This is a VERY common problem with Ions (Coming from an owner and a Saturn salesman). Unfortunately, Saturn hasn't deemed it recall worthy. The issue is the cold. The ignition switch has a grease that hardens when cold and picks up metal shavings from the switch's normal use. This causes the passlock to misfire (even if you're key doesn't have a passlock, the car has the system, it's cheaper to build it that way). If you pull out this switch and clean it and replace the grease, it works right.
So I have been having this problem for 4 years now! Its one of 2 things! Either replace the ignition swith because the lube inside of it doesnt work well with cold weather or you can cut the white security wire, but your service light will stay on. Do not do both, as I had to learn the hard way! Mine ended up not being the ignition switch, but cutting the white wire worked perfectly! Good luck!
Yep, you have an Ion. That is what they do. Mine does exactly the same thing, regardless of whether it was just running fine a minute ago or not. If you read up on it, this is either the "white wire" issue(passlock) or it is the other issue - the ignition cylinder. With that one, you can either replace the ignition cylinder with a new one (they have finally put new grease on these) or take out the ign. cylinder, remove all the oem grease, and put on a light coating of dielectric grease.
My mom and I both have Ion's, we both had this issue. Her issue was fixed only after taking it to three different dealerships, and then had my friend work on it. The first dealership had the car 2 days and said they couldn't do it because they didn't have the parts (back order). Second dealership had it for about 2 months and didn't do it right, the issue started back up within 2 days of getring the car back, took it to a third dealer and it lasted for 3 months then got stuck in the ignition for 2 weeks so she had to take the Ignition Fuse out everytime she parked the car so the battery wouldn't get drained overnight. So then I had my best friend work on it, it's worked ever since and that was 2 summers ago (July 2016). Then I got my Ion in May of 2017, within 2 weeks of having the car it got locked in the ignition when I put the car in park after long drives, and if the key got bumped while in drive the car would shut off but the key would stay in place. I took it to a dealer to have the recall done, the issue was fixed for a while, but in the last 2 months it's started acting up again, it doesn't get locked in the ignition, but if you bump the key while driving, the key falls out and the car shuts off.
This is passlock. See the flashing lock icon on the dash? The passlock system tries to read a resistance in the key, which it is very bad at doing. If it can't read the resistance, it shuts the fuel pump off for 10 minutes. It is worse in cold weather due to the gel or goop in the passlock system. You can buy a remote start bypass. Saturn/GM will not help you with this one in my experience. The strange thing is that yours starts without waiting for 10 minutes.
Mine does the same thing, people are telling me its the passlock security device that thinks your trying to start the car without the key or something. When this happens you have to wait at lease 10 or 15 minuets for it to work again. But its inconvenient when I have to be somewhere.
I have an '03 Saturn with this anti theft system problem. Open the doors manually with the key and do all locking and unlocking manually (An old-fashioned idea :)). Do not use the electronic lock and unlock. Your Saturn will start normally.
I had this same problem, scanned car to get a u100x code, which was a commutation problem between ecm, bcm or some other module. The end fix was a BAD FUSE box. Corrosion inside the fuse box was deemed to be the problem. (not saying this is YOUR PROBLEM).
you can replace your ignition switch and it should fix the problem. For how long idk but that's the solution a lot of us have come up with. I need to replace mine because i continue to have this problem every so often.
I dont know why people are thinking its the battery or starter. Its the Passlock system. You can see the light blinking. And the WHRRR noise is the Fuel pump.
@elcaminojosh Just telling it like it is. We were very dissapointed with our Saturn Ion experience. We purchased the car Brand New (wanted to buy American made car to support America). Our left tail lights keeps going out (5 times in 3 months) - Saturn finally had a re-call after a year. Winter came, had issues like the video every freakin winter - took it back to the dealer several times but never acknowledged the problem. Finally traded in the saturn for an Accord - best decision ever!
My daughter has a 2005 Ion with the same problem. The dealer said it had a short in the ignition and charged $525 to "fix" it had the same problem back in 1 week. Dealer said well there are a lot of things it could be but it has to act up here so we can see it. After 3 weeks it had not acted up so we just brought it home. You can drive it for a week or two sometimes and no problem and then it will let you down. Frustrated in Richmond Va.
@@hellfaretv150 recall fixes don't matter, my 2007 Ion, and my mom's 2003 Ion, are proof of that, been to dealers multiple times and mine still has issues.
There is a little pop off lid located just under your key switch on the steering column, pop the little tab lid off and there is a little button inside, hold it in and your key will slip right out...
I had this same Problem! I replaced the Starter, Ing Switch, and the Battery! Nothing fixed my problem. This happened everyday. The last thing I did was took off every cable from the Battery in the trunk, Peeled back the rubber on the connection and crimped it a little more. I did this at the power distribution box under the engine hood and at the starter solenoid. All connections looked good but after I did this I have had no Problems. I waited two Months to post to make sure. Give this a try first! I used a little contact cleaner on them before I recrimped them. Try this first!!
it's the anti theft lock it's bs it happened to me in the Walmart parking lot. just wait 15 min then go lock the door then unlock the door open it, close it lock it again then unlock it you should be good
yall crazy. it's in security mode. you have to open and close driver and passenger door with the key or of ignition and wait about 5 minutes and that blinking light will stop blinking and you can start the car
yep its the ignition switch. the car thinks its being stolen and the passive anti theft engages. its a $30 part that takes about a good 45 minutes to fix
My 2006 has the same problem. The Passlock Theft-deterrent system is very sensitive. If the car doesn't start, try again in 10 minutes, or as soon as the light stops flashing (the passlock light is the one between your gas gauge and the speedometer that is a car pictured with the padlock). If you have a spare key, compare it to the one you are currently using. If there is any wear and tear, use the one in better shape. That should help the problem.
This happens to our 03 ion sometimes. When it does, just leave the headlights on for about 3-5min. The car should start up then. Oh and BTW, that "errrrrr" is the fuel injection.
@schindlerman96 Passlock is completely associated with the Security OR little lock light. If your car wont start and this light is flashing...its nothing other than a fault with the system. Most GM cars will have this issue. With the saturns it just turns out to be the grease or lubricant in the ignition that is the problem.
Have you found out what the problem is, with your intermittent no start Saturn Ion? I have a 2004 Ion 3 sedan 5speed automatic with the same problem. Some times it all of a sudden wouldn't start. But if I wait 10-15 minutes it will start again. I appreciate if you can share how you fixed yours. Thank you.
yeah my ion does this and i just turn the wheel to the left real hard and it starts.very strange now i gotta figure out why my windows wont roll down unless i shut the car off and open and shut the door until they work
my saturn ion thos the same thing it happens like once evey full moon idk i give it a few mins and it starts up sometime its the battery my battery is in the trunk if anything like metal is touching the battery ur car will not turn on till u move it
I learned the hard way that it is not ignition switch. It's the main orange wire from the battery going to your ignition. It runs along the passenger side under the carpet. Gets corroded.
the problem you have is in the security system security chip located in between the ignition switch and ignition cylinder you have to retrain the system by leaving to keep on on position for 15 minutes and then turn off the key then started if it's happening again replace the security chip
@DracoAzule yep, dint know but u learn from experience, now i got it working fine, a gm technician came to my house and reprogrammed the computer since it had a code that was blocking my ign swict and cutting the power going to the fuel pump, now it's fine but i was breaking my head figuring out what was wrong
My problem is similar, my SC2, 2002, DOHC 1.9...when I first got it had hell with it not starting..change battery, then rebuild alternator. Nothing worked till early this year, 2021, would not start , no clicking nothing. Went underneath to check out alternator...found a thin lead wire going from back of alternator to starter burned up. Removed , cleaned it up and retapped it well. Reinstall and next day, it burned completely thru. Replace tiny wire, 8 mil maybe, with big, fat red battery cable....fixed. no more dead battery, no more battery draining...for a few months. Last week, April 8..dead battery. Recharge battery..nothing wrong..still going end of f
i had a 2004 saturn ion 2 and there was this thing in the steering column and there was a recall. i was at a bread shop and i got out to leave and my car will not start it did the same thing your does
don't post rude comments like that, you are not helping anybody. It actually turns out that the ECU is very rarely the problem with the Ion. It is often the ignition switch (not the ignition relay switch), or the crank position sensor. So it appears that you are wrong, even after you called the OP a moron. Didn't your mother tell you not to say anything if you couldn't say something nice?
My saturn did that same exact thing recently. My uncle came over last night and fixed my Accelerator sensor. But I'm not saying that's the problem here. May be with the fuel line or something. The auto parts store can do a free diagnostics check on it.
@OUTxOFxIDEAS I had to do the same thing during winter...blow dryer and 5 minutes of blowing through small hole. It works but get boring after a while...
its the passlock wire under the steering coloumn and is a simple fix of cutting the wire and essentially disabiling the passlock... Im not recommending the fix just stating that its been adressed else where on the web and is a highly common issue with saturn ion owners. Google ion, white wire, and passlock.
Faulty ignition switch, which .3 recalls on these vehicles that being one. The other is a faulty sensor inside the coolant tank. Wait 11 minutes from the time you first try to start the car. Every time you try to start the car, it will set you back 10 minutes so Wait 11.
This has to be a defect because mine does the same thing. However mine does it no matter what the weather. I saw someone posted it was just the battery but they apparently do not own a Saturn because this has gone on with mine for two years which is the reason that it spends most of the time parked, I just can't take the chance of driving somewhere and not being able to get home. I still don't agree with buying a foreign car but next one will be a Ford.
@Alexscott100 I have that exact car it i thought i was the only one with this problem, It has left my wife and kid a number of times . Usually when i am half way there to help them out it will just start!? It drives me insane!!!
Hi, this just happened to my '07 ion BUT my battery light stays on does it means that my battery is dead or is just a passlock too? my radio, lights and a/c works too. thanks....if anybody can answer this today would be great 'coz i'm 1hr away from work....thanks...
I have also done a fair amount of research through forums, as all GM vehicles have this Passlock System. There are several other GM owners with the same problem. Some other fixes I have seen are installing a new ignition switch (cold weather thickens the grease and messes with the codes), or "cutting the white wire", which I DO NOT recommend...especially if you live in a state where an annual inspection is required. The engine light will remain on if you do this.
anti theft system on, plus all saturn ion all have swicth problem, i have replace mine ign switch three time and after that u have to do a relearn procedure to turn it on, three times, i had the same damn problem with my 04 saturn ion, i'm thinking of trading it for a honda civic si............the anti theft system on a saturn it's a toothache.....
could be the ignition, my sister had a 2007 Saturn ION she blow the motor at 130.000 miles, i got her ion now, she got a newer car, no its not a Saturn ION.
if you have a non stock remote control like one you bought with a car starter on it when you go to unlock it with that new remote it trips the cars anti-theft device because the car thinks sombody is trying to break into it, I know stupid right! what you need to lock the car with only the stock remote that came with the car and you might not be able to use the new one if you have one, if you dont then i cant help you
I had a similar issue but with a Jeep Grand Cherokee. The vehicle would sometimes have the dashlights but you would hear that noise you described and I couldn't use the locks and stereo. What we did: Shifted the Jeep into drive and put it back into park. This reset the starter relay and allowed the vehicle to start. Then our local shop replaced the battery and cable and it runs fine. Hopefully this helps someone.
Ignition switch. Really. Look at my profile, I have a vid for Not starting, then starting. You have to wait out the pass lock, 10 minutes. It's a known problem your mechanic should be able to remedy. It doesn't like the cold. My mechanic quoted me $300, final price was about $150.
I never had the problem until December 2009 and in Denver Colorado my ignition ceased to work. The car was towed to the local saturn dealership and they discovered it was the wiring harness and required a replacement place reprogram the car and it has"t happened since and I have driven it in near zero teperatures and no problem.Cost of repair is 1500 to 2 thousand dollars tops.
@elcaminojosh I'm not saying that all Japanese cars are the best, I definately didn't like how Toyota handled the QA issues and just blamed their electronic problems on the floor mats - WTF?! As a family man, I just wasn't confident puting my family on a car that keeps breaking down and the company behind it (GM) looking the other way, whistling, like they don't know what's going on. "If it's broke - FIX IT, GM!" Oh wait... you closed up the bran to avoid recalls - Nice >:(
man saturn sucks everybody have problem like these man sumtimes im late 2 work cuz of this car n sumtime my pwr str light turns on when im driving n i have to pull over n turn of the car and turn it back on n it be smooth again
my first pontiac grand am did the same thing. GM puts a passlock system in all their cars. It's a key reader.. All of their keys has a transponder in them that have a code to the car and also to the key.. Thing is, the passlock systems usually go bad easily. I had to replace it in my first grand am which my sister has now. Try having your Passlock system checked.
The problem is in the wiring harness it happened in 2008 with my Saturn Ion 2004 model year repair cost is 1500,00 dollars. I had mine done and so far so good the only way to fix it is to go to saturn and breakout the big bucks to replace it. Save yourself the time and headache have it taken care of before it strands you someplace.
replace your ignition starter. I was thinking about cutting my wire that i saw on a video, and I decided to just replace it cause i hate the engine light lol. It will usually start up within 10-30 minutes with me.
This is a VERY common problem with Ions (Coming from an owner and a Saturn salesman). Unfortunately, Saturn hasn't deemed it recall worthy. The issue is the cold. The ignition switch has a grease that hardens when cold and picks up metal shavings from the switch's normal use. This causes the passlock to misfire (even if you're key doesn't have a passlock, the car has the system, it's cheaper to build it that way). If you pull out this switch and clean it and replace the grease, it works right.
So I have been having this problem for 4 years now! Its one of 2 things! Either replace the ignition swith because the lube inside of it doesnt work well with cold weather or you can cut the white security wire, but your service light will stay on. Do not do both, as I had to learn the hard way! Mine ended up not being the ignition switch, but cutting the white wire worked perfectly! Good luck!
MICHAELA DIXON hey um are you sure it’s fine if you cut the white wire cause I don’t wanna fuck up my car I got for my mom
I just cut the white wire and it’s still not starting sometimes.. I’ve done every trick can think of. Expect bring it to my local gm dealer
Yep, you have an Ion. That is what they do.
Mine does exactly the same thing, regardless of whether it was just running fine a minute ago or not. If you read up on it, this is either the "white wire" issue(passlock) or it is the other issue - the ignition cylinder. With that one, you can either replace the ignition cylinder with a new one (they have finally put new grease on these) or take out the ign. cylinder, remove all the oem grease, and put on a light coating of dielectric grease.
My mom and I both have Ion's, we both had this issue. Her issue was fixed only after taking it to three different dealerships, and then had my friend work on it. The first dealership had the car 2 days and said they couldn't do it because they didn't have the parts (back order). Second dealership had it for about 2 months and didn't do it right, the issue started back up within 2 days of getring the car back, took it to a third dealer and it lasted for 3 months then got stuck in the ignition for 2 weeks so she had to take the Ignition Fuse out everytime she parked the car so the battery wouldn't get drained overnight. So then I had my best friend work on it, it's worked ever since and that was 2 summers ago (July 2016). Then I got my Ion in May of 2017, within 2 weeks of having the car it got locked in the ignition when I put the car in park after long drives, and if the key got bumped while in drive the car would shut off but the key would stay in place. I took it to a dealer to have the recall done, the issue was fixed for a while, but in the last 2 months it's started acting up again, it doesn't get locked in the ignition, but if you bump the key while driving, the key falls out and the car shuts off.
Thanks opening and closing the door works for this issue.!
This is passlock. See the flashing lock icon on the dash? The passlock system tries to read a resistance in the key, which it is very bad at doing. If it can't read the resistance, it shuts the fuel pump off for 10 minutes. It is worse in cold weather due to the gel or goop in the passlock system. You can buy a remote start bypass. Saturn/GM will not help you with this one in my experience.
The strange thing is that yours starts without waiting for 10 minutes.
Mine does the same thing, people are telling me its the passlock security device that thinks your trying to start the car without the key or something. When this happens you have to wait at lease 10 or 15 minuets for it to work again. But its inconvenient when I have to be somewhere.
I have an '03 Saturn with this anti theft system problem. Open the doors manually with the key and do all locking and unlocking manually (An old-fashioned idea :)). Do not use the electronic lock and unlock. Your Saturn will start normally.
I had this same problem, scanned car to get a u100x code, which was a commutation problem between ecm, bcm or some other module. The end fix was a BAD FUSE box. Corrosion inside the fuse box was deemed to be the problem. (not saying this is YOUR PROBLEM).
You can change your ignition how many times you want it will only solve the problem temporarily.
you can replace your ignition switch and it should fix the problem. For how long idk but that's the solution a lot of us have come up with. I need to replace mine because i continue to have this problem every so often.
I dont know why people are thinking its the battery or starter. Its the Passlock system. You can see the light blinking. And the WHRRR noise is the Fuel pump.
@elcaminojosh Just telling it like it is. We were very dissapointed with our Saturn Ion experience. We purchased the car Brand New (wanted to buy American made car to support America). Our left tail lights keeps going out (5 times in 3 months) - Saturn finally had a re-call after a year. Winter came, had issues like the video every freakin winter - took it back to the dealer several times but never acknowledged the problem. Finally traded in the saturn for an Accord - best decision ever!
My daughter has a 2005 Ion with the same problem. The dealer said it had a short in the ignition and charged $525 to "fix" it had the same problem back in 1 week. Dealer said well there are a lot of things it could be but it has to act up here so we can see it. After 3 weeks it had not acted up so we just brought it home. You can drive it for a week or two sometimes and no problem and then it will let you down. Frustrated in Richmond Va.
I bought one a few months ago and my key keeps getting stuck in the ignition.
Same thing happened with my 2004 Saturn Ion..........Did you get it fixed and how? Thank you
Ohh you guys still havent gotten the recall for ignition i got a 2006 saturn ion coupe
Take it to a GM dealer they should fix it for deee as the switch is a recall.
@@hellfaretv150 recall fixes don't matter, my 2007 Ion, and my mom's 2003 Ion, are proof of that, been to dealers multiple times and mine still has issues.
There is a little pop off lid located just under your key switch on the steering column, pop the little tab lid off and there is a little button inside, hold it in and your key will slip right out...
I had this same Problem! I replaced the Starter, Ing Switch, and the Battery! Nothing fixed my problem. This happened everyday. The last thing I did was took off every cable from the Battery in the trunk, Peeled back the rubber on the connection and crimped it a little more. I did this at the power distribution box under the engine hood and at the starter solenoid. All connections looked good but after I did this I have had no Problems. I waited two Months to post to make sure. Give this a try first! I used a little contact cleaner on them before I recrimped them. Try this first!!
En español para entender
does it make a loud click when you put it into the start position? just one click?
Ya mine does sometimes .. What's that mean i hear a clicking in one of my relays under hood i think
it's the anti theft lock it's bs it happened to me in the Walmart parking lot. just wait 15 min then go lock the door then unlock the door open it, close it lock it again then unlock it you should be good
If the security light continues to flash the someone has tripped the Antitheft system
yall crazy. it's in security mode. you have to open and close driver and passenger door with the key or of ignition and wait about 5 minutes and that blinking light will stop blinking and you can start the car
thanks for the comment this was our problem easy fix (:
what causes this?
yep its the ignition switch. the car thinks its being stolen and the passive anti theft engages. its a $30 part that takes about a good 45 minutes to fix
My 2006 has the same problem. The Passlock Theft-deterrent system is very sensitive. If the car doesn't start, try again in 10 minutes, or as soon as the light stops flashing (the passlock light is the one between your gas gauge and the speedometer that is a car pictured with the padlock). If you have a spare key, compare it to the one you are currently using. If there is any wear and tear, use the one in better shape. That should help the problem.
Yea, I have this problem every winter. I just learned to deal with it. I wait about 10 minutes and it starts.
This happens to our 03 ion sometimes. When it does, just leave the headlights on for about 3-5min. The car should start up then. Oh and BTW, that "errrrrr" is the fuel injection.
@schindlerman96 Passlock is completely associated with the Security OR little lock light. If your car wont start and this light is flashing...its nothing other than a fault with the system. Most GM cars will have this issue. With the saturns it just turns out to be the grease or lubricant in the ignition that is the problem.
I have a Saturn Ion 2006 and I have the same exact problem especially when its cold outside. It the ignition switch.
Have you found out what the problem is, with your intermittent no start Saturn Ion? I have a 2004 Ion 3 sedan 5speed automatic with the same problem. Some times it all of a sudden wouldn't start. But if I wait 10-15 minutes it will start again. I appreciate if you can share how you fixed yours. Thank you.
what's the update on the problem? any luck fixing it? Let us know.
@4x4GGG Did it cost you that much because youtook it to the mechanic,or because that was the actual price of the part?
there something wrong with your clutch sensor when you push it in it not telling the computer your clutch is in
yeah my ion does this and i just turn the wheel to the left real hard and it starts.very strange now i gotta figure out why my windows wont roll down unless i shut the car off and open and shut the door until they work
my saturn ion thos the same thing it happens like once evey full moon idk i give it a few mins and it starts up sometime its the battery my battery is in the trunk if anything like metal is touching the battery ur car will not turn on till u move it
I learned the hard way that it is not ignition switch. It's the main orange wire from the battery going to your ignition. It runs along the passenger side under the carpet. Gets corroded.
the problem you have is in the security system security chip located in between the ignition switch and ignition cylinder you have to retrain the system by leaving to keep on on position for 15 minutes and then turn off the key then started if it's happening again replace the security chip
@DracoAzule yep, dint know but u learn from experience, now i got it working fine, a gm technician came to my house and reprogrammed the computer since it had a code that was blocking my ign swict and cutting the power going to the fuel pump, now it's fine but i was breaking my head figuring out what was wrong
I've replaced this ignition starter twice since owning my 2003 Ion.
Ive done the recall and bought a new battery and it still doesnt start...Does anybody know what i ahould do?
jasmyn rodriguez if it's a 5 speed, the clutch switch is defective, if it's an automatic, the park sensor could be bad.
My problem is similar, my SC2, 2002, DOHC 1.9...when I first got it had hell with it not starting..change battery, then rebuild alternator. Nothing worked till early this year, 2021, would not start , no clicking nothing. Went underneath to check out alternator...found a thin lead wire going from back of alternator to starter burned up. Removed , cleaned it up and retapped it well. Reinstall and next day, it burned completely thru. Replace tiny wire, 8 mil maybe, with big, fat red battery cable....fixed. no more dead battery, no more battery draining...for a few months. Last week, April 8..dead battery. Recharge battery..nothing wrong..still going end of f
i had a 2004 saturn ion 2 and there was this thing in the steering column and there was a recall. i was at a bread shop and i got out to leave and my car will not start it did the same thing your does
don't post rude comments like that, you are not helping anybody. It actually turns out that the ECU is very rarely the problem with the Ion. It is often the ignition switch (not the ignition relay switch), or the crank position sensor. So it appears that you are wrong, even after you called the OP a moron. Didn't your mother tell you not to say anything if you couldn't say something nice?
I had this same problem! I switched both cars to Hondas... No more problems! Honda for life!!!
My saturn did that same exact thing recently. My uncle came over last night and fixed my Accelerator sensor. But I'm not saying that's the problem here. May be with the fuel line or something. The auto parts store can do a free diagnostics check on it.
@OUTxOFxIDEAS
I had to do the same thing during winter...blow dryer and 5 minutes of blowing through small hole. It works but get boring after a while...
That sound u herd is the fuel pump turning on thats normal.
@antster7
Funny how the motors they put in this car are in the top 10 in the entire world as far as reliability goes.
its the passlock wire under the steering coloumn and is a simple fix of cutting the wire and essentially disabiling the passlock... Im not recommending the fix just stating that its been adressed else where on the web and is a highly common issue with saturn ion owners. Google ion, white wire, and passlock.
Passlock issue and ignition switch issue. The ignition switch must be replaced... They had design flaws...then look up how to retrain your car...
did you ever fix this problem? I just got a 2006 ion and am wondering if I made a bad choice
Faulty ignition switch, which .3 recalls on these vehicles that being one. The other is a faulty sensor inside the coolant tank. Wait 11 minutes from the time you first try to start the car. Every time you try to start the car, it will set you back 10 minutes so Wait 11.
This has to be a defect because mine does the same thing. However mine does it no matter what the weather. I saw someone posted it was just the battery but they apparently do not own a Saturn because this has gone on with mine for two years which is the reason that it spends most of the time parked, I just can't take the chance of driving somewhere and not being able to get home. I still don't agree with buying a foreign car but next one will be a Ford.
Not to hate, but at the 0:34 mark..... pumping the accelerator?? It's an injected vehicle.
Ignition switch system. Had to replace mine. It wasn't a Saturn issue but a GM issue on all cars of this platform.
How much for a replacement?
Eather The Battery Is Flat, Or No Connection To The Starter
@Alexscott100 I have that exact car it i thought i was the only one with this problem, It has left my wife and kid a number of times . Usually when i am half way there to help them out it will just start!? It drives me insane!!!
Tyvm
Yo same here man wtf how the hell did it just start up hmmmm
same happened to my dads 2006 chevy malibu but for some reason it just started working later that day and didnt have that problem anymore.
Hi, this just happened to my '07 ion BUT my battery light stays on does it means that my battery is dead or is just a passlock too? my radio, lights and a/c works too. thanks....if anybody can answer this today would be great 'coz i'm 1hr away from work....thanks...
It's you passlock in the ignition. Promise. It will fix the problem saturns have this issue. Get a new one.
I have also done a fair amount of research through forums, as all GM vehicles have this Passlock System. There are several other GM owners with the same problem. Some other fixes I have seen are installing a new ignition switch (cold weather thickens the grease and messes with the codes), or "cutting the white wire", which I DO NOT recommend...especially if you live in a state where an annual inspection is required. The engine light will remain on if you do this.
anti theft system on, plus all saturn ion all have swicth problem, i have replace mine ign switch three time and after that u have to do a relearn procedure to turn it on, three times, i had the same damn problem with my 04 saturn ion, i'm thinking of trading it for a honda civic si............the anti theft system on a saturn it's a toothache.....
could be the ignition, my sister had a 2007 Saturn ION she blow the motor at 130.000 miles, i got her ion now, she got a newer car, no its not a Saturn ION.
mine does that but usually i dont have the clutch all the way to the floor
I have a 2003 saturn ion, and this happened to me about a month ago, did it a couple times, but It hasnt happened since,
if you have a non stock remote control like one you bought with a car starter on it when you go to unlock it with that new remote it trips the cars anti-theft device because the car thinks sombody is trying to break into it, I know stupid right! what you need to lock the car with only the stock remote that came with the car and you might not be able to use the new one if you have one, if you dont then i cant help you
There was a factory recall for my 04 ion 2 they replaced the part and it runs fine
I had a similar issue but with a Jeep Grand Cherokee. The vehicle would sometimes have the dashlights but you would hear that noise you described and I couldn't use the locks and stereo. What we did: Shifted the Jeep into drive and put it back into park. This reset the starter relay and allowed the vehicle to start. Then our local shop replaced the battery and cable and it runs fine. Hopefully this helps someone.
Your ignition switch had to be replaced I bet.
Did you notice the immobilizer warning light flashing evry time it didnt srart :-D
is the car in park ?
Ignition switch. Really. Look at my profile, I have a vid for Not starting, then starting. You have to wait out the pass lock, 10 minutes. It's a known problem your mechanic should be able to remedy. It doesn't like the cold. My mechanic quoted me $300, final price was about $150.
Security Key, you can see the light blinking
same problem here, and GM (government motors) won't fix it or recall it.
If you find a permanent fix, let me know. Good luck.
I'm having this problem right now
turn the switch to the on position, NOT START. let all gages and lites go out. then turn the switch to start. it should start then.
Did you ever figure out a way to fix it ? My car does the same thing same model & year
Is this car a asian car or american car or europeon car?
my 2004 ion i had did that its the starter switch we dont have the ion anymore cause in 2008 my mom flipped it
Alex0695 hope your mom is okay.
I've learned with mine if you disconnect the battery for about ten mins let the ECU reset itself reconnect the battery mine starts right back up
@rockgod235 Dont get pissy because your car doesnt work, Just trying to help you out.....
I never had the problem until December 2009 and in Denver Colorado my ignition ceased to work.
The car was towed to the local saturn dealership and they discovered it was the wiring harness and required a replacement place reprogram the car and it has"t happened since and I have driven it in near zero teperatures and no problem.Cost of repair is 1500 to 2 thousand dollars tops.
mine has 210k miles no leaks still running fine
@elcaminojosh I'm not saying that all Japanese cars are the best, I definately didn't like how Toyota handled the QA issues and just blamed their electronic problems on the floor mats - WTF?! As a family man, I just wasn't confident puting my family on a car that keeps breaking down and the company behind it (GM) looking the other way, whistling, like they don't know what's going on. "If it's broke - FIX IT, GM!" Oh wait... you closed up the bran to avoid recalls - Nice >:(
man saturn sucks everybody have problem like these man sumtimes im late 2 work cuz of this car n sumtime my pwr str light turns on when im driving n i have to pull over n turn of the car and turn it back on n it be smooth again
my first pontiac grand am did the same thing. GM puts a passlock system in all their cars. It's a key reader.. All of their keys has a transponder in them that have a code to the car and also to the key.. Thing is, the passlock systems usually go bad easily. I had to replace it in my first grand am which my sister has now. Try having your Passlock system checked.
That noisenu hear is fuel pump prob needs new starter
The problem is in the wiring harness it happened in 2008 with my Saturn Ion 2004 model year repair cost is 1500,00 dollars.
I had mine done and so far so good the only way to fix it is to go to saturn and breakout the big bucks to replace it.
Save yourself the time and headache have it taken care of before it strands you someplace.
No
ignition switch is a very common problem with Ions. that's your problem.
They make a replacement ignition switch that fixes this issue.
Its the battery
BTW to replace is like 200
Hey, Well I havee bad luck Cause This was o my birthday.... ;p Thtss Mest Up...
Battery terminals needed cleaning though they visually appeared clean.
Happened to me once in 72 on a new ford courier.
i had the same problem on my 2005 saturn ion .
Hey, Well I havee bad luck Cause This was o my birthday.... ;p
replace your ignition starter.
I was thinking about cutting my wire that i saw on a video, and I decided to just replace it cause i hate the engine light lol.
It will usually start up within 10-30 minutes with me.
Take out he air bag fuze. turn the car on, and cut the white wire leading to the ignition switch
Mills Miller I got this problem and you think it will work? What you said?
the problem is! it's a Saturn.
Yeah, your battery is dead.
No big deal
Just give it a charge.