Bulletins
| Bulletin | Bulletin date | Replacement Bulletin | Item no. | Summary | Added |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| POWER TRAIN | |||||
| 050730003 | 02/01/2005 | 10017446 | Intermittent hesitation during vehicle launch. *tt | 11/08/2005 | |
| 3251 | 10017133 | Transaxle slips, no third gear, engine flare during shift after transaxle service. *sc | 10/25/2005 | ||
| 3035 | 01/01/2004 | 10009650 | No forward or reverse gears or line pressure after a valve body replacement on a vt25e transaxle. *tt | 10/14/2004 | |
| 3034 | 01/01/2004 | 10009583 | No reverse after case cover assembly replaced. *tt | 10/07/2004 | |
| 040730036 | 09/01/2004 | 10009534 | Revised vt25e (vti) spacer plate available. *tt | 10/06/2004 | |
| 040730024A | 11/01/2005 | 040730024B | 10008481 | No movement in drive or reverse with or without diagnostic trouble codes (dtcs) p1758, p1758, p1882, p0841, p0741, p0742. *mj this bulletin replaced previous 04-07-30-024. *tt | 08/02/2004 |
| 040730016 | 03/01/2004 | 10006462 | 1-2 and/or 2-3 upshift delay, harsh tip-in downshift, erratic engagement of down slope mode. *tt | 05/03/2004 | |
| 040730011 | 04/01/2004 | 040730011A | 10005977 | Anaerobic sealant application requirements for vt25e transaxle. service manual update. *tt *mj | 04/05/2004 |
| 030730055 | 11/01/2003 | 10004610 | Service information regarding 2002 and 2003 model year vt25e transaxle replacement with 2004 model year vt25e transaxle. *tt | 12/24/2003 | |
| 030730052 | 03/01/2005 | 030730052C | 10004487 | Engine flare during 2-3 shift, most noticeable during light to moderate acceleration. *tt updated *eh | 12/16/2003 |
| 030730030A | 09/01/2003 | 030730030 | 10003589 | Af23-5 transaxle replacement and transmission control module (tcm) reprogramming. *tt | 10/24/2003 |
| 030730030 | 07/01/2003 | 10002997 | 1st design af23-5 transaxle replacements with 2nd design transaxles. *tt | 10/03/2003 | |
| 030730026 | 06/01/2003 | 10002883 | Service manual update - revised torque specification for vt23e (vti) transaxle variable driven pulley bearing retainer bolts. *tt | 09/30/2003 | |
| 030731003 | 04/01/2003 | 10002189 | Clutch makes chatter/rattling noise and/or will not release when clutch pedal is fully depressed. *tt | 08/15/2003 | |
| 030730010 | 04/01/2003 | 10001672 | Vt25e (vti) transaxle off-vehicle repair authorization. *tt | 06/18/2003 | |
| POWER TRAIN - AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION | |||||
| SB-09280A | 12/01/2009 | 10032327 | Saturn: new special reimbursement policy for vehicles equipped with variable transmission with intelligence (vti) transmission-50 percent of transmission repair cost will be paid by gm or customer may elect the option of $5,000 customer cr | 03/05/2010 | |
| 3669 | 10019228 | M86/m94 transmission information to disassemble third fourth and fifth gear. *ak | 02/21/2006 | ||
| 3633 | 10018547 | Remanufactured vt25e transmission quality issues. inoperative, noise, slip, low pressure or leak related concern. *tt | 01/05/2006 | ||
| 050730005 | 03/01/2005 | 10015025 | Low speed grind noise and or hesitation while driving. *eh | 05/13/2005 | |
| 050730004 | 03/01/2005 | 10015024 | Intermittent no movement in drive or reverse with or without diagnostic trouble codes. *eh | 05/13/2005 | |
| 050730008 | 03/01/2005 | 10015026 | Engine flare during 2-3 shift most noticeable during light to moderate acceleration. *eh | 05/13/2005 | |
| 040730007 | 02/01/2004 | 10012701 | On wheel movement in snow or slippery surfaces. *eh | 03/10/2005 | |
| 040730032 | 08/01/2004 | 10009420 | Grind/rattle noise from transaxle in park and neutral after an extended cold soak following case cover replacement or other internal transaxle overhaul. *tt | 09/29/2004 | |
| 040730005 | 02/01/2004 | 10005546 | Hiss/chirp noise in park or neutral. *mn | 03/02/2004 | |
| 030730052A | 09/01/2004 | 030730052B | 10005541 | Engine flare during 2-3 shift, most noticeable during light to moderate acceleration. the condition may be caused by aeration of transaxle fluid, resulting in a delayed apply of 3rd clutch. corporate bulletin number 03-07-30-052 *m | 03/02/2004 |
| 030730023A | 12/01/2004 | 030730023B | 10005283 | Vehicle does not shift or move after running for a period of time and/or check engine light is on and dtc p0741 is set. *ph *sc | 02/18/2004 |
| 030730051 | 10/01/2004 | 030730051A | 10004486 | Low speed coast grinding noise and/or hesitation at vehicle launch - technical service bulletin. *tt to include 2005 saturn vue. *eh | 12/16/2003 |
| 030730041 | 09/01/2003 | 10004351 | Service manual update for vt25e (vti) transmission front differential carrier thrust washer. *tt | 12/03/2003 | |
| 030730013 | 05/01/2003 | 10001546 | Service manual update for vt25e (vti) transmission fluid pump pressure relief valve. *tt | 06/06/2003 | |
| POWER TRAIN - AXLE ASSEMBLY | |||||
| 04020 | 03/01/2004 | 10006485 | Special policy adjustment - extended transmission warranty coverage for the variable transmission with intelligence (vti) transmission. *mr | 05/04/2004 | |
| 030730048 | 10/01/2003 | 10003944 | Service information regarding transaxle poor performance after case cover replacement, diagnostic trouble code p1882 set. *tt | 11/07/2003 | |
| POWER TRAIN - MANUAL TRANSMISSION | |||||
| 070729001 | 04/01/2007 | 070729001A | 10021453 | Mg3, m86 transaxle grinding/whining noise in 3rd or 4th gear, excessive engagement or disengagement effort while shifting into 3rd or 4th gear, will not shift into either 3rd or 4th gear. (replace complete output shaft assembly). *kb | 04/27/2007 |
| 030729007 | 10/01/2003 | 10003994 | Service information regarding design change to the manual transmission shift control housing and the manual transmission select and shift lever cables. *tt | 11/10/2003 | |
Consumer Complaints
| Fail date | miles | occurences | Purchase date |
|---|---|---|---|
| POWER TRAIN | |||
| 06/27/2010 | 90000 | ||
| Tl- contact owns a 2003 saturn ion. the contact stated that the vehicle failed to start. the vehicle was taken to an auto mechanic who advised that there was a problem with the ignition. the ignition was replaced. the contact continued to have the same problem after the repairs. the contact notified the dealer who offered no assistance. the contact also called the manufacturer who offered no assistance. the failure mileage was 90,000. kmj | |||
| 06/27/2010 | 90000 | ||
| Tl- contact owns a 2003 saturn ion. the contact stated that when she turns on the vehicle the engine would not start at all. the vehicle was taken to an auto mechanic who stated that there was a problem with the ignition. the ignition was replaced at the contact cost. the contact continued to have the same problem. the contact notified the dealer who offered no assistance. a recall campaign was issued 02v283000. the contact notified the manufacture who offered no assistance. the failure mileage was 90,000. the manufacturer number was provided 1-800-553-6000. lg | |||
| 09/01/2011 | 2 | ||
| 2003 saturn ion . consumer writes in regards to vehicle recall issues *tgw the consumer stated the vehicle was purchased new and she was never informed of a recall regarding the body control module which she was having problems with. the consumer stated the problem first started when the driver side window dropped when she closed the door. then it would not stay up. then half of the dash went black. the next window would go up and down on its own with no contact of any type. then the controls to the electric windows stopped working completely and the electronic lock/opening device would not open the doors any longer or lock the trunk. the consumer was informed she would have to pay for a diagnostic test. the consumer also stated there was also a problem with the transmission. the vehicle did not react to being in park, so therefore, she had difficulty removing the keys from the ignition. the o2 sensor and the ignition switch had to be replaced. the consumer stated the transmission was never properly replaced. on one occasion, the vehicle stalled and the steering locked up. *jb | |||
| 08/02/2011 | 105000 | ||
| My saturn ion has developed a transmission problem and i called gm and received a special request number and 48 hours later was contacted and after answering a few questions i was told that my car did not qualify for anything. the reason they gave was because the car has a salvage title. i had the car inspected by the state of mn and now have a prior salvage title. the damage to the car was cosmetic and has nothing to do with the poor transmission that gm sold to the public. since then i have heard nothing but bad news stories about this transmission--someone needs to be accountable. | |||
| 04/26/2011 | 76889 | ||
| I was traveling approximately 40 mph when the power steering lamp came on and the power steering failed. after pulling to the side of the road, and turning the vehicle off, i restarted the vehicle and the power steering was restored for about 20 minutes. the days following this, i encountered several power steering failures until i had the power steering box replaced on may 10, 2011. i researched the internet and found many other 2003 saturn ion's owners had experienced the same failure. i contacted a gm representative and asked for reimbursement. i was told that there was no recall for the power steering for my year and make of car. i had also complained about my transmission because i had declined repairs on my power steering. winegarden pontiac informed me that they would not further check the cause of transmission problems because the power steering failure presented a safety concern. i had the power steering box replaced at a cost of $537.94 minus the $127.00 diagnosis fee! i strongly feel that a recall should be in place for the power steering failure, and all who had the problem corrected out of pocket, should be reimbursed at gm's expense. the power steering failure has contributed to an accident in houston texas! i would not like to have human life lost before this problem is given serious consideration! updated 06/08/11 *bf | |||
| 04/26/2011 | 76889 | ||
| I was traveling approximately 40 mph when the power steering lamp came on and the power steering failed. after pulling to the side of the road, and turning the vehicle off, i restarted the vehicle and the power steering was restored for about 20 minutes. the days following this, i encountered several power steering failures until i had the power steering box replaced on may 10, 2011. i researched the internet and found many other 2003 saturn ion's owners had experienced the same failure. i contacted a gm representative and asked for reimbursement. i was told that there was no recall for the power steering for my year and make of car. i had also complained about my transmission because i had declined repairs on my power steering. winegarden pontiac informed me that they would not further check the cause of transmission problems because the power steering failure presented a safety concern. i had the power steering box replaced at a cost of $537.94 minus the $127.00 diagnosis fee! i strongly feel that a recall should be in place for the power steering failure, and all who had the problem corrected out of pocket, should be reimbursed at gm's expense. the power steering failure has contributed to an accident in houston texas! i would not like to have human life lost before this problem is given serious consideration! | |||
| 01/22/2007 | 30000 | 1 | |
| Does not crank, does not start in cold weather & leaves you stranded. *tr | |||
| 06/30/2003 | 150 | 6 | 06/28/2003 |
| Almost from day one, the traction control does not turn off. the dealer says they hooked up a computer to see if it turned off and they said it does, but, as soon as i left the dealer, i hit the button to turn off the traction control and i spun the tires and the traction control kicked on and the car had no power pulling out into traffic. yet the dealer says there is nothing wrong. *nm | |||
| 06/15/2003 | 1984 | ||
| I bought a 2003 saturn ion 3 march 17, 2003. within 2 weeks the car had a cracked cylinder with coolant leaking into the engine. saturn corp. recalled the car. the purchase of 1g8al52f33z149331 was canceled 4/17/03 and i purchased a 2nd 2003 saturn ion 3, 1g8al52f83z171972, on 4/17/03. the 2nd car from the beginning had transmission problems shifting between gears, jerking up and down from 30 mph to 70 mph, kicks when started, rattles loudly in reverse, and steering problems coming out of turns. the car has been in service 4 times (bumper to bumper warranty | |||
| POWER TRAIN - AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION | |||
| 06/25/2010 | 74085 | ||
| Tl-the contact owns a 2003 saturn ion. whie driving at 40mph and acclerating to get on the highway the vehicle started to deacclerate and had to pull to the side of the road. there was no warning lights indication what happen. the vehicle was towed to a mechanic shop where a diagnostic test was done informing her that the automatic transmission needs to be replaced. the manufacturer was called stating a representative will be calling back with more information... the failure and current mileage was 74,085....mw | |||
| 04/04/2010 | 55000 | 1 | |
| Transmission failure. there was a safety alert letter issued november of 2009 for 2003 saturn ion owners with stipulations claiming that the car had to be in service for 5 years or less to be able to have the part repaired at no cost. no one falls under this criteria considering that this alert was sent out in november of 2009, refer to safety alert #09280. my car has 55,000 miles on it and a transmission is not an expense that a saturn customer should have to be paying in my opinion. they do offer a 50% off deal where they take care of half the cost. it's a $5000 job and half is $2500, still a very high cost for a problem that should have been considered a recall. i have only had this car for 2 years and to have this problem on a car that i have a car payment on. please assist the saturn owners in finding out how this did not become a recall. so many people are having this issue and it seems unfair to have to pay more money for a defect in the saturn ion and vue's transmission. thank you for your time and help in this matter. *tr | |||
| 04/02/2009 | 71000 | 1 | |
| I was driving my 2003 saturn ion2 with 4 cyl and vti transmission with 71,000 miles to work and it felt like it went into neutral and then slowed to a stop. i was almost rear-ended and was stranded on a busy highway. it turns out my vti transmission is defective, there is a class action law suit against gm for it, and it is following the settlement before it has been ruled upon by the judge. they are covering 75% of the repair because i am the second owner. if i was the original owner, they would have covered 100%. i purchased the car from the dealer where it was originally sold and it was a certified used car. i was having transmission noises after i bought the car and in requesting the service records, i found out that the previous owner had transmission problems and work was done for them. i brought the car in and they also did a repair on my transmission (this was prior to it having 36,000 miles and was still covered under the factory warranty). i'm trying to figure out why there has not been a recall on this transmission when all you have to do is do a google search for saturn vti transmission problems and you will find thousands of people that have had problems. the 75% repair still leaves me paying $1,150 and my car is worth very little because all the car companies know about the problem, which has devalued the car. the worst part of this is that they are putting in the very same defective transmission and again the google search reveals they go bad again and again and again. can the nhtsa please help me and the thousands of other saturn owners with this problem? this transmission needs to be recalled. *tr | |||
| 01/09/2006 | 69000 | 1 | |
| 2003 saturn transmission failed to work properly with around 69000 and saturn refused to honor my warranty on my car. *tr | |||
| 07/03/2008 | 23000 | 1 | |
| Failed transmission. *tr | |||
| 10/11/2007 | 90025 | 1 | |
| While driving my 2003 saturn ion 3 the motor will stall out and loose power while driving it seems like the transmission slips and a new one was put in and it still does the same thing. while driving on highway it does this. *tr | |||
| 03/01/2008 | 2000 | 60 | 07/25/2003 |
| 2003 saturn ion iii disengages in the middle of traffic as if gears have slipped into neutral at speeds from between 20 and 60 mph, so that there is no forward movement suddenly and then re-engages. almost rear-ended several times also car will not start if turned off for a short time and key locks in ignition. gears were re-calibrated and ignition replaced, but problems continue. *tr | |||
| 01/01/2007 | 51500 | 10 | 11/15/2006 |
| Will driving down the road the transmission in my saturn ion lvl 3 slips and i have to let my foot off the gas and then kick the gas pedal for it to go into gear. it does this all the time when i am driving it. also when i go to park the car, i put it in park and pull up the emergency brake and i go to remove the key and it will only go as far as acc mode. it will not release. i have to wait 20 to 30 minutes until it releases automatically. i have read online this is a known problem with saturns and i have been told that they will not fix it. it does this almost every single day. *nm | |||
| 09/12/2006 | 07/26/2003 | ||
| Since we purchased this vehicle brand new in 2003, the transmission has slipped occasionally upon normal acceleration. we brought this to the attention of the dealership at our regular maintenance appointments, and they told us that this was the normal functioning of the transmission. fast-foward 3 yrs, 40,000 miles, and the problem has become a threat to the safety of those driving in and around the vehicle. when attempting to make a turn out of a parking lot onto a major road, the car rolled down the hill into the road, but it would not move any farther once on a flat surface. i am lucky that no one was coming too close or fast behind me, or my vehicle would have been a sudden, unavoidable roadblock for sure. this also happened while i was attempting to make a left hand turn with heavy oncoming traffic. people were somehow able to avoid my car, although it was a major hazard to safety. these were terrifying experiences, and i immediately dropped my car off at the dealership that night (i happened to be down the road from the dealer when these events occurred). according to the dealership, the transmission fluid was very dark, fluid pump severely damaged, and the 2nd gear clutch and coast assembly burned up. the transmission, pump, gears, clutches, and torque converter were replaced at a cost of $1250, which they claimed was a great deal for us, as this was claimed to be a $5500 job. i appreciate their efforts and attempt to rectify the situation, however i am still disappointed in the lack of quality control, and the apparent lack of research and development in the engineering of this vehicle. no one expects to need to replace a transmission in a car with 40,000 miles. my life was put at risk because of a manufacturing error in this vehicle, and i hope that the the nhtsa takes the necessary actions to prevent more lives from being put at risk or lost due to this error. | |||
| 02/12/2006 | 46000 | 3 | 05/09/2003 |
| Dt*: the contact stated while driving 30 mph the vehicle revved at a high rate followed by a sudden decrease. the vehicle was seen by an independent repair shop. the mechanic performed a diagnostic and road tested which indicated a new transmission was needed. the mechanic replaced the automatic transmission and rebuilt the torque converter, which corrected the problem. the contact insisted that the transmission was defective from the factory. the vehicle was 3 years old. the contact had the transmission replaced. had to pay out-of-pocket expenses in the amount of $2,136.00. updated on 05/18/2006. *ak updated 06/15/06. *jb | |||
| 01/01/2005 | 37000 | 6 | 08/02/2004 |
| I have a 2003 saturn ion that is having shifting problems. the car has 52,000 miles on it, and it is out of warranty, my daughter originally had the car, and drove it, without me knowing she was having problems with it shifting. also there seems to be a vibration in the front end. i am taking it in for evaluation. i have had it in several times for the transmission, but they couldn't find anything wrong. i don't understand gm not doing something about these transmission problems. also the seat belt locks and you can't get out of it. this is a real safety issue and i hope the address it. you literally have to crawl out of the belt. *jb | |||
| 07/23/2003 | 800 | 1 | 07/15/2003 |
| Dt: the consumer stated transmission has never worked properly. the vehicle has been to the dealership multiple times, they stated could duplicate the problem. the problem was duplicated once, and the transmission module was replaced. the consumer has gone through 1-800- my- lemon, and since that, the dealership was not willing to help her anymore. the manufacturer was contacted, and they also claim ed it could not be t be duplicated, so they could not help. there have been multiple things wrong with the vehicle; the gas gauge and other things. the consumer did have the work orders and could send in that information. the transmission would go up to high rpms. it would jerk, and almost shut off. it happed on straight roads as well as hills. *ak | |||
| 02/02/2005 | 303000 | 3 | 04/30/2003 |
| Driver noticed that the transmission would down shift on its own. driver took vehicle to the dealer for inspection, and mechanic determined that transmission was adjusted on more than one occasion. however, driver informed the mechanic that the problem still occurred, and had not been resolved. *ak the consumer stated that the engine takes 2-5 minutes for it to idle down from 2500 rpm's. the consumer stated that the defoster on the passenger side failed. the consumer stated that the hood would not always close properly. | |||
| 12/16/2004 | 18000 | 1 | 06/06/2003 |
| While on local interstate highway, the saturn ion 3 quad coupe automatic transmission began to slip. the rpms reached about 6,000 while trying to maintain the speed and pull over to the right. after a brief full stop (while in drive), the transmission engaged properly and did not slip. upon taking the next exit, the car was placed into park and was idling. exiting the vehicle, there was a strong burning smell which was quite similar to a clutch slipping in a manual transmission. no fluids were seen dripping and there was no cosmetic damage. the car would not return to drive. despite pressing the brake as required, the car was 'locked' into park. a strange click was heard from the area near the trunk release button. this was different from the normal click that is heard when the brake is depressed in park. he vehicle was shut off and then restarted. the car would properly enter drive and the abnormal click was not present.the local saturn dealer replaced the input and output filters in the transmission per direction of saturn corporation. transmission has not slipped again since this repair. *ak | |||
| 07/13/2003 | 14000 | 2 | |
| Transmission: while driving 25 mph vehicle froze. consumer could not go backward or forward. she had this problem several times in the past. contacted the dealer, but the problem still exists. *ak | |||
| 09/21/2004 | 16000 | 10 | 08/01/2003 |
| The transmission on my saturn ion quad coupe intermittently disengages or fails to engage when i step on the gas. this is dangerous because if it does not engage while i am pulling into traffic i could be hurt. i took it to the dealer and they said they could not duplicate the concern, but acknowledged there was a problem with these transmissions and a fix would be out sometime in the future. i had previously received on owner notification letter re this issue (implying that the transmissions would be replaced if there was a problem.) when i called the company to discuss my concerns, the dealer's response that nothing could be done, and the owner notification letter contents, the response was essentially that if the dealer cannot duplicate the concern, there is no problem--essentially, they said something bad has to happen before they will take action, and the dealer doesn't have time to drive the car until they can duplicate the concern. i think it's wrong and they should fix the problem. this happens at least 2x per day, never in the same place, no rhyme or reason to it.*ak | |||
| 06/16/2004 | 4945 | 10 | 07/01/2003 |
| Car hesitates with no warning when taking off from stop. almost rear ended. also almost struck from side in intersection.*ak | |||
| 12/01/2003 | 100 | 25 | 11/27/2003 |
| When making turns, particularly right turns, my wife's new saturn ion quad coupe, loses power and hesitates after it gets the turn partially completed. this happens intermittently about once a week so it is tough to duplicate but it has caused her to be nearly hit several times by on coming traffic. the dealership states this is the way the vti transmission is designed to work so there is nothing to fix. saturn in spring hill did not deny this was how the transmission was designed to work. i asked if there were any service bulletins that would fix this and they said none would actually fix this problem and they had no idea how to fix it. they also refused to provide a written response to my certified return receipt letter even though i specifically requested a written response. people are taking their cars to independent transmission shops to be fixed. saturn is reimbursing some of these charges but they call it strictly a customer satisfaction issue. complaints 10049664 and 10049638 sound very similar. i would suggest that you request that saturn provide all complaints filed with them about the vti transmission, especially where independent shops did repairs. those owners/independent shops could probably provide a wealth of info about vti transmission problems. i think you will find this is a safety problem and a recall is warranty. *ak | |||
| 2 | 06/06/2003 | ||
| When tires spin transmission disconnects. then. vehicle has to be towed. this normally happens when it is snowing. also, steering wheel turns from left to right on its own.*ak | |||
| 05/01/2003 | 2000 | 1 | 01/07/2003 |
| I purchased my 2003 saturn ion in january 2003. it has been a nightmare. the vehicle has been into the dealership a total of 6 times and a grand total of 18 days in service. the transmission downshifts when i try to accerlerate. the service techs at saturn have been able to duplicate this problem several times. they have recalirberated and replace the transmission; however the vehicle is still down shifting when accerlerating. i am terrified that i will be hit because of this problem. it has now gotten to the point that it will stop for a few seconds when the failure occurs and then take off agian. this is very dangerous. they should not be able to sell vehicles with defects. i have filed a compliant with the bbb and currently have a case pending. i want to be refunded in full for this vehicle.*ak | |||
| 12/02/2003 | 6365 | 3 | 07/10/2003 |
| I bought a ion quad coupe in july of this year. i had a problem with the car not moving when placed into gear. they worked on the transmission and replaced some parts. the newly rebuilt tranmission stil slips and has a hard shifting feeling. i brought it in 3 times before it was actually fixed, and still need to go back. this seems to be a safety issue. what if it was to not drive when pulling out into traffic, or fail when i was driving. it has been over a week since i brought it in and the dealership will not give me paperwork on my car. i dont even know what parts were exactly replaced. paperwork is missing from over 2 weeks ago from the 2nd visit. *ak | |||
| 12/12/2003 | 1000 | 5 | 08/15/2003 |
| My saturn ion quad coupe is experiencing a transmission problem. without warning and for no apparent reason, the transmission will slip, shake violently, and at times completely disengage, resulting in a complete loss of acceleration. this has manifested itself on several occasions, most notably when turning into traffic last week. i pulled into traffic and the transmission engaged, then subsequently disengaged for about 2 seconds. i was nearly hit by several vehicles, which had to take unsafe evasive actions to avoid plowing into me. i am very concerned that this presents a significant safety hazard to the vehicle occupants. i have noticed that i am not the only individual that has experienced this problem, and that being said, sincerely urge you to open a defect investigation to solve this problem before someone gets hurt or worse. also, this may not be related, but the transmission makes a grinding noise between 1100 and 1300 rpm during deceleration , a metal grinding noise.*ak | |||
| 12/12/2003 | 10600 | 2 | 04/14/2003 |
| The two saturn 2003 ions i have driven (including my current vehicle) have a transmission problem where, when engaging in third gear, the transmission will freewheel for several seconds before engaging with a lurch. the problem can be created by accelerating around a corner while the transmission is shifting from second to third. the cars were manufactured in march/april, 2003. *ak | |||
| 08/01/2003 | 3000 | 1 | 01/20/2003 |
| My 2003 saturn ion down shifts on me when i try to accelerate. it is getting consistently worse and has gotten to the point that it will stop for a second and then take off again. saturn has been unable to fix this problem. a tech has test drove the vehicle with me and seen it happen first hand. still on resolved. my vehicle has been in the shop a total of 4 times since i bought it. i have filed a complaint with the bbb and am currently trying to lemon law it.*ak | |||
| 04/09/2003 | 1 | 03/18/2003 | |
| Purchase saturn ion iii in march. transmssion had hard shift then slip problem almost immediately. *la | |||
| 06/12/2003 | 3 | 06/12/2003 | |
| I purchased my 2003 saturn ion quad 3 on 6-12-2003. i've had nothing but problems with it since the beginning. the transmission slips constantly. a tech from spring hill says this is normal for this type of transmission. trying to turn left in front of oncoming traffic is a nightmare. this car is in the shop as we speak. the rear quarter panel is cracked and being replaced. the rear bumper is being painted because of scratches from the trunk rubbing. the front bumper is being painted because of runs in the paint. none of the body panels seem to match up. they're attempting to fix a popping noise in the front end. they're replacing the dr side glass because it is severely scratched. it sometimes runs rough at first crank. | |||
| 09/22/2003 | 1 | ||
| While driving transmission does not engage properly, causing vehicle to stall. *ak | |||
| 04/29/2003 | 2 | 12/03/2002 | |
| My 2003 saturn ion, was delivered on december 3,2002. this was my second saturn. after about a 1000 miles the transmission started to slip. i took it to the dealer and they replaced that transmission. another 1000 miles and the transmission started to slip again. i have been back and forth 4 times since then and they still have not fixed it.*ak | |||
| 07/09/2003 | 4225 | 50 | 03/14/2003 |
| My daughter bought a saturn ion iii. she has recently had trouble with her automatic transmission. saturn has acknoweldged a hard shifting problem from 2nd to 3rd, but since a high number of vehicles exhibit this problem, and they don't know what is causing it, it is being considered normal operation. my daughter's car exhibited this problem, but it has now begun to be a way more serious concern because it will completely slip, (lose all power), for what seems to be an ever increasing longer interval and more frequently. she has had this happen while trying to make a left hand turn with oncoming traffic. she now tries to avoid any situation at low speeds that might cause her injury, (she tries to make as many right hand turns to get to and from work as possible). saturn has had two service employees witness the problem, albeit in a straight line driving situation. they still refuse to repair/replace or admit a problem beyond the hard shifting. my daughter lives in mesa, az. her phone number is 480-577-3113, and name is elysia beckendorf. i mention mesa because of the unusual streets there. the majority of main city streets are six lanes wide with 45mph speed limits. that is a very scary scenario to be making a left hand turn in and lose power.*ak | |||
| POWER TRAIN - AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION - GEAR POSITION INDICATION (PRNDL) | |||
| 06/19/2003 | 3 | 04/17/2003 | |
| March 22, 2003 i purchased an saturn ion 3. within the 1st the week there was problems starting the car. the car was in for service 2 times in 2 weeks. finally the engine light started flashing (3rd time). supposedly the car was fixed. 3 days later the dealer's service department called me at saturn corp.'s request to immediately return the car as the engine could blow up. the engine had a cracked cylinder which caused coolant to leak into the engine with about 650 miles. also, another saturn ion with 2500 miles was sitting in the dealer's lot with a cracked cylinder in the engine. i was released from the sale on april 17, 2003. i took a 2nd saturn ion 3 on april 17, 2003. this car has jerky steering problems coming out of turns and sever transmission problems. the car kicks when turning on the ignition, engine gets racketing when put into reverse, when changing gears - kicks, slides, and will surge, and bounce through gears between 30 mph to above 70 mph. the service manager said, all the ions drive this way. there's nothing wrong with the car. this car has been in for service 4 times. each time the car is returned worse than the time before.*ak | |||
| POWER TRAIN - AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION - LEVER AND LINKAGE - FLOOR SHIFT | |||
| 03/03/2006 | 45470 | 2 | 07/02/2003 |
| This has happened twice in exactly thirteen months the first time was on february 3, 2005. i adjusted my power drivers side mirror while driving home at night on highway 61 and heard a pop and all my lights including headlights and dash lights went out . my four way safety flashers also would not work i was driving in complete darkness while traveling approximately 67 mph this incident occurred almost identically last year while driving in town approximately 25 mph adjusted mirror heard a pop and all lights went out. luckily in both incidents no one hit me from behind due to the fact they couldn't see me until it was too late. no one was killed or injured but that was just pure luck .. last years incident i had my car towed to saturn and they determined that the bcm fuse was bad they replaced fuse. obviously they did not get to the root of the problem you would think you can adjust your power mirror without having all lights shut off including dash lights .. once you put the vehicle into park you cannot turn it off completely the key will only go as far as the accessory position and cannot be removed. the engine will run you just can't move the vehicle. somehow i do not think they corrected the problem entirely when they replaced the fuse. it seems to me you should not blow a bcm fuse every thirteen months exactly to the day. it is such a potentially fatal problem the consequences are terrifying. my 2003 saturn ion-3 can not be the only car out there with this happening especially twice in thirteen months. *jb | |||
| POWER TRAIN - AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION - TORQUE CONVERTER | |||
| 06/19/2003 | 3 | 04/17/2003 | |
| March 22, 2003 i purchased an saturn ion 3. within the 1st the week there was problems starting the car. the car was in for service 2 times in 2 weeks. finally the engine light started flashing (3rd time). supposedly the car was fixed. 3 days later the dealer's service department called me at saturn corp.'s request to immediately return the car as the engine could blow up. the engine had a cracked cylinder which caused coolant to leak into the engine with about 650 miles. also, another saturn ion with 2500 miles was sitting in the dealer's lot with a cracked cylinder in the engine. i was released from the sale on april 17, 2003. i took a 2nd saturn ion 3 on april 17, 2003. this car has jerky steering problems coming out of turns and sever transmission problems. the car kicks when turning on the ignition, engine gets racketing when put into reverse, when changing gears - kicks, slides, and will surge, and bounce through gears between 30 mph to above 70 mph. the service manager said, all the ions drive this way. there's nothing wrong with the car. this car has been in for service 4 times. each time the car is returned worse than the time before.*ak | |||
| POWER TRAIN - CLUTCH ASSEMBLY | |||
| 10/01/2004 | 1 | 06/21/2003 | |
| 2003 ion has had blower fan, clutch switch, cylinder cable hood latch, brake light bulb, wiper module all replaced with in months apart from each other. *ts the rotors were warped and the tail lamp failed. *jb | |||