2004 Saturn Ion engine and engine cooling problems

“2004 SATURN ION. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO ELECTRONIC POWER STEERING FAILURE. *SMD THE CONSUMER STATED SHE FIRST STARTED HAVING FRONT SUSPENSION PROBLEMS, WHICH THE DEALER FIXED FREE OF CHARGE. THE EXHAUST WAS LEAKING AND SHE PAID TO HAVE IT REPLACED, ALONG WITH THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER. ALSO, THE HORN STOPPED WORKING. THE CONSUMER RECEIVED A LETTER IN JULY 2012, FROM GM STATING THE WARRANTY WAS BEING EXTENDED BECAUSE THE ELECTRIC POWER STEERING COULD FAIL. ON DECEMBER 16, 2013, THE POWER STEERING FAILED, AS THE CONSUMER WAS LEAVING A PARKING LOT. SHE HAD TO USE EXTRA FORCE TO TURN THE STEERING WHEEL. AFTER A COUPLE OF MINUTES, IT WAS BACK TO NORMAL. A TEST REVEALED, THERE WAS INDEED A FAILURE. WHEN THE CONSUMER CALLED GM, SHE WAS INFORMED THE EXTENDED WARRANTY HAD EXPIRED ON 11/28/13 THE CONSUMER NO LONGER OWNS THE VEHICLE. UPDATED 02/5/14”

“TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 SATURN ION. THE CONTACT STATED WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS TURNED ON IT FAILED TO START. THE FAILURE OCCURRED INTERMITTENTLY, AND ON ONE OCCASION THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE MANUFACTURER TOOK FILED REPORT 71948037911 AND ADVISED THAT THEY WERE NOT AWARE OF THE FAILURE, AND THERE WERE NO RELATED RECALLS. THE VEHICLE WILL BE TAKEN TO THE LOCAL MECHANIC FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILES WERE 58,000.”

“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 SATURN ION 3 COUPE. THE CONTACT WAS APPROACHING A TRAFFIC STOP WHEN THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO IDLE HARD AND DISPLAYED SEVERAL ATTEMPTS TO STALL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A LOCAL MECHANIC WHERE A DIAGNOSTIC WAS PERFORMED AND THE CONTACT WAS ADVISED THAT THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER WOULD NEED REPLACEMENT. HE THEN CONTACTED THE MANUFACTURER AND WAS ADVISED TO TAKE THE VEHICLE TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER. THE DEALER ADVISED THERE WERE NO RECALLS ON THE VEHICLE AND THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED BY THE DEALER. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED AND THE FAILURE BECAME PROGRESSIVELY WORSE TO THE POINT WHERE IT WOULD STALL SPORADICALLY AND WITHOUT WARNING. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 88,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 93,640.”

“MY 2004 SATURN ION WILL NOT START ON COLD DAYS. I LIVE IN VERMONT SO THERE ARE PLENTY OF COLD DAYS. IT USUALLY TAKES ME ABOUT 10 MINUTES TO1/2 HOUR TO GET IT STARTED, IF IT STARTS. WHEN IT FINALLY STARTS I HAVE TO LEAVE IT RUNNING SO THE ENGINE WILL WARM UP BECAUSE IF I DON'T I HAVE TO START THE PROCESS OVER AGAIN. THIS IS A HUGE INCONVENIENCE! EVERYONE I'VE BROUGHT IT TO DOESN'T SEEM TO KNOW WHAT THE PROBLEM IS. I LOVE MY CAR BUT COULD DEFINITELY DO WITHOUT THIS PROBLEM! *TR”

“WHEN THE WEATHER GETS TOO COLD, MY CAR DOES NOT START. I EITHER HAVE TO KEEP TRYING TO START THE IGNITION EVERY 5 MINUTES AND THEN IN HALF AN HOUR IT STARTS OR I HAVE TO WAIT UNTIL THE SUN COMES OUT FOR MY CAR TO START. I'VE HAD THIS CAR FOR A COUPLE OF YEARS NOW AND I ONLY HAVE THIS PROBLEM FROM NOVEMBER-FEBRUARY. THESE ARE THE COLDEST MONTHS AND EVERY MORNING DURING THESE MONTHS I HAVE THIS PROBLEM OF NOT BEING ABLE TO START MY VEHICLE. *TR”

“DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD CAR SHUTS OFF, I WAS GOING 20MHP THE ROAD WAS STRAIGHT CAME TO A RIGHT HAND BEND IN THE ROAD AND CAR WAS OFF NO ABS, NO PWR STER, THERE WERE CARS SITTING AT THE STOP SIGN. LUCKILY I WAS ABLE TO GET THE CAR STOPPED. TO GET THE CAR STARTED I HAD TO PUT IN PARK TURN KEY OFF THEN TURN KEY OVER AND IT STARTS RIGHT UP. THIS IS NOW THE 2ND TIME THIS HAS HAPPENED. FIRST TIME SITTING AT A RED LIGHT CAR WAS RUNNING LIGHT TURNED GREEN GAVE IT THE GAS MID WAY THROUGH INTERSECTION CAR SHUT OFF AGAIN AND DRIFTED TO SIDE OF THE ROAD WITH A BUNCH OF CARS HONKING. I THOUGHT I NEEDED A TUNE UP AND THAT WAS 3MONTHS AGO. THAT HAPPENED UNTIL TWO DAYS AGO. CAR SHUTS OFF WHILE DRIVING WITH WARNING, IF I WAS GOING ANY FASTER I WOULD HAVE HIT THE BACK END OF THE CAR THAT WAS STOPPED @ A STOP SIGN. 2004 SATURN ION 2.2L I HAVE NOT DONE ANYTHING WITH THIS PART DO TO NO INCOME RIGHT NOW. *TR”