Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (engine, cooling system, oil leaks, timing chain, exhaust).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2007 Saturn Ion owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
Tl* the contact owns a 2007 Saturn Ion. In October of 2016, while driving 65 MPH, the brake pedal was suddenly depressed. However, the contact crashed into the rear of a vehicle and, in turn, another vehicle crashed into the rear of the contact's vehicle. The air bags did not deploy. There were no injuries sustained. A police report was not filed. The local dealer was not contacted to diagnose and repair the air bag failure. The failure mileage was unknown. In December of 2017, while driving at unknown speeds, a pick-up truck crashed into the rear of the contact's vehicle. The contact sustained injuries to the right knee, which required medical attention. The air bags did not deploy. A police report was not filed. The vehicle was taken to an independent auto body mechanic, but was not diagnosed or repaired. The local dealer and manufacturer were not contacted. …
Car cuts off A/C wont work unless on max and makes noise when turning. Cpu issue like RPM fluctuates I think its the fuel pump and gas pedal assembly cpu problem and its jerks alot dealer said aint nothing the can do bout it but they suppose to fix it with in 30 days of purchase time. So it cuts off while riding and jerks while im on the breaks
On12/14/2014 I put gas in my car and the gas cap did not screw on like it usually did and did not click like it always did. I got in my car and started the engine and the check engine light came on. When I got home I looked in the owners manual. I called rancho motors and was told I should take the car to them. I took my car to them on 12/17/2014. I was given a ride home while they checked out my car. On 12/22/2014, I called and spoke with mike tarpley, the assistant service manager. He said my car had a stuck valve, the #2 cylinder needed repair and the thermostat needed to be replaced because it was stuck open. On 12/23/2014, I called again and was told my car would need a valve job. I called on 12/29, 12/30 and 12/31 and was told they were working on it. All this time I was told the cost of this repair was $2,000 and they would get me a senior discount. …
At first I had starting problems. I looked into the ignition,spark plugs,coils,plug wires. A g.m. Dealer said I had a code that said #3 cylinder misfire. #3 cyl. Spark plug was the only plug that was not running to lean. At that point my transmission started shifting rough. With in about 1.5 months the engine started hard starting. I decided to change the fuel filter, bought one from auto zone, crawled under car and could not find a fuel filter. My g.m. Dealer didn't know what I was talking about. So I explained it again. They came back with "it must be in the fuel tank. I have changed hundreds of fuel filters in my 50 years of being a mechanic. Every automobile I have changed the in tank fuel pump has had a screen to catch the large pieces that May get in your tank, but I have never seen a fuel filter in tank. Please let me know what you think.
I need to know why your system shows no recalls for my vehicle using the VIN number, but has (7) recalls if I use year/make/model, the system should allow me to run the VIN, see all recalls, and even report with proof if the recall is complete, like a check list. Your system is useless if the manufacturer is not agreeing to the recalls under the year/make/model and assigning the recalls to the VIN to grant approval to dealers to repair, a dealer will not complete a GM recall unless GM approves of the recall for a particular VIN. I have electrical issues with my vehicle that falls in the category of the recalls, but I'm not paying out of pocket for these repairs, when they are known safety issues.
Tl* the contact owns a 2007 Saturn Ion. While driving 35 MPH, the vehicle stalled and all the warning indicators illuminated on the instrument panel. The vehicle was coasted to the side of the road. The contact attempted to restart the vehicle, but was unsuccessful. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the battery needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired, but the failure recurred. The vehicle was not taken to a dealer. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 150,000.
I started my car up and it sounded extremely rough and the check engine light came on. I took the car to a service center to get oil changed, coolant changed, fuel system cleaned and to get an overall check done. They were unsure of the issue and I took the car to the dealership where a diagnostic test was done and it read that there was an issue with the timing chain. After reading on here and online I see this is a common issue with this car.
Tl* the contact owns a 2007 Saturn Ion. While driving 30 MPH, the engine stalled without warning. The failure occurred once. The vehicle was not able to restart. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the timing chain failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 170,000.
Tl* the contact owns a 2007 Saturn Ion. While driving 30 MPH, the vehicle stalled. The contact was unable to restart the vehicle. In addition, multiple unknown warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was towed to a dealer. The technician diagnosed that the motor needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 91,000.
Tl contact owns a 2007 Saturn Ion. The contact stated that when that the brake pedal was depressed to the floorboard and the vehicle failed to stop. In addition, the coolant warning light continuously illuminated. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 200,000.
Engine complaints in other Ion years
Frequently asked questions
How common are engine problems on the 2007 Saturn Ion?
NHTSA has 43 complaints about the engine & cooling of the 2007 Saturn Ion, 5% of the model year's 876 complaints. The component named most often is engine (2 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2007 Saturn Ion engine problems?
No. NHTSA lists no engine & cooling recall for the 2007 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 2007 Saturn Ion engine problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 70,000 miles, and 8% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 3 crashes, 0 fires and 3 injuries to engine & cooling 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.