I purchased a 2004 Saturn Ion. No real problems until winter. My car won't start in the cold. I have been at stores and came out and it won't start. I give it 10 minutes exactly not a minute sooner not a minute later, it then starts. This is a safety issue. If for some reason I am out late and my car won't start and its subzero temp I can die from it. I am afraid that one day it won't start at all. This problem is becoming a big deal to me and other owners. Please fix the issue, put out a recall!!

- Wadsworth, OH, USA

On cold days my car will not start. It will roll over a few times and then the service vehicle light will appear. The car takes anywhere from 15-30 minutes to start leaving me stranded with no heat in the middle of no where. This occurs on a daily basis on cold days in the spring, winter and fall..

- East Meadow, NY, USA

I have the same issue as many others with the anti-theft/electric system of my 2004 Saturn Ion. The manufacturer has refused to remedy the problem without me paying for their shoddy work. I am about to get a lawyer and see if he can get my car issue resolved with GM. When it is cold/wet the car will not start. It will crank 1 time and then nothing for 10 minutes. After waiting inside the car on a very cold morning I can attempt to try my car yet again. It may or may not work and the cycle may need to be repeated. I am very unsatisfied and have offered to GM an opportunity to correct the situation and was met with utter indifference. They want me to pay to replace their bad work and I will not.

- Onalaska, WI, USA

I pulled into a restaurant and the car was fine, when I went to leave the car would not start. I had aaa come out, they told me that I need to have the car looked at. The steering wheel will turn, but the key will not. The battery is not dead as all the lights work for the car but the key is not working. This problem happened once before but after waiting a few minutes the car simply started. Now my car has to be towed to a garage, to be fixed. I looked online and have seen many other 2004 Saturn Ion owners have the same problem turning their car on in the cold.

- Gettysburg, PA, USA

I recently purchased a Saturn Ion 2004 car. After 2 months, one day it just didn't turn on when I started it. I thought it was the battery. I had it checked and the battery was fine. I, however, replaced the battery with a new one, since it was the original battery. Since then, the problem of "not starting" has happened 4 times....I went on the Saturn website and to my amazement, there are pages and pages of the same complaint with the same car, Saturn Ion 2004, 2005, 2003. This is a real inconvenience not knowing if when I turn my car off it will start or not. I urge you to consider how many people are complaining about this same thing. Saturn tells us when we call to take it to the service station. We then get a bill for their service, and they can't find anything wrong. We are wasting money. I believe Saturn should step up to the plate and investigate this problem instead of just ignoring it.

- Clarks Summit, PA, USA

I bought a used 2004 Saturn Ion 6 months ago. I have had no real problems until it started getting cold. Now, most mornings I have the common ignition problem that everybody else has. I turn the key, everything lights up, the engine cranks once, then nothing. I have to keep turning the key all the way off, wait 10 seconds, and try again. Eventually, after 10-30 minutes of doing this repeatedly, the car starts. Every once in a while, the car does start after only a few tries. I have read about this problem on many different forums, and I am angered and dismayed that GM will do nothing about this. Good thing my employer is understanding, and has not fired me yet for being late every time this happens.

- Broomfield, CO, USA

Car won't start in cold weather. Battery and alternator fine. Had remote starter removed, as suggested by service center ; now have no running lights or keyless entry. Have had the Saturn Ion 2004 since Oct. 5th, 2009. Have had to have the car jump started 5 times since. Since this is under warranty it is going back to the dealers for good. I hope no one else decides to buy it until Saturn owns up and fixes this defect. Unsatisfied customer. 11-21-09.

- Rochester, NY, USA

My Saturn Ion 3, 2004 will not start when it is cold. You have to wait 10 minutes and then try again to try to get the car to start. The car eventually starts. I called Saturn to inquire about this and they said that it is an ignition switch problem with their passlock system. They fix about 10 of them every week, B ut Saturn has yet to recall the switch. This problem happens almost everyday in the cold and has been happening to my car for over a year now.

- Chicago, IL, USA

We purchased our Saturn Ion (used- from a dealership) and within a few weeks it began not starting on the first try we would have to wait for 15-20 minutes to start it. Then when the morning weather turned cold it would not start. At all. In the afternoons when it would warm up some it would start again. We thought it was the battery so replaced the battery. Next morning it wouldn't start. I went online to see if there was a recall. There was none. But, I did find hundreds of posts about the same thing. I even found videos posted to youtube.com on how it might be fixed. Scary!! also I found posts where people went to the dealerships for fixes and the dealerships fixed the problem only for it to crop up again within a short time. Please can you help? I found you by accident others would make complaints but they don't know you exist to help. Our car is basically useless because we cannot count on it to start when we need it. The date I gave you was a guesstimate of the first time it happened. We have not taken our car to the dealership because of the numerous post where folks took their cars in, had repairs, only to have the trend start over again.

- Middleburg, FL, USA

Saturn Ion 2004 will not start in cold weather. The symptoms is sporadic and unpredictable and linked to faulty security module (anti-theft) which disables the car in cold weather. This is a well known problem documented in various forums as well as well known to Saturn dealers. Yet GM did not make a recall on this issue for more than 5 years. I have had this problem since 2005 and advised the dealers and Saturn customer service several times with no success.

- Plano, TX, USA

The 2004 Saturn Ion fails to start in cold weather, after getting it checked it is the ignition switch. After reading reviews it seems this is very common on this year and make. This occurs at least once a week sometimes more. It has made me late for work and even miss classes. If this is so common why isn't this part being recalled!? apparently a "security measure" has the car not starting for 10 mins, sometimes 20. Please help!

- San Francisco, CA, USA

Ignition lock cylinder broke which made it impossible to start the car. The lock assembly should be fairly easy to remove but the procedure requires that the key be turned to the run position. With a broken lock that cannot be done. I was only able to get the lock out be using brute force and completely breaking the lock mechanism. I am happy that this happened at a store close to home and we able to get a ride home. I guess I should be thankful we were not one of the poor souls who got stuck in an Ion that couldn't be turned off.

- Ellensburg, WA, USA

On colder days my car will not start. It will roll over a few times and then service vehicle light will appear. The car takes anywhere from 15-30 mins to start leaving me and my family stranded in the winter with no heat in the middle of no where. This occurs on a daily basis in the winter and in the fall 3 times a week. I haven't figured out what the problem is yet, they think it is the ignition switch. There should be a recall on these vehicles there is another person I know with the same car Saturn Ion hers is 2005 mine a 2004 and hers did the same thing hers was the ignition switch.

- White Head Island, 00, USA

The contact owns a 2004 Saturn Ion. On April 14, 2009, while driving approximately 30 mph, the vehicle shut off without warning and the door lock system failed. The vehicle previously experienced electrical failures and trunk failure. The dealer replaced the trunk stopper. The vehicle was taken to a repair shop for a diagnosis. The current and failure mileages were 50,000.

- Houston, TX, USA

I have so many things wrong with my 2004 Saturn of course I have the cold start problem which I have had since I purchased the car(with only 7 miles on it). Anytime I drive my car over 30 miles an hour it shakes had that problem fix 2 years ago and now it is doing it again. My driver side window seal leaks when it rains. New problem don't think I've since this one yet the transmission in the windshield wiper goes out nd guess what for only $275 Saturn will replace that for you. This car is such a lemon. Clearly as I read over complaints of the single mothers like myself, the teacher or just someone who want a reliable car. This experience has taught me never by american again and do my research before buying another car. The thing I hate the most is that they seem to have to take no responsibility for this car.

- Dayton, OH, USA

I purchased my car new in 2004 and I have had an ongoing problem with it starting. It happens at random times and generally after 10 minutes to 30 minutes it will start up. I M not sure if the fact that I can remove my keys from the ignition while im driving down the road has something to do with it or not. It does seem like it does it more in cold/rainy weather than other times. There are still several incidents where it has been warm and sunny and it wont start. I am a single mom with two kids and I hate the thought of being stuck in my car w/ my kids and unable to go anywhere. I have been stuck in parking lots late at night after I get off work and one time it wouldn't start on my way to the hospital. No one seems to know how to fix it and everyone pretty much agrees it has something to do w/ the antitheft device put on the car. So how do we fix it and why wont Saturn do anything about. Today's economy is to bad to be loosing customers and my children are too important to me to be stuck in a car (at any given time) with no way to move. In the future I will be looking for a more dependable safe car.

- Stephen City , VA, USA

The problem began within the first month of the car's purchase. It was cold outside, and the car wouldn't start. After about 30 minutes, it started right up. After visiting several mechanics, I was advised to replace the alternator. Since then, I cannot count the number of times that I go out to the car and it won't start.now, I am told that it 'may be' a faulty ignition switch. I am a teacher, and cannot be late for class. I have 34 students waiting for me every morning. Now, I have to go out to my car, 30 minutes early, and start it. If it starts, I run out 30 minutes worth of gas for fear that it won't start if I turn it off. If it doesn't start, I waste 20 to 25 minutes in the morning getting it to start. This winter, it has not started no less than 15 times. This car is not dependable.

- Princeton , WV, USA

My 2004 Saturn Ion does not start in cold weather. It has a brand new battery and starter, yet it is still having this problem. It will generally start after waiting about 15 minutes to try again. The consequences are being delayed 15-20 minutes each time I want/need to go somewhere.

- Hopkins, MI, USA

Car will not start at times, after letting it sit for about 10 mins after cranking the key a few times, it will start right up. Seems to be a common issue with this year make and model, something to do with a white wire that is part of a plug containing a bunch of wires that plug in underneath the steering column. The problem seems to be more likely to happen when its damp or raining outside. And will always fix itself if you let the car sit for about 10 mins before trying to crank it again. Car has a new battery, seems to be a lot of posts about this issue on bulletin boards on line. Seems like cutting the white wire seems to fix the issue every time.

- Brandon, FL, USA

I am having a consistent problem w/ my 2004 Saturn Ion 4 door 3.3 engine. The problem being is no crank with power on. After waiting 10 - 15 minutes the car will crank & start. This happens inthe morning trying to get to work, at the gas station trying to leave after a fill up, at the red light if I pump the ignition just so. After reading several Ion forums there is a very large problem here. A recall should be issued at least investigated. I am taking the vehicle into Saturn Monday the 3.23.09 to have oil change & no crank w/ power evaluated. I will keep you informed.

- Ann Arbor, MI, USA