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Saturn Ion Starting Problems

368 messages,  Last post on Dec 06, 2009 at 1:00 PM

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#248 of 368 Bad resistor by aceoksana Feb 20, 2009 (11:07 pm)
I incountered A 2006 Ion yesterday. I have been a locksmith for 23 years specializing in automotive. Basically GM has 3 antitheft systems. Vats, passlock, and transponders. Yesterday I found that the Ion security system is Basically a passive Vats system. It lacks the hall effect coil and magnet of a passlock, and lacks the transponder and rf coil of a transponder. However it has the key rotation "sensing" of passlock and computer intigration of Transponder. The physical part of the system is very simple and located in the the black switch at the far side of the ignition housing and held on by 2 # 15 Torx screws. Inside this switch is a printed circuit board with only a resistor on it. The resistor is designed so that the "legs" are weak and will break free if the lock cylinder is physically forced and removed. I did this yesterday. I bought a new lock cylinder today for $19.51, but the car would not start. If you take this electrical switch apart you will find a small "foot" on the opposite end of the white plastic you can see with the switch assembeled . This "foot" is designed so that if you pull on the white plastic and rotate, it will break a leg off the resistor and disable the car. It is my opinion that when Saturn designed this resister with the weakened "tear away" leg the did not take into account the flexing of the printed circuit board or the expansion and contraction from changing temperture.
#249 of 368 by aceoksana Feb 20, 2009 (11:26 pm)
So what to do? (#1) With an ohm meter check the resistance. Here is a list. 1———— 0.402 ohm 2———— 0.523 ohm 3———— 0.681 4————-0.887 5————-1.130 6————-1.470 7————-1.870 8————-2.370 9————-3.010 10————3.740 11————4.750 12————6.040 13————7.500 14————9.530 15————11.801 You will have the open the old switch to access the resister for testing. The #s 1 to 15 above are #s from the old Vats system. It may be possible that these #s are on the boxes with new switches from Saturn and ethier Saturn does not know what they mean or don't want to tell. IF YOU BUY A NEW SWITCH , THE OHM RESTANCE MUST MATCH THE OLD, OR IT WILL NOT WORK!
#250 of 368 #2 by aceoksana Feb 20, 2009 (11:32 pm)
(#2) Take the old switch apart and resolder the leg back onto the resister. and to be safe cut off the "foot" on the white plastic piece, but do not shorten the length
#251 of 368 #3 option by aceoksana Feb 21, 2009 (12:03 am)
This is the option I would choice for permanence. Remove the resistor from the printed curcuit board and solder a wire in its place. One of the 5 or 6 connector socket prongs ( the 2nd) which clearly connects only to one side of the resistor needs to found. Find out what color the wire is and splice a Vats bypass in. Done. Find the resistance of the old resistor and match it to a Vats# from the above chart. For example 3.7 ohms is a# 10 Vats. The vats bypass I am thinking of is simply a resistor. They might cost 2 Dollars or 20 dollars, I don't know. I have taken some camera phone photos that I will try to post here or on my website AceDenton.com. Please someone take some quality photos and post. If this works for you and you are good at writing, please do, I just want to get the word out about the bad resistors with "break away legs" . Also key length makes no difference, if it turns, its good. Good Luck.
#252 of 368 by aceoksana Feb 21, 2009 (12:10 am)
This is the option I would choice for permanence. Remove the resistor from the printed curcuit board and solder a wire in its place. One of the 5 or 6 connector socket prongs ( the 2nd) which clearly connects only to one side of the resistor needs to found. Find out what color the wire is and splice a Vats bypass in. Done. Find the resistance of the old resistor and match it to a Vats# from the above chart. For example 3.7 ohms is a# 10 Vats. The vats bypass I am thinking of is simply a resistor. They might cost 2 Dollars or 20 dollars, I don't know. I have taken some camera phone photos that I will try to post here or on my website AceDenton.com. Please someone take some quality photos and post. If this works for you and you are good at writing, please do, I just want to get the word out about the bad resistors with "break away legs" . Also key length makes no difference, if it turns, its good. Good Luck.
#253 of 368 Cut the white wire. by candyk120 Feb 23, 2009 (3:15 pm)
I bought a 04 saturn ion when it was brand new and for the past three years have been having the problem with it not wanting to start. I replace the battery first, which really ticked me off as the dealer said since the battery was in the trunk it would last for 8 years. And I live in Florida and it would be 80 degrees and it still didnt want to start, by the time I jumped it of my other car it would start. Has to have happened 50 times. Long story short I took 5 minutes and cut the white wire. It has started better in the last month than it ever has. It does tell me to service engine every morning but I dont care. Ive put 115k miles on it and am planning on driving it forever. Replies to this message: bertbaggins (Feb 23, 2009 3:58 pm) meron (Feb 23, 2009 9:22 pm)
#254 of 368 Re: Cut the white wire. [candyk120] by bertbaggins Feb 23, 2009 (3:58 pm)
Replying to: candyk120 (Feb 23, 2009 3:15 pm) simply put, Meron posted the most epic post on this forum ever. It is the easiest and cheapest solution to this annoying problem. thumbs up Replies to this message: meron (Feb 23, 2009 9:22 pm)
#255 of 368 Re: Cut the white wire. [bertbaggins] by meron Feb 23, 2009 (9:22 pm)
Replying to: bertbaggins (Feb 23, 2009 3:58 pm) Thanks bertbaggins,   Please check out this youtube video. Help these Tibetan refugees if you can. The medical team will return to India again this year, and can use any contribution you care to send.   Thanks, meron   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GjdrhgowijU
#256 of 368 by aceoksana Feb 24, 2009 (9:30 am)
I'm attempting to simplify my earlier post. Find the black electrical switch on the lock housing (the one with the green connector and "white" wire) Remove it and disassemble. There is a resistor on the Printed circuit board. With your finger lightly push on it. If you notice one of the legs is disconnected from the resistor, then solder the leg back to the resistor. Done.
#257 of 368 Re: Ion won't start under -15 C. [mikeey1] by 784julia Feb 27, 2009 (7:14 am)
Replying to: mikeey1 (Feb 06, 2009 3:38 pm) Thanks for the tip about the Saturn bulletin, mikeey1. I'm so glad I found this message board. I had the non-starting problem twice last winter, then twice last week. Last year I took it to my mechanic, who "couldn't replicate the problem," but put in a new battery anyway. This year, I took it to my Saturn dealer.   I told them I thought it was the ignition switch, and to see Bulletin Number 04-08-45-005D, Ignition System - No Crank / No Start / DTC's B2960/B3033, dated March 15, 2006, covering Saturn ION models 2003-2006. They said if they do a diagnostic and the codes B2960/B3033 come up, this bulletin tells them it's the ignition switch. They ran the diagnostic, the codes came up, they replaced the switch, and I was on my way (although it did take 1.5 hours and cost $192). The car has started just fine for the last week now.   Not the cheapest solution, but easy and aggravation-ending, at least in my opinion. Replies to this message: badygirl3779 (Mar 03, 2009 10:03 pm) bertbaggins (Mar 04, 2009 5:05 am)

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