Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (power steering, steering column, rack and pinion).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2003 Saturn Ion owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
The contact owns a 2003 Saturn Ion. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle experienced a loss of power steering assist. The contact restarted the vehicle to correct the failure. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, and the dealer confirmed that there was no recall associated with the VIN. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 173,000.
Rack and pinion is going bad, my mechanic said it's a common issue in these vehicles. When going around a corner it will want to float the opposite way, the steering will eventually get tight my mechanic said until I loose all steering. I am a single mother and have already replaced the whole front end on this vehicle pretty much. I know I've read so many others experiencing the same issues with their Saturn Ion, so I wanted to make it aware that this should be a recall and fixed before someone who knows nothing about vehicles ends up in a severe accident due to this big issue. Also the Key don't want to come out most of the time. An there is an issue with the car not wanting to come out of park sometimes. Not to mention it eats ball joints like crazy every other month I'm replacing the ball joints in this car. …
I have the power steering column issue that still needs to be fixed as advised by GMC of Port Richey, FL where I was promised my replacement vehicle even 10 or 20 yrs later if I bought another one. If on my walking tape recorders and contact lens, I pull off my brake peddle flat lining at least twice without crashing however he would grant me whatever 2 vehicles on the lots I chose as long as I had insurance. However, I do not have the money for the tow and corporates to include the police will not listen too. Please, contact me immediately for a more rapid communication please at [redacted] or [redacted] .
Driving on staight on the highway hit a bump in the road my car started spinning out of control steering wheel locked up which made my driver side crash into a cement wall, my airbags did not deploy even thought the car hit the wall so hard that it cracked my radiator, my car then shut off then turned back on
Several times these last few months my vehicle pwr str light has come on. The steering wheel is hard to turn left or right. The first time this happened I turned the car off and went in the house and got my husband. When he turned it on and put it in reverse nothing happened, it was OK. The next time I was backing into a parking spot, it locked up and was hard to turn. I turned the ignition off and restarted it, then it worked again. Then again in the drive position. This has happened several times. My daughter was driving the car not long ago on a city street and had to stop in the middle of the street, turn the car off and on again, then it was OK. Today I was driving on the road (a city street) and the steering wheel locked. I fought with the wheel to get over. Turned the car off and on again but the steering wheel was still hard to turn and the pwr str light remained on. …
Several times when I have gone to turn off my car the ignition switch will not release the key. When this happens I have to place my foot back on the brake and run through the gears with my gear stick. The ignition switch that is currently in my car is one that was used to replace the factory one when the ignition switch recall was issued. Also, recently my car has been showing problems with the power steering. It has gone out multiple times on my son while he was driving resulting in him having to fight the car to get it to turn. I have never had a problem before and I hear that there are recalls for both. These problems have happened multiple times and I do not have exact dates.
In early January my mother was involved in a serious car accident while driving a 2003 Saturn iron. "I had no control over the car and it all happened so fast" my mother said. She hit a telephone pool then proceeded to roll down over a small hill and flipped, coming to a rest on a concrete divider. When responders arrived her ignition was off and the air bags did not deploy. She was hanging upside down for almost an hour until they were able to cut her out of the car. I have contacted GM and they confirmed that her car is part of the recent ignition switch recall. Please take the recall serious, it could save your l life, and others!
Tl* the contact owns a 2003 Saturn Ion. While driving at various speeds, the steering wheel became difficult to turn. The contact had to apply force to the steering wheel in order to steer the vehicle. The failure recurred on numerous occasions. The vehicle was taken to a dealer and repaired per a recall. After the repairs, while driving at various speeds, the accelerator pedal was depressed, but the vehicle failed to accelerate. The air bag and check engine warning lights illuminated. The manufacturer was not notified of the failures. The recall specifics were unknown. The failure mileage was 141,000. Updated 10/19/16
Tl* the contact owns a 2003 Saturn Ion. While the vehicle was driven at a low speed, the power steering failed and the power steering warning indicator illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the power steering motor malfunctioned and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The contact referenced NHTSA campaign number: 14V153000 (steering); however, the VIN was not included. The failure mileage was approximately 49,500. The VIN was not provided. Updated 08/03/16
My power steering kept cutting out. (been doing this for about 2 years now) while I was driving today the worst situation happened. I went to turn at an intersection and mid turn the power steering message appeared and my steering wheel tightened and straightened back out a little bit. I was trying to get into the turn lane but to avoid an accident I sped up to merge with the farthest lane and unfortunately I popped a tire and bent the rim. This needs to be addressed before someone gets killed. To be honest im scared to drive my own car after today.
Steering complaints in other Ion years
Frequently asked questions
How common are steering problems on the 2003 Saturn Ion?
NHTSA has 139 complaints about the steering of the 2003 Saturn Ion, 18% of the model year's 758 complaints. The component named most often is electric power assist system (6 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2003 Saturn Ion steering problems?
No. NHTSA lists no steering recall for the 2003 Saturn Ion, though it has 5 recalls for other components. If the problem is widespread, a repair may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin — ask a dealer.
At what mileage do 2003 Saturn Ion steering problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 100,000 miles, and 3% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 3 crashes, 0 fires and 4 injuries to steering problems on this model year. If you notice symptoms, have the car checked before driving further.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.