What year Saturn Ion should I avoid?

The 2006 Saturn Ion has the highest complaint index (100) among all Ion years, with 1,235 complaints, 4 recalls, and steering as the top problem area at 44% of complaints.

Which Saturn Ion year is best?

The 2005 Ion is rated Good, with a complaint index of 33, far below the 2006 model's index of 100.

Does the Saturn Ion have steering recalls?

Yes. Steering is the top complaint area across all Ion years, making up 45% of the 2,688 total complaints, and the 2006 model alone had 544 steering-related complaints.

Is the 2007 Saturn Ion reliable?

The 2007 Ion is rated Caution, with a complaint index of 67 and 876 complaints, better than 2006 but worse than 2005.

Are there fire risks with the Saturn Ion?

NHTSA data shows 7 fires reported for the 2006 Ion and 4 fires for the 2005 Ion, with owners describing electrical and fuel line related fires.

Saturn Ion Best and Worst Years (2005–2008)

The 2006 Saturn Ion is the year to avoid, with a complaint index of 100, 1,235 complaints, and 4 recalls led by steering problems. The 2005 Ion is the best choice with a complaint index of 33, while 2007 warrants caution and 2008 lacks enough data to rate.

Based on NHTSA owner complaints and recalls per model-year, ranked within this model — not a reliability rating. Methodology.

Avoid 2006

Model years: 4; 2005–2008
NHTSA complaints: 2,688
Recall campaigns: 5
Crashes reported: 114
Fires reported: 12
Top problem area: Steering

Ion Complaint Index by year

Higher = more complaints, crashes, fires, injuries, deaths and Do-Not-Drive recalls per year on the road, relative to other years of this model.

Complaint Index: 0 = fewest issues, 100 = most, relative to other years of this model. Avoid Caution Good Best

Saturn Ion problems and recalls by year

Year	Verdict	Index	Complaints	Crashes	Fires	Recalls	Top issue	MPG	NCAP
2005	Good	33	573	31	4	3	Steering	24	—
2006	Avoid	100	1,235	44	7	4	Steering	24	—
2007	Caution	67	876	38	0	5	Steering	24	—
2008	No verdict	0	4	1	1	0	Visibility & Wipers	—	—

Ion years to avoid: what went wrong

2006 Saturn Ion Index 100 · 1,235 complaints · 4 recalls

The 2006 Ion logged 1,235 complaints, the highest of any Ion year, driving a complaint index of 100. Steering issues accounted for 44% of its problems, followed by electrical system faults at 32% and fuel system complaints at 19%, with median mileage at failure ranging from 62,000 to 80,000 depending on the system. Owners reported airbags failing to deploy in crashes, an underbody fire in a car less than 72 hours old, and unintended engine revving before stops. NHTSA logged 44 crashes, 7 fires, 33 injuries, and 1 death for this year. Four recall campaigns cover electrical, steering, and airbag defects.

2006 steering problems →2006 electrical system problems →2006 fuel system problems →

Most common Saturn Ion problems (all years)

Share of NHTSA complaints by component group across all model years.

Steering1,217 (45%)
Electrical System859 (32%)
Fuel System473 (18%)
Engine189 (7%)
Airbags161 (6%)
Transmission & Powertrain83 (3%)
Other82 (3%)
Structure & Body62 (2%)
Brakes61 (2%)
Suspension, Wheels & Tires55 (2%)

A complaint can list more than one component, so shares add up to more than 100%. Shares are % of complaints.

Frequently asked questions

What year Saturn Ion should I avoid?: The 2006 Saturn Ion has the highest complaint index (100) among all Ion years, with 1,235 complaints, 4 recalls, and steering as the top problem area at 44% of complaints.
Which Saturn Ion year is best?: The 2005 Ion is rated Good, with a complaint index of 33, far below the 2006 model's index of 100.
Does the Saturn Ion have steering recalls?: Yes. Steering is the top complaint area across all Ion years, making up 45% of the 2,688 total complaints, and the 2006 model alone had 544 steering-related complaints.
Is the 2007 Saturn Ion reliable?: The 2007 Ion is rated Caution, with a complaint index of 67 and 876 complaints, better than 2006 but worse than 2005.
Are there fire risks with the Saturn Ion?: NHTSA data shows 7 fires reported for the 2006 Ion and 4 fires for the 2005 Ion, with owners describing electrical and fuel line related fires.