Seats and Restraint Systems........................... 1-1
Front Seats
............................................... 1-2
Rear Seats
............................................... 1-9
Safety Belts
.............................................1-11
Child Restraints
.......................................1-32
Airbag System
.........................................1-54
Restraint System Check
............................1-68
Features and Controls..................................... 2-1
Keys
........................................................ 2-2
Doors and Locks
....................................... 2-7
Windows
.................................................2-13
Theft-Deterrent Systems
............................2-16
Starting and Operating Your Vehicle
...........2-17
Mirrors
....................................................2-32
OnStar
®System
......................................2-38
Storage Areas
.........................................2-40
Sunroof
..................................................2-41
Instrument Panel............................................. 3-1
Instrument Panel Overview
.......................... 3-4
Climate Controls
......................................3-18
Warning Lights, Gages, and Indicators
........3-25
Message Center
.......................................3-43
Audio System(s)
.......................................3-48Driving Your Vehicle....................................... 4-1
Your Driving, the Road, and Your Vehicle
..... 4-2
Towing
...................................................4-36
Service and Appearance Care.......................... 5-1
Service
..................................................... 5-3
Fuel
......................................................... 5-4
Checking Things Under the Hood
...............5-10
Headlamp Aiming
.....................................5-48
Bulb Replacement
....................................5-48
Windshield Wiper Blade Replacement
.........5-56
Tires
......................................................5-57
Appearance Care
.....................................5-90
Vehicle Identi cation
.................................5-99
Electrical System
......................................5-99
Capacities and Speci cations
...................5-109
Maintenance Schedule..................................... 6-1
Maintenance Schedule
................................ 6-2
Customer Assistance and Information.............. 7-1
Customer Assistance and Information
........... 7-2
Reporting Safety Defects
...........................7-11
Index................................................................ 1
2006 Saturn ION Owner ManualM
ProCarManuals.com
Q:If I am a good driver, and I never drive far from
home, why should I wear safety belts?
A:You may be an excellent driver, but if you are in an
accident — even one that is not your fault — you
and your passengers can be hurt. Being a good
driver does not protect you from things beyond
your control, such as bad drivers.
Most accidents occur within 25 miles (40 km)
of home. And the greatest number of serious
injuries and deaths occur at speeds of less
than 40 mph (65 km/h).
Safety belts are for everyone.
How to Wear Safety Belts Properly
This part is only for people of adult size.
Be aware that there are special things to know about
safety belts and children. And there are different
rules for smaller children and babies. If a child will be
riding in your vehicle, seeOlder Children on page 1-32
orInfants and Young Children on page 1-34. Follow
those rules for everyone’s protection.
First, you will want to know which restraint systems
your vehicle has.
We will start with the driver position.
Driver Position
Lap-Shoulder Belt
The driver has a lap-shoulder belt. Here is how to
wear it properly.
1. Close and lock the door.
2. Adjust the seat so you can sit up straight.
To see how, see “Seats” in the Index.
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Safety Belt Use During Pregnancy
Safety belts work for everyone, including pregnant
women. Like all occupants, they are more likely to be
seriously injured if they do not wear safety belts.
A pregnant woman should wear a lap-shoulder belt,
and the lap portion should be worn as low as possible,
below the rounding, throughout the pregnancy.
The best way to protect the fetus is to protect the
mother. When a safety belt is worn properly, it is more
likely that the fetus will not be hurt in a crash. For
pregnant women, as for anyone, the key to making
safety belts effective is wearing them properly.
Right Front Passenger Position
To learn how to wear the right front passenger’s safety
belt properly, seeDriver Position on page 1-16.
The right front passenger’s safety belt works the same
way as the driver’s safety belt — except for one
thing. If you ever pull the shoulder portion of the belt out
all the way, you will engage the child restraint locking
feature. If this happens, just let the belt go back all
the way and start again.
Rear Seat Passengers
It is very important for rear seat passengers to buckle
up! Accident statistics show that unbelted people in
the rear seat are hurt more often in crashes than those
who are wearing safety belts.
Rear passengers who are not safety belted can be
thrown out of the vehicle in a crash. And they can strike
others in the vehicle who are wearing safety belts.
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{CAUTION:
Children can be seriously injured or strangled
if a shoulder belt is wrapped around their neck
and the safety belt continues to tighten.
Secure any unused safety belts behind the
child restraint so children cannot reach them.
Pull the shoulder belt all the way out of the
retractor to set the lock, if your vehicle has
one, after the child restraint has been installed.
Be sure to follow the instructions of the child
restraint manufacturer.
Notice:Contact between the child restraint or the
LATCH attachment parts and the vehicle’s safety
belt assembly may cause damage to these parts.
Make sure when securing unused safety belts
behind the child restraint that there is no contact
between the child restraint or the LATCH attachment
parts and the vehicle’s safety belt assembly.Folding an empty rear seat with the safety belts
secured, may cause damage to the safety belt or the
seat. When removing the child restraint, always
remember to return the safety belts to their normal
position before folding the rear seat.
1. Find the lower anchors, if equipped, for the desired
seating position.
2. If the desired seating position does not have lower
anchors or if your child restraint does not have
lower anchor attachments, seeSecuring a Child
Restraint in a Rear Seat Position on page 1-49for
instructions on installing the child restraint using
the safety belts.
3. Put the child restraint on the seat.
4. Attach and tighten the lower attachments on the
child restraint to the lower anchors, if equipped,
in the vehicle. The child restraint instructions
will show you how.
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4. Pull the rest of the shoulder belt all the way out of
the retractor to set the lock.5. To tighten the belt, push down on the child restraint,
pull the shoulder portion of the belt to tighten the lap
portion of the belt and feed the shoulder belt back
into the retractor. If you are using a forward-facing
child restraint, you may nd it helpful to use your
knee to push down on the child restraint as you
tighten the belt.
6. If your child restraint manufacturer recommends
using a top tether, attach and tighten the top tether to
the top tether anchor. Refer to the instructions that
came with the child restraint and toLower Anchors
and Tethers for Children (LATCH) on page 1-43.
7. Push and pull the child restraint in different
directions to be sure it is secure.
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5. Pull the rest of the shoulder belt all the way out of
the retractor to set the lock.6. To tighten the belt, push down on the child restraint,
pull the shoulder portion of the belt to tighten
the lap portion of the belt and feed the shoulder
belt back into the retractor. If you are using a
forward-facing child restraint, you may nd it
helpful to use your knee to push down on the
child restraint as you tighten the belt. You should
not be able to pull more of the belt from the
retractor once the lock has been set.
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Doors and Locks
Door Locks
{CAUTION:
Unlocked doors can be dangerous.
Passengers, especially children, can easily
open the doors and fall out of a moving
vehicle. When a door is locked, the handle
will not open it. You increase the chance
of being thrown out of the vehicle in a
crash if the doors are not locked. So, wear
safety belts properly and lock the doors
whenever you drive.
Young children who get into unlocked
vehicles may be unable to get out. A child
can be overcome by extreme heat and can
suffer permanent injuries or even death
from heat stroke. Always lock your vehicle
whenever you leave it.
Outsiders can easily enter through an
unlocked door when you slow down or
stop your vehicle. Locking your doors can
help prevent this from happening.There are several ways to lock your vehicle.
To lock a door from the outside, turn the key toward the
front of the vehicle or use the remote keyless entry
transmitter, if equipped.
From the inside, move the manual lock knob above the
door handle or use the power door lock switch.
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Radio Data System (RDS)
The audio system has a Radio Data System (RDS).
The RDS feature is available for use only on FM stations
that broadcast RDS information. This system relies
upon receiving speci c information from these stations
and will only work when the information is available.
While the radio is tuned to an FM-RDS station,
the station name or call letters will appear on the display.
In rare cases, a radio station may broadcast incorrect
information that will cause the radio features to
work improperly. If this happens, contact the
radio station.
XM™ Satellite Radio Service
XM™ is a satellite radio service that is based in
the 48 contiguous United States and in Canada
(if available). XM™ offers over 100 coast-to-coast
channels including music, news, sports, talk,
traffic/weather, and children’s programming. XM™
provides digital quality audio and text information that
includes song title and artist name. A service fee is
required in order to receive the XM™ service. For more
information, contact XM™ at www.xmradio.com or
call 1-800-852-XMXM (9696).
Playing the Radio
O
(Power/Volume):Press this knob to turn the
system on and off.
Turn this knob clockwise to increase or counterclockwise
to decrease the volume.
Finding a Station
BAND:Press this button to switch between AM, FM, or
XM™ (if equipped). The display will show the selection.
f(Tune):Turn this knob to select radio stations.
©SEEK¨:Press the right or left SEEK arrow to go
to the next or to the previous station and stay there.
To scan stations, press and hold either SEEK arrow for a
few seconds until you hear a beep. The radio will go to a
station, play for a few seconds, then go on to the next
station. Press either SEEK arrow again to stop scanning.
The radio will only seek and scan stations with a strong
signal that are in the selected band.
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