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The ION 3 I'm now stuck with also has a broken clock which the dealer personally delivered to me. The 2nd car (2005 ION2) I had also had a problem with excessisve wind noise that the dealer was never able to remedy.
How do I replace a burned out tail lamp? I see in the manual it says to remove the whole taillamp, but mine does not have screws in the same places the drawing shoes. Anyone have to do this yet? What am I missing?
I heard the Ion will be getting a 2.4L option, an ipod jack and a Saturn Aura front end next year. Maybe they will add some reinforcements to the sides.
We bought the Ion because we wanted to save a little money but still have reliable transportation and had heard good things from a few people who owned Saturns ( the S- Series). However, we are now planning to trade in the Ion as soon as possible because let's be honest, a car with electrical problems after just 3000 miles isn't worth hanging onto.
As far as I can gather, the Passlock system is supposed to disengage the the fuel and lock up the steering wheel when it determines that you aren't using the right key. Something with the Passlock system on my car is all screwy and I suspect it's not easy to fix. The dealer was quite circumspect about and that gave me a bad feeling.
I asked myself, would it have helped if we spend a little more money and got an ION 3? Probably not, since it's all the same engine underneath the hood.
We are lucky that we are able to absorb the financial loss on the Ion and get a different car. I am sure that most Saturns are reliable vehicles, but unfortunately, mine just isn't one of them. There is no doubt in my mind that the problems will only escalate. I have no desire to be zooming down the freeway at 60 have the steering wheel lock up, or the fuel system disengage. We are just going to bite the bullet on the trade in and get a different car.
Good luck to everyone else out there with Saturn problems!
Wrt side impact, the ION has a "space frame" in the steel_framed doors (_not_ plastic doors like CU claims) , but the cage is surprisingly sparse at the lower edge of the door, right where the IIHS impact is greatest due to the ram's shape. The plastic contributes practically nothing in terms of door rigidity.
The Cobalt, by comparison, has steel doors (the outer skin helps absorb some of the energy) and a newer design.
2006 should be last year for Plastic body ION at which point its successor with steel doors should do better in the tests.
I had purchased a SL 2 in August 2001 for my daughter not because I was a big fan but because we had the GM family purchase deal available and the car was basically a reliable piece of transport at the best price you could get for a Saturn.
In late 2003, my daughter moved into NYC and couldn't afford to keep the car in the city so it found its way to my driveway. It was an occasional drive for us and was hers on weekends when she needed transport.
I tried selling it but never had any bites.
It was getting tired and I was losing confidence in it.
I spotted a local Saturn ad for the ION 2 with a few attractive options and thought I'd check it out.
The latest ION is head and shoulders over the last of the SLs.
The new platform , engine and 2005 tweaks are very impressive. I know what I bought and , by comparison, I am very impressed and happy.
We have a reasonably sporty looking 5 speed, sunroof, all power options, 6 disc CD, spoiler, 16 inch wheels with 205/55 all seasons and ABS/traction. Far better fit and finish. Better touch and feel on the controls. Better seats and fabric with better fore and aft positioning, etc.
I received a better trade deal on the SL2 than I expected given its exterior condition plus an additional $250 on top of their offer with the dealer's on line coupon.
We also got a $1,000 rebate ( Hot Button money), 3 year 0% financing and a free 5 year B to B, no deductible, extended vehicle warranty.
Toss in the typical nice Saturn selling and negotiation experience.
After driving it for 150 miles the last three days I have to give credit to Saturn - it's a nice car. I have two other cars that are in a different league than the Saturn and can appreciate the difference between a car that retails for 16,000 vs. one that retails for 40,000.
Time will tell but I recommend looking at these cars if you are in the market.
When the cruise control stopped again, I called my dealer and this time Saturn has fixed the problem! Obviously this was an issue on the '05. On my invoice it says updated ECU calibration needed, reprogrammed ECM. Reapaired: EE Prom - Reprogramming (install new.
I hope this helps you. I haven't had any problems other than this and I LOVE my car! If you need more help with this problem, John DeBolt, Service Mgr at Saturn of Gulf Freeway in Houston, TX and he can tell you exactly what needs to be done!
The government tested without side curtain airbags, and for some reason the Ion did better than the Cobalt with no side curtain airbags.
Keep in mind that the Insurance Institute crash is based on a small pickup, the government test is based on a small car, so the height of the impact and weights are much different.
Apparently the design of the door panel and padding in the Ion is better than the Cobalt, and the body structure on the Ion doesn't get pushed past the failure point with this lighter impact crash. In the insurance institute test, the Ion's structure was severely deformed by the heavier, higher impact point crash.
Keep in mind that the government doesn't include head deceleration figures in its score, for which it is criticized, since it doesn't help the victim much if their torso is only bruised but they suffer a fatal head impact. The insurance institute measures head deceleration and includes it in their score. So I wouldn't rush out to buy an Ion (or any car) without thinking long and hard about side curtain air bags.
All in all, though, it looks like Ion's with side air bags should be pretty safe relative to most cars, although the Cobalt with side air bags can take a heavier hit.
Still can't understand why two cars built on the same "platform" have such different body strength in side crashes.
The Accord remains the mass-market car to buy for safety. It comes standard with side curtain airbags and ABS, and got great IIHS and NHTSA scores for front and side impacts. The sad part is, side curtain airbags only cost $300-600 to order, so the manufacturer's cost must be lower, but they still are standard on cars even though the "average" car costs between $20,000 and $26,000. Where are our priorities?
So far I'm reasonably impressed with it, though I'm trying to figure out if the driver's seat is comfortable or not. This thing with seat comfort can be a show-stopper for me. I'm about to sell my old '94 VW Jetta, and while I have LOVED the Jetta, I would never take it on a long drive--like hours at a time--because the driver's seat is a killer.
But back to this '04 Ion. It seems to be a wonderful car for the money--fairly quiet on the road, has the amenities I like (power strng, door locks, windows, keyless entry) without having more than I like--like leather & power seats. I had a car with power seats once and will never have again. And I could care less about leather seats--much prefer fabric.
I like the way it looks and I like the cocoon feeling while driving--the door is a bit higher than in the Jetta, for example, and it feels cozier and somehow safer. It has the feel & sounds of a solidly-built car--closing the doors brings a comforting & solid 'thump'. This would be my first Saturn and the flexible side panels seems a little odd, but that's part of what makes Saturns, well, Saturns.
The automatic transmission is a bit jumpy at shift points some of the time, but it doesn't really bother me. I gather this is a trait of many GM auto transmissions ( I haven't owned a GM car in over 20 years). Acceleration seems more than adequate. I haven't really put the brakes to the test, but will later today by doing a couple of near-panic stops on a lonely road around here.
The interior definitely has a certain 'plastic-ky' look around the dash, but it's not truly bad or offensive. I rather like the central instrument pod--it certainly doesn't bother me. A manager at the Saturn dealer commented about driving it at night--that the unusually dark space right in front of the steering wheel takes a bit of getting used to--and sure enough, that was the case last night. It was strange to look through the steering wheel and see . . . darkness.
I wish they had used some of that open top-of-dashboard space to provide a relatively flat tray space,even a small one, though I understand that most vehicles avoid that kind of thing because of visibility--the problem of distracting reflections on the windshield.
I am 6'5" tall, with a somewhat long torso. I am generally impressed with the front space for the driver. Plenty of leg room--in fact, I've got the seat moved forward a notch or three from its rearmost setting, and headroom is truly awesome considering this Ion has the moonroof. I don't think I've EVER been in any sedan of any make that I've been able to sit in that had a moonroof--except this ION. I was amazed by that, and there is still headroom to spare.. Where dash & console meet I wish there was maybe an inch more space for my right leg to lay against, but it doesn't seem really cramped, either, and I can probably live with it just fine.
Handling on the road seems fine--the power steering is effortless yet there's some feel for the road coming through and it seems to track well. Maneuverability is just what I'm looking for, and it seems a close match to the Jetta in terms of turning radius and that's a very good thing.
This '04 Ion has one of those small spare pseudo-tires buried under the floor of the trunk, and speaking of that, next to that spare tire in the trunk is the battery. I like that VERY much. There is also a terminal in the engine compartment under the hood for jumper cables and I think the idea is that you can run jumper cables at either end of the car. And getting the battery out from under the hood makes for more space in the engine compartment, which doesn't seemed crammed with stuff as some cars do. Plus, the protected location in the trunk probably eliminates battery terminal corrosion
I actually read the entire owner's manual for this '04 Ion last night, and it is odd that they have these elaborate descriptions of how to get the key out of the ignition if it seems to be locked into it. Yet I've found that some people have reported on this forum that they've had that problem. If this is related to the theft-deterrent system, then it is a bit of a concern. I'm not a big fan of elaborate security systems in cars, and these systems with interlocks seem susceptible to problems. I don't want to be prevented from driving my OWN car by these systems. If this system can be disconnected or de-programmed, I'd like to know. I think car designers have tried to cram too much wiring into the steering column--they all need to re-think designs for theft deterrence & s security.
I love the story from several years ago where a car had a very elaborate, after-market, state-of-the-art security & alarm system in it. The system cost several thousand dollars according to this report. Well, guess what? That system was the most valuable single component in the car, and some thieves attacked the car and completely disabled the security system and stole it. It was the only thing taken from the car--took the whole thing, control unit, wiring harnesses, even a separate enunciator/audible alarm horn. I'd have loved to hear the conversation between this car owner and the company that sold & installed that security system!
As I write this I might buy this thing. A bit more time in the seat and giving the brakes a good test might be enough to convince me one way or the other.
~alpha
Anyway, the brake pads are in need of replacement now. Have owners generally just gone to Saturn to get new ones or are there better brands on the market? I would assume Saturn will use Delco pads.
This Ion is quite quiet inside and the wind noise at highway speed is more than acceptable.
Seats are comfortable and the headroom is amazing to me. I've never been able to sit in a sedan of just about any make or size with a sunroof and not have my head tilted to one side or worse--in the sunroof-equipped Ion there is a comfortable amount of headroom between the top of my head and the ceiling. Room for the knees and thighs between the center console and the door armrest is adequate but a touch tight--not uncomfortable but an extra inch or two there would be good.
I also wish there was another storage tray or bin at the front of the center console in front of the cupholders & just under the climate controls.
If this car had another 15 horsepower or so it would be truly awesome, but the 2.2 engine is certainly adequate, just not headsnapping. Ride quality is good, firm but forgiving over bumps. Maneuverability is really good--terrific tight turning radius means you can nicely zip into parking slots
But the somewhat negative comments I've made here are petty issues and I am extremely pleased with the car so far. I imagine Saturn will continue to refine this car; it's pretty damn good now, but I would think a 2007 Ion could be awesome if they do things right & listen to their customers.
That was a fight initself to get them to admit that I showed it to them before I ever drove off the lot.
My CD changer/ radio cassette upgraded system with 6 speakers as an upgrade and several $$ later has been replaced and this is my 3rd radio/cd player. The CD player keeps shutting off on it's own while a disc plays, this happened 2 times, and 2 new cd players put in.
Now the CD palyer does not turn on at all.
You can not eject or insert a disc or even get it to play, only the radio works.
Now a third cd player has been replaced.
Speakers blewn while I was listening to the car before I drove off the lot, static crunching distortion noise, 2 right front speakers replaced.
Then my car stopped meanwhile I was driving and was in heavy traffic with speeding cars. I coasted into a parking lot and shut off the car.
Waited a few minutes and the car started and I drove straight to Saturn.
They told me it was the speed sensor that went.
3 times it has been replaced.
The car looses power when sitting and waiting top turn as you try to drive through the turn.I was told the first 2 speed sensors were a defective part and assured it would never happen again, as they replaced it with a new sensor form a new supplier.
Then my transmission went, 44,000 miles on a road trip that i had been driving for over 6 hours doing 80 mph my transmission blew and the car shut off with a 18 wheeler hauling fast behind me, almost got killed.
The car transmission is warrantied until 75k miles per Saturn.
They will not recall it and help people from being killed, they will pay to fix it.
front cover side was replaced, they told me I got a brand new transmission.
The belt in the transmission blew into pieces, they showed me and said when they opened up the VTI transmission, metal pieces came flying out..
Now I am suppossed to feel safe 500 miles away from home to turn around and drive home.
My muffler shield broke, all I do is drive 10 miles to and from work every day, loud ratteling noise, they had to fix by putting on a new muller at 34K miles.
now I had to fight with Saturn as i hear a loud noise fromunder the hood with the ac on or off, they claimed I was crazy and they and 3 technicians never heard a noise.
i had to pick up the car go to work then drive back and leave the car running for them to hear it running loud.
Had to make a scene at the dealership with the technicians and the service manager to say hear the loud noise from my car running over there?
Amazingly enough they heard it, and it was the fan motor that went, but hey i am crazy and hear stuff.
I paid for a platinum zero dollar deductible extended warranty and told me that if it was the fan they would fix it and pay for it, but the diagnosis was $100.00 I had to pay them, not likely I told them.
They charged me $324.00 as well the week before for a drive serpentine belt, front brakes pads and to machine my rotors.
Car still does not feel any different when my brakes were bad and did not want to stop.
Pedal very low and feels sometimes like I will not be able to stop.
they told me I have to pay $89.99 to bleed the brakes!!
IThat should be included in the brake job , everyonelse does that and they should adjust my petal, they did nothing.
And lastly my car was brought in before 36k miles becuase the factory paint on the front bumper was peeling up.
They painted it after i fought with them , then hit the bumper before they let it dry enough and put it on with a dent in the paint.
i had to fight with them and have them repaint it.
Unbelieveable.Then my car had a transmission seal . valve leak days after they checked my transmission fluid and opened it to check.
My car had all the warranty work done to fix that days later.
i want to know about the lemon law and howto get rid of this car.
We all need to fight this and complain, bad PR hurts them and they act.
I saved to buy a new car that was no better than my used mustang that had engine problems.
Some piece of mind I got, now I am afraid the transmission or engine will go as I drive.
for the 2005 I shouldn't expect much repair until 160,000 km. I should expect to change the auto transaxle fluid @ 83,000 km; maybe I will have this done at 76,000 km.
I would say I am a satisfied Saturn owner.
What I was searching for was information on the changes to the mechanical parts. Contrary to what I have read in the forums, I don't have a serpentine belt on my 2005 ION. The only belt I have left is the air conditioning belt. I have read articles (positive) on the Electric power steering, but what happened to the alternator and whatever else this belt used to provide power to ?
Why do I no longer have a transmission dip stick ?.
Al
Al
I just returned home after spending 4 months in the Alaska bush. I missed my ION and the freedom of driving on contiguous freeways and interstate roads. The car sat through the snow pileups of greater DC unmoved and the brake rotors completely rusted out. It's unattractive with our alloy wheels, but we've experienced no problems driving. We should get the brakes checked anyway and an oil change but all in good time.
We have not had the key-stuck-in-iginition problem that others on this board have spoken of. We have taken it to the dealer in the past year for a number of recall fixes. Otherwise, we have not had to do any repairs yet. I expect that we need to catch up on regular maintenance issues like tire rotation and brakes. Will have to check the manual. I think we need to get it washed and detailed bad.
Our ION2 now has 38,083 miles on it. I'm jealous that vue has 66K on his/hers. Our 1992 SL1 has 253,797 miles on it. After sitting in the driveway unused for 4 months, it needed a jump and some air in the tires. It too needs an oil change. But it's running fine.
I can't say that I empathize much with caitlin. (By the way, that glass-breaking thing happened to my husband with the SL1, so I believe you. He was in college, and on a cold winter day, he got into his car, started it and the back windshield completely shattered -- no explanation to speak of.) I've always told my college friends that just because some people say Saturns are good cars, it doesn't mean they're indestructible. One word comes to mind: karma.
Good to see that the board is still alive and kickin',
Me,
subjectively driving/riding in a 03 ION2 AT silver w/ conv & travel pkgs, a/c, 15in alloys, spoiler and radio/cd/cass/coaxials
Disclaimer: I do not work or am in any way affiliated w/ Saturn or GM. Most of my family (and my husband's) refuse to touch any American, let alone GM, cars with a 10-ft pole. Good day!
The ION has a space frame that concentrates most of its strength in door's centerr, not the lower edge. The IIHS side impact test has a substantial lower bumper protrusion on its ram. Result - mismatch. Also, the Ion's plastic skin does little to distribute crash energy across the door.
The Cobalt's steel door skin and internal beams apparently distribute crash energy more evenly.
side notes: the wiring on lower end GM cars I've owned has proven unimpressive (poorly wrapped, cheapo connectors). As for lighted window switches, '04+ Malibu has them in front, but not rear.
saturn corporate about the problem so that if it pursists, I will have it in the vehicles history with them. Although the guys at the dealership have been very nice and are trying to help, apparently these cars have computer glitches and I have been told that Saturn corporate is aware of the problem but there is nothing they can do at this time. It is so sad because I love my ion. I love everything about the car as long as I dont have to take long trips that would involve cruise control. If anyone else has had this problem, please email me at foobrain@netzero.net, or respond here (or both).
$500 for a car that could not move on its own.
I happen to like the styling of the new Ion. As is the case with many other GM cars, however, the Ion isn't a bad car, but there are better choices in the marketplace.
Gauge pod was supposed to promote better concentration on the road, but I don't know if it's been proven that side-to-side is better than traditional down-up in terms of reading instrumentation+attention to the road. I think the Toyota Prius, the Scions and some Suzukis have the same set-up.
I'm surprised they haven't corrected this when they cleaned up the design for '05. Maybe fixing something like that costs more than one would imagine. I did read that the '07 design will be based on the Opel/Vauxhall Astra and will NOT have center mounted gauges.
Onstar SOS one Button Emergency notification system that is GPS enabled, the traction control availability and side curtain head protection is ahead of cars with similar price ranges. And the non hackle sales experience. But this one fatal flaw has it done in for me. I just cannot understand why the car had to be designed to be just to be cool and different inspite of the threat to safety.">
Minis have been popular in Britain and Europe since 1959, that's over 45 years and every single one came with a center mount speedo. Scion xA and Mini-Cooper models are selling well and have happy owners (read the threads) and every single one has the central speedo.
Perspective, folks, perspective.
2001 BMW 330ci/E46, 2008 BMW 335i conv/E93
Yeah, the new Mini and Scion are notorious road hazards. People are lining up to sue BMW and Toyota as we speak.
Why start a string on the ION now? The car will be replaced in '07 with a new Opel Astra like design. Watch for it at one of the auto shows coming up. (My guess is New York, but maybe Chicago)
He had nothing but trouble from the sales folks - the first salesman kept using terms like "cheap, noisy interior". He seemed totally disinterested in making a sale. Second guy seemed better - until the ink dried, then it was as if it was a chore to answer the phone. The remote starter didn't work, so after much haranguing - they dispatched a repair person to fix it.
Several questions for the pros:
1. We were told they could install a feature that would allow the XM to be played through the CD auxiliary - but now believe after research that the add-on is not available for 2006..is it or is it not available, or are we being hoodwinked??
2. Today - after fewer than 100 miles on the vehicle, my husband got the following warning: "Secondary air injection emission control system - no critical system". This was an Onstar warning that said you must have this serviced within 7 days. When we called the dealership - they seemed not at all concerned, and told my husband he could continue driving the vehicle with no voiding of warranty. What is the warning - and is the warranty still okay?? They say they will have to call him on Monday to let him know if there are after-hour servicing options.
It's a lovely car, and we really want to love it. It just seems like the dealership is making it difficult.
Thanks in advance for your comments!
Bev
If you're looking at your steering wheel as you drive I hope it's not in my neighborhood.
A good driver moves his/her eyes constantly to check their mirrors and the right, left and center of the view ahead. If you never look to the right of your car you are doing something wrong. I Velcro my radar detector to the center of the dash, right about where the Saturn gauge cluster would be. I could easily mount it atop the instrument cluster but it's just as easy to see off to the side slightly.
2001 BMW 330ci/E46, 2008 BMW 335i conv/E93
Thank you for bring up the Mini-Cooper Model and the Scion xA model, next time I see a Mini-Cooper parked on the road, or go to the Toyota Dealer I will remember to take a look.
a: intermittent cruise control
b: a clunking in the steering at slow speeds or
c: shifting irregularities causing the car to lunge forward when it takes off?
I have a 2005 Ion Quad coupe that only has around 5500 mile on it. It has already been in the repair shop 4 times for one or more of the above problems. The dealership tells me that I have to get help from Saturn corporate and corporate tells me that the dealership is responsible. I am bringing it in this week and if they
dont get the thing fixed...it's off to a lawyer to claim lemon law.
I love the looks and styling of my car (even the center console which took one drive to get used to), but I am beginning to be very sorry for my choice. I guess looks alone do not make a nice car.
Please respond if anyone has had problems like these.
I don't think the center IP is any big deal. Sure it takes a few days to get used to but after that, you don't hardly notice it. The improvements in the last 2 years on the Ion are very noticeable. The interior is much better and I can only assume the 2006 will be even better.
manueltrans1 ::: Feel no reservations in an Ion. Great deals right now and the cars are very good. While we may move up to a Aura for the next car due to kids, if I can live with less space in another Ion and save some gas.. I will.
know the cars.) The reason why I pick on the Center Console so much and it hurt me so much, it is because of my discomfort with that, that I had to severe my relationship with the repair crewd, whom I know by first name basis over the years. The personal relationship with the repair crewd chief and member is very important in my experience. Try to approach the dealership again and speak directly and personally to the person that works on your car.
Thanks for the response.
It's a VERY BIG DEAL when 99% of the cars are built with the gauges right in front of you. This is GM cost cutting at it's finest. Just like the smal steering wheel of the last couple of years just to save a FEW BUCKS ON PLASTIC.
I am afraid (and I hate saying this) that Saturn is finished!
They have been "GMized". Heck, you can now even get rebates and haggle on the price. Lots of luck!!
Saturn has definitely not had the goods (though the VUE is ok), but the stuff I have seen coming (Outlook, Sky and Aura) look amazing.