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Comments
Buy a new (or used) car other than a GM product instead of spending time and money on your Saturn ION.
It is stunning, but if GM want any loyalty from Saturn owners, and especially the ION's .... then why do they not take care of this problem, once and for all.
We are going to non-GM brands as the vehicles are sold off or traded ... only a few left of a fleet of more than a dozen Saturn's ... and our fleet is growing!
I've been reading many pages of everyone's problems with their ignition and I am also facing the same problem. It has done it a few times in the past but I just moved down to Florida and the next day it happened. Except now it won't start at all and just so happen the warranty ran out a couple hundred miles ago...
I have a 2006 Ion Redline that i bought new and everything is normal when I go to start it (no dash lights eccetra) all the way up until I go to turn it over to start. ACC is fine but as soon as I turn it over, everything goes silent/quiet. No cranking, no ticking, nothing. All I get is an illuminated "check engine light" that stays on as long as I hold the key in the START position.
Is it my ignition switch or do you know what is causing this problem?? Any help would be GREATLY appreciated. I have no other vehicle and being the new guy at a new base with no car is not going so hot. THANK YOU in advance for any advice you can give..
If we can look to see if there are any open recalls on your vehicle (we can do this with the last 8 digits of your VIN), or assist in working with a dealership, please let us know!
Sarah
GM Customer Service
Thankyou, Angie Crick
Sarah
GM Customer Service
I found a bulletin on it # 04-08-45-005D No Crank or No Start DTC B2960 and/or B3033. It seems to mimic the symptoms occoured after we bought the car. We have changed the starter and igniton switch( not module or relay) already along with doing the passlock relearn & has not yet started.What has me stumped is that it will not shift into neutral. Thankyou, Angie
I looked and am not seeing any open recalls on your vehicle at this time. I tried to see if I could pull up a file for you in our database so I could get a Service Request set up, but didn't have any luck. We'd be happy to do so if you wanted to email us your name/Edmunds username, phone, and address (if I could also get the current mileage on your vehicle, that would be great).
Once I get that in, I'll set up this request, call over to the dealership where your vehicle is at to get any updates on progress, and then go from there!
All the best,
Sarah
GM Customer Service
Best,
Sarah
GM Customer Service
I didn't see it come through - I apologize about that! Would you be able to resend it?
Sarah
GM Customer Service
All the best,
Sarah
GM Customer Service
I sent you an e-mail yesterday evening and just wanted to follow up with it and see what you were able to find out.
Thanks,
Cameron
I tried to send you an email from a different address, but that was sent back to me. At this point, it may be quicker to have you give customer assistance a call as they will build the same case I would have done over the internet: 800-553-6000 (Hours: Mon to Sat, 8am to 9pm ET; Closed Sunday). I am so sorry for the difficulty in communication we've been having!
Sarah
GM Customer Service
I believe I did see your email come through - have you heard back from Christina at this point? She generally answers inbound emails from the forum. If you haven't, I will be sure to follow up on this with her!
Sarah
GM Customer Service
Regards,
Sarah
GM Customer Service
Whatever the 'gm-rep's' say .... It is the SAME problem for all of us with ION's from 2003 to the end of the production. And you are 100% correct, the temperature in the air has nothing to do with this problem. Do they know what is causing the 'no-start, wait 10 minutes, another 10 minutes etc.' ? Well most of us believe so and for gm, that ought to be a simple straight forward message to any and all ION owners as well to gm-dealers - this is the FIX, but no, they must not care about the many Saturn-gm owners that some day need to buy a new vehicle, for whatever reason. After 17 Saturn's, we are down to just a few and the replacements are NOT gm products - it's as simple as that. Oh, by the way one of the vehicles is being repaired at this moment ... 3 gm-dealers consulted after the diagnostics and all 3 are 'clueless', in fact one do not even recognize the vin number to be a Saturn ION but rather an SUV!!! Great Help!
When you contacted Customer Service, did they assign you a case number?
As for technical information, I wish I could provide more to the forums I'm active on, I truly do. I have very limited resources to work from, and our approach to vehicle concerns is to have an in-person diagnosis performed. I have asked our Technical Assistance Center questions before, but they too refer to an in-person dealership diagnosis.
Please let me know your case number -- I can pass word on to your agent that you have to go back in after the initial repair.
Sarah
GM Customer Service
I don't want to be too repetitive, but I would definitely say to try to call again and make sure to get a case set up, because you've been in more than once now for the same concern.
Sarah
GM Customer Service
But you've replaced a bunch of other crap that didn't need to be replaced.
Open the little panel under the steering wheel. There is a release button under the little panel that when you press it will allow the ignition to let go of the key. The procedure is also mentioned in your owner's manual.
And the "ignition relay" is not the part you need to replace but the ignition switch. Others have written about trying to replace the relay. What they're all talking about is the switch where you stick the key in. That's where you start. As has been said before. Repeatedly. Again. Still.
On mine the ignition switch was the problem, repeatedly. Temperature has nothing to do with it. Mine was purchased and run in L.A. as well.
The problem is your refusal to take it to the dealer [or authorized service provider ] to find out what is wrong with your car. Yet you have needlessly spent money on parts and labor that weren't part of the problem. That cost far more than the diagnostic would have and that will generally be waived if the repair is made.
You're not listening to anything anyone has posted on this thread, why are you still griping ? You had the answer before you went and had a new battery and starter put in. But you didn't pay that diagnostic fee did you ? Where did that get you ? And you gained what, again ?
But for your refusal to take proper action you would have been on the road by now or have had the car running so you could trade it off.
If you're not going to take any action other than posting on a forum to complain, then enough already. You're wasting the time of the people who actually want an answer to their problem and those that have repeatedly told you what needs to be done to fix it.
Make sure to replace the ignition switch. NOT the ignition relay switch. There is a difference. Also, I recommend that you pay the $90 to have a professional install it because I have read other posts on here about people who have tried to do this themselves and have not been able to re-program the security system. So I definitely recommend that you purchas the ignition switch and then pay someone to install it. Good luck!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ww5AGhFWcBw
If you've read the posts here, it has been posted that it is NOT the ignition relay switch that is being referred to, but the ignition switch. Read from http://townhall-talk.edmunds.com/direct/view/.f1137a7/943
Also, today I attempted to start the car and just clicking...about an hour later I tried again and fired up as if there was no issue. Any ideas? Please help as I am Stationed in Germany now and soon to be back stateside. I really need to be able to rely on my vehicle when I get home.
Search for 'cut the white wire/cable' --- cut it (or have a mechanic do it for you) and your car will start in any climate condition thereafter ... You will find plenty of postings on this site and several other on other 'boards'.
Good luck - it works ....
Before removing the key to your car to leave the car, you need to ensure that you tap the button on the clutch, so that it lets the key turn all the way back. You cannot force it back it remove it at ACC, but keep tapping the button at the clutch once it's parked until it lets your key go to off.
This has worked for me, and I've never had problems starting it up again every time I do this. Note that as I said, this has to be done before you leave your car every time.
If you look back at my previous posts, I replaced the ignition switch, ignition cylinder, and ignition switch again. However, since my last trip to the "GM Certified" dealer I haven't had any starting issues. But I don't kid myself into thinking that the problem is gone forever.
I installed a new lock cylinder, new wire harness with green connector, and new ignition switch. I followed the passlock relearn and everything responded correctly. That is to say that the "lock" symbol flashed for 10 minutes and went out, etc. At the end, however, I had the same result. I turn the key and nothing. I tried several more times, same result.
I disconnected and reconnected the positive battery terminal. Removed and reinserted the ignition switch. My hope was to get back to where the lock symbol would flash for 10 minutes to try the relearn again. No luck.
Any ideas? Until the wires to the connector broke the car ran fine and started every time. The passlock relearn seemed to go correctly, but when I try to start the car nothing happens. Any helpful suggestions.
The car is an automatic. It will not move out of park. The battery was charged overnight, just to be sure.
Did I do it right? Thanks again for your help.
In the on position, all systems work, which suggests that the ignition switch is installed correctly, but no other sign of ignition. Could I have gotten a bad switch? Any other suggestions?
The last resort is a tow to the dealer. Maybe I am cynical, but they usually start by replacing the most expensive parts first. I think they will start with replacement of the BCM and work backwards from there. So I start at about $800 and go up from there.
I don't have $800+. Can anyone make a suggestion.
Thanks.