2003 Saturn ION from North America - Comments

When I first got this car I had bought it used. Unfortunately, it was at a time where I needed a car a lot more than I needed to research one.

Within the first week of owning it, it all of a sudden just wouldn't start. It wouldn't even turn over to attempt to start. It would work when jumping the battery but I had to jump it EVERY TIME in order to go anywhere. I went to get it fixed and it had something to do with the ignition switch draining the battery. Okay, it was still covered under warranty, no big deal.

THEN, it started to get cold out. One day I was on my way to work the RPMs were up around 5,000-6,000 and the car was accelerating by itself to 55mph. When I hit the brake, it only slowed it down to 35. I was terrified that I couldn't stop! I went through about 3 red lights and a stop sign before it finally calmed down and let me hit the brake. Every time this happened I had to quickly throw the car in neutral and pull over so it would stop. I took it to a family-owned auto shop that I've trusted for years and they had no idea how to fix it. They suggested I take it to Saturn.

So I did. I have absolutely no idea how to explain whatever the man told me but what I got out of it was it had to do with the computer chips. After they were upgraded the problem seemed to go away.

It's a year later and it has started to do it again.

It's also not very good in the snow or windy weather. It slides much too easy and gets blown around way too much.

I've noticed that many people are having problems with this car when it's cold. I'm sure it's an okay car to own in warmer climates but if you live somewhere that you experience freezing temperatures I would suggest steering clear of this car. Unless you enjoy a car that turns into a death trap in the winter.

I am having similar problems with my 03 Saturn Ion right now! This winter has been a very harsh one, and today, Antarctica was warmer than my hometown. It doesn't seem like the Ion can handle these unexpectedly cold temperatures; mine has been stuck in the parking lot at work for two days now. When I try to start it, it won't even turn over. I asked a couple of mechanics and they said it sounded like my battery needed to be replaced, but I'm afraid that the same thing will just happen again if the temperatures here stay this cold.

Another problem I've had since shortly after I bought my car is apparently with the ignition coil. As I'm accelerating, the car will start shaking and start to stall out. I have to step off the gas for a minute and wait for it to come out of the spell before I can accelerate again. If I try to push it too hard, the engine light comes on. The worst part about this problem is it always seems to happen when I'm entering an intersection, so I'm always afraid another car will hit me.

I've really had nothing but problems with this car since I bought it, and I'm really glad to have come across this review, because now I know it's not just my car that's acting up. I fully believe that this car belongs in warm, sunny Florida, not Indiana, where the weather can change at the drop of a hat.