# Saturn Ion would start, sometimes

**URL:** <https://community.cartalk.com/t/saturn-ion-would-start-sometimes/51679>\
**Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\
**Tags:** ion, saturn, electrical-wiring, start\
**Created:** [July 11, 2010, 10:49pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/saturn-ion-would-start-sometimes/51679 "2010-07-11T22:49:55Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![abferree](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/76d3ee/32.png) [@abferree](https://community.cartalk.com/u/abferree)\
**Post date:** [July 11, 2010, 10:49pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/saturn-ion-would-start-sometimes/51679/1 "2010-07-11T22:49:55Z")

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Hi guys,I have a 2004 saturn Ion, 5 speed manual. Sometimes it doesn?t start. At first, I would get a jump and sometimes that would work and other times not. What I eventually discovered was if I wait, oh say, 10 ? 15 minutes. It would start, and it starts quickly as if it didn?t even know it hadn?t started 10 minutes ago,I wouldn?t even need a jump. With no clicks or ticks, it starts. This use to happen once every couple weeks with no apparent pattern. I had the battery checked, and I was told it was ok. A couple weeks ago, it did it again. I had gone to the store, and when I was ready to leave, it didn?t want to start. I waited and it still didn?t want to start. I tried my ?waiting trick? several times and nothing, after about 45 minutes, I figured this was it, it wasn?t going to cooperate. So I called AAA. Guy tells me my battery is swollen and has to be replaced ?ok done, and off I go.  
  
 Well? It did it AGAIN! So I did my wait trick again and it worked. Why is this happening? Hope to hear from yas,  
  
 ADRIANNE

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**Author:** ![cigroller](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c68b51/32.png) [@cigroller](https://community.cartalk.com/u/cigroller)\
**Post date:** [July 11, 2010, 11:03pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/saturn-ion-would-start-sometimes/51679/2 "2010-07-11T23:03:51Z")

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Assuming that “doesn’t start” means that you turn the key and nothing happens, have a shop check your neutral safety switch. On a manual transmission its not so much a “neutral” safety switch, but anyway - there is a switch under the clutch and it won’t let the car start if the clutch isn’t depressed. If the switch is failing it may be getting intermittent contact.