CarComplaints.com Notes: Ahh, the 2004 Saturn Ion: defective transmission, deadly ignition switch, temperamental power steering and a cheap plastic exterior that won’t protect you in a crash. What more could you want?

The 2004 Ion was part of GM’s massive ignition switch recall where it was revealed they waited 10 years – and let 13 people die – before doing anything about it. It also features GM’s now infamous VTi continuously variable transmission. Let me tell you, the only thing the VTi did continuously was fail on its owners. GM scrapped it after only two model years.

10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
1 / 0
Injuries / Deaths:
0 / 0
Average Mileage:
12,800 miles

About These NHTSA Complaints:

This data is from the NHTSA — the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints are spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem.

So how do you find out what problems are occurring? For this NHTSA complaint data, the only way is to read through the comments below. Any duplicates or errors? It's not us.

2004 Saturn Ion accessories - interior problems

accessories - interior problem

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2004 Saturn Ion Owner Comments

problem #1

Feb 212005

Ion 4-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 12,800 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

The driver of the car in front of me stopped suddenly to avoid hitting the car in front of her, and I rear ended her. It was a minor accident - only going approximately 30 mph - so minor that the airbags didn't deploy. Both of my rear seats, however, came unlatched and flew forward, pushing my daughter's car seat into the rear of the passenger front seat, even with the seat belt being looped through the shoulder harness of the car seat. Thankfully, she was not in the car at the time. I called Saturn to report it. They spoke with the collision center where my car is being repaired, and were told that they couldn't find anything broken that could be fixed. The collision center also told them that they tried to get the seats unlatched by pulling on them from the front and by trying to kick them from inside the trunk, neither of which simulates what would happen in an actual car accident, with that kind of inertia. The person who inspected my car told me that it's possible that something in the trunk unlatched the locks during the accident. Saturn told me there is nothing they can do. I even spoke with a supervisor. I even asked if they could somehow install a better lock to make sure the seats wouldn't unlatch. They told me over and over that there is nothing they can do because nothing is broken. But something is obviously wrong for the seats to have come unlatched. At this time, I still feel that my rear seats are unsafe and have not gotten my car back from the collision center.

- Davenport, IA, USA

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