2005 Saturn Ion problems, complaints & recalls
Most-reported problem areas: Steering (240) · Electrical System (102) · Electrical System:ignition (31)
🧭 Reliability snapshot
Compared against other Saturn Ion model years — complaint volume vs the model's median year, recalls and severity. How we score →
🛣️ Complaints by mileage
466 NHTSA complaints that reported an odometer reading.
Safety recalls (4)
Electrical System:ignition:switch 2014-04-30 · campaign 14E021000 · 14,529 vehicles
Defect: UCI-FRAM Group is recalling certain LS1328 ignition Switches sold as Wells LS1328, Duralast LS1328, Airtex 1S6097, and Carquest 53-27479, and LS1497 Ignition Switches sold as Wells LS1497, Duralast LS1497, Airtex 1S10961, and Carquest 53-27967, for use on various General Motors model and model year vehicles during repair and replacement of the original ignition switch. The weight on the key ring and/or road conditions or some other jarring event may cause the affected ignition switches to move
Risk: If the ignition switch moves from the run position to accessory, the car would stall and the air bags will not deploy in the event of a crash, increasing the risk of personal injury to the occupants.
Fix: UCI-FRAM Group has notified its purchasers to quarantine and return all inventory. Any switches already installed in vehicles will be replaced by GM dealers as part of NHTSA recall 14V-047, free of charge. UCI-Fram's purchasers should contact UCI-FRAM Group at 1-800-890-2075. GM vehicle owners requiring additional information on that recall campaign should contact GM at 1-800-222-1020 (Chevrolet), 1-800-762-2737 (Pontiac) or 1-800-553-6000 (Saturn).
Electrical System:ignition 2014-04-10 · campaign 14V171000 · 2,191,014 vehicles
Defect: General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2005-2010 Chevrolet Cobalt, 2006-2011 Chevrolet HHR, 2007-2010 Pontiac G5, 2006-2010 Pontiac Solstice, 2003-2007 Saturn Ion, and 2007-2010 Saturn Sky vehicles. In the affected vehicles, the key can be removed from the ignition when the ignition is not in the "Off" position.
Risk: If the key can be removed from the ignition when the ignition is not in the "off" position, the vehicle could roll away: (a) for an automatic transmission, if the transmission is not in the "Park" position; or (b) for a manual transmission, if the parking brake is not engaged and the transmission is not in the "Reverse" position. This potential for rollaway increases the risk for a crash and occup
Fix: General Motors will notify owners, and for vehicles that were built with the defective ignition cylinder and have not previously had the ignition cylinder replaced with the redesigned part, dealers will replace the ignition cylinder and cut and, if necessary, re-learn two ignition/door keys for each vehicle. For vehicles that were built with the redesigned ignition cylinder or had the ignition cylinder replaced with the redesigned part, dealers will cut and, if necessary, re-learn two ignition
Steering:electric Power Assist System 2014-03-31 · campaign 14V153000 · 1,373,177 vehicles
Defect: General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2004-2006 and 2008-2009 Chevrolet Malibu, 2004-2006 Malibu Maxx, 2009-2010 HHR (non-turbo), 2010 Cobalt, 2008-2009 Saturn Aura and 2004-2007 Ion, and 2005-2009 Pontiac G6. In the affected vehicles, there may be a sudden loss of electric power steering (EPS) assist that could occur at any time while driving.
Risk: If power steering assist is lost, greater driver effort would be required to steer the vehicle at low speeds, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: GM will notify owners, and dealers will perform one of four bulletins. Parts are not currently available. GM expects to send an interim notification around May 28, 2014. When parts are available, owners will be mailed a second letter to come in to have the applicable bulletin applied. Bulletin 14115 covers model year 2004-2007 Saturn Ion, 2009-2010 Chevrolet HHR and 2010 Chevrolet Cobalts. Dealers will replace the EPS motor. Bulletin 14116 covers model year 2004-2006 Chevrolet Malibu and M
Air Bags 2014-02-10 · campaign 14V047000 · 2,190,934 vehicles
Defect: This defect can affect the safe operation of the airbag system. Until this recall is performed, customers should remove all items from their key rings, leaving only the ignition key. The key fob (if applicable), should also be removed from the key ring. General Motors LLC (GM) notified the agency on February 10, 2014 that they are recalling 619,122 model year 2005-2007 Chevrolet Cobalt, and 2007 Pontiac G5 vehicles. On February 25, 2014, GM increased the recall to include an additional 748,0
Risk: If the key is not in the run position, the air bags may not deploy if the vehicle is involved in a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
Fix: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the ignition switch, free of charge. An interim notification was issued to owners of 2007 and earlier models on March 10, 2014, informing them of the safety defect. Owners of 2008 and later vehicles will be mailed an interim letter on April 21, 2014. All affected owners will receive another letter once parts are available. The recall began on April 18, 2014. Owners may contact Chevrolet at 1-800-222-1020, Pontiac at 1-800-762-2737 or Saturn at
Service bulletins (585)
Technical service bulletins are repair instructions manufacturers send dealers for known issues. Unlike recalls, the fix is not automatically free — but naming the bulletin at the service desk can save diagnosis time and support goodwill repairs.
Unknown Or Other 2025-07-18 · PIP5601C · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
this pi communicates the requirement to provide a pico file to receive diagnostic assistance from tac.
Unknown Or Other 2025-05-30 · PIT5074R · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
this preliminary information communication provides information to the technician about the use of j-35616-64b and mini 50 terminal test probe, replacement terminals, and terminated leads.
Unknown Or Other 2025-05-30 · PIT5074R · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
this preliminary information communication provides information to the technician about the use of j-35616-64b and mini 50 terminal test probe, replacement terminals, and terminated leads.
Unknown Or Other 2025-05-30 · PIT5074R · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
this preliminary information communication provides information to the technician about the use of j-35616-64b and mini 50 terminal test probe, replacement terminals, and terminated leads.
Unknown Or Other 2025-02-20 · PIP5358D · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
this preliminary information communication provides information to the technician about vehicles that have an unusual noise and is difficult to identify, isolate or pinpoint. technician should get record a sound clip or take a video of the noise for assessment by engineering. technician will need to
Unknown Or Other 2024-12-07 · PIT5074Q · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
this preliminary information communication provides information to the technician about the use of j-35616-64b terminal test probe, replacement terminals, and terminated leads. the j-35616-64b is the latest test probe released for checking tension or probing the .64 series terminals. the test probe
Showing the 6 most recent of 585 bulletins. Search all of them free at nhtsa.gov.
What owners report
2025-11-15 · Steering“this vehicle has an electrical issue from time to time seemingly out of nowhere. there is no power steering it just shuts off sometimes it’ll stay off for an hour sometimes it’ll stay off for weeks and i can’t figure out how to fix it. it randomly fixes itself same can be said for the air conditioning and the driver side, headlight all of these ele…”
2025-07-21 · Electrical System:ignition · 167,000 mi“the contact owns a 2005 saturn ion. the contact stated that the ignition key was stuck inside the ignition key slot, and the vehicle failed to start. the cause of the failure was not yet determined. the contact was informed that the vin was not included in the nhtsa campaign number: 14v171000 (electrical system). the dealer was not contacted regard…”
2025-03-13 · Fuel/Propulsion System“my key is stuck in the i can take it out the o2 seners not reading …”
2024-10-21 · Unknown Or Other“the ignition cylinder was replaced in my vehicle because the key would not turn in the ignition to start the car. it is actually, the fourth time this has happened. i understand that there have been two recalls on this issue in the past. the reason it was recalled is because the ignition has turned to the off position killing the car's engine while…”
2023-04-05 · Air Bags“hello i am reaching out to complain about courtesy chevrolet - san diego. i’ve been trying to get my car serviced in order to fix the recalls. unfortunately i have not been successful. i called the dealer to make an appointment but the dealer told me that the car has been discontinued and they can’t find the parts. the suggested to call somewhere e…”
2023-01-09 · Fuel/Propulsion System“when pressing the gas pedal 2/3 of the way down the pedal got stuck causing the engine to rev high while driving forward. i had to put the car in neutral, shut the engine off and manually get the gas pedal unstuck by reaching down to the floor and pulling the pedal upwards with my hands. also i had no floor mats in my car for the pedal to get stuck…”
2022-12-27 · Steering“power steering intermittently fails at random and steering wheel suddenly becomes immovable nearly causing serious accidents and endangerment to myself, my family, and others drivers on the roads.…”
2022-12-21 · Exterior Lighting“headlights are to deem even on high beems.cant see anything coming or the on coming traffic can't see me coming.…”
2022-03-21 · Exterior Lighting“i turn my turn signals on and nonthing happens in the frontline bulbs are brand new doesn't matter back turn signal work,front turn signal dont.this has been happening since forever my inlaws didn't know we didn't know until they gave car.so don't know how long seems like forever…”
2022-02-26 · Unknown Or Other“my 2015 saturn ion was on a recalled warranty issued and concerning faulty ignition switch problem. i have brought my car in (5) times since (2014) and it has occurred again in (2021) and g,m, dealer mauer chevrolet has refused to honor warranty recall stating that gm has sent them letter to not service any more saturn's ion with this problem due t…”
Excerpts of consumer complaints filed with NHTSA, lightly truncated. They are owner statements, not verified findings.