2003 Saturn Ion Air bags Problems
- Complaints
- 49about this part
- Share
- 6%of 758 total for the year
- Median mileage
- 80,000miles
- Trend
- StableComplaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are within 25% of the 3 years before.
NHTSA recorded 49 complaints about the air bags of the 2003 Saturn Ion, 6% of the 758 complaints for this model year. Where a mileage was given, the median is 80,000 miles. 25 of these say a crash was involved, according to the filers. 1 recall campaign on record is filed under a similar system.
Example complaints
Selected from NHTSA records; personal details are removed. They are consumer reports, not findings.
“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”
NHTSA complaint #10971606, filed 2017-04, 170,000 miles“I don't feel safe in this vehicle, I have experience how dangerous it could be if the ignition switch does malfunction. I fear for my safety and my families safety the air bags does not work and there is electrical issues with the windows. I don't know why geico insurance didn't find this car not to be an safety issue?”
NHTSA complaint #10622191, filed 2014-08, 19,000 miles“My daughter (17 years old) had an accident four days ago. She hit a tree - head on going somewhere around 40 MPH. Neither air bag deployed. Emergency personnel - again - were in a state of shock and awe. This is our fourth (4th) GM vehicle involved in a total loss accident where the air bags did not deploy.”
NHTSA complaint #10128645, filed 2005-07, 19,000 miles“I was in a head-on collision in my 2003 Saturn ION and the air bags did not deploy. The front of my car is crunched in and I have pictures of the accident. Luckily, I was able to walk away from the accident unharmed, but if I hit the other car any harder I would have been seriously hurt! I called the Saturn dealers here in syracuse and they did not seem very concerned at all with the idea of checking the safety devise that controls the air bags! What can be done?”
NHTSA complaint #10246083, filed 2008-10, 83,500 miles“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. …”
NHTSA complaint #10568997, filed 2014-03, 80,000 milesRelated recalls
- 14V047000Feb 10, 2014This defect can affect the safe operation of the airbag system. Until this recall is performed, customers should remove all items from their key rings…Covers: Saturn Ion 2003–2007, Chevrolet Cobalt 2005–2010, HHR 2006–2011 +3 more
Air bags: other model years
Other parts of the 2003 Saturn Ion
383 complaintsSteering
139 complaintsEngine cooling
58 complaintsTransmission and drivetrain
55 complaintsVehicle speed control
38 complaintsVisibility (wipers, defrost, mirrors)
38 complaintsFuel system
34 complaintsExterior lighting
31 complaintsEngine
21 complaintsBody and structure
19 complaintsOther or unknown
17 complaintsBrakes
11 complaints
← All problems reported for the 2003 Saturn Ion
About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 31, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.
To check a specific vehicle for open recalls, use its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. Methodology