2005 Saturn Ion Check Engine Light Problems

I've had my check engine light come on in my car a minimum of 6 times,
twice to the dealership, other times it just went out. Two times it
didn't, it choked and choked and would barely run, and smelled strongly
of sulfur, the first time they reset my computer, the second time
changed a few sensors and am still having problems with the light.
This car doesn't even have 13,000 miles on it, the times that it goes
away and runs ok are fine, I'm just worried about the times it doesn't
go out and the smell, and the choking and it barely runs, anybody else
having a problem with this. I'm doing a Smart Buy on this car and was
considering buying it when I was done since the miles were so low, but
once it's out of warranty don't want to be running 60 minutes away and
paying a fortune to have it worked on. Can anyone advise?

On Fri, 26 Jan 2007 00:55:36 -0500, > wrote:

> I've had my check engine light come on in my car a minimum of 6 times,
> twice to the dealership, other times it just went out. Two times it
> didn't, it choked and choked and would barely run, and smelled strongly
> of sulfur, the first time they reset my computer, the second time
> changed a few sensors and am still having problems with the light.
> This car doesn't even have 13,000 miles on it, the times that it goes
> away and runs ok are fine, I'm just worried about the times it doesn't
> go out and the smell, and the choking and it barely runs, anybody else
> having a problem with this. I'm doing a Smart Buy on this car and was
> considering buying it when I was done since the miles were so low, but
> once it's out of warranty don't want to be running 60 minutes away and
> paying a fortune to have it worked on. Can anyone advise?

I am having more or less the same problem with my 97 SL1. I thought it
was a bad tank of gas causing the rough running, but now the engine light
has come on and not gone out. The light would go out for a day or so,
come on intermittently then go out. Like yours it would run rough and
then clear up. Only upside of it now is it seems to be running fine
except the gas mileage has dropped some. I have pulled and cleaned the o2
sensor, but that did not help as it had in the past. I may take it down
and have the codes read somewhere if I can find a place that does it
reasonably.
Good luck,
MR

In article <op.tmrhkrp546xnuk@mr-notebook>, says...
> On Fri, 26 Jan 2007 00:55:36 -0500, > wrote:
>
> > I've had my check engine light come on in my car a minimum of 6 times,
> > twice to the dealership, other times it just went out. Two times it
> > didn't, it choked and choked and would barely run, and smelled strongly
> > of sulfur, the first time they reset my computer, the second time
> > changed a few sensors and am still having problems with the light.
> > This car doesn't even have 13,000 miles on it, the times that it goes
> > away and runs ok are fine, I'm just worried about the times it doesn't
> > go out and the smell, and the choking and it barely runs, anybody else
> > having a problem with this. I'm doing a Smart Buy on this car and was
> > considering buying it when I was done since the miles were so low, but
> > once it's out of warranty don't want to be running 60 minutes away and
> > paying a fortune to have it worked on. Can anyone advise?

Here's an idea... GIVE US THE CODE(S)! We have no idea what sensors you
changed either...

> I am having more or less the same problem with my 97 SL1. I thought it
> was a bad tank of gas causing the rough running, but now the engine light
> has come on and not gone out. The light would go out for a day or so,
> come on intermittently then go out. Like yours it would run rough and
> then clear up. Only upside of it now is it seems to be running fine
> except the gas mileage has dropped some. I have pulled and cleaned the o2
> sensor, but that did not help as it had in the past.

No idea how you're cleaning it without damaging it.

> I may take it down
> and have the codes read somewhere if I can find a place that does it
> reasonably.
> Good luck,
> MR

Uh, dont know where you are but parts stores like AUTOZONE,
ADVANCEAUTOPARTS/PARTSAMERICA will read them for you for free.

On Fri, 26 Jan 2007 12:09:43 -0500, BläBlä
. s!rcre4p.c0m> wrote:

> In article <op.tmrhkrp546xnuk@mr-notebook>, says...
>> On Fri, 26 Jan 2007 00:55:36 -0500, > wrote:
>>
>> > I've had my check engine light come on in my car a minimum of 6 times,
>> > twice to the dealership, other times it just went out. Two times it
>> > didn't, it choked and choked and would barely run, and smelled
>> strongly
>> > of sulfur, the first time they reset my computer, the second time
>> > changed a few sensors and am still having problems with the light.
>> > This car doesn't even have 13,000 miles on it, the times that it goes
>> > away and runs ok are fine, I'm just worried about the times it doesn't
>> > go out and the smell, and the choking and it barely runs, anybody else
>> > having a problem with this. I'm doing a Smart Buy on this car and was
>> > considering buying it when I was done since the miles were so low, but
>> > once it's out of warranty don't want to be running 60 minutes away and
>> > paying a fortune to have it worked on. Can anyone advise?
>
> Here's an idea... GIVE US THE CODE(S)! We have no idea what sensors you
> changed either...
>
>> I am having more or less the same problem with my 97 SL1. I thought it
>> was a bad tank of gas causing the rough running, but now the engine
>> light
>> has come on and not gone out. The light would go out for a day or so,
>> come on intermittently then go out. Like yours it would run rough and
>> then clear up. Only upside of it now is it seems to be running fine
>> except the gas mileage has dropped some. I have pulled and cleaned the
>> o2
>> sensor, but that did not help as it had in the past.
>
> No idea how you're cleaning it without damaging it.

Cleaned it with Scotchbrite, no solvent. It was fairly clean and not
sooted up.


>> I may take it down
>> and have the codes read somewhere if I can find a place that does it
>> reasonably.
>> Good luck,
>> MR
>
> Uh, dont know where you are but parts stores like AUTOZONE,
> ADVANCEAUTOPARTS/PARTSAMERICA will read them for you for free.

Right on BB. Stopped by Advance Auto and the guy said they read them for
free. But, as luck would have it, the light went out and has not come back
on since. Rumor has it that a stuck or malfunctioning egr valve can have
an effect on gas mileage and cause light to come on.
What is your take on this?
Thanks a bunch,
MR

In article <op.tmxvlokb46xnuk@mr-notebook>, says...
> Cleaned it with Scotchbrite, no solvent. It was fairly clean and not
> sooted up.

Ineffective. I suggest you look and see if you can find a deal on one on
ebay and replace it.

> Right on BB. Stopped by Advance Auto and the guy said they read them for
> free. But, as luck would have it, the light went out and has not come back

You can still get it. It should be stored in code history now.

On Mon, 29 Jan 2007 22:50:54 -0500, BläBlä
. s!rcre4p.c0m> wrote:

> In article <op.tmxvlokb46xnuk@mr-notebook>, says...
>> Cleaned it with Scotchbrite, no solvent. It was fairly clean and not
>> sooted up.
>
> Ineffective. I suggest you look and see if you can find a deal on one on
> ebay and replace it.
>
>> Right on BB. Stopped by Advance Auto and the guy said they read them
>> for
>> free. But, as luck would have it, the light went out and has not come
>> back
>
> You can still get it. It should be stored in code history now.

Thanks for the info. I'll probably head on down there since my wife came
in last night and said the light had come back on and engine was running
crappy.
MR

i see that you posted this a long time ago but i thought id let you know
just n case that your problem is either in your body control module
which will cost about $400 or the power control module which is about a
$1200 dollar problem, or at least thats what saturn has told me


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mason420
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