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Engine coolingPart report

2006 Saturn Ion Engine cooling Problems

Complaints
30about this part
Share
2%of 1,235 total for the year
Median mileage
44,000miles
Trend
StableComplaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are within 25% of the 3 years before.

NHTSA recorded 30 complaints about the engine cooling of the 2006 Saturn Ion, 2% of the 1,235 complaints for this model year. Where a mileage was given, the median is 44,000 miles. 1 of these say a crash was involved, according to the filers.

Example complaints

Selected from NHTSA records; personal details are removed. They are consumer reports, not findings.

“Driving down the road at about 35 MPH I hit a bump (frost heave) and the entire vehicle shut down. No engine, no electrical systems. The vehicle became difficult to steer and the brakes did not operate as well as when the vehicle was running. I forced the car to the side of the road, turned the key off and back on again and restarted the car.”

NHTSA complaint #10318538, filed 2010-03, 74,118 miles

“My power steering has gone out about 5 times while driving. It does not start working until the car is turned off and started again. It's extremely scary dangerous. The first time I thought it was a fluke, the second time I decided I needed to take it to get fixed and the power steering went out 3 more times before I could get it in.”

NHTSA complaint #10305801, filed 2010-02, 40,000 miles

“2006 Saturn ION redline 32,000 miles had a loud rattling noise coming from the front passenger side of car at idle. Took the car into a mechanic which informed me that the timing belt and gears were shot and that he was surprised that it didn't fly apart on my way into the shop. The repairs will cost approx $1100. This should not happen at only 32k miles and could have resulted in an accident had it not been caught in time.”

NHTSA complaint #10381237, filed 2011-02, 31,000 miles

“Each time I kill the engine I have to sit and wait for the string of electronic tics to quit before my car will let go of the key. Each episode seams to differ on the length of time it, takes or decides, to let go of the key.”

NHTSA complaint #10553552, filed 2013-11, 100,000 miles

“When I first got my 2006 Saturn ION, I was the first and only owner bought it from the Saturn dealership with less than a 50 miles on the car. Before 30 days of owning the automobile it quit on me in the middle of busy intersection endangering myself and my children. I took it to the dealership where they have claimed to fix the ignition switch on the automobile, several weeks later the same problem occurred they then replaced the key. …”

NHTSA complaint #10368263, filed 2010-11, 67 miles

Related service bulletins

Engine cooling: other model years

YearComplaintsShare of year
200791%
2006302%
2005153%
2004334%
2003588%

Other parts of the 2006 Saturn Ion

Steering
544 complaintsElectrical system
392 complaintsFuel system
238 complaintsAir bags
61 complaintsEngine
41 complaintsTransmission and drivetrain
36 complaintsOther or unknown
27 complaintsBody and structure
24 complaintsVehicle speed control
17 complaintsSuspension
14 complaintsVisibility (wipers, defrost, mirrors)
14 complaintsBrakes
13 complaints

← All problems reported for the 2006 Saturn Ion

About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 27, 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