10 of the 1,124 complaints about the 2004 Saturn ION are about the wheels — 1% of everything reported for this model year. Half of the failures with a mileage on record happened before 123,762 miles.
10
Complaints
1
Crashes
0
Fires
0
Injuries
Filed with NHTSA, in their own words.
WHEELS
WE HAVE BEEN HAVING TROUBLE REMOVING THE KEY FROM THE IGNITION THE PAST FEW DAYS. AS I WAS MAKING A LEFT TURN THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKED THEN MADE A LOUD POPPING SOUND. NOW THE STEERING WHEEL JUST SPINS IN A COMPLETE CIRCLE AND DOES NOT TURN THE WHEELS. I WAS IN MOTION IN A PARKING LOT.
NHTSA complaint #11322453 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
WHEELS
THE POWER STEERING STOPS WORKING WHILE YOU ARE DRIVING WITHOUT NOTICE .WHEN YOU ARE TRUNING IT IS HARD,ALSO THE BEARING AND STRUTS ARE ALSO VERY RUFF.ALMOST HAD A WRECK WHEN TURING
NHTSA complaint #11176627 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
WHEELS
WAS TRAVELING AT APPROX 35MPH POWER STEERING ASSIST WAS LOST, TURNED INTO MANUAL STEERING. I AM A FAIRLY NEW DRIVER, 21, SO I DIDN'T REALLY KNOW HOW TO REACT. IT HAPPENED VERY QUICKLY. HIT A CENTER ISLAND, FOR A LACK OF A BETTER TERM. CALLED GM, THEY HAD SOMEONE INSPECT THE CAR. SAID THERE WAS NO DTC CODES DETECTED. SO THERE FOR THEY ARE CALLING ME A LIAR. MY PARENTS ALSO HAD THIS EXPERIENCE WITH THIS SAME VEHICLE SHORTLY BEFORE I PURCHASED THE CAR. GM REFUSE TO MAKE DAMAGE REPAIRS. ONLY DO RECALL REPAIRS. I ONLY BOUGHT THE CAR ONE WEEK BEFORE ALL THIS HAPPENED.
NHTSA complaint #10704222 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
WHEELS
AT APPROXIMATELY 3:50 P.M. FRIDAY JANUARY 23 2015 I WAS SLOWING DOWN FROM 35 MPH TO TURN INTO A PARKING LOT. BEFORE I TURNED THE PASSENGER SIDE OF THE CAR DROPPED AND AT FIRST I THOUGHT I BLEW A TIRE. AFTER LIMPING THE CAR INTO THE PARKING LOT I GOT OUT AND THE TIRE WAS STILL FULLY INFLATED. I NOTICED THE LOWER CONTROL ARM WAS BROKEN INTO TWO PIECES. THE CAR WAS TOWED HOME AND THE TOW TRUCK DRIVER EVEN MENTIONED HE HAD NEVER SEEN THAT HAPPEN ON SUCH A NEW VEHICLE.
NHTSA complaint #10678696 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
WHEELS
TODAY 8/8/12, I JUMPED INTO MY 2004 SATURN ION AT 5PM AFTER WORK & IMMEDIATELY NOTICED THAT I COULD NOT TURN MY WHEEL AS I EXITED THE PARKING LOT, I HAD TO SWERVE HARD TO MY RIGHT TO BY AVOID A COLLISION WITH TWO CARS FROM THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION. I WAS TERRIFIED! MY DISPLAY SHOWED "PWR STR" I HAD NEVER SEEN THAT BEFORE, I LEFT MY CAR DIAGONALLY PARKED, SINCE IT WOULD NOT MOVE WENT FOR ASSISTANCE, A PASSERBY LOOKED UNDER MY HOOD FOR A WHILE THEN TURNED MY CAR ON AND THE DISPLAY WAS BACK TO MILEAGE AND MY WHEEL WAS WORKING FINE!! I DROVE MY CAR HOME AND IMMEDIATELY STARTED TO DO SOME RESEARCH TO FIND OUT WHAT IT COULD BE AND HOW I COULD FIX IT, I FIND OUT THAT THEIR IS A KNOWN PROBLEM WITH THE POWER STEERING! I HAVE NOT RECEIVED ANY LETTERS AT ALL. MY CAR HAS BEEN RELIABLE UP UNTIL NOW. IT HAS CLOSE TO 150K MIL (MILEAGE IS AN ESTIMATE ON THIS FORM) SINCE THIS APPEARS TO BE A GM PROBLEM, WHAT ARE MY OPTIONS? THANK YOU
NHTSA complaint #10469920 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
WHEELS:RIM
INSIDE OF RIM ON 2004 ION 3 BROKE OFF BREAKING SEAL TO TIRE WHILE TRAVELING ON HIGHWAY CAUSING A FLAT TIRE. RIM WAS CAST BY DESIGN.
NHTSA complaint #10146307 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
WHEELS:LUGS/NUTS/BOLTS/STUDS
I HAD MY 2004 ION 3 IN TO REPLACE A TIRE ON 11/19, THEN ON 11/30 HAD TIRES ROTATED COMPLAINED TO DEALER ABOUT A RATTLE. PER DEALER THE HEAT SHIELDS WERE CRACKED AND THE PARTS HAD TO BE ORDERED. WHEN I LEFT THE DEALER ON THAT DAY THE RATTLE IN THE FRONT SOUNDED WORSE, BUT I WAS TOLD HEAT SHIELDS WERE THE PROBLEM AND I KNEW THEY WOULD BE FIXED SOON. RATTLE PROCEEDED TO GET WORSE, CONTACTED DEALER ABOUT PART INFORMED THEM OF RATTLE GETTING WORSE, GOT APPOINTMENT TO BRING BACK SINCE PART WAS IN (APPT WOULD HAVE BEEN 12/26). DRIVING HOME FROM WORK ON THE EVENING OF 12/20, I WAS GETTING OFF THE INTERSTATE AND THE STEERING WHEEL STARTED JERKING TO THE RIGHT, HEARD HORRIBLE CLUNKING SOUND COMING FROM FRONT END. PULLED INTO GAS STATION, DID NOT NOTICE ANYTHING, SOUND QUIETED. WHILE LEAVING GAS STATION I HEARD A HORRIBLE CLUNKING SOUND PULLED OVER IN PARKING LOT, THOUGHT MAYBE I HAD A BLOWOUT. WHEN I LOOKED AT THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE TIRE, THERE WAS ONE LUG NUT LEFT IN IT AND ONE LUG NUT HANGING OFF. CALLED ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE, UPON FURTHER EXAMINATION THE SCREWS HAD SNAPPED OFF THE WHEELS, FORTUNATELY THERE WERE TWO SCREWS LEFT OTHERWISE I DON'T THINK THE TOW TRUCK COULD HAVE TOWED IT. WHEN I ADDRESSED CONCERNS WITH THE SERVICE MANAGER, HE WAS VERY HELPFUL AND FIXED THE CAR FOR FREE, SAID THE STUDS(SCREWS) WERE PROBABLY DEFECTIVE. WAS ADVISED BY HIM THIS IS MOST LIKELY SCENARIO AS OPPOSED TO SOMEONE NOT TIGHTENING THE LUG NUTS ON THE 11/30 TIRE ROTATION (BECAUSE ACCORDING TO HIM I WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN ABLE TO DRIVE 900 MILES IF THAT WERE THE CASE). THE DEALERSHIP WENT OUT OF THEIR WAY TO HELP, BUT WORRIED IF ITS A DEFECT THIS COULD HAPPEN AT ANY POINT TO THE OTHER 3 TIRES.
NHTSA complaint #10145822 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
WHEELS
CONSUMER COMPLAINT CONCERNING SATURN ION ALUMINUM WHEELS. CONSUMER HAS REPLACED SEVERAL WHEELS DO TO THEM BENDING. *TS ***NO ANSWER REQUIRED*** THE CONSUMER HAD A PROBLEM WITH THE AIR CONDITION LEAKING WATER ON THE FLOOR OF THE VEHICLE.
NHTSA complaint #10146419 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
WHEELS
WE ARE CONCERNED ABOUT THE SAFETY OF OUR SATURN ION. WE PURCHASED IT IN 2004, AND WE HAVE HAD THREE BENT ALUMINUM WHEELS AND NOW WE HAVE A BROKEN WHEEL. WE HAVE BROUGHT IT BACK NUMEROUS TIMES TO BE FIXED TO SPACE COAST SATURN, WHERE WE PURCHASED OUR SATURN ONLY TO HERE EACH TIME THAT THEY ARE NOT GOING TO REPAIR OUR SATURN BECAUSE IT IS NOT THEIR FAULT, IT IS OURS. WE ARE VERY CONCERNED ABOUT OUR SAFETY WHILE RIDING IN THE CAR WITH OUR THREE CHILDREN. I AM AFRAID THAT WE COULD HAVE A BLOW OUT AND SOMEONE COULD BE HURT.
NHTSA complaint #10142424 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
WHEELS:RIM
WE ARE CONCERNED ABOUT THE SAFETY OF OUR SATURN ION. WE PURCHASED IT IN 2004, AND WE HAVE HAD THREE BENT ALUMINUM WHEELS AND NOW WE HAVE A BROKEN WHEEL. WE HAVE BROUGHT IT BACK NUMEROUS TIMES TO BE FIXED TO SPACE COAST SATURN, WHERE WE PURCHASED OUR SATURN ONLY TO HERE EACH TIME THAT THEY ARE NOT GOING TO REPAIR OUR SATURN BECAUSE IT IS NOT THEIR FAULT, IT IS OURS. WE ARE VERY CONCERNED ABOUT OUR SAFETY WHILE RIDING IN THE CAR WITH OUR THREE CHILDREN. I AM AFRAID THAT WE COULD HAVE A BLOW OUT AND SOMEONE COULD BE HURT.
NHTSA complaint #10142424 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.