2006 Saturn Ion engine and engine cooling problems

“ON FRIDAY WE GOT OUR 2006 SATURN ION OUT OF THE GM SERVICE DEPARTMENT AFTER HAVING A FROZEN AIR COMPRESSOR AND RIPPED SERPENTINE BELT REPLACED ($1400), ALONG WITH A TRANSMISSION LINE. AFTER DRIVING AND STOPPING THROUGHOUT THE DAY ON THE FOLLOWING MONDAY, I WAS UNABLE TO TURN THE VEHICLE ENGINE OFF AFTER I PUT THE CAR IN PARK IN THE DRIVEWAY OF MY HOME. I TRIED SEVERAL TIMES TO TURN THE KEY TO THE OFF POSITION, BUT IT WAS LOCKED. I PUT THE CAR IN REVERSE AND IT MOVED FINE, BUT WHEN I DROVE BACK INTO PLACE AND TRIED TO SHUT IT OFF AGAIN, THE KEY WOULDN'T BUDGE SO THE ENGINE CONTINUED TO RUN. WE DROVE IT BACK TO THE DEALER WHO WANTED TO CHARGE US AGAIN TO HAVE THE VEHICLE SERVICED. WE ALSO NOTICED THE COOLANT LIGHT CAME ON, EVEN THOUGH WE HAD ALL THE FLUIDS CHECKED TWO WEEKS PRIOR WHEN GETTING AN OIL CHANGE. THE DEALER SAID TO DISCONNECT THE BATTERY TO SHUT THE ENGINE OFF. THIS DIDN'T WORK. ANOTHER RELIABLE SOURCE INSTRUCTED US TO DISCONNECT THE DISTRIBUTOR CAP TO AVOID THE ENGINE RUNNING ON THE ALTERNATOR. AFTER SEVERAL ATTEMPTS TO FIND A DISTRIBUTOR CAP, WE REALIZED THERE WAS NONE. A NEIGHBOR CAME AND DISCONNECTED A FUSE. THE KEY IS STILL LODGED IN THE IGNITION.…”

“EACH TIME I KILL THE ENGINE I HAVE TO SIT AND WAIT FOR THE STRING OF ELECTRONIC TICS TO QUIT BEFORE MY CAR WILL LET GO OF THE KEY. EACH EPISODE SEAMS TO DIFFER ON THE LENGTH OF TIME IT, TAKES OR DECIDES, TO LET GO OF THE KEY. *TR”

“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 SATURN ION. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING 40 MPH WHEN THE POWER STEERING FAILED AND THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER A TOTAL OF FOUR TIMES BUT THEY WERE UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 120,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 135,000.”

“DRIVING WITH TRAFFIC, THE CAR DIES AND THE STEERING GETS VERY HARD TO TURN THEN BATTERY LIGHT COMES ON. CAR WILL RESTART WITH NO FURTHER PROBLEMS. THIS WILL HAPPEN AT LEAST ONCE A WEEK. TOOK TO THE DEALER THEY FIXED THE GAS TANK LEAK AND OTHER RECALL PARTS. THIS CONTINUES TO HAPPEN ALMOST CAUSED SEVERAL ACCIDENTS. DO NOT KNOW IF IT IS THE STEERING OR ELECTRICAL. IT DOESN'T MATTER WHAT SPEED YOUR GOING OR IF YOUR GOING STRAIGHT OR TURNING. PLEASE LOOK INTO THIS PROBLEM. I HAVE HAD THE BATTERY CHECKED THE THERMOSTAT, CHECKED THE FUSE BOX CHECKED. THE DEALER CHECKED AND FIXED THE OTHER 3 THINGS FROM RECALL AS STATED. THE IGNITION SOMETIMES GETS STUCK WHEN THE STEERING GOES OUT YOU CAN NOT GET THE KEY TO DO ANYTHING UNTIL YOU TURN THE STEERING WHEEL THAT HAS NO POWER THEN YOU CAN RESTART THE CAR. ALSO THE CAR HEAT GAUGE NEVER GOES ABOVE HALF WAY SO CAR IS NOT OVER HEATING.”

“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 SATURN ION. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 50 MPH THE FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE WINDOW DROPPED DOWN INTO THE DOOR PANEL, CAUSING THE DOOR TO SWING OPEN. THE VEHICLE WAS PULLED OVER AND SHUT OFF. AFTER REPEATED ATTEMPTS THE DOOR WAS SHUT, BUT WOULD NOT REOPEN. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THE WINDOW DETACHED FROM ITS TRACK. THE VEHICLE WAS IN THE PROCESS OF BEING REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE, BUT OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS EXPERIENCING RECURRING FAILURES IN WHICH THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WOULD CONSTANTLY ILLUMINATE ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL AND THE KEY WOULD INTERMITTENTLY BECOME STUCK IN THE IGNITION. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHERE THEY WERE UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE IN REGARDS TO THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT. IN REGARDS TO THE KEY BECOMING STUCK IN THE IGNITION, NO REPAIRS WERE PERFORMED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 69,080. UPDATED 08/31/2011 *LN *TR”

“I HAVE HAD MY 2006 SATURN ION FOR 3 YEARS. AND ALSO I HAVE 2 CHILDREN WITHIN THE PAST YEAR IT HAS BEEN TO THE DEALERSHIP 3TIMES TO TRY AND FIGURE OUT WHY WHILE DRIVING BOTH THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHTS COME ON AND THE CAR BEGINS SPITTING AND SPUTTERING.. MAKING ALL SORTS OF RACKET WITH NO POWER YOU ARE FORCED TO TRY AND GET OFF THE RD. SAFELY WITH NO POWERSTEERING. THEY CAN NOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG WITH IT.. AND ALSO I AM ALWAYS TOLD THAT THEY DON'T SERVICE SATURNS EVEN THOUGH THEY ARE THE ONES THAT SOLD IT. THIS HAPPENS WITH NOT WARNING I HAVE BEEN STRANDED WITH MY 2 GIRLS MULTIPLE TIMES. ONCE WE WERE TRAVELING 60MPH ON THE INTERSTATE AND IT HAPPENED WITH BIG RIGS ALL AROUND.. I THANK GOD THAT WE DIDN'T GET HURT. ALSO FOR THE PAST 2 YEARS THEY HAVE BEEN TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHY WHEN YOU TURN THE CAR OFF YOU HEAR LOTS OF CLICKING NOISES AND THE CAR WILL NOT COMPLETELY TURN OFF.. THEY REPLACED THE STARTER SWITCH BECAUSE THAT WAS UNDER RECALL BUT IT HAS MADE NO DIFFERENCE STILL CAN NOT GET THE KEYS OUT HAVE TO SIT THERE AND WAIT FOR IT TO STOP CLICKING AND TURN THE KEY ON AND OFF MULTIPLE TIMES TO GET IT OUT.. AFTER DOING SOME RESEARCH ONLINE A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE THE…”