Most common 2004 Saturn Ion problems
Share of the 898 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Saturn Ion complaints by model year
Best Ion years: 2005, 2003. Years to avoid: 2006. Compare all years →
2004 Saturn Ion recalls (8)
Electrical system › Ignition
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2005-2010 Chevrolet Cobalt, 2006-2011 Chevrolet HHR, 2007-2010 Pontiac G5, 2006-2010 Pontiac Solstice, 2003-2007 Saturn Ion, and 2007-2010 Saturn Sky vehicles. In the affected vehicles, the key can be removed from the ignition when the ignition is not in the "Off" position.
Remedy: General Motors will notify owners, and for vehicles that were built with the defective ignition cylinder and have not previously had the ignition cylinder replaced with the redesigned part, dealers will replace the…
Steering › Electric power assist system
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2004-2006 and 2008-2009 Chevrolet Malibu, 2004-2006 Malibu Maxx, 2009-2010 HHR (non-turbo), 2010 Cobalt, 2008-2009 Saturn Aura and 2004-2007 Ion, and 2005-2009 Pontiac G6.
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will perform one of four bulletins. Parts are not currently available. GM expects to send an interim notification around May 28, 2014.
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.
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.
Exterior lighting › Turn signal
Certain passenger vehicles have a condition in which the turn signal lamp and daytime running lamp (drl) on either front side can stop working because of loss of contact between the bulb and socket.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the drl/turn signal bulb on both the left and right front side and inspect for and add a drl jumper kit if not present. The recall began November 17, 2004.
Fuel system, other › Delivery › Fuel pump
Certain vehicles equipped with supercharged 2.0l 4-cylinder (lsj) engine were built with a fuel feed pipe that could crack and leak fuel near the fuel rail. If fuel leaks from the fuel feed pipe, there would be a noticeable fuel odor around the vehicle.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the fuel feed pipe assembly. Owner notification began on June 9, 2004. Owners should contact Saturn at 1-800-972-8876.
Structure › Body › Bumpers
On certain passenger vehicles, some welds between the passenger's side motor rail and the front bumper bracket do not meet engineering specifications.
Remedy: All vehicles are still in dealer's possessions.
Show 2 more recalls
Fuel system, gasoline
Certain passenger vehicles equipped with 2.2l 4-cylinder (l61) engines were built with a fuel filter that could corrode prematurely on the exterior surface.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the fuel filter assembly. Owner notification began on December 30, 2003. Owners should contact Saturn at 1-800-972-8876.
Visibility › Power window devices and controls
Certain passenger vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 118, "power-operated window, partition, and roof panel systems." the power windows and/or sunroof May be operable after the ignition has been turned to the "off" position and the front passenger door is opened.
Remedy: Dealers will upgrade the body control module (BCM) calibration. Owner notification began on December 30, 2003. Owners should contact Saturn at 1-800-972-8876.
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal safety investigators have looked into 4 possible defects involving the 2004 Saturn Ion:
Electric Power Steering Failure
ODI has received 846 complaints and GM identified 3,489 reports alleging sudden loss of steering power assist in model year (MY) 2004 through 2007 Saturn Ion vehicles manufactured and sold by General Motors Corporation (GM).Sixteen of these complaints alleged that the EPS warning lamp had illuminated before or during the loss of steering assist and the increased steering effort contributed to a crash.
Front turn signal/drl failure
On November 16, 2004, GM notified NHTSA that it will conduct a safety recall of 178,798 model year (my) 2003 and 2004 Saturn ion sedan vehicles for inoperative front turn signal/drl bulbs.GM stated that temperatures in the lamp assembly exceed the material specification for the bulb sockets and bulb base sleeves, which cause deformation.the deformed sockets can cause loss of bulb and socket contact.the deformed…
Electric Power Steering Failure
On March 31, 2014, General Motors Company (GM) submitted a Defect Information Report (DIR) to NHTSA describing a safety defect that may result in a sudden loss of power steering assist in approximately 1,340,447 model year (MY) 2004 through 2010 vehicles equipped with electric power steering (EPS), including 334,728 MY 2004 through 2007 Saturn ION vehicles that are the subject of EA11-014.GM has assigned the recall…
Front turn signal/drl failure
The combination front turn signal/drl in my 2003 Saturn ion coupes experienced significant early-life failures due to various bulb quality issues due to inadequate design and manufacture.this problem trend appears to have disappeared after the fall of 2003.the change of lead wire material near the start of my 2004 vehicle production appears to have reduced the failure rate for my 2004 Saturn ion coupes.although…
What 2004 Saturn Ion owners say
Steering all 345 →
The car doesn't always want to release the key. I have to stick my finger up in the column to push the little button to release it which is not convenient at all. It seems to do it if the wheels aren't completely straight. But still even with the steering wheel straight, sometimes it wont come out if its on a slight hill. Ive had a new key made and it makes no difference, no check engine light and auto technician said the ignition looks fine. Ive read tons of reports like this on the 2004 saturn ion 2-why isn't this being addressed?
The contact owns a 2004 Saturn Ion. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, excessive force was needed to maneuver the steering wheel on several occasions. The power steering assist warning light was illuminated. The contact stated that he replaced the electric power steering motor; however, the failure persisted. The vehicle was not taken to a local dealer or independent mechanic for additional diagnostic test or repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.
Electrical system all 331 →
The contact owns a 2004 Saturn Ion. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle stalled. Additionally, the contact stated that the key was stuck in the ignition. The failure was intermittent. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who replaced the ignition switch and the ignition lock cylinder; however, the failure recurred. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle stalled. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Numbers: 14V047000 (Air Bags, Electrical System) and 14V171000 (Electrical System). The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 230,000.
Was guaranteed that nothing was wrong with it. I originally got a 2007 Ford escape by trading in my vehicle and 500 cash. They wanted me to put down an additional 900 down which I ended up not being able to do. So they offered to put me in another vehicle that was cheaper and I would not have to put any more money on. The 2004 Saturn Ion I received on 08/23/2016 not only had clutch issues which I said I would fix, but the battery light kept coming on and they assured me that nothing was wrong with the car mechanically. We did not even make it down the road before the vehicle broke down and had to have it towed. So now the car sits in my yard and I am out my original vehicle and the 500 cash I used originally plus towing charges and a vehicle I have to pay on that I cannot drive. I want them to come get the car and give back the 500 I wasted on two junk vehicles. …
Transmission & drivetrain all 60 →
My car has a standard transmission and the clutch pedal assembly failed causing dangerous and difficult shifting between gears. The end of the clutch pedal assembly is plastic and it broke at the juncture where it meets the transmission. Unbelievably, general motors (GM) knew of the problem but took no remedial action. Complaint letters on the internet clearly show GM has known about the problem for awhile but taken no action. It cost me $609.74 to have the safety problem fixed. I reported it to GM and asked to be reimbursed. This is dangerous: I had great difficulty shifting between gears & almost got run over by other motorists when there was a delay in locating the next gear. GM should take action on this before someone gets killed.
Was travelling on my way home from work and a fox darted out in front of me in the center of the road. I swerved slightly to miss the fox and the power steering in the car went out. I was unable to straighten the wheel and the car went into a 180 degree spin and ended up facing the other direction flipped up on the passenger side. I crawled out of the drivers window. Air bags did not deploy either. Had I not been wearing my seatbelt, I probably would have ended up underneath the car and if traffic had been coming, I could have killed someone else in oncoming traffic.
2004 Saturn Ion engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2.2L 4-cyl | 5-speed manual | FWD | 23 / 32 / 26 |
| 2.2L 4-cyl | CVT | FWD | 22 / 29 / 24 |
| 2.2L 4-cyl | 5-speed automatic | FWD | 20 / 30 / 24 |
| 2.0L 4-cyl supercharged | 5-speed manual | FWD | 20 / 26 / 23 |
EPA ratings. Class: Compact car.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2004 Saturn Ion a good car?
Based on 898 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2004 Ion rates average: about as many complaints as a typical year of the Ion at the same age. Complaint counts don't account for sales volume or individual maintenance, so have any used car inspected before buying.
What is the most common problem with the 2004 Saturn Ion?
The steering — 345 complaints, 38% of all complaints for this model year, most often about electric power assist system. Next are the electrical system (331) and transmission & drivetrain (60).
How many recalls does the 2004 Saturn Ion have?
There are 8 recalls for the 2004 Saturn Ion, the most recent from April 10, 2014 (ignition). Recall repairs are free at any authorized dealer — check whether yours has been done with the VIN recall check.
What are the best and worst years of the Saturn Ion?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2005 and 2003. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 2006. See the full Saturn Ion years comparison.
At what mileage do 2004 Saturn Ion problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 70,000 miles; 32% of problems with a recorded mileage started before 50,000 miles.
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.