2004 SATURN ION fuel

Seats and Restraint Systems........................... 1-1
Front Seats
............................................... 1-2
Rear Seats
............................................... 1-7
Safety Belts
.............................................. 1-8
Child Restraints
.......................................1-29
Air Bag Systems
......................................1-50
Restraint System Check
............................1-59
Features and Controls..................................... 2-1
Keys
........................................................ 2-3
Doors and Locks
....................................... 2-9
Windows
.................................................2-14
Theft-Deterrent Systems
............................2-17
Starting and Operating Your Vehicle
...........2-18
Mirrors
....................................................2-36
OnStar
®System
......................................2-43
Storage Areas
.........................................2-44
Sunroof
..................................................2-45
Instrument Panel............................................. 3-1
Instrument Panel Overview
.......................... 3-4
Climate Controls
......................................3-20
Warning Lights, Gages, and Indicators
........3-27
Message Center
.......................................3-41
Audio System(s)
.......................................3-46Driving Your Vehicle....................................... 4-1
Your Driving, the Road, and Your Vehicle
..... 4-2
Towing
...................................................4-31
Service and Appearance Care.......................... 5-1
Service
..................................................... 5-3
Fuel
......................................................... 5-5
Checking Things Under the Hood
...............5-10
Headlamp Aiming
.....................................5-47
Bulb Replacement
....................................5-48
Windshield Wiper Blade Replacement
.........5-57
Tires
......................................................5-58
Appearance Care
.....................................5-87
Vehicle Identication
.................................5-94
Electrical System
......................................5-95
Capacities and Specications
...................5-102
Maintenance Schedule..................................... 6-1
Maintenance Schedule
................................ 6-2
Customer Assistance and Information.............. 7-1
Customer Assistance and Information
........... 7-2
Reporting Safety Defects
............................ 7-9
Index................................................................ 1
2004 Saturn ION Owner ManualM
ProCarManuals.com

Theft-Deterrent Systems
Vehicle theft is big business, especially in some cities.
Although your vehicle has a number of theft-deterrent
features, we know that nothing we put on it can make it
impossible to steal.
Passlock®
Your vehicle is equipped with the Passlock®
theft-deterrent system.
Passlock
®is a passive theft-deterrent system.
Passlock®enables fuel if the ignition lock cylinder is
turned with a valid key. If a correct key is not used or the
ignition lock cylinder is tampered with, fuel is disabled.
During normal operation,
the security light will
go off approximately ve
seconds after the key
is turned to the RUN
ignition position following
an engine start.If the engine stalls and the security light ashes, wait
until the light stops ashing before trying to restart
the engine. Remember to release the key from START
as soon as the engine starts.
If the engine is running and the security light comes on,
you will be able to restart the engine if you turn the
engine off. However, your Passlock
®system is
not working properly and must be serviced by your
retailer. Your vehicle is not protected by
Passlock
®at this time. You may also want to check the
fuses, seeFuses and Circuit Breakers on page 5-95.
See your retailer for service.
2-17
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Engine Coolant Heater
If your vehicle has this feature, in very cold weather
0°F (−18°C) or colder, the engine coolant heater
can help. You will get easier starting and better fuel
economy during engine warm-up. Usually, the coolant
heater should be plugged in a minimum of four
hours prior to starting your vehicle. At temperatures
above 32°F (0°C), use of the coolant heater is not
required.
To Use the Engine Coolant Heater
1. Turn off the engine.
2. Open the hood and unwrap the electrical cord.
3. Plug it into a normal, grounded 110-volt AC outlet.
{CAUTION:
Plugging the cord into an ungrounded outlet
could cause an electrical shock. Also, the
wrong kind of extension cord could overheat
and cause a re. You could be seriously
injured. Plug the cord into a properly grounded
three-prong 110-volt AC outlet. If the cord will
not reach, use a heavy-duty three-prong
extension cord rated for at least 15 amps.
4. Before starting the engine, be sure to unplug and
store the cord as it was before to keep it away
from moving engine parts. If you do not, it could be
damaged.
How long should you keep the coolant heater plugged
in? The answer depends on the outside temperature, the
kind of oil you have, and some other things. Instead
of trying to list everything here, we ask that you contact
your dealer in the area where you will be parking
your vehicle. The dealer can give you the best advice
for that particular area.
2-22
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Notice:Shifting to a drive gear from NEUTRAL (N)
while the vehicle is moving could damage the
transaxle. Make sure the vehicle is stopped before
shifting from NEUTRAL (N) into a drive gear.
AUTOMATIC OVERDRIVE (D):This position is for
normal driving with the automatic transaxle. If you need
more power for passing, and you’re:
Going less than about 35 mph (55 km/h), push your
accelerator pedal about halfway down.
Going about 35 mph (55 km/h), push your
accelerator all the way down.
INTERMEDIATE (I):This position is also used for
normal driving, however, it offers more power and lower
fuel economy than AUTOMATIC OVERDRIVE (D).
Here are some times you might choose
INTERMEDIATE (I) instead of AUTOMATIC
OVERDRIVE (D):
When driving on hilly, winding roads.
When going down a steep hill.LOW (L):This position gives you more power but lower
fuel economy. You can use LOW (L) on hills. It can
help control your speed as you go down steep mountain
roads, but then you would also want to use your
brakes off and on.
Notice:Don’t drive in LOW (L) for more than
25 miles (40 km), or at speeds over 55 mph
(90 km/h), or you can damage your transaxle.
Use DRIVE (D) or INTERMEDIATE (I) as much as
possible. Don’t shift into LOW (L) unless you
are going slower than 65 mph (105 km/h) or you can
damage your engine.
Notice:Spinning the tires or holding the vehicle
in one place on a hill using only the accelerator
pedal may damage the transaxle. If you are stuck,
do not spin the tires. When stopping on a hill,
use the brakes to hold the vehicle in place.
2-25
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Shift Speeds
{CAUTION:
If you skip a gear when you downshift, you
could lose control of your vehicle. You could
injure yourself or others. Don’t shift down more
than one gear at a time when you downshift.
Up-Shift Light
If you have a manual
transaxle, you may have
an up-shift light. This light
will show you when to
shift to the next higher gear
for the best fuel economy.When this light comes on, you can shift to the next
higher gear if weather, road and traffic conditions let you.
For the best fuel economy, accelerate slowly and shift
when the light comes on.
While you accelerate, it is normal for the light to go on
and off if you quickly change the position of the
accelerator. Ignore the light when you downshift.
Notice:If you skip more than one gear when you
downshift, or if you race the engine when you
release the clutch pedal while downshifting,
you could damage the engine, clutch, driveshaft
or the transmission. Do not skip gears or race the
engine when downshifting.
United States Only
2-29
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Instrument Panel Overview...............................3-4
Hazard Warning Flashers................................3-6
Other Warning Devices...................................3-7
Horn.............................................................3-7
Tilt Wheel.....................................................3-7
Turn Signal/Multifunction Lever.........................3-8
Windshield Wiper Lever.................................3-11
Cruise Control..............................................3-12
Exterior Lamps.............................................3-15
Interior Lamps..............................................3-17
Accessory Power Outlets...............................3-18
Ashtrays and Cigarette Lighter........................3-19
Climate Controls............................................3-20
Climate Control System
(Without Air Conditioning)...........................3-20
Climate Control System
(With Air Conditioning)...............................3-22
Outlet Adjustment.........................................3-24
Passenger Compartment Air Filter...................3-25Warning Lights, Gages, and Indicators............3-27
Instrument Panel Cluster................................3-28
Speedometer and Odometer...........................3-29
Tachometer.................................................3-29
Safety Belt Reminder Light.............................3-30
Air Bag Readiness Light................................3-30
Battery Warning Light....................................3-31
Up-Shift Light...............................................3-32
Brake System Warning Light..........................3-32
Anti-Lock Brake System Warning Light.............3-34
Engine Coolant Temperature Gage..................3-35
Malfunction Indicator Lamp.............................3-36
Oil Pressure Light.........................................3-39
Passlock
®Warning Light................................3-40
Fuel Gage...................................................3-40
Section 3 Instrument Panel
3-1
ProCarManuals.com

Message Center.............................................3-41
Low Traction Message...................................3-42
Traction Off Message....................................3-42
Cruise Control Message.................................3-42
Transaxle Fluid Hot Message.........................3-42
Transaxle Fluid Cold Message........................3-43
Low Coolant Level Warning Message................3-43
Change Engine Oil Message..........................3-43
Check Gage Message...................................3-44
Power Steering Message...............................3-44
Trunk Ajar Warning Message.........................3-44
Low Fuel Warning Message...........................3-45
Service Vehicle Message...............................3-45
Error Message.............................................3-45Audio System(s).............................................3-46
Setting the Time for Radios without Radio
Data Systems (RDS)..................................3-46
Setting the Time for Radios with Radio Data
Systems (RDS).........................................3-47
AM-FM Radio...............................................3-47
Radio with CD (Base Level)...........................3-50
Radio with CD (MP3)....................................3-54
Theft-Deterrent Feature..................................3-68
Radio Reception...........................................3-70
Care of Your CDs.........................................3-71
Care of Your CD Player................................3-71
Fixed Mast Antenna......................................3-71
XM™ Satellite Radio Antenna System.............3-71
Section 3 Instrument Panel
3-2
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Instrument Panel Cluster
Your instrument cluster is designed to let you know at a glance how your vehicle is running. You’ll know how fast
you’re going, about how much fuel you’ve used, and many other things you’ll need to know to drive safely and
economically.
3-28
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