Problems · by component
2006 Saturn Ion engine problems
41 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 2006 Saturn Ion cite engine, 3% of all 1,235 complaints for this model year.
Complaints
41
3% of all complaints
Crashes
1
Reported by owners
Fires
1
Reported by owners
Injuries
0
Reported by owners
What owners say about the engine
Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 SATURN ION. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 15-20 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO RESTART THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO VANDERGRIFF CHEVROLET (LOCATED AT 1200 W INTERSTATE 20, ARLINGTON, TX 76017, (682) 323-2486) TO BE DIAGNOSED, BUT THE MECHANIC WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FAILURE RECURRED FIVE TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V047000 (AIR BAGS, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM). THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 113,000.”
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 SATURN ION. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS ON DIFFERENT OCCASIONS, THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED AND THE VEHICLE STALLED. IN ADDITION, THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS ABLE TO RESTART AND WAS TAKEN TO CHEVROLET OF DOVER (1450 S DUPONT HWY, DOVER, DE 19901, (302) 760-9956), BUT THE DIAGNOSIS AND REPAIRS WERE UNKNOWN TO THE CONTACT. THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 185,000.”
“TAKATA RECALL THE ENGINE IS ON. WHEN I TURN THE KEY TO TURN THE ENGINE OFF, THE KEY DOESN'T GO IN THE OFF POSITION. I HAVE TO TURN THE ENGINE ON AGAIN AND THEN TRY TO TURN THE ENGINE OFF.SOMETIMES 2 OR 3 TIMES I HAVE TO TURN THE ENGINE ON AND THEN TRY TO TURN THE ENGINE OFF. THE CAR IS PARKED.”
“ENGINE REDUCTION, SERIOUS SAFETY CONCERN, WAS ALMOST HIT BY A SEMI, ENGINE REDUCTION LIGHT COMES ON, LOSE POWER AND CAR SLOWS AT A HIGH RATE CAUSING EXTREME SAFETY HAZARD IN TRAFFIC, MUST PULL OFF INTERSTATE TURN CAR OFF TO RESET, HAPPENING 2-3 TIMES A DAY, STRONG SMELL OF GAS, HAVE A LEAK AND IT IS NOT COVERED UNDER THE WARRANTY, SOONER OR LATER SOMEONE IS GOING TO BE CRUISING DOWN THE INTERSTATE AND THEIR SATURN IS GOING TO REDUCE ENGINE POWER AND THEY WILL NOT HAVE TIME TO GET OUT OF THE WAY, THEY WILL BE PLOWED DOWN BY A SEMI. ARE WE GOING TO CONTINUE TO ALLOW GM TO IGNORE THIS ISSUE LIKE THEY IGNORED THE IGNITION SWITCH PROBELMS UNTIL IT STARTS CAUSING DEATHS, WHY NOT SOLVE THE ISSUE BEFORE THE DEATHS START TO OCCUR, IT SEEMS THE OLDER THESE YEAR MODELS GET THE WORSE THIS PROBLEM BECOMES. I WAS FORCED TO PUT A DATE, BUT THIS IS AN ONGOING PROBLEM THAT IS GETTING INCREASINGLY WORSE WITH THE FUEL LEAK, MAYBE ONE DAY THE ENGINE WILL REDUCE POWER AT THE SAME TIME I WILL GET RUN OVER BY A SEMI AND THE CAR WILL EXPLODE INTO FLAMES FROM THE FUEL LEAK THEY ARE NOT RECALLING FOR MY VEHICLE”
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 SATURN ION. WHILE DRIVING 25 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED NOR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 175,400. UPDATED 10/19/16*LJ THE CONSUMER STATED WHILE DRIVING, THE STEERING LOCKED UP. SHE HAD TO REDUCE HER SPEED INTO ORDER TO MAINTAIN THE STEERING WHEEL. THE CONSUMER TURNED THE VEHICLE OFF, AND THE STEERING RESET IT SELF. THE CONSUMER HAS SINCE EXPERIENCED A SIMILAR INCIDENT. UPDATED 11/03/16.*JB”
“CAR INSPECTION REJECTED CODEB0092 PASS PRESENSE SYSTEM1 PERFORMANCE JUST PUT CATALIT CONVERTER AND AN ENGINE IN THIS CAR LOOKING FOR TECH. SERVICE BUL. TSB3677 CAR IS REJECTED DEMED UNSAFE TO DRIVE”
Showing 6 of 41 reports. Read every report on NHTSA.gov.
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 10, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.