YearToAvoid

2006 Saturn Ion Airbags Problems

NHTSA has 61 owner complaints about airbag problems in the 2006 Saturn Ion, 5% of all 1,235 complaints for this model year. That is #2 highest airbag complaint count among 4 Ion model years. These complaints report 24 crashes, 1 fire, and 24 injuries. Median mileage at failure: 79,413 miles.

Airbags complaints
61
5% of 1,235 complaints
All complaints this year
1,235
Crashes reported
24
Fires reported
1
Injuries reported
24
Median mileage
79,413 mi
Related recalls
1

When 2006 Saturn Ion airbag complaints were filed

First complaint Mar 4, 2007, latest Jul 16, 2021.

2006 Saturn Ion airbags complaints: complaints filed per month13Mar 2007Apr 2009Sep 2011Feb 2014Jun 2014Nov 2014Jun 2016Jul 2021
61 complaints filed with NHTSA from Mar 2007 to Jul 2021; peak Apr 2014 (13).

Airbags recalls for the 2006 Saturn Ion

  1. NHTSA 14V047000Feb 10, 2014Airbags2,190,934 vehicles

    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.

    Risk: If the key is not in the run position, the air bags may not deploy if the vehicle is involved in a crash, increasing the risk of injury.

    Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the ignition switch, free of charge. An interim notification was issued to owners of 2007 and earlier models on March 10, 2014, informing them of the safety defect. Owners of 2008 and later vehicles will be mailed an interim letter on April 21, 2014. All affected owners will receive another letter once parts are available. The recall began on April 18, 2014. Owners may contact Chevrolet at 1-800-222-1020, Pontiac at 1-800-762-2737 or Saturn at 1-800-553-6000. GM's number for the initial recall is 13454 and 14063 for the expansion. GM’s recall number for the vehicles that may have received the replacement parts is 14092. Note: Until the recall repairs have been performed, it is very important that customers remove all items from their key rings, leaving only the vehicle key. The key fob (if applicable), should also be removed from the key ring. Always wear your seatbelt.

Airbags complaints by Ion model year

Raw complaint counts per model year; newer years have had less time to accumulate complaints.

  1. 200534 (6%)
  2. 200661 (5%)
  3. 200765 (7%)
  4. 20081 (25%)

Frequently asked questions

Does the 2006 Saturn Ion have airbag problems?
NHTSA has 61 owner complaints about the airbag in the 2006 Saturn Ion, 5% of all complaints for this model year, including 24 that report a crash. Median mileage at failure is 79,413 miles.
Which Saturn Ion year has the most airbag complaints?
The 2007 Saturn Ion has the most airbag complaints (65), compared with 61 for the 2006.
Is there a airbag recall for the 2006 Saturn Ion?
Yes — 1 NHTSA recall campaign for the 2006 Saturn Ion concerns the airbag: 14V047000.

Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint and recall databases; U.S. EPA fuel economy data; NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings. Complaints are unverified owner reports.

Data updated Sep 24, 2026. Read the methodology and data sources. The Complaint Index is based on NHTSA owner complaints and recalls; it is not a reliability rating.