Broken Timing Chain

CarComplaints.com Seal Of Avoid Like The Plague

CarComplaints.com Notes: When it comes to the 2006 Ion, the biggest questions are: what big problem is going to pop up next? And how long until GM chooses to address it?

The 2006 Ion has a defective ignition switch that gave owners fits. Their keys would get stuck in the ignition, the engine wouldn’t shut off or in some cases it would shut off at the most dangerous time. The ignition was eventually recalled as part of one of the largest recalls of all-time , but it took GM 10 years to do it. Then there’s this car’s temperamental power steering which is prone to stop working randomly while driving. It too was eventually recalled, even if GM took their sweet time about it.

Lastly, it turns out a car built with plastic doors, fenders and bumpers – while fun for a game of “shopping cart bocce” – is horrible for safety.

8.0

pretty bad
Typical Repair Cost:
No data
Average Mileage:
115,000 miles
Total Complaints:
1 complaints

Most Common Solutions:

  1. replace engine (1 reports)
2006 Saturn Ion engine problems

engine problem

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2006 Saturn Ion Owner Comments

problem #1

Dec 142017

Ion

  • Automatic transmission
  • 115,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

I purchased my Ion 2 Sedan new in 2006 and took IMMACULATE care of it from Day 1. I took it in for regular oil changes / checkups and always followed my mechanic's recommendation whenever maintenance issue would arise. Just recently, I had the automatic transmission rebuilt. For a twelve-year-old vehicle it was running great, then suddenly the timing chain broke without warning destroying the valves.

There was no noise or anything to indicate there was a serious problem at the time or I would have pulled over immediately. The only thing that seemed "off" was the car didn't feel as though it had as much get-up-and-go as usual and a check-engine light appeared on the dash which (according to my mechanic later on) was totally unrelated to the timing chain issue. I made it home that night a with the intention of taking it in for service the next day only to find that the car wouldn't start in the morning. Or ever again, unless I had $5,300 to shell out for a new engine.

Unfortunately, that was not an option for me, so I wound up having to finance a new car. I'd really like to know if I have any recourse with GM, especially since it appears that this same issue occurred with previous years' models, up to and including the 2005 line.

- Gretchen W., San Jose, US

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