What's Wrong with the 1st Generation Ion?

Front 3/4 view of a Saturn Ion

The 1st generation Ion (2003—2007) has 330 owner complaints, mostly about interior problems. Overall it ranks 31st in reliability out of 34 eligible Saturn generations.

Reliability rankings are based on our PainRank™ system. A higher number means you can expect more significant problems. The average score for a Saturn generation is 2.77, while this generation comes in at 12.28.

The Worst 2003-2007 Ion Problems

  1. Saturn VTi Transmission Failure

    GM debuted a continuously variable transmission (CVT) in some 2003 Saturn models. The transmission, branded VTi, presented an interesting technological gamble for the manufacturer, one that quickly spiraled out of control with numerous comp…

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  2. Saturn Ignition Switch Recall

    In February, 2014, General Motors recalled 1.6 million vehicles because of a faulty ignition switch that has been linked to the deaths of 13 people. To make matters worse, the company may have known about the defect for over a decade.

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What Owners Complain About

Sometimes it helps just to tally up the complaints and see where the biggest stacks are. Use this information to learn about troublespots or to run for the hills.

Worst Issues

What Breaks

Years to Avoid

1st Generation Ion Key Numbers

  1. 5 model years

    Grouping all models by their year can reveal some baddies.

  2. 330 complaints

    Running tally of owner grievances filed to CarComplaints.com.

  3. 31st in reliability

    Overall reliability rank out of 34 eligible generations.

Recent 1st Generation Ion News

There's a lot of news out there, but not all of it matters. We try to boil down it to the most important bits about things that actually help you with your car problem. Interested in getting these stories in an email? Signup for free email alerts over at CarComplaints.com.