Saturn

Ion (1st)

2003-2007 · Compact Sedan · 4 engines
Best Engine ⚠️ Caution (3.3)
4,337 NHTSA Complaints
12 Recalls
19 Fire Reports
207 Crash Reports
📋 Inspection checklist

Engine Reliability Ratings

LSJ

2.0L 4-cyl / 205 hp
⚠️ Caution (3.3)
62 complaints 15.5 per year Gasoline
View details

Complaint Breakdown

steering
31
transmission
9
fuel system
8
electrical
6
engine
3

Known Issues

Steering Issues (31 complaints)
Transmission Issues (9 complaints)
Fuel System Issues (8 complaints)

Same engine used in

LE5

2.4L 4-cyl
⚠️ Caution (2.8)
128 complaints 42.3 per year Gasoline
View details

Complaint Breakdown

steering
72
electrical
35
fuel system
30
safety systems
10
engine
6

Known Issues

Steering Issues (72 complaints)
Electrical System Issues (35 complaints)
Fuel System Issues (30 complaints)

Saturn Ion Unidentified Engine

Avoid (1.8)
846 complaints 169.2 per year
4 fire reports
View details

Complaint Breakdown

electrical
407
steering
234
fuel system
71
engine
68
cooling
47

Known Issues

Electrical System Issues (407 complaints)
Steering Issues (234 complaints)
Fuel System Issues (71 complaints)

L61

2.2L 4-cyl / 170 hp
Avoid (1.0)
3,287 complaints 656.4 per year Gasoline
15 fire reports 4 fatalities
View details

Complaint Breakdown

steering
1357
electrical
1116
fuel system
449
safety systems
207
engine
207

Known Issues

Steering Issues (1,357 complaints)
Electrical System Issues (1,116 complaints)
Fuel System Issues (449 complaints)
Show 10 additional engine variants with limited data
These engines appear in fewer than 10 owner complaints and aren't included in the main ratings above. Low counts can mean a genuinely clean record, but they can also reflect VIN-decode anomalies in NHTSA data. Treat as informational, not as a confident rating.

L26

3.8L 6-cyl
Recommended (4.8)
3 complaints 1.0 per year Gasoline
View details

Complaint Breakdown

electrical
1
safety systems
1
other
1
steering
1

Known Issues

Electrical System Issues (1 complaints)
Safety Systems Issues (1 complaints)
Steering Issues (1 complaints)

L81

3.0L 6-cyl
Recommended (4.8)
2 complaints 1.0 per year
View details

Complaint Breakdown

transmission
1
steering
1

Known Issues

Transmission Issues (1 complaints)
Steering Issues (1 complaints)

LX9

3.5L 6-cyl
Recommended (4.8)
2 complaints 1.0 per year Gasoline
View details

Complaint Breakdown

electrical
1
transmission
1

Known Issues

Electrical System Issues (1 complaints)
Transmission Issues (1 complaints)

L33

5.3L 8-cyl
Recommended (4.8)
1 complaint 1.0 per year Gasoline
View details

LG8

3.1L 6-cyl
Recommended (4.8)
1 complaint 1.0 per year
View details

LV6

1.8L 4-cyl
Recommended (4.8)
1 complaint 1.0 per year
View details

LY8

1.3L 4-cyl
Recommended (4.8)
1 complaint 1.0 per year
View details

Complaint Breakdown

brakes
1

Known Issues

Brakes Issues (1 complaints)

L34

2.0L 4-cyl
Recommended (4.8)
1 complaint 1.0 per year Gasoline
View details

Complaint Breakdown

electrical
1
steering
1
exterior
1

Known Issues

Electrical System Issues (1 complaints)
Steering Issues (1 complaints)
Exterior Issues (1 complaints)

LS6

5.7L 8-cyl
Recommended (4.8)
1 complaint 1.0 per year
View details

7A-FE

1.8L 4-cyl
Recommended (4.8)
1 complaint 1.0 per year Gasoline
View details

Complaint Breakdown

transmission
1
electrical
1
safety systems
1

Known Issues

Transmission Issues (1 complaints)
Electrical System Issues (1 complaints)
Safety Systems Issues (1 complaints)

Vehicle-Level Issues

These issues affect the Saturn Ion regardless of engine variant.

Steering Issues (1,698 complaints)
steering critical
Electrical System Issues (1,564 complaints)
electrical critical
Fuel System Issues (558 complaints)
fuel_system critical
Engine Issues (275 complaints)
engine critical
Safety Systems Issues (219 complaints)
safety_systems critical

Recalls (12)

14V153000Mar 30, 2014serious
Steering

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.

14E021000Apr 29, 2014serious
Electrical System

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 out of the run position, turning off the engine and disabling the air bags.

14V171000Oct 3, 2014serious
Electrical System

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.

14V047000Oct 1, 2014serious
Air Bags

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.

12V459000Sep 18, 2012serious
Fuel System

General Motors (GM) is recalling certain model year 2007 Chevrolet Equinox and Pontiac Torrent vehicles originally sold or currently registered in Arizona, California, Nevada, and Texas; model year 2007 Chevrolet Cobalt, Pontiac G5, and Saturn ION vehicles originally sold, or currently registered in, Arizona, California, Florida, Nevada, or Texas; model year 2008 Chevrolet Cobalt and Pontiac G5 vehicles originally sold, or currently registered in, Arizona; and model year 2009 Chevrolet Cobalt and Pontiac G5 vehicles originally sold, or currently registered in, Arkansas, Arizona, California, Nevada, Oklahoma, or Texas. Some of these vehicles have a condition in which the plastic supply or return port on the fuel pump module may crack, which could cause a fuel leak.

09V419000Oct 28, 2009serious
Fuel System

GENERAL MOTORS IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2006 CHEVROLET COBALT AND SATURN ION VEHICLES ORIGINALLY SOLD IN OR CURRENTLY REGISTERED IN THE STATES OF ARIZONA AND NEVADA; AND MODEL YEAR 2007 CHEVROLET COBALT, PONTIAC G5 AND SATURN ION VEHICLES ORIGINALLY SOLD IN OR CURRENTLY REGISTERED IN THE STATES OF ARIZONA, CALIFORNIA, FLORIDA, NEVADA AND TEXAS. THE PLASTIC SUPPLY OR RETURN PORT ON THE MODULAR RESERVOIR ASSEMBLY MAY CRACK. IF EITHER OF THESE PORTS DEVELOPS A CRACK, FUEL WILL LEAK FROM THE AREA. IF THE CRACK BECOMES LARGE ENOUGH, FUEL MAY BE OBSERVED DRIPPING ONTO THE GROUND AND VEHICLE PERFORMANCE MAY BE AFFECTED.

09E012000Jul 3, 2009serious
Exterior Lighting

SABERSPORT IS RECALLING 16,270 COMBINATION CORNER AND BUMPER LAMP ASSEMBLIES OF VARIOUS PART NUMBERS SOLD FOR USE AS AFTERMARKET EQUIPMENT FOR VARIOUS PASSENGER VEHICLES. THESE HEADLAMPS FAIL TO CONFORM TO THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 108, "LAMPS, REFLECTIVE DEVICES, AND ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT." THESE LAMPS DO NOT CONTAIN THE REQUIRED AMBER SIDE REFLECTORS.

04V547000Nov 15, 2004serious
Exterior Lighting

CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES HAVE A CONDITION IN WHICH THE TURN SIGNAL LAMP AND DAYTIME RUNNING LAMP (DRL) ON EITHER FRONT SIDE CAN STOP WORKING BECAUSE OF LOSS OF CONTACT BETWEEN THE BULB AND SOCKET.

04V281000Aug 5, 2004serious
Fuel System, Other

CERTAIN VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH SUPERCHARGED 2.0L 4-CYLINDER (LSJ) ENGINE WERE BUILT WITH A FUEL FEED PIPE THAT COULD CRACK AND LEAK FUEL NEAR THE FUEL RAIL. IF FUEL LEAKS FROM THE FUEL FEED PIPE, THERE WOULD BE A NOTICEABLE FUEL ODOR AROUND THE VEHICLE.

04V002000May 31, 2004serious
Structure

ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES, SOME WELDS BETWEEN THE PASSENGER'S SIDE MOTOR RAIL AND THE FRONT BUMPER BRACKET DO NOT MEET ENGINEERING SPECIFICATIONS.

04V004000Apr 30, 2004serious
Visibility

CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES FAIL TO COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 118, "POWER-OPERATED WINDOW, PARTITION, AND ROOF PANEL SYSTEMS." THE POWER WINDOWS AND/OR SUNROOF MAY BE OPERABLE AFTER THE IGNITION HAS BEEN TURNED TO THE "OFF" POSITION AND THE FRONT PASSENGER DOOR IS OPENED.

04V003000Apr 30, 2004serious
Fuel System

CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH 2.2L 4-CYLINDER (L61) ENGINES WERE BUILT WITH A FUEL FILTER THAT COULD CORRODE PREMATURELY ON THE EXTERIOR SURFACE.

Alternatives in Compact Sedan

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the most common 2003-2007 Saturn Ion problems?

The 2003-2007 Saturn Ion has accumulated 4,337 NHTSA complaints. The most frequently reported problem areas are Steering, Electrical System, Fuel System. As with any used vehicle, a pre-purchase inspection and vehicle history report are recommended.

Which Saturn Ion engine is most reliable?

The 2003-2007 Saturn Ion was offered with 14 engine options. Based on NHTSA complaint data, the 3.8L 6-cyl has the lowest complaint density and is considered the most reliable choice for buyers.

Is the 2003-2007 Saturn Ion a good used car?

The 2003-2007 Saturn Ion can be a solid used car purchase depending on trim, mileage, and maintenance history. With 4,337 total NHTSA complaints on record, prospective buyers should review the known problem areas and check for open recalls before buying.

How many NHTSA complaints does the 2003-2007 Saturn Ion have?

The 2003-2007 Saturn Ion has 4,337 complaints filed with NHTSA as of our latest data pull. Complaint counts reflect owner-reported issues and do not necessarily indicate defects or safety risks on their own.

What recalls affect the 2003-2007 Saturn Ion?

There are 12 NHTSA recalls affecting some 2003-2007 Saturn Ion vehicles. Recall status varies by VIN — check the NHTSA recall database at recalls.nhtsa.dot.gov with your specific VIN to confirm which campaigns apply.

What should I check before buying a used Saturn Ion?

Before buying a used Saturn Ion, verify all open recalls are completed via the NHTSA VIN lookup tool. Pay particular attention to Steering, Electrical System, Fuel System, which are the most commonly reported problem areas. Request maintenance records, have an independent mechanic inspect the vehicle, and run a vehicle history report to check for prior accidents or title issues.

Does the Ion have NHTSA crash test ratings?

NHTSA has not published crash test ratings for the 2003-2007 Saturn Ion. Not all vehicles are tested each year. For the latest NHTSA safety information, visit nhtsa.gov/ratings.

Data from NHTSA federal complaints database. 4,337 complaints analyzed. Data confidence: high. Last updated: 2026-05-20.

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