Saturn Ion Reliability
5,467 NHTSA complaints (2003–2008). Complaint rate: 6516.1 per 1,000 vehicles.
Which Years to Buy & Avoid
Years auto-clustered by complaint volume relative to this model's median.
Bottom line: The Saturn Ion has consistently lower complaint volume in 2008 compared to other years.
Avoid These Years
No years with significant complaint spikes.
Average
Better Years
A model's reputation is just the start.
Even within the “good” years, individual cars can have hidden accidents, title issues, or odometer rollbacks. Check the actual VIN before you buy — full history report for $4.99 (vs. Carfax $44.99).
Complaints by Model Year
NHTSA complaint count per model year
Common Saturn Ion Problems
Most reported component complaints to NHTSA
| Component | Complaints | Crash % |
|---|---|---|
| STEERING | 1,627 | 3.8% |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 1,114 | 3.9% |
| FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | 317 | 0.6% |
| AIR BAGS | 231 | 41.6% |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION | 230 | 1.3% |
| FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE | 182 | 1.1% |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH | 154 | 1.3% |
| ENGINE | 140 | 4.3% |
| UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 99 | 1.0% |
| POWER TRAIN | 96 | 3.1% |
Year-by-Year Breakdown
NHTSA complaint count per model year — click any year for full problems & recalls breakdown.
| Year | Generation | Complaints | Crashes | Fires | Details |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2003 | — | 958 | 64 | 4 | View 2003View→ |
| 2004 | — | 1,124 | 78 | 6 | View 2004View→ |
| 2005 | — | 755 | 49 | 5 | View 2005View→ |
| 2006 | — | 1,537 | 72 | 7 | View 2006View→ |
| 2007 | — | 1,089 | 70 | — | View 2007View→ |
| 2008GOOD | — | 4 | 1 | 1 | View 2008View→ |
See also: Saturn Ionaccident & safety statistics from our vehicle history database.
Buying a Saturn Ion?
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