repaired · 2016 Q2
Electrical system: ignition
Risk. If the key can be removed from the ignition when the ignition is not in the "off" position, the vehicle could roll away: (a) for an automatic transmission, if…
2003 Saturn IONProblems, recalls & complaints
NHTSA has logged 758 owner complaints about the 2003 Saturn ION, most often about the electrical system. It is covered by 5 safety recalls, and for recall 14V-171 the manufacturer reports only 72% of affected cars repaired.
Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through October 14, 2026. Updated daily. Photo: Elise240SX, CC BY-SA 4.0.
Complaints by system
Where the 2003 Saturn ION has problems
758 complaints grouped by the system owners reported.
383Electrical system16 crash/fire/injury
139Steering3 crash/fire/injury
58Engine and engine cooling2 crash/fire/injury
55Power train
49Air bags
38Vehicle speed control
33Visibility
31Exterior lighting
21Engine
11615 other systems16 crash/fire/injury
| System | Complaints | Crash, fire or injury |
|---|---|---|
| Electrical system | 383 | 16 |
| Steering | 139 | 3 |
| Engine and engine cooling | 58 | 2 |
| Power train | 55 | 1 |
| Air bags | 49 | 25 |
| Vehicle speed control | 38 | 6 |
| Visibility | 33 | 1 |
| Exterior lighting | 31 | 3 |
| Engine | 21 | 1 |
| 15 other systems | 116 | 16 |
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Complaints are submitted by the public and are not verified by NHTSA.
5 recalls
2003 Saturn ION recalls and how many were fixed
Each ring shows the share of affected cars repaired, from the manufacturer’s latest quarterly report to NHTSA. Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.
repaired · 2016 Q2
Air bags
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.
no report yet
Exterior lighting: turn signal
Risk. IF A FRONT TURN SIGNAL LAMP IS INOPERATIVE, OTHERS MAY REACT MORE SLOWLY TO A TURNING VEHICLE AND A CRASH COULD OCCUR.
no report yet
Fuel system, gasoline
Risk. IF CORROSION ON THE EXTERIOR SURFACE OF THE FUEL FILTER PROGRESSES TO THE POINT OF CREATING A HOLE IN THE SHELL, FUEL DROPLETS COULD FORM AND DROP TO THE…
Show 1 more recall
no report yet
Visibility: power window devices and controls
Risk. IF UNSUPERVISED CHILDREN ARE LEFT UNATTENDED IN THE VEHICLE AND OPERATE THE POWER WINDOWS OR SUNROOF, THERE IS AN INCREASED RISK OF INJURY TO THE CHILD.
Recalls apply to specific cars. To see whether a recall is still open on yours, enter the 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls or with Saturn.
Mileage at failure
When do electrical system problems start?
68kmiles, median
Based on the odometer reading in 263 electrical system complaints. 76% were reported before 100,000 miles.
35under 30k miles201under 100k miles62100k miles or more
Owner-reported costs
What owners say repairs cost
Dollar amounts owners wrote in their complaints when describing a repair or a quote. These are not price estimates; a system is shown only when at least 8 owners mentioned a cost.
Electrical system
31 owners mentioned a cost$250median
Middle half: $187 – $316
Steering
12 owners mentioned a cost$700median
Middle half: $400 – $1,000
If a problem is covered by a recall, the dealer fixes it for free. Some manufacturers also reimburse owners who paid for a repair before a recall was announced.
Best & worst years
2003 vs. every other ION year
Bars show complaints per model year. Colors show the CarFlaw verdict: complaints weighted for crashes, fires and injuries, adjusted for years on the road and compared with the ION median. How we score
'03'04'05'06'07'08
- Avoid
- Caution
- Solid
- Best
- Not rated
NHTSA crash tests
2003 Saturn ION safety ratings
2003 Saturn Ion 4-DR. in NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program. Photos are from NHTSA's crash tests.
Frontal crashNot rated
- Stability control: No
- Forward collision warning: No
- Lane departure warning: No
5 investigations
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal investigations that included the 2003 Saturn ION, and the recalls they led to.
- TIMING CHAIN FAILURENo recall
- FRONT TURN SIGNAL/DRL FAILURENo recall
- FRONT TURN SIGNAL/DRL FAILURELed to recall 04V-547
- TIMING CHAIN FAILURENo recall
- WINDSHIED WIPER LINKAGE FAILURENo recall
In owners' words
What ION owners report
Recent electrical system complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. Personal details are removed.
The contact owns a 2003 Saturn Ion. The contact stated that the vehicle was serviced under NHTSA Campaign Number: 14V047000 (Air Bags, Electrical System); however, the recall repair failed to prevent the failure from occurring shortly after. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed…
I took my 2003 Saturn ion to my local Chevrolet dealership in Lincoln Illinois and they refused to complete the recall issues (2) both are to do with the ignition and keys.thwy told me it was not fixable it needed a whole steering column that would cost me they said around $800.so it has now been 2…
The contact owns a 2003 Saturn Ion. The contact stated that less than a minute after starting the vehicle, the steering wheel seized. The contact stated that the vehicle lost power steering functionality, with the power steering failure message was displayed. The contact stated that after shifting…
Own a 2003 ION?
Decode your VIN to see the recalls for your exact car, then confirm open recalls with NHTSA.