spot in this entire situation.

I can't tell how many times I have been late to work because of this lemon! I have also spent money on trying to fix and gas to take it to a dealership.

I have a Saturn Ion 2004 that has 41,000 miles on it. The Lock Cylinder has been replaced two times and needs to be done again. My car is stuck in the on position and Saturn isn't being real helpful. It's not under warranty anymore and they think I should have to pay for this after it's been replaced two other times. They say it's not a safety issue so they won't do a recall. It wouldn't necessarily help since I'm on my third but I shouldn't have to pay for their errors. We don't have the money and the car isn't paid off so now I have to make a payment on something I can't drive.

Problems with key sticking in on or acc position. Would not come out. Fiancee could not turn engine off at all finally and drove to the dealership almost 70 miles away. They removed the key, mangling it in the process. Said it's a common problem, that a tumbler fell out of place and caused the issue. Cut her a new key, which does not match the factory set, said they repaired the ignition and everything was fine. Keys are still sticking. Whatever their excuse, the problem runs much deeper. There is clearly a solenoid controlling a lock mechanism in the ignition preventing key removal while the transmission is not in park. I can hear it clicking on and off while idling in park. Every other time you turn the ignition off the key sticks, and you have to wait to hear the click of the solenoid before you can attempt to remove the key.

Bought this '05 Ion 2 with high hopes and am extremely disappointed. Wouldn't recommend a Saturn to anyone after reading this thread of woes. We tried to take the car to a local dealer to repair the switch, and were told we were the third owners in a week asking for the same repair. They said they didn't have the special tools needed to remove the ignition without causing extensive damage. This is a clear case of planned obselescence if I've ever seen one. They want us to get a new one every few years. Time to start riding bicycles again...keys never get stuck in that ignition! Lot of horsin' around for something that shouldn't be broken.

I doubt we'll see classic Ion 2's at car shows in our senior years...If you're looking at Saturns, and I never thought I'd be saying this, look to a different car. And it kills me. The American consumer should feel SO comfortable buying an American product over an import. But the comfort is definitely gone with Saturn.

Cost of about 75$ plus $10 or so for a new key that doesn't work well. Keys definitely wear faster than usual. I don't even drive the car often (I drive the truck back and forth to work) but I carry a key, and it looks like I filed it down. Just worn from being in my pocket. Insane. I keep ten keys on that ring and it's the only one wearing away like it's carved out of soap. Already had suspension repair (under warranty) But it all costs time, and the dealer is 70 miles away.

I have a 2006 Saturn Ion. Security light comes on and car won't start. This happens when its cold. I put a battery charger up to it and after about 10 minutes it starts right up. Same thing when I am away from the house. I get someone to jump start it and it works every time. It will not start on its own w/o a jump or boost.

Next problem is the power steering. Going down the road, I get about 1 mile away from the house and the steering goes out. If I shut off the car it re-sets itself only to go off again a little further down the road. This should not be happening to a car with 40k miles on it. NO WAY. I also have had the front drivers side window come completely out of the housing. Craziness!! I am very careful with my cars and go to great lengths to make sure they are performing well. This has been nothing short of disappointing and is ground for a RECALL. Please get together as numbers are the best way. Can anyone say LEMON LAW?

Missed work, late for appointments and dangerous driving conditions.

I have a 2004 Saturn ION. At first I thought it wasn't starting because of the cold. Maybe the clutch sensor? Took it in and the mechanic found a corroded wire - he cleaned it and it worked for a while ($60). Then it wouldn't start again. I had it towed and replaced the starter ($311 including labor). It is doing it again. I was guessing maybe it was the ignition, but I was shocked when I started reading all the complaints about the ignition switch and how much it costs to replace it. How can GMAC and Saturn justify this kind of failure not being taken care of?

I have the same problem as many others. I purchased a 2004 Saturn Ion in the summer of 06. Nice looking car, good on gas, I thought I got a great deal until the first winter came. Guess what... It would not start (big suprise after reading all the frustrated comsumers). I had the ignition switch replaced, new battery, starter, alternator you name it i had it replaced. I called Saturn customer support. They said I needed to start a file with them so I did. We will see if a rep actually calles me back.

I wanted to give this womans name and # for everyone to call because she was the only one who was interested in my problems. Her name is Jane and her direct extention is 21718. I say we should start a class action lawsuit against Saturn with the thousands of complaints. With their new found economy problems. Why should they get to sell the Saturn brand to save their butts and us poor working class folks have a car that wont start with several repair bills to prove it!

I bought my 2003 Saturn Ion brand new. I am having the same problems a lot of others are experiencing- the key getting stuck in the ignition and the car not starting. I have been having these problems for a few years now. I've had the battery and alternator tested numerous times. I have replaced the catalytic converter, the starter, and a clutch switct all in an effort to fix the not starting problem. Of course, none of these expensive repairs fixed it.

It is now worse than ever. The key is sticking a lot worse as well. I was getting ready to get this problem fixed when I found out via the internet that a lot of others are having the same problem and replacing the part doesn't help because the new part will do the same thing. I have to leave my car running when I have to make a stop on the way to an important meeting or appointment so I don't risk it not starting and making me late.

This a safety hazard and a gas guzzler. I don't go to the gas station during the rush hours(on my way to/from work- when it is most convenient) so that I will not be blocking a pump for 10 - 30 minutes waiting on my car to start when there is a line of people at every pump. I have to drive back out later and make a special trip just to get gas. This is very frustrating! I am tired of spending hours every week waiting on my car to start and fighting with the key in the ignition. It happened 3 different times today alone. I bought this Saturn because my 1st one was so wonderful and I thought I would always own a Saturn. Now I will buy anything but a Saturn.

I have spent hundreds of dollars on repairs that didn't fix the problems. The other consequences are just major inconvenience and a lot of wasted time, not physical or economical but exasperating after years of putting up with it, trying to pay for repairs while still paying for the car.

I have a 2003 Saturn Ion 2 and it has not been starting. Every two or three weeks there is an issue with my Ion not starting, it has made me late for work and scared to drive an unreliable car. Based on the research I have been doing on-line there are thousands of people with the same issue however Saturn has not issued a recall for their faulty product. Shame on you Saturn.

I have purchased 3 Saturn cars since I lived in Florida. The first 2 were Saturn SL's and the last one was a 2004 Saturn ION2 (brand new). I purchased Saturn because it's an American made car from an American Company. I moved up to North Georgia recently an have experienced >40 degree weather and also the wonderful joy have sitting in very cold weather and not being able to crank my car. Even jumpstarting the car takes a while because the "padlock of doom" keeps flashing on my console. I have replaced the battery (after a mechanic told me that it must be the battery) and had it checked several times.

No body knew what the problem was except that it had something to do with the ignition. The ignition was checked and it is fine so this is a complete mystery. I went online to see if anyone else had this problem and GOOGLE gave me a lot of websites with angry people. This is my 3rd and last Saturn. I wish I could buy American but until the auto manufacturers get their priorities straight and offer vehicles and service that Toyota and Honda offer, I will purchase Japanese cars again. Atleast my old Hondas never gave me any problems.

My wife and I purchased a Saturn Ion II in 2003. In the winter of 2005 our Ion would not start when I left got off late for work at night. I had to get the car towed to Saturn Rivergate to get the car service and was told it was a bad ignition switch. In February 2009 for the first time I left my car outside in the driveway and not in the garage and our Ion would not start.

Prayfully the car started after 20 minutes. This is my wife car and very concern about this issue. What if this happens again when its not garage.

I am a full-time student and full-time worker that stretches every penny I get... I recently saved up and was finally able to buy a car to help me get everywhere. My family had been buying Saturns for ages and have been able to run them into the ground with close to 200K miles on all of them. Thus, much to my surprise when I bought a 2007 Saturn ION with only 35K miles on it, that three days later to experience the padlock -won't start issue. I was able to jump it and that lasted three days.

On the forth day it didn't start again, I took it to my local Saturn of Elmhurst dealership and they said it needed a new ignition switch. It cost $189 of money I do not have since I bought the car only a week prior! Less than 24 hours later the car again did the no-start, I have tried waiting the 10 minutes but it still will not start. I am no waiting to see what the dealership will tell me next... I am very disappointed with Saturn for not being able to straighten this out. My family has been loyal customers for ages, and after the last 10 days we are all questioning buying from them ever again. My next call will be with Saturn 800 line and to Saturn of Elmhurst since they said the new ignition switch would fix the problem, and it couldn't even work once!!! This is an appalling situation that needs to be fixed fast!

I purchased my 2004 Saturn Ion in like new condition from a Saturn dealership in July 2005. I was told how wonderful a car it was and I thought it would be a really good car because my unlce has had two of them and they had always been very reliable. I now know that I was very wrong and this has been a terrible car. At first I didn't have any problems with it because it was parked in a garage and didn't get that cold, but when we moved to a house without a garage it wouldn't start if the temperature outside was less than 35 degrees. I live in Illinois and we have ALOT of days that are below 35 degrees! I have sat out there anywhere from 10 minutes to an hour trying to start this car.

The first winter it would start after I tried it like 50 times. I went to college 30 minutes away and this made me either late or absent on several occasions. Luckily I still live with my parents so I have had a ride to work when it wouldn't start at all. Sometimes I would drive it to work and then couldn't get home for about an hour because it wouldn't start. I've had to leave my car overnite in parking lots and someone has had to pick me up, I have been stranded in parking lots for hours waiting for it to start, and so forth.

Finally I took it to a local shop and the guy said it was the battery, so I spent $90 on a battery I didn't even need when the car was only two years old! Then the next day it wouldn't start again. I nearly got frostbite trying to start it so I could get to school. It never would start that day at all. Then summer/spring came and it was fine. But when winter came back I had nothing but problems.

This year no amount of waiting and trying would start it and I was stuck making a car payment on a car I couldn't even drive for 3 months! That's completely unfair because you still have to make the payment on it and then can't afford to get it fixed. Finally, I had my uncle (who used to be a mechanic) come over and look at it and he said it was most likely the ignition switch and said I would have to order the part from Saturn. They said it would cost 120 plus labor, but my uncle said he could probably get it fixed if I just ordered the part. So I ordered it and he spent like three hours trying to put it in because this car is made so poorly. He also asked the mechanic at Saturn if they ever run into this problem and mysteriously not too often was his answer. I told my uncle I have spent hours reading complaints online and I do not believe for one second what he said.

So my uncle fixed it and it finally starts for the time being. It's only been about a month, and from the other posts it will probably not last. Saturn should be made responsible for 100% of the fees that have cost us all. Not only that but all of the missed work, missed school, and time lost..i.e. getting up really early to start it, and lost gas(because I have had to leave my car running for hours when I knew I had to be somewhere and knew it wouldn't start again.)This is the worst car I can imagine owning, and that's really unfortunate to say. Other problems with this car include the wear and tear on these cheaply made keys! I swear both of my keys look like splintered wood, and they are new! My parents keys are 5 years older than mine and the comparison is pitiful.

This also wears out the ignition switch that I have just paid to have replaced. We went to get new keys and they said it would be an extra 30 dollars a key, but we had to come back tomorrow because they were to busy! That's 40 miles away! Also the windows and insulation in that car are terrible. You can be driving down the highway and it sounds like you are on a motorcycle. My trunk doesn't open with the remote key chain because the switch that makes it open is made of cheap plastic that falls back to the off position as soon as you close the trunk.

I am really frustrated with Saturn and GMAC for knowing about all of these problems and not owning up to it! Major safety issues could occur and I am surprised they haven't really. I am willing to do anything to make them take responsibility for their lousy craftsmanship. No one can afford all these useless repairs on fairly new cars in these tough economic times. It's ridiculous. I wish I knew how to get enough people for a class action lawsuit.

I went out this morning and it was about 25 degrees colder than normal and my 04 Saturn ION did not start. The engine did not turn at all. I tried the lights so I knew it was not the battery. I went back into the house and checked the Internet for possiblites other than a battery. After checking the Internet and finding out that the Saturn ION had this starting problem, I went back outside after about 20 minutes and tried starting the car again and it worked.

I can see where this is going to become an issue every time the temperature changes. I was fortunate in that I did not immediately have the car towed before checking the Internet, thus saving myself hundreds of dollars in towing and repair bills since my nearest Saturn Dealer moved over 30 miles away from my area.

I am a senior citizen and I was lucky. It was a weekend and I was on my way to Church. I was thankful that I was at home and not somewhere else and would have had to pay for a tow, repair services, etc, especially on a Sunday when not many services are available.

I purchased a 2004 Saturn Ion two years ago. From the beginning, I have had trouble with the car starting. Sometimes it will not start. I called a local mechanic and he said that only a Saturn dealership has access to the necessary tools to diagnose the problem. I called the Saturn dealership and they wanted to charge around $100 just to look at it. They said they believed it was the ignition sensor and the price range was from $90 to $300 plus labor. I haven't taken it in yet, I usually just wait 10-15 minutes and it will start up. Also, my radio turns on and off, up and down, and changes channels by itself. My interior lights come on and won't go off, and it leaks when it rains.

I bought my car brand new in 2003. We started having problems with my windows not rolling down in 2005. We took the car in at least 3 or 4 times to get this fixed. A couple times they said it just needed lubricating. The other times they said the motor was burned up. To this day, I still only have 2 windows that roll down.

Also in 2006, my car wouldn't start. I got it started and took it in for Saturn to check it. They said the ignition switch was bad so that replaced it. That was 3 years after I bought it. Now, 3 years later I was told again that the ignition switch was bad. Am I wrong or should parts on a car last a little longer than that?

I have had to take my son to school late and been late for work because of the car not starting. That is loss in pay. The windows not rolling down is just a huge inconvienience when you have to go in everywhere. Also, I was stopped a license check point and had to open the door. By doing that, it made the cops question what I was about to do. They understood after I explained myself but it was still embarrassing.

Saturn is fully aware of thier Ignition System-no crank/no start problems and have known about it sinch 2006 (maybe before). They are unwilling to do a recall and if this problem starts after warrenty expires, they refuse to admit it is a manufacuring defect!

I have had to spend a lot of money on a problem that is not due to wear and tear!

Car does not start on the occasional cold weather day Please post to saturn ion starting problem

Inconvenience of losing time on the road and getting to work on time Please post that all folks need to do is wait ten minutes and the car will start. You have to wait at least ten minutes so I usually wait eleven based on the cars clock. I have recently had good luck, but not 100% of the time, of putting the alarm on and then off before starting to avoid this problem.

Faulty Ignition Lock/Computer. I live in the south part of NJ. I bought a Saturn 2004 ION lvl2. Since the cold weather this winter I 've been having daily problems starting my car in the mornings. When it's below 35 my car doesnt start and I have to wait ti out for 10 mins. It does false starts mena it starts but then turn right off within the waiting period.

Today it happened twice. I wait the initial 10 mins then went to WAWA for coffee and when i came back out i had to wait it out again for another 10 mins since it wouldn't start again. I can't leave my car running while I am in a store cause I don't have a remote start. I read up on the problem back in Nov on this site and am getting pretty fed up. A stranger asked to help me today at the store parking lot and I was embarassed.

Being that the car isn't that old and looks very nice it's hard to belive that I go through starting problems that one would expect in a older car from the early 80's and previous years. Since i gained knowledge from other peole on this site I didn't even waste time or money at a repair shop. I belive it's a faulty ignition and computer malfunction. Saturn/GM needs to take there headout of their A** and fix this free of charge or give us other vehicles as a replacement. Let's all file a class action suit like someone else has suggested.

Faulty Ignition Lock/Computer

I live in the south part of NJ. I bought a Saturn 2004 ION lvl2. Since the cold weather this winter I 've been having daily problems starting my car in the mornings. When it's below 35 my car doesnt start and I have to wait ti out for 10 mins. It does false starts mena it starts but then turn right off within the waiting period.

Today it happened twice. I wait the initial 10 mins then went to WAWA for coffee and when i came back out i had to wait it out again for another 10 mins since it wouldn't start again. I can't leave my car running while I am in a store cause I don't have a remote start. I read up on the problem back in Nov on this site and am getting pretty fed up. A stranger asked to help me today at the store parking lot and I was embarassed. Being that the car isn't that old and looks very nice it's hard to belive that I go through starting problems that one would expect in a older car from the early 80's and previous years. Since i gained knowledge from other peole on this site I didn't even waste time or money at a repair shop. I belive it's a faulty ignition and computer malfunction.

Saturn/GM needs to take there headout of their A** and fix this free of charge or give us other vehicles as a replacement. Let's all file a class action suit like someone else has suggested.

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 ( fouled fuel system ), but after 10 to 15 minutes and a couple of hesitant engine turns, it starts. No one needs an unreliable vehicle in this part of the country where winter temps last 3 to 4 months. I bought my first of 7 saturns in 1996 and recommended them to everyone I met. Now I tell them the exact opposite. 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 EVER and caution anyone asking about them to stay far far away.

I also keep a small propane heater in the trunk for when I'm away from home, It takes about 5 minutes in the compartment and the car will start. I know it's not a fix, Saturn should agressively address this problem, But it does get me going when I need it.

I have owned a Saturn Car since 1984. The first one I owned is the SC2, they had to replace the rotor 3 times, and the timing belt broke. Sound familiar!! Then, I bought the Ion in 2005, and I have nothing but ignition problems. They replaced it twice, first the tumbler, then the extention at the bottom froze. I could not take my key out of my car!!! It started with me not being able to turn it off. It would lock, and I would have to re-start and put it into drive, or reverse. Then I would put it into park again and it would shut off, and or enable me to get my key out.

I have a 2004 Saturn Ion which has recently started giving me issues when trying to start it. We thougth that it was the battery so we had that replaced but just yesterday the car started fine, I drove 2 miles away to the gas station and when I went to start the car to leave it wouldn't start. It finally did after about 20 minutes of trying. Then today I drove it a couple times, it was fine. Went to run a quick errand after it had sat for about an hour and of course it wouldn't start but 4 hours later when I went to leave for work it was just fine. Recently we have been having problems with my husbands key not wanting to turn in the ignition and mine just started that last week so I thought that was the problem until I looked this problem up online. I never realized there were so many problems.

I have a 2004 Saturn Ion 2. About a year ago I began to have the problem in which my car wouldn't start in the cold weather. At first I would jump it and it would run for awhile and then suddenly it would not start. I took it to the mechanic who diagnosed the battery, etc. so did the dealership. I bought a new battery and it would continue to happen. It's more frequent now as well. I have taken it to the shop, payed the expense, lost time at work and had my car towed. It very much angers me that Saturn does not feel this is an issue!

I am a social worker and work in low income areas a lot. Up until this point I have been lucky enough that my car wouldn't start in my parking lot, gas station, parents house, etc. Today for the first time it wouldn't start at a client's house. Fortunately I was at a home that was in a relatively decent neighborhood. I have had to take off work on several occasions or go into work late.

I have spent days with my car in the shop as they attempt to diagnosis the problem and each time paying for their labor as they come up with nothing. It definitely does not put my mind to ease that this is NOT a problem I can fix, it really scares me that it could not start at any time or any place depending on if my car feels like starting or not and in my field that makes me very uneasy. I considered prior to this problem purchasing another Saturn but after this experience I will absolutely not!

My 2004 Saturn Ion will not shut off. My daughter came home and tried to turn off the car and the ignition will not turn. I had to pull out the ignition fuse to get the car to shut off and then disconnect the battery because the key is stuck in the on position so all the lights stay on.

After calling Saturn there is no recall and was told this happens alot on this type of car. Now I am stuck paying over 400 dollars to get my car fixed. If they know there is a problem then they should fix it under recall. My warranty ran two months ago - figures right?

We have a 2003 Saturn ION that also does not start in extreme cold conditions and also on very hot days when the a/c has been on for a while. This problem has gone on for years and it is not the only problem we have had with the car. Whenever we have taken it to the dealer (including Decatur Georgia, Wichita Kansas, Olathe Kansas, Topeka Kansas) they blame everything on an engine immobilizer that was sold to us by Saturn of Wichita with the car.

Eventually in frustration we let Saturn of Topeka take the immobilizer out, even though we did not agree it was the problem. We have continued to experience the problem and have sat freezing in the car on at least 6 occasions already this winter as a result. I feel that the Saturn service staff have lied to us repeatedly about this problem and pretend to not know about it. We have an extended warranty but they say that if the problem won't occur at the dealer then we can't get it fixed under the warranty. Of course conditions of such cold are hard to replicate and we don't have the time and money to leave our only car at a dealer in the hope that they will actually try to start it in the cold and act honestly in the process. We had so much hope that Saturn was a great car company and we couldn't feel more cheated and let down, and will never consider buying another Saturn.

Frustration, waisted time, exposure to freezing cold conditions. We will often hire a car for driving holidays because we don't want the holiday ruined by the Saturn. We have paid for rental cars while the car is at the dealer.

Ignition security switch failed. Turn key and everything works but antitheft lights up and car wouldn't start!

60 miles from home twice when temp hovered near 0 last February. Vehicle started after about 20 min. Read that grease solidifies/hardens in anti theft module, so took a butane log lighter flame into ignition briefly and rotated key back and forth several times. Haven't had a problem since and this year had a couple of -26 degree mornings. Interesting that the local Saturn parts guy can quote the part number by memory in the middle of summer. Said he would stock close to 40 of them going into winter.

My 2004 Saturn Ion too will not start and we have -40 degree weather. I have been reading online and I think it is time that Saturn did a recall on their ignition switch. This problem started in 2004 when I bought the car, but didn't do it so often that I brought it in. Now it happens at least once a week, sometimes more in our weather here. I also have issues with my blinker light, I replace it about every month or so and now it will not blink at all. I will not buy another Saturn.

It is not economic to replace ingnition switches that you cannot purchase anywhere but at the dealer itself.

I submitted a complaint on 12/06/08 about how I had to replace the defective ignition switch on my 2007 Saturn Ion (Another Bites the Dust), well on 12/26/08 the ignition switch had to be replaced again because the replacement was defective. The parts did not hold up for 3 weeks. There was a 12 month warranty on parts and labor, so I was not charged another $565. When does it end? I don't enjoy driving my car anymore because I never know if I am going to be able to turn off the ignition when I reach my destination. Meanwhile the payments are still due. I am looking forward to the day I can get rid of this car.

Car won't start specially in cold weather. Had to call off work or missed work a few times which I can't afford to do being I am hardly make ends meet as a Single Mother. Brought to my mechanic today and diagnosed to having a faulty ignition and bad control module. Search the website on Consumer Affairs and saw the unbelievable amounts of people complaining of the same problem. This is ridiculous and cannot be happening.

If Saturn thinks it is not a safety issue, well with the amount of complaints with the same problem IT IS TIME THAT A RECALL IS ISSUE. Otherwise, a CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT should be filed on this. With today's bad economy, job losses, etc, consumers should be treated correctly. DO THE RIGHT THING and get these cars RECALLED!

2004 Saturn Ion - often will not start properly when temperature is cold. I'm posting this to help others who own this vehicle. The Ion is a good economy car but often, when it is cold, it will not start. Replacing the battery & alternator did not remedy the problem. Charging and/or jumping under no-start conditions seemed to help. I have learned anecdotally that the issue IS NOT IN THE IGNITION OR IN THE CHARGING SYSTEM.

Through friends on the internet and in the manufacturer's own engineering staff I learned that the issue is one of a computer that will, in effect, hiccup when it is cold. No need to charge or jump or swear: just sit for five or ten minutes and the computer will reset, the vehicle will start, and you will be on your way. I was ready to kill for a while until I found this solution. Now I budget in a few extra minutes for travel on the cold days. Please, fellow owners, do yourself a favor and do not let your dealer or neighborhood mechanic replace parts. This is a good car, but it has a quirk.

One other thing: before I found the solution I approached a dealership service representative about my problem. His shop was too busy that day for him to take me in and then a big pile of my money in pursuit of a ghost, so he simply told me to wait out the no-start. Didn't tell me the whole story, but my insiders corroborated the efficacy of the solution.

My 2003 saturn Ion doesn't start in cold weather. I have to wait around 10 -20 minutes in the cold and then it starts. After visiting the dealership and reading other complaints, I found out about the ignition switch defect and I don't understand why saturn is not recalling the ions and having the problem fixed. I like saturn cars and this problem is starting to annoy me and change my views about saturns If saturn wants to keep their customers happy they should make a recall and fix the defective ignition switch.

Due this ignition problem,I am constantly late for work and it is a physical torture to wait in the freezing cold for 20 minutes everytime this problem happens.

I purchased a 2005 Saturn Ion, brand new and ever since, I have experienced numerous problems with my key getting stuck. I have taken it in multiple times due to this issue and they have replaced the cylinder block and provided me with new keys on 3 separate occasions. However, the issue continues to occur. The last visit to the dealership was on 1/12/09 and the very same day after driving my ion home the key would not come out of the ignition when I had stopped and parked the car in my garage.

On a least one occassion at the dealership one of the body shop attendents accused me of not putting my car in park when trying to remove the key and there was nothing wrong with it because he couldn't reproduce the problem. I am NOT an idiot and know that the vehicle must be in park to remove the key. Aside, from this person the rest of the service staff seem to know me and my husband by name and are normally pleasant. However, this does not excuse Saturn for not taking action to fix this problem that seems to be arising in so many Saturn Ion customers.

We have spoken to GMAC customer service and they are not helpful at all unless you want to pay out of pocket for all the expenses. How many times must this issue be addressed before it is taken care of properly. It is a waste of our time and money to have to take such an unreliable vehicle to the dealer or body shop ALL the time. It is ridiculous that I have to spend 5+ minutes trying to get my key out of the ignition EVERYDAY!! I believe Saturn should be held responsible, considering the excessive number of similar complaints, and it should be resolved IMMEDIATELY!!!! Also, what can be done about this issue and the lemon law???

Itoo am having ignition issues ... i have noticed that this seems to be an ongoing thing with the saturn ion ... i will not spend one more penny at the dealership then i already have as i have found my sales men here to all be liars to just sell a car

I also have had the same issues with the car not starting. I bought the ion 04 brand new and everything worked fine for the first couple of years. Lately I've been late for work and missed other appointments due to the issue. This is definitely a safety issue for those of us living in the cold north. Imagine your car not starting in below zero temps. I'm not willing to freeze to death over this.

In the same breath I do not have the money to spend to fix something that Saturn is well aware of and based on comments on this site has happened numerous times. If they are unwilling to recall these cars and parts then i'm sure a class action lawsuit would get their attention!

I am having the same problem with the ignition lock as apparently many other Saturn owners. I started by calling the local Saturn dealership to find out how much money they wanted me to pay them to fix this problem that they caused by using faulty parts. $171.83 was the amount quoted to me. Obviously I would like to do anything in my power to ensure Saturn doesn't get a single dime more from me.

I called the customer service line (800-553-6000)to inquire about the reasoning behind not issuing a recall. I was given the same line about it not being a safety issue. I hope they remind me that it wasn't a safety issue when I'm attacked because I have to sit in a parking lot for 20 minutes alone because the car doesn't start.

I was told by Jennifer that if enough people complain to Saturn, a recall may be issued. In the event of a recall, anyone who paid for this repair would be reimbursed. I urge everyone who has ever had this problem to call Saturn at 800-553-6000 to complain. When I called, I chose the option regarding recalls from their main menu. If each person who has had this problem calls, maybe Saturn will finally be held responsible for their mistake.

I am having the same issues with my 2004 Saturn Ion. My boyfriends mom has a saturn ion and experiences the same issues. When the weather is cold, our vehicles will not start. It is not the battery because everything else goes on in the car and they have been checked. We have also experienced trouble with the ignition and sometimes cannot get the key out.

I am appaled that Saturn has not addressed this defect. I wrote to them today after seeing this site and plan on pursuing this issue to the highest point.

I have a 2005 Saturn ION which doesn't start in cold weather. I called the dealership while it was under warranty and told them the battery is apparently faulty, they said to bring it in. The ignition switch was the problem and they replaced it, this was in 2006.

Just the other day the same thing, I replaced the battery just in case but to no avail. It is again the ignition switch. Saturn should have a recall or replacement process, this will be the last Saturn I own. I bought it new to get the new cr warranty because I put 70 miles per day on daily to/from work in mostly a highway setting.

I own a 2004 Saturn Ion Couple. I bought it new 5 years ago and have suddenly been having trouble starting my car in colder weather. I had it looked at by 3 mechanics and replaced the battery. The last mechanic was the only one to find the issue. Come to find out, it was my ignition starter and according to my mechanic, it is a common problem among Saturns. I want to know if it is so common (as apparent through my mechanic and online research), why the issue has not been addressed by Saturn?!?!?

All in all, I will have spent about $500 trying to figure out and fix the problem (that includes the battery, replacing the ignition part, and labor).

I own a 2004 Saturn Vue and have had nothing but trouble with their ignition blocks. My key will not turn in the ignition switch. A top locksmith finally worked on it and said that Saturn had purchased a large stock of some other type of inferior ingition block and installed it in their cars. He also stated that the design is from approximately 1974 and that no other manufacturer would use it. He said that the only solution was to replace the entire ignition block when it refused to operate.

During every cold season since the purchase of 2003 Saturn ION, there is a problem with starting the vehicle in cold weather (usually when below 25 deg F). This seems to be an intermittent problem. How the problem manifests is as follows: in cold weather, when trying to start the vehicle, engine frequently (at least 25% of the time) will not "catch" and run- just turns over. If immediately trying to start it again after a first failed start, engine turns over slowly and dies (similar to dead battery symptom, however battery has been checked and found to be OK). After letting the car sit for 5 minutes after a failed attempt, trying again may result in a moment of what appears to be fuel getting to the engine, and more engine turning, however engine stalls.

As of today, I have urged the NHTSA to demand that Saturn immediately implement a recall for this design flaw. Please respond with your inputs and intended approach on this situation. Also, if you are aware of other agencies that I should contact about this problem, I would greatly appreciate.

I recently started having problems with my 2004 Saturn Ion not starting. It won't start and then it will randomly decide to start after trying for about 20 minutes. I had no idea what was wrong with it, especially since the next few days it started fine. Then it just decided not to start at all. I had to have a tow truck come to my work to take it to the garage. I had tried starting it right befre the tow truck showed up, and nothing, but when the tow truck driver got in my car, it started right up like nothing was wrong.

So I drove it to the garage after having to pay for the tow truck that I didn't even need after all. Only to have my mechanic tell me that it was the ignition and that is was common in my car. I was not aware if how common this problem was until I looked it up and found all of the stories/complaints on this and other websites. I don't quite understand why Saturn has failed to issue a recall if this many people are having problems with the ignition.

I have a 2004 Saturn Ion with only about 17,500 mi. on it. I bought it new and paid cash. Well, this AM it was 18 degrees when I went out to warm up the car and it would not start but could tell it was not the battery. A neighbor took me to and from my appt. and when I came home, the car started. I called the Saturn dealer and was told this is a common problem. Since it is to get down to 11 tonite here in SC, I am sure it won't start in the AM. I guess Mon., I will be having a new ignition switch installed. This should be a recall.

It will cost me at least $275 for the work to be done , according to the dealer.

I have been having the same problem with my 2006 ION as SO MANY people here. When its cold outside I have to wait 10 to 30 minutes for the car to start. I talked to someone else who has a 2004 ION and he reported that he not only had to replace his ignition switch last year, but also had to replace it again last week. I am very discouraged by the thought that even if I replace the ignition switch, I will still probably have to replace it again next year.

I am late to work several times a week. I have to wake up earlier than usually every day. In addition, I cannot just try to start the car and go back inside my house and wait. If I try to start the car, leave the car and return, it still will not start. So I end up having to sit in the car for 10 to 30 minutes waiting for the car to decide that it will start. It was -4 degrees while I was sitting in my car for 25 minutes this morning waiting for it to start.

I drive a Saturn 2003. 61 thousand miles. I've been driving it for 3yrs. I've often had problems with the igntion swtich sticking. When I got to campus today I could not turn the key to the position to remove the key. I had the car towed to the dealership and was told that the ignition cylinder needed to be replaced $75.00, and that also the ignition cylinder housing also needed to be replaced $134.68; I would need a new key $14.50; I would need to have it reprogramed...approx $20.00. I later learned 'reprograming' was a uphamism for re-charging the battery. The car could be turned OFF, but I could not turn it the final click to REMOVE the key. Labor, $75.00 per hr. The original quote was for $408.00.

I called Saturn and spoke with a customer serive person who, long story short, came back and told me that it is 'wear and tear' issue and that there nothing Saturn can do to help lower the cost. I am furious at being patronzied ... Johnny first tried to tell me that it is MY FAULT for not buying a warrenty that would not COVER such parts - then he tried to tell me that IT IS MY FAULT because my key chain is too heavy (he never saw it). His line was that today's cars do not have ignition switches that can stand up to heavy key chains. My key chain is not that heavy.

But follow his logic here - IT's my fault because Saturn installed a sub-standard switch? I told him that I was quoted $150.00 by a local lock and key shop over the phone. He told me that I could go there and pay $150.00 for the repair, but I'd be back because that specific shop does poor work and he ends up having to fix it all over again. I went to the lock and key shop - turns out the problem was 2-fold, 1) I needed a new factory cut key which they cut for me and charged $3.00 for the key. 2) the solenoid needs to be replaced, $60.00 part. Total cost, $150.00 for parts and labor. He already spent 1.5hrs on my car diagnosing the problem. So, although the labor seems high, it actually isn't given that he still needs to get the part and install it.

I want an apology from Saturn and I want them pay me back for the repair - but of course, I won't get either.

Another instance of ignition switch problem with my 2005 saturn ION. Will not turn over in extremely cold weather.

I bought a brand new Saturn in 2004. Just the other day my car would not start. I thought it was the battery so I called Saturn. They asked me when I turned the key did the lights on the dashboard appear, I said yes, Saturn sd. it was an ignition problem and that they have had quite a lot of repair work on the Saturn cars for that. I took it in and I told them this should be considered a Recall issue and they had informed me that it was not considered a safety issue so Saturn won't do anything about it.

I am a single parent, I had to call work and have someone come and get me, take me back home and to even take my 10 year old to school. Luckily this happened at my apartment and I did not have to call a tow truck. I was driven back to my apt. to have my car jump-started and it then started up. I took it in anyway because I did not want to get stranded somewhere with my daughter and some creep approaches us and Lord knows what could happen after that! I feel this is an issue that Saturn needs to be sued for because of our loss of time at work, our gas, etc. and peace of mind because we feel that the Saturn cars are reliable and good cars from all the advertisment we were lead to believe. I guess we were all suckered in on that.

Being a single parent, going into purchasing a car because you were lead to believe of it's reliability, that repair work is extremely hard. I bought this car because I was under the assumption it would run forever and was very reliable, I bought this and thought, this car is for me. I guess I was wrong there.

I, too, own a saturn ('06 ion) and have problems - multiple times per day - of the key getting locked in the on position. What a pain...and what other faulty workings could this lead to? Something is ALWAYS connected to something else. In addition, my car is on the other side of town as it got too cold for it to start last night. Thank goodness for friends - which saturn is NOT or we wouldn't be in this mess with these vehicles! I bought the ion thinking I was giving back to my economy, fellow citizens, and at the same time benefiting myself with a quality working car. Where's saturn's loyalty to us?

I've had to reschedule many appointments, been late for work and other obligations, been stuck away from home, etc. Too, I'm seriously concerned about the quality of related parts. Am I going to be unable to steer? Is someone going to have to get seriously hurt or killed before action is taken? It's not like this is uncommon or a localized issue...help the consumer!

I own a 2003 Saturn Ion that I purchased in the fall of 2006. I had no problems with the car until one day in the middle of winter, which was the coldest day of the year (18 degrees F) my car would not start. I had the car towed to my mechanic who was able to start the car with no problesm. He figured it was the security chip in the key that went bad so he replaced the key. Luckily my car was under warranty at the time so I did not have to pay $200 for the key. I have had the same no start problem now every single winter so far, about 13 times to be exact which is 13 times too many if you ask me.

I called up Saturn and managed to get to their East Coast Regional Manager who told me he couldn't help me because it was not a recall. I think I'll try replacing the ignition switch and see what happens. Lucky for me I have a friend who's a mechanic so I only have to pay for parts, but I am NEVER buying another Saturn again and will tell everyone I know not to buy a Saturn. I hope they see a huge decline in customers due to their lack of service!

Like many others as I can see, my 2004 Saturn Ion ignition switch is faulty. So here I am stranded at home with my baby. I'm a single mother, so I can't stay outside in below zero temperatures working on the car for long periods without either leaving the baby alone inside (not a good idea) or keeping him out in subzero temperatures (also not a good idea). The irony is, back in the winter of 2005/2006 it was replaced by Saturn (still under warranty at that time), apparently with another faulty one. My key doesn't get stuck, but in cold temperatures the car just won't start. Sometimes it will start to turn over, and sometimes it won't at all, but all the lights work. It has a brand new battery, which was purchased thinking that was the problem before the problem was thoroughly research.

The unnecessary new battery cost about $90. I've missed classes, which cannot be measured monetarily. Daycare that's paid for isn't being used. And now I have to miss work again, which means I'm going to get a really shabby paycheck next week. Also, tomorrow is supposed to be even colder, so I don't know how I'm going to remedy the problem in the middle of winter. The dealership tells me it will cost $225 to replace.

The other day, my key got stuck in the 'on' position and I couldn't turn my car off. (I have a Saturn ION '06.) So I drove it to a nearby mechanic and they couldn't get it out and subsequently had to disconnect the wiring to turn it off. I live in Guam where there is no Saturn dealership and the car was shipped here because my husband is in the Navy.

So Saturn won't sell my sister the part in the States even with notarized documentation, etc. I don't know if I can get that a replacement lock cylinder and if I could drive my car that I'm making payments on. I'm scared and frustrated about this and find it unfortunate that they're not trying to help active duty & their family members overseas.

I see that many people have complained about the ignition switch on the Saturn Ions. I had the same problem and it just cost me $325 to fix the car and pay for a rental. I think there should be a recall and Saturn should be paying for the expenses to fix the vehicle.

I bought a 2004 ION, used, in the early summer of 2008 and never had any problem with it until November when the weather turned cold. One morning when the temperature was well below 30 F, my ION would not start. I tried jumping it from my wife's car but to no avail. I went into the house to call work to tell them I would not be in and then went back out to try the car again and it started like there was no problem. I shrugged it off as a fluke and it did not happen again until the temperature took another dip below 30 F.

Now that we are in the deepest part of winter, it's an everyday occurrence, and after allowing myself at least 45 minutes of starting time each morning I can usually get it started. This process is a huge pain in the butt. I have subsequently found out via the internet that this is an ignition switch problem that Saturn is fully aware of, and for which, refuses to issue a re-call, because they don't feel it's a safety issue. It will be a safety isue if someone is stranded somewhere when it's 30 below zero and they freeze to death.

I do not feel that I should have to pay for a part that is faulty, and what assurances do I have that a replaced will work. Have they ironed out the bugs in the switch now, so that a replacement will not fail. Why won't Saturn take the high road here and publicly admit that their switch is crap and that they will issue a recall?

Aah, same old story it looks like. The day I bought my 2003 Saturn Ion the ignition clicked and wouldn't start, they told me it was because I held the car key next to my boyfriends keys. From that point on I made sure to keep the key away from anything electronic. Unfortunately, this did not solve the problem at all. In the last 8 months my car has not started over a dozen times from the "Security Lock Issue" making me late for work, stranded in a parking lot, etc.... If this is caused by cold weather which I have seen a few people mention maybe Saturn should warn people of this issue or offer to pay for them to relocate from Ohio to warmer climates when buying this car! I can't believe this is not worthy of a recall!

With all these complaints, I can't believe there hasn't been a recall. There are over 100 complaints on this problem on this site alone. That should be more than enough for a recall. This problem is putting Saturn owners in potentially dangerous situations.

My son drives this car and was late to work on several occasions, and was stranded late at night when he got off of work where he had to wait alone 15-20 minutes to try to get his car started. This problem is putting Saturn owners in potentionally dangerious situations.

I am disappointed to say that i am an unfortunate owner of a 2004 saturn ion. when i got it it had 15,000 miles on it and it was purchased in 2007. Since i have had the vehicle i have replaced the battery, the sway bar, stabilizer links, gone through four sets of tires.The side panel on the window fell off and the trunk button went inside the caseing when being pressed normally. Also the trunk has a very bad leak and everytime it rains the whole trunk gets soaked. It cant be safe to have your cars battery sitting in 3 inches of water in your trunk.

And now im sitting in the saturn dealership waiting for them to change the ever so complained about IGNITION SWITCH this will cost me another 150+ dollars. and because of the economy status we're all in i can only afford to fix one problem at a time so the clunking in my front end will just have to wait... Back in 2007 i searched everywhere for my dream car a saturn ion with the cool suicide doors. and i finally found one. and ever since then i have regreted it with everything in me.

When i called saturn to ask them about the ignition problem they said it was very very common and yet not enough complaints to do a recall. are you kidding me? ive spent over an hour reading the complaints on this one issue, on this website alone. not to mention all the other complaints on other sites. its so weird how my car acts its got like a mind of its own it starts when it wants to.

and all because of the starting problem i have had to call in to work and or be late several times this year. ive also lost a large amount of pay due to missing holiday pay and regular hourly pay. but luckliy because several other employees at my work also are owners of the ion and have the same starting problem my work is well aware and im not at risk of losing my job. Do you know what it feels like to make a 300 car payment every month but you cant afford to get it fixed?

I have had problems with the Saturn Ion ignition (key not coming out). I've also had some mechanical difficulties with the car, which is unusual because it is a 2003 with just under 55,000 miles on it. Suspension issues, heater blower died, windshield transmission just broke also. This car is awful, please reconsider if you are looking to buy this vehicle

Repairs cost me over $1,000. Car was not under warranty.

I went to start my 2003 saturn ion and it would not start, plus on top of that my key got stuck in my ignition. i tried doing the whole turn to ACC for ten minutes and trying again.....nope that did not work and now the locking light is not on anymore. Called saturn and all they told me was to get a tow..yeah but where should i go. And who knows if a jump could work so this is all just a waste of money for nothing especially during a recession... Luckily my car is in my garage. I hope i can get it working by the time i have to go to work.

We are having the same problem (ignition) with our used 2001 Saturn. Key won't turn to start the car. Now I'm worried about the steering locking up - what a safety issue! This is supposed to be son's car. We'll never buy GM again. Hope they go broke. Reading these stories is making me sick.

We are out thousands of dollars we can't afford to lose. Won't let son drive this thing.

I'm another victim of the ignition switch. Yesterday I stuck my key in, tried to turn on the car but the cylinder would not turn. It was stuck and no amout of gigling will make turn. I gave up and towed it to the dealer. I'm waiting to see how much this will cost now.

Had to take a cab home, pay for towing and tomorrow I find out how much the dealer will charge.

auto brought in to diagnose a starting problem. service advisor said he would check out vehicle but indicated it was probably the ignition switch. while in waiting room another customer was waiting for repair of same problem. the other customer suggested i chswck inter-net for info on this problem. saturn knows this is a problem in its vehicles but does not want to consider it a recall problem

accordeing to interpnet sources thousands of these switches are failing prematurely. the cost to install the #2.00 part is @150.00

I have been having similar problems with my 2004 Saturn Ion. For months I have had troubled getting the key out of the ignition after I turn the car off. I just figured my key had been worn down or something. Then yesterday morning I couldn't get my car to start and I was late to work. I am going to take it in today after work, and I hope that I can get it started. If not I will have to pay for a tow truck on top of the money it will cost for the new ignition switch. When I called the dealer yesterday to set up an appointment the service guy instantly knew what I was talking about. Sounds fishy to me.

I also have the start-up problem with my 2004 Saturn Ion. I also purchased my vehicle new, and started having the problem 2 years ago. I was told at the dealership that they weren't aware of any start-up issues. I feel that Saturn should replace ALL of these ignitions for free. Maybe if we ALL filed a class action lawsuit & regained ignition costs, lost wages, sleep deprivation(get up 45 mins earlier to start car on time), mental harrasment issues of the situation, just maybe they would recall the faulty switches.

I have a 2005 Saturn Ion and three times in the past week it will not start due to cold weather. I bought the car brand new and have taken good care of it. The fact that they know this problem exists and still make people pay for it and dont tell people about it when they are buying it is absolutely wrong. Ive been late to work four times because of this problem and have almost lost my job.If I had known this problem existed I wouldve never bought this car. Ive never heard of this kind of thing happening to any other cars. I definately dont plan on paying for this when i pick my car up today i will fight this. And to read other comments that say even after people have bought new ignition switches it still does it is absolutely ridiculous!

I purchased a 2005 Ion 3 brand new about 4 years ago. It has been a pretty good car up until the warranty was up on it back in Feburary of 2008. One of the problems I'm having with it is the ignition locks up on it. It will not start I have to wait about 15 to 20 min. until it unlock then the car will start. I'm not sure if the problem has something to do with the factory alarm system. The anti-theft light will flash off and on until I'm able to start the car. I was wondering if there is some sort of recall for this problem on the vehicle.

As a result I have been late to work several times. I am worried about my employer taking disciplinary action due to my tardies.

Saturn ion 2005 problem starting-every three or four starts, the lock symbol shows up and car will not start, panel, headlamps, acessories are operating, but starter seems locked out. After 10-20 minute wait, it usually starts.

I was late every cool or cold weather day. It stinks not knowing if a car you paid $12000 to purchase will start when you need to get out and go!

We own a 2003 Saturn Ion and the key will not come out of the ignition. We bought it used and took it in within the 30 days warranty period. THe dealership said they could not replicate the problem -- and hence we exceeded the 30 day period. I have since learned this is a big problem with all Ions and the temp fix is even included in the owners manual. That's just WRONG! Saturn should definitely stand behind their product having such a highly defective situation and repair that for their customers. I would not consider purchasing a Saturn based on poor customer service response!

I have a 2005 Saturn Ion with ignition issues. My key gets stuck in the off position and I cant pull my key out unless I keep trying for about 5 minutes. I went to my Saturn Dealer who immediately put in a new ignition switch at $250.00. When I got home, the key wouldnt come out of the ignition so I took it back. NOW they say its the shifter....that the computer doesnt realize the car is in park. This charge will be $400.00. $400.00 that I dont have. I have called GM customer service but so far no luck. I think GM needs to pay for this since it is obviously a defect in these cars. Live and Learn.

For several months have had trouble with the car starting. Finally had the faulty ignition switch replaced. This seems to be a common problem so why isen't there a recall? I feel Saturn should be responsible for this.

For several months have had trouble with the car starting. Finally had the faulty ignition switch replaced. This seems to be a common problem so why isen't there a recall??????? I feel Saturn should be responsible for this.

My ignition locked up on my 2000 Saturn. I removed the switch and found out that Saturn's theft prevention KEEPS YOU from being able to start the car with a screw driver. Car starts but when you let go of the screw driver the engine dies. Went and bought a new switch for $200.00 and installed it but it still dies when I let the key go. Saturn parts guy told me they won't recall because it's not a safety issue. It won't lock up while driving.

Missed a lot of work and now having to borrow cars from relatives to get to work. Can't keep that up for long and not in a position to buy a new or used car.

I have the same issue with my 2006 Saturn ION. I cannot get the key out of the ignition. Looks like this is going to cost a lot....

I have trouble with my 2004 Saturn starting in cold weather. At first it will not start. You have to wait 10 or more minutes and then it will start. This started last winter. I called a Green Bay Wisconsin dealer and told him the problem I was having and also mentioned that this was well known by Saturn because I had read the same complaints by others on the internet. He told me not to believe what I read on the internet. I asked if he had other ignition complaints and he said, We've had some. I asked if I had mine replaced if that would take care of the problem and he said, We could try it and see for a cost of $200+. I said I want to be sure that will take care of the problem before I pay anything out. I also told him that Saturn was aware of this problem and if I had been informed of this I would not have purchased a Saturn.

The winter season was just about over so I just continued with the waiting and restarting. Now last week the weather was cold but not as cold as it was when I had this problem last year and it did this again and I was late for work as had happened last winter. Now today it actually is quite nice out and I went to the store and when I came out the car would not start. I sat there for 1/2 hour before it finally started. I was very angry and called the corporate office and they have now set up an appointment with the Green Bay dealer for next week and a follow-up call from the corporate office. Well we will see what happens. I'm hoping they will fix this without money out of my pocket since they were well aware of this when I purchased the car and did not tell me anything about it.

Saturn Ion - Ignition Lock I was unable to start my car to go to work. When I made it to the local Saturn dealer, the technician was familiar with the ignition lock problems on Saturns. This cost me $172.02. I purchased this car new and no longer have bumper to bumper coverage.

I have a 2006 Saturn Ion and I am having the exact same problem with the ignition. Turn the key and it wont start. Wait a while and try it again it starts. I usually have to give it like 20mins.

I have been late for work a couple of times because of this stupid problem. Now I just try to start my car 20mins before I actually have to leave the house. Very inconvenient. One time I took a date to a restaurant got through eating, tried to start my car, no luck. I felt like a loser. I called the saturn dealership today and they told me something about some switch sensor that will cost $230 in these times of recession.

I bought my 2000 Saturn SC2 a couple of years ago and have always had to jiggle the key or take it out and put it in the other way to start it. This weekend it got stuck in the lock position along with the steering wheel. I reported this to the NHTSA web site (thanks to the person who posted that) and am now posting here hoping Saturn will be forced to do something. I tried lubricants and hammer before I found this site but am now thinking about popping ignition and using screw driver to start it. It seems like a cheaper fix for an almost 9 year old car than what everyone else has spent.

Having to call in sick until I get this resolved

My 2006 Saturn Ion has 18,000 miles on it. I was just told that both the ignition module and the ignition coil are impaired and have to be replaced for a cost of $398. This is apparently a pattern and Saturn should replace all of these at no charge to those of us who have forced to undergo duress and are without our automobiles while they are being repaired.

Cost $398 I don't know what the consequences are to other parts of the engine because I was forced to drive the vehicle while it was broken to get it to a safer area. It was extremely problematic for the car to break down in a dangerous area, and for me to have obtain rides and borrow cars while I am without it.

I am following up with a complaint I filed Nov 1 2008 regarding my Saturn 2005 Vue - I purchased the vehicle in June 2008. This Saturday (11/1) the key became stuck in the ignition on the OFF position. Lucky for me I was in my driveway when this occurred and the car was off - it appears most consumers have this happen when the vehicle on the ON position and cannot turn off the car.

I was able to get the key out of the ignition by wiggling it in and out and towards the off position very delicately (AAA locksmith walk me thru this procedure over the phone). It did not work immediately but periodically throughout the next 24 hours I would go out and play with the jammed key (I had the luxury of doing this because the key jammed in the ignition while I was at home). The key did eventually come out of the ignition. I used a different key on Monday to drive the car to the Saturn Dealer that I purchased the Vue from.

The Dealer said it was due to the worn key and fragments of the key were most likely deposited in the ignition causing this to occur. The dealer had service cleaned out the ignition (I stood and watch the mechanic do the work) and I purchased two new keys. The dealer charged me a total of $30 for the work and the two keys. So far all is good. I did mention this web site and went equipped with print offs of the various complaints regarding this ignition and read a few of them to the employee in charge of Service. Hopefully this service will take care of the problem. Time will tell.

I Have a 2000 saturn sl1 bought new that year and I have the same problem with my igition locking. What can we do about this major mass problem. I am stuck right now at a store parking lot! ill be replacing the lock cylider in the AM

I am now experiencing the same problems with the ignition that many newer Saturn owners are complaining about. I stopped to put gas in my car last night and could not turn the car off. The key was stuck in the on position. I turned it back to the ACC position, but couldn't get it back any further than that. It took me over half an hour to get my car off and the key out.

I thought that it might be because the car was older, but after researching how to fix it, it appears that there's nothing I can do except shell out a couple hundred dollars every time it happens, or risk not being able to turn the car off.

this is the second saturn vehicle i have owned and both times, the ignition switch became stuck. I tried turning the steering wheel and nothing happened. finally i had to call a tow truck to tow it to a repair shop. I now have to pay $375 to get the whole ignition replaced. I had this happen to my first saturn vehicle that i owned also.. The $375 is definitly not in my budget. So if there is a recall on this, I would certainly want to know about it. Thank You