Saturn Ion 2003–2007
Single generation · GM Delta (GMX357)
NHTSA data through 12 August 20265,467 complaints, 4,344 with mileageMethod
On this generation, failures are spread across the mileage range, with the middle half between 43,000 and 100,984 miles.
- Rest of the range
- Median
- 200,000+ — 70 complaints (1.6%), plotted separately
- 10%
- 20,000
- 25%
- 43,000
- Median
- 67,902
- 75%
- 100,984
- 90%
- 137,000
Show the numbers
| Mileage | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| 0–5,000 | 174 | 4.0% |
| 5,000–10,000 | 91 | 2.1% |
| 10,000–15,000 | 64 | 1.5% |
| 15,000–20,000 | 87 | 2.0% |
| 20,000–25,000 | 85 | 2.0% |
| 25,000–30,000 | 91 | 2.1% |
| 30,000–35,000 | 142 | 3.3% |
| 35,000–40,000 | 164 | 3.8% |
| 40,000–45,000 | 233 | 5.4% |
| 45,000–50,000 | 200 | 4.6% |
| 50,000–55,000 | 237 | 5.5% |
| 55,000–60,000 | 229 | 5.3% |
| 60,000–65,000 | 262 | 6.0% |
| 65,000–70,000 | 199 | 4.6% |
| 70,000–75,000 | 192 | 4.4% |
| 75,000–80,000 | 178 | 4.1% |
| 80,000–85,000 | 163 | 3.8% |
| 85,000–90,000 | 153 | 3.5% |
| 90,000–95,000 | 160 | 3.7% |
| 95,000–100,000 | 91 | 2.1% |
| 100,000–105,000 | 142 | 3.3% |
| 105,000–110,000 | 95 | 2.2% |
| 110,000–115,000 | 115 | 2.6% |
| 115,000–120,000 | 86 | 2.0% |
| 120,000–125,000 | 94 | 2.2% |
| 125,000–130,000 | 75 | 1.7% |
| 130,000–135,000 | 69 | 1.6% |
| 135,000–140,000 | 71 | 1.6% |
| 140,000–145,000 | 58 | 1.3% |
| 145,000–150,000 | 35 | 0.8% |
| 150,000–155,000 | 58 | 1.3% |
| 155,000–160,000 | 20 | 0.5% |
| 160,000–165,000 | 25 | 0.6% |
| 165,000–170,000 | 30 | 0.7% |
| 170,000–175,000 | 31 | 0.7% |
| 175,000–180,000 | 21 | 0.5% |
| 180,000–185,000 | 17 | 0.4% |
| 185,000–190,000 | 16 | 0.4% |
| 190,000–195,000 | 15 | 0.3% |
| 195,000–200,000 | 6 | 0.1% |
| 200,000+ | 70 | 1.6% |
What this can and cannot tell you: these are complaints owners chose to file, not a failure rate. Popular models accumulate more of them simply by being common. How this is built.
Owners filed 5,467 complaints with NHTSA about the 2003–2007 Saturn Ion, and 4,344 of them record the mileage at which the failure happened. That is enough to show not just what fails, but when.
Failures are spread across the mileage range, with the middle half between 43,000 and 100,984 miles. The median is 67,902 miles.
The most-reported areas are the steering (31.5% of complaints, typically around 70,000 miles), the electrical system (29.2% of complaints, typically around 60,000 miles), the fuel and propulsion system (5.8% of complaints, typically around 101,000 miles).
4 recall campaigns cover this generation.
What fails, and when
- Steering70,000median 70,000 miles, middle half 49,000 to 102,000
- Electrical system60,000median 60,000 miles, middle half 40,000 to 91,000
- Fuel and propulsion system101,000median 101,000 miles, middle half 70,000 to 132,000
- Airbag system67,000median 67,000 miles, middle half 35,000 to 103,000
- Fuel system69,000median 69,000 miles, middle half 49,000 to 92,000
- Transmission and driveline57,000median 56,891 miles, middle half 23,000 to 92,000
- Engine and its cooling system45,000median 44,662 miles, middle half 22,000 to 75,000
| System | Complaints | Share | Median | 25–75% |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Steering | 1,724 | 31.5% | 70,000 | 49,000–102,000 |
| Electrical system | 1,597 | 29.2% | 60,000 | 40,000–91,000 |
| Fuel and propulsion system | 317 | 5.8% | 101,000 | 70,000–132,000 |
| Airbag system | 262 | 4.8% | 67,000 | 35,000–103,000 |
| Fuel system | 254 | 4.6% | 69,000 | 49,000–92,000 |
| Transmission and driveline | 202 | 3.7% | 57,000 | 23,000–92,000 |
| Engine and its cooling system | 147 | 2.7% | 45,000 | 22,000–75,000 |
| Engine | 141 | 2.6% | 102,000 | 75,000–133,000 |
| Throttle and speed control | 116 | 2.1% | 80,000 | 25,000–115,000 |
| Exterior lighting | 104 | 1.9% | 50,000 | 15,000–100,000 |
Which systems, and when
Complaints about this generation are not spread evenly across the vehicle, and the systems that generate the most of them do not all fail at the same point in a car's life. The median failure across all systems here is 67,902 miles; the figures below show which parts of the car run ahead of that and which run behind.
The steering accounts for 31.5% of complaints (1,724 reports, 1,553 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 70,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 48,854 and 102,300 miles.
A single system taking 31.5% of all complaints is a concentration worth noting. It means that for this generation, most of what owners reported came back to one area of the car rather than being distributed across many small faults.
The electrical system accounts for 29.2% of complaints (1,597 reports, 1,169 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 60,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 40,000 and 90,878 miles.
The fuel and propulsion system accounts for 5.8% of complaints (317 reports, 263 of them with a mileage figure), and it fails late — a median of 101,000 miles, considerably beyond the vehicle's overall median. That pattern is consistent with normal service life rather than a defect, though it matters for anyone buying an example already near that mileage. The middle half of these reports falls between 70,324 and 132,000 miles.
The airbag system accounts for 4.8% of complaints (262 reports, 147 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 67,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 35,209 and 103,000 miles.
The fuel system accounts for 4.6% of complaints (254 reports, 213 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 69,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 49,000 and 92,200 miles.
The transmission and driveline accounts for 3.7% of complaints (202 reports, 169 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 56,891 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 22,960 and 92,000 miles.
Differences between model years
Within this generation, complaint volume is not constant across model years. The 2006 model year drew the most — 1,537 complaints — while 2005 drew the fewest at 755. The median year sits at 1,090.
Recalls and what they cover
NHTSA records 4 recall campaigns covering vehicles in this generation. A recall means the manufacturer or the regulator concluded there was a safety defect or a standard was not met, and that a free remedy is owed to owners — including second and later owners.
Recall status is specific to the individual vehicle, not the model. Checking a VIN against NHTSA's lookup is free and takes under a minute, and it is the only way to know whether a particular car has had the work done.
Reported severity
Of the 5,467 complaints filed against this generation, 333 reported a crash; 22 reported a fire; 226 reported an injury; 5 reported a fatality. Crash-involved reports represent 6.1% of the total.
These are owner-reported outcomes, not verified investigations, and they are not adjusted for how many of these vehicles are on the road. They are included because the distinction between a fault that strands a car and a fault that causes a collision is the one that matters most, and it is not visible in a complaint count alone.
What this means if you are buying one
For a buyer, failures on this generation are spread rather than concentrated: the middle half falls between 43,000 and 100,984 miles, with a median of 67,902. There is no single mileage threshold to watch, which means condition and maintenance records are more informative than the odometer.
On inspection, the steering and the electrical system are where this generation's reports concentrate, so those are the areas worth a specific look. The electrical system in particular shows a median failure mileage of 60,000, which gives a concrete number to compare against the odometer of any car you are considering.
None of this is a substitute for a pre-purchase inspection on the individual car. Aggregate patterns describe a population; the example in front of you has its own history.
Documented problems
Vti CVT Transmission 2003–2004
GM's VTi continuously variable transmission suffered very high failure rates — slipping and shudder progressing to total loss of drive. GM halted VTi production in January 2004 and dropped it for MY2005; a class action produced a settlement and extended warranty coverage.
Ignition Switch 2003–2007
Same low-detent-torque ignition switch as the Cobalt/HHR: key-ring weight or a jolt can rotate the switch out of 'Run', killing the engine and disabling power steering assist, power brake assist and the airbags. All 2003-2007 Ions were included in GM's February 2014 recall expansion.
Electric Power Steering 2004–2007
Column-mounted electric power steering assist motor/control circuit fails, causing sudden loss of steering assist (steering remains mechanical but effort rises sharply). GM recalled all MY2004-2007 Ions under its 2014 power-steering campaign after an extended delay.
By model year
| Year | Complaints | With mileage |
|---|---|---|
| 2003 | 961 | 679 |
| 2004 | 1,124 | 876 |
| 2005 | 755 | 587 |
| 2006 | 1,537 | 1,306 |
| 2007 | 1,090 | 896 |
Recalls (4)
| Campaign | Date | Component |
|---|---|---|
| 14V153000 | 2014-07-17 | Steering:electric Power Assist System |
| 14V171000 | 2014-04-18 | Electrical System:ignition |
| 14V047000 | 2014-04-18 | Air Bags |
| 12V459000 | 2013-01-01 | Fuel System, Gasoline:delivery:fuel Pump |
What owners reported
I purchased my 2003 Saturn Ion quad 3 on 6-12-2003. I've had nothing but problems with it since the beginning. The transmission slips constantly. A tech from spring hill says this is normal for this type of transmission. Trying to turn left in front of oncoming traffic is a nightmare. This car is in the shop as we…
2003 · 3 miles · Transmission and driveline
Saturn horn is hard to activate (almost impossible in winter climates) due to a poor horn button design. In a panic situation you have to look down and hunt for the "g" spot on the horn button in order to sound the horn within sufficient time to be useful in warning other motorists. I have experinced this many times…
2003 · 7 miles · Electrical system
Everytime the weather is a bit cold, my Saturn Ion 2003 will not start. I took it to a local auto mechanic shop and they told me that it was a typical and unfair problem for the Saturn Ion owners. The also told me they do the same job on these same cars approximately 15 cars/times per week. The explanation they gave…
2003 · 48 miles · Electrical system
When i bought my car it wouldn't start, the dealer said it was because it sat for a long time. This problemhas been constantly been an issue since in extreme weather. I was told during one shop inspection it was electrical and they have seen a lot of this but don't know what causes it. With this case it has shut my…
2003 · 60 miles · Electrical system
Built from 4,344 NHTSA complaints with mileage · snapshot 2026-08-12 · open data · reproduce this page