YearToAvoid

2008 Saturn Ion Reliability Data: Problems & Recalls

No verdict The 2008 Saturn Ion has 4 owner complaints and 0 safety recalls on file with NHTSA. Its Complaint Index is 0 out of 100 — #4 highest of 4 Ion model years. The most reported problem area is visibility & wipers (2 complaints, 50% of the total). Complaints report 1 crash, 1 fire, and 1 injury.

Based on NHTSA complaints per model-year, not a reliability rating. Methodology

YearToAvoid Scorecard

Complaint Index
0/100
#4 of 4 Ion years
Verdict
No verdict
vs. other years of this model
Complaints
4
unique NHTSA reports
Recalls
0
distinct NHTSA campaigns
Crashes
1
reported in complaints
Fires
1
Injuries
1
Top issue
Visibility & Wipers
Best nearby year
2005
rated Good

Top 2008 Saturn Ion problems

Share of this year’s NHTSA complaints by component group. Groups with 15+ complaints have their own page.

  1. Visibility & Wipers2 (50%)
  2. Airbags1 (25%)
  3. Electrical System1 (25%)

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

2008 Saturn Ion complaints: complaints filed per month1Feb 2011Feb 2014Jul 2014Jul 2015
4 complaints filed with NHTSA from Feb 2011 to Jul 2015; peak Feb 2011 (1).

2008 Saturn Ion recalls

No safety recalls on record for this model year.

2008 compared with other Ion years

Complaint Index by model year (0 = fewest issues, 100 = most)02550751002005200620072008
Complaint Index: 0 = fewest issues, 100 = most, relative to other years of this model. Avoid Caution Good Best
YearVerdictIndexComplaintsRecallsMPG
2006Avoid1001,235424
2007Caution67876524
2008No verdict040—

All Saturn Ion years: best and worst →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2008 Saturn Ion a reliable year?
Judged by NHTSA owner complaints and recalls, the 2008 Saturn Ion ranks #4 of 4 among Ion model years (Complaint Index 0/100). It has 4 complaints and 0 recalls on file. This reflects reported safety-related problems, not an overall reliability rating.
What are the most common problems with the 2008 Saturn Ion?
The most reported problem areas are visibility & wipers (2 complaints), airbags (1 complaints), and electrical system (1 complaints). The median mileage at the time of failure in complaints that report it is 75,000 miles.
Does the 2008 Saturn Ion have any recalls?
No safety recall campaigns list the 2008 Saturn Ion in NHTSA’s recall database at the time of the last data update.

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.