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…
2005 Saturn IONProblems, recalls & complaints
NHTSA has logged 573 owner complaints about the 2005 Saturn ION, most often about the steering. It is covered by 3 safety recalls, and for recall 14V-153 the manufacturer reports only 60% of affected cars repaired.
Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through November 15, 2025. Updated daily. Photo: Mr.choppers, CC BY-SA 3.0.
Complaints by system
Where the 2005 Saturn ION has problems
573 complaints grouped by the system owners reported.
265Steering9 crash/fire/injury
227Electrical system8 crash/fire/injury
34Air bags
31Exterior lighting
28Power train
22Engine
21Fuel/propulsion system
18Vehicle speed control
15Engine and engine cooling
6116 other systems12 crash/fire/injury
| System | Complaints | Crash, fire or injury |
|---|---|---|
| Steering | 265 | 9 |
| Electrical system | 227 | 8 |
| Air bags | 34 | 19 |
| Exterior lighting | 31 | 0 |
| Power train | 28 | 1 |
| Engine | 22 | 3 |
| Fuel/propulsion system | 21 | 0 |
| Vehicle speed control | 18 | 2 |
| Engine and engine cooling | 15 | 0 |
| 16 other systems | 61 | 12 |
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Complaints are submitted by the public and are not verified by NHTSA.
3 recalls
2005 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
Steering: electric power assist system
Risk. If power steering assist is lost, greater driver effort would be required to steer the vehicle at low speeds, increasing the risk of a crash.
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.
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 steering problems start?
69kmiles, median
Based on the odometer reading in 237 steering complaints. 76% were reported before 100,000 miles.
21under 30k miles181under 100k miles56100k 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.
Steering
30 owners mentioned a cost$1,000median
Middle half: $749 – $1,031
Electrical system
16 owners mentioned a cost$395median
Middle half: $192 – $700
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
2005 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
2005 Saturn ION safety ratings
2005 Saturn Ion 2-DR. in NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program. Photos are from NHTSA's crash tests.
Side barrierNot rated
- Stability control: No
- Forward collision warning: No
- Lane departure warning: No
2 investigations
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal investigations that included the 2005 Saturn ION, and the recalls they led to.
- Electric Power Steering FailureLed to recall 14V-153
- Electric Power Steering FailureNo recall
In owners' words
What ION owners report
Recent steering complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. Personal details are removed.
This vehicle has an electrical issue from time to time seemingly out of nowhere. There is no power steering it just shuts off sometimes it’ll stay off for an hour sometimes it’ll stay off for weeks and I can’t figure out how to fix it. It randomly fixes itself same can be said for the air…
Power steering intermittently fails at random and steering wheel suddenly becomes immovable nearly causing serious accidents and endangerment to myself, my family, and others drivers on the roads.
It says I have 0 I repaired recalls. I have had the powers steering fail 2x. More importantly, the ignition cylinder locks up and I can’t get my keys out. I have to wait most times after turning the car off - for 3-5 minutes through a series of clicking noises in the ignition before the key will…
Own a 2005 ION?
Decode your VIN to see the recalls for your exact car, then confirm open recalls with NHTSA.