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Saturn Ion Starting Problems

1201 messages,  Last post on May 10, 2013 at 9:26 AM

You are in the Saturn ION Forum.

What is this discussion about? Saturn ION, Electrical, Coupe, Sedan

Messages Page 19 of 121

#177 of 1201 Re: May have found an easy solution to the starting problom [agawamguy] by agawamguy

Jan 02, 2009 (9:10 am)

Replying to: agawamguy (Jan 01, 2009 8:25 am)
OK, if anyone reads through the 170 some odd posts here like I did, you'll see that cutting the white wire is an inexpensive option that disables the entire Passlock system.
 
I have a 2006 ION and here's exactly what I did yesterday while I was at work:
 
I removed the three screws underneath the steering wheel column. I then removed the three piece plastic cover which allows access to the ignition key lock cylinder and ignition switch.
 
link title
 
Attached to the ignition switch is a green harness plug. I pulled the harness plug to get better access to the wires. I then removed the electrical tape and found the solid white wire. I seperated the white wire from the bunch.
 
I re-connected the harness plug to the starter switch and started the car.
 
I then cut the white wire and attached wire nuts with electrical tape to each wire so as to secur it propperly. When I looked up, the passlock light was illuminated on the dash panel.
 
link title
 
I shut the car off and re-started it several times. With the car off and the key out of the ignition, I very carefully tucked all the wires back into place and re-assembled the plastic steering wheel column.
 
I then parked the car outside in 8 degree New England weather with the windows down for 9 hours and when it was time to go home the car started right up.
 
The dash light stays on constantly but unlike some others, I do not have a service display on the dash.
 
I called the Saturn complain Dept: 866-790-5700 and I filed a complain 888-327-4236 about my troubles with this issue.
 
If GM ever makes a recall and if I still own the car maybe I'll get the fix but for now I'm good.
 
Thanks everybody!

#178 of 1201 by fbordoy

Jan 05, 2009 (7:52 am)

hi,thank you guys for the recomendations on cuting the white wire but I have a question,can I cut the wire while the car is off ,because it wont start after I replaced the ignition switch..does anyone has the same experience?thank you all...

#179 of 1201 Re: [fbordoy] by bertbaggins

Jan 05, 2009 (9:00 am)

Replying to: fbordoy (Jan 05, 2009 7:52 am)
hey fbordoy
 
You cannot cut the wire when the car is off. Apparently that screws it up. as for starting your car. Did you do the relearn procedure for the car? also, I was using a hair dryer on my ignition to get it started in the cold.

#180 of 1201 Re: [bertbaggins] by Notrag

Jan 06, 2009 (11:07 am)

Replying to: bertbaggins (Jan 05, 2009 9:00 am)
My only questions are?
 
Cutting the white wire while the car is running, making sure not to short the wires out, is all that needs to be done?
 
Yes or No
 
Thank you very much.

#181 of 1201 Re: [Notrag] by bertbaggins

Jan 06, 2009 (11:51 am)

Replying to: Notrag (Jan 06, 2009 11:07 am)
thats all I did. I had no trouble with shorting out wires. just cap the ends of the wire when you are done, and I pulled the airbag fuse before cutting.

#182 of 1201 Re: [bertbaggins] by fbordoy

Jan 06, 2009 (6:24 pm)

Replying to: bertbaggins (Jan 05, 2009 9:00 am)
hi bertbaggins,yes when I changed the switch did the re-learn procedure for aproximately 5 times,car was running except like others ,problems in the cold weather and I am from New England. (CT).and decide to change the switch but no luck to get it start ever again,so is there any fuse that could probably got blown ?,or could be the new switch that is no good.just need need your ideas or recomendations.Thanks very much.(fbordoy).

#183 of 1201 questions by dave7878

Jan 06, 2009 (9:27 pm)

Hello all,
 
I had a few questions:
 
1. Is the white wire part of the ignition switch?
 
2. I read in earlier posts that a possible problem might be with the type of "lube" in the ignition switch. The coined "northern climate" vs "southern climate" lube. Does that idea relate at all to the cutting of the white wire.
 
3. Does anybody know of any remote car starters for manual transmissions that are easy to install? I know from the sounds of it that the remote starter spoken of on this blog seems to be easy to install for automatic transmissions. My wife has a standard, and we were quoted about $250 to have a remote starter for a manual transmission installed.
 
4. How long will a new ignition switch last before the starting problems begin again.
 
Thanks,
 
Cold and Frustrated Husband

#184 of 1201 Re: questions [dave7878] by bertbaggins

Jan 07, 2009 (8:09 am)

Replying to: dave7878 (Jan 06, 2009 9:27 pm)
1. the white wire is connected to the ignition switch. its wrapped in electrical tape. There is a good picture of it a few post earlier. it show right where it is.
 
2. As far as the lube thing, I don't really know. One guy tried it, and it worked, but some people have had no luck with it. I would't recomend doing anything with it.
 
3.I'm not sure how to install a manual starter. I do have a bypass switch that I tried to figure out, but I needed a remote starter in order for it to work. I thought I could hook up the bypass without a remote starter, but that turned out to not work.
 
4. Don't change the ignition switch. everyone on this board that did that ended up buying another one like a year later. Some people have bought several of them. It's just throwing money down the drain.
 
Cut the wire while the car is running and be done with it. That seems to work the best for everyone

#185 of 1201 Re: [fbordoy] by bertbaggins

Jan 07, 2009 (8:11 am)

Replying to: fbordoy (Jan 06, 2009 6:24 pm)
The only thing I can think is that you hooked up the switch improperly. You could check your fuses. it could't hurt to replace them, but I don't know which one to start with.

#186 of 1201 Re: questions [bertbaggins] by dave7878

Jan 07, 2009 (4:47 pm)

Replying to: bertbaggins (Jan 07, 2009 8:09 am)
Thanks for the reply. I also had a couple of other questions/ideas about fixing the white wire:
 
1. Would it be possible to some how insulate the wire so it doesn't get cold?
 
2. As far as I read earlier, it seemed that the wire is a thin wire and as a result doens't transmit a proper signal when cold. Would it be possible to replace that wire with a thicker guaged wire?
 
Thanks,
 
Cold and Frustrated Husband

Messages Page 19 of 121

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