New Battery - Won't Start, Will Start

My car wouldn’t start, so I got a new battery at a GM dealer. It still wouldn’t start. The starter would not engage at all. I jumped it off, and amazingly it started. It has started three times now with no problems. Was the battery not fully charged when I bought it or is the starter going bad, or something else?

When you got a new battery from a GM dealer and your Saturn still wouldn’t start, you should have gone back to the dealer.

As long as the starter is spinning the engine, the starter is working.

Does your Saturn start now?

Any starter solenoid click sound when the car fails to start? If not, then the possibility of a faulty ignition switch or neutral safety switch (if auto transmission) should be considered. It’s generally the latter.

Next time it acts up shift into neutral and see if it starts or shift into neutral and back to park before attempting the start. If it works after doing this then it’s the neutral switch more than likely.

The simplest explanation is the battery connection. A bad terminal connection explains perfectly your problem, so you need to start there.

How old is your Ion and how old is the battery?

make sure them cables are tight. 8 ft. lbs. no more.

Why did you go to the dealer for a battery

Amazingly, it was $35 cheaper.

2006 Ion

Battery: 5 years ±