NHTSA — Steering Problems

2006 Saturn Ion (Page 1 of 27)

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CarComplaints.com Notes: When it comes to the 2006 Ion, the biggest questions are: what big problem is going to pop up next? And how long until GM chooses to address it?

The 2006 Ion has a defective ignition switch that gave owners fits. Their keys would get stuck in the ignition, the engine wouldn’t shut off or in some cases it would shut off at the most dangerous time. The ignition was eventually recalled as part of one of the largest recalls of all-time , but it took GM 10 years to do it. Then there’s this car’s temperamental power steering which is prone to stop working randomly while driving. It too was eventually recalled, even if GM took their sweet time about it.

Lastly, it turns out a car built with plastic doors, fenders and bumpers – while fun for a game of “shopping cart bocce” – is horrible for safety.

10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
17 / 1
Injuries / Deaths:
6 / 0
Average Mileage:
69,413 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.

2006 Saturn Ion steering problems

steering problem

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2006 Saturn Ion Owner Comments (Page 1 of 27)

problem #523

Dec 202022

Ion

  • 90,000 miles

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

The contact owns a 2006 Saturn Ion. The contact stated while exiting a driveway and making a turn, the steering wheel became difficult to turn. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact checked the power steering fluid reservoir and there was power steering fluid in the reservoir. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was 90,000.

- Exeter, NH, USA

problem #522

Jul 072021

Ion

  • miles
We purchased this vehicle recently. 1 week later we discovered loss of power steering assist while attempting to parallel park. We spoke with the seller (repair shop) and they discovered the Recall Notice 14V153000: Loss of Power Steering Assist. When I attempted to schedule a recall service at a GM dealership it was shown that this vehicle already had this particular recall service performed on the vehicle. 1. Power steering Assist 2. Loss of control of steering. 3. No (issue is intermittent) 4. No (original recall was performed though; it is happening again) 5. No warnings.

- Dundas, MN, USA

problem #521

Sep 042020

Ion

  • 125,000 miles
Difficult to steer or turn steering wheel.

- West Orange, NJ, USA

problem #520

Jul 202020

Ion

  • 109,000 miles

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

Still having ign. Key problems not turning and can not remove, an electronic steering system light come on when starting and hard to steer. Both problems are intermittent and dealer can't repair unless they see

- Frederick, MD, USA

problem #519

Dec 232019

Ion

  • 70,000 miles
Steering errors

- Grapevine, TX, USA

problem #518

Nov 202019

Ion

  • 140,000 miles
The contact owns a 2006 Saturn Ion. When the vehicle was started, the power steering failed without warning. When the vehicle was restarted, the power steering returned to normal. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The dealer and manufacturer were not notified. The contact associated the failure with NHTSA campaign number: 14V153000 (steering). The failure mileage was 140,000.

- Olympia, WA, USA

problem #517

May 222019

Ion

  • 244,000 miles

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

I was driving on interstate 10 in san antonio Texas in 5 P.M. traffic when my car lost power steering control lights blink in the dash and I had to pull over to the side of the road I was on the left side shoulder for 2 hours waiting for a tow truck same problem happened in 2014 when the car was recalled for the power steering issue and fixed for free in 2014

- San Antonio, TX, USA

problem #516

Apr 142019

Ion

  • 65,000 miles
The same exact issue with the steering creating the 2014 recall has occurred again with this vehicle. It has very low mileage and is not driven that much. So the fact that the recalled part that was replaced by GM is once again having issues is distressing. The power steering went out during a local drive, less than 5 miles. There was a recall in 2014. Recall number: 14V153000. Recall date: 03/31/2014. Component: Steering:electric power assist system. This should be monitored to determine if the replacement part is also defective.

- Chicago, IL, USA

problem #515

Mar 032019

Ion

  • 165,000 miles
My vehicle had a complete failure of the power steering while driving down the road at about 50 mph. Fortunately, there was no vehicles around me and I was able to manual steer it to the shoulder. The steering power assist has completely failed. I contacted Saturn who looked up the VIN # on my vehicle. Saturn said there is no open recalls on my vehicle. I looked on your website and there is a recall for this exact problem on 2004-2007 Saturn Ion's and I have a 2006 Saturn Ion. I mentioned this to Saturn and they said that there is a recall but it's VIN # specific. I said how can this be when my car (which falls under the same model and years recalled) is having the same failure? they didn't care about my question and simply said it's not covered and I can take it up with the NHTSA. The failure is the electric steering motor. They use the same electric motor (exact same oem part number) in all the Saturn Ion models and the Chevy cobalt. Is there any assistance you can offer me? I really do not have $1000 to have it repaired and I already have put quite a bit of money in this vehicle. I had planned on keeping it. Now I can't even sell it.

- O'fallon, IL, USA

problem #514

Aug 102018

Ion

  • 204,678 miles
Driving down the road and the went to turn the corner on to I90 West from highway 56 South and it was vary hard to pull oit of the turn like it locked up almost put me into the ditch

- Austin, MN, USA

problem #513

Nov 262018

Ion

  • 145,000 miles

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

The contact owns a 2006 Saturn Ion. While driving 45 mph, the steering seized. The contact stated that the vehicle exhibited the same symptoms as listed in NHTSA campaign number: 14V153000 (steering). The vehicle was not taken to a dealer to be diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed that the contact that the VIN was not included in a recall. The failure mileage was approximately 145,000.

- Ogden, UT, USA

problem #512

Jul 172018

Ion 4-cyl

  • miles
2006 Saturn Ion. Consumer writes in regards to problems with the power steering.

- Virginia Beach, VA, USA

problem #511

Aug 072018

Ion

  • 180,000 miles
Power steering goes out then when sitting for a period, it will reset and start working then the problem repeats itself and I have no way of knowing where it will happen again, sometimes on the highway, hard to pull off road. First time it was stationary with "power str" on dashboard, sometimes it happens in motion down the street or roadway.

- Edna, TX, USA

problem #510

Jul 212018

Ion

  • 14,000 miles
On July 21,2018, I started my Saturn Ion 2006 in the morning, I saw there is a message "pwr str", and then I found the car lost the power steering, it is very difficult to turn the car on the road, when I finnally drive it into a Chevrolet dealer, they said the car had already been fixed in a 2004 recall and they decline to replace the power steering for free.

- Beaverton, OR, USA

problem #509

Jun 042018

Ion

  • 200,000 miles
The power steering keeps going out sometimes when you start the car it will not have power steering and sometimes when your driving it will go out and is almost impossible to drive

- Kingsport, TN, USA

problem #508

Jun 042018

Ion

  • 128,000 miles
I put my car in reverse and the power steering warning light came on. I also pulled forward and the warning light stayed on. I waited about 20 min's and started my car back up and the power steering light didn't come back on. While the warning light was on it was very hard for me to turn the wheel. I was in a parking lot. I will be taking my car to a dealership in the morning. My car was part of the power steering recall in 2014. That recall number was N140115.

- Moncks Corner, SC, USA

problem #507

May 262018

Ion

  • 176,000 miles
Power steering lost while highway driving. Very hard to steer. It came back then 5 minutes later I lost it again. Scary. No indicator light is on. Saturn said it's safe to drive. Saturn said there is no recall.

- Warwick, RI, USA

problem #506

May 252018

Ion

  • 13,000 miles
When driving the vehicle the steering gets very hard and then cant steer we have to try to pull over and shut the car off for a few seconds then restart it to go.

- Archbald, PA, USA

problem #505

Apr 232018

Ion

  • 137,778 miles
I was highway 56 turning onto interstate 90 and the car was vary hard to correct back from the turn it wanted to stay in the tuun and almost out me in the ditch in Minnesota

- Austin, MN, USA

problem #504

Nov 202017

Ion

  • 122,000 miles
The key gets stuck in the ignition and will not come out. This happens when the vehicle is parked. The auto parts store told us not to buy an ignition switch. They said we needed to check on the recall for this Saturn. How do we find out if all recalls for this car have been repaired?

- Jacksonville, FL, USA

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