2004 Saturn Ion Problems

Typical for Model

Real NHTSA owner complaints for the 2004 Saturn Ion.

20032005
Complaints
1,124
Crashes
78
Fires
6
Injuries
45
Fatalities
4
Recalls
4

Worst 2004 Saturn Ion Problems

Top 3 most-reported issues with average mileage at failure.

#1323 complaints

STEERING

Avg mileage:90,522 mi
Crash-related:15
Fires:1
#2233 complaints

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

Avg mileage:77,126 mi
Crash-related:8
Fires:3
#347 complaints

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION

Avg mileage:37,949 mi
Crash-related:1
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All Problems by Category

Every NHTSA complaint category for the 2004 Saturn Ion.

STEERING
323
complaints
Crashes
15
Fires
1
Avg Miles
90,522
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
233
complaints
Crashes
8
Fires
3
Avg Miles
77,126
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION
47
complaints
Crashes
1
Fires
Avg Miles
37,949
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH
44
complaints
Crashes
1
Fires
Avg Miles
45,568
AIR BAGS
42
complaints
Crashes
22
Fires
Avg Miles
82,655
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
36
complaints
Crashes
Fires
1
Avg Miles
108,185
POWER TRAIN
26
complaints
Crashes
2
Fires
Avg Miles
99,123
ENGINE
23
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
112,947
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
23
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
45,733
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
21
complaints
Crashes
1
Fires
Avg Miles
92,537
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
20
complaints
Crashes
1
Fires
Avg Miles
84,364
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
17
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
62,727
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
15
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
98,626
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:ANTI-THEFT:CONTROL MODULE
14
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
37,408
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:TURN SIGNAL
14
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
26,798
STEERING:ELECTRIC POWER ASSIST SYSTEM
13
complaints
Crashes
1
Fires
Avg Miles
53,918
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
11
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
47,550
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
10
complaints
Crashes
1
Fires
1
Avg Miles
121,872
SUSPENSION
10
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
85,052
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL
9
complaints
Crashes
8
Fires
Avg Miles
34,307
EQUIPMENT
9
complaints
Crashes
1
Fires
Avg Miles
35,567
SERVICE BRAKES
9
complaints
Crashes
2
Fires
Avg Miles
79,269
STEERING:COLUMN
8
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
51,071
VISIBILITY
7
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
52,515
VISIBILITY/WIPER
7
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
101,012
WHEELS
7
complaints
Crashes
1
Fires
Avg Miles
132,688
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:MODULE
6
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
23,351
ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC)
6
complaints
Crashes
1
Fires
Avg Miles
131,488
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
6
complaints
Crashes
2
Fires
Avg Miles
20,533
POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION
5
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
40,438

Search Owner Complaints

Read what owners actually reported to NHTSA for the 2004 Saturn Ion. Type a keyword (e.g. “transmission”, “stalling”, “brakes”) to filter.

Recalls for 2004 Saturn Ion

4 NHTSA recall campaigns affecting ~7,946,059 vehicles.

14V171000ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION
~2,191,014 affected

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.

14V153000STEERING:ELECTRIC POWER ASSIST SYSTEM
~1,373,177 affected

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.

14V047000AIR BAGS
~2,190,934 affected

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 748,024 model year 2006-2007 Chevrolet HHR and Pontiac Solstice vehicles and 2003-2007 Saturn Ion vehicles and 2007 Saturn Sky vehicles. In these models, the weight on the key ring and/or road conditions or some other jarring event may cause the ignition switch to move out of the run position, turning off the engine. On March 27, 2014, GM notified the agency that the defective ignition switches may have been used as service replacement parts on other vehicles, and as a result GM will be recalling certain model year 2008-2010 Chevrolet Cobalt, Saturn Sky, and Pontiac G5 and Solstice, and 2008-2011 Chevrolet HHR vehicles. The part numbers for the service parts are 10392423 (a/k/a ACDelco D1461F), 10392737, 15857948, 15854953, 15896640, and 25846762. This expansion represents an additional 823,788 vehicles.

14V047000ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH
~2,190,934 affected

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 748,024 model year 2006-2007 Chevrolet HHR and Pontiac Solstice vehicles and 2003-2007 Saturn Ion vehicles and 2007 Saturn Sky vehicles. In these models, the weight on the key ring and/or road conditions or some other jarring event may cause the ignition switch to move out of the run position, turning off the engine. On March 27, 2014, GM notified the agency that the defective ignition switches may have been used as service replacement parts on other vehicles, and as a result GM will be recalling certain model year 2008-2010 Chevrolet Cobalt, Saturn Sky, and Pontiac G5 and Solstice, and 2008-2011 Chevrolet HHR vehicles. The part numbers for the service parts are 10392423 (a/k/a ACDelco D1461F), 10392737, 15857948, 15854953, 15896640, and 25846762. This expansion represents an additional 823,788 vehicles.

Other Saturn Ion Years

Wider context: See the full Saturn Ion reliability report with year-by-year comparison and generation analysis.

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