Total Complaints
4 filings
SATURN ION · model year
2008 SATURN ION
4 NHTSA complaints, 1 crash report. A VIN lookup is required to determine whether a specific vehicle has an unrepaired recall.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 2008SATURNION carries 4 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 1 crash, 1 fire, 1 injury, and 0 fatalities. No NCAP 5-star crash-test rating is available for this model year in the federal database.
The most frequently selected component label in reports for the 2008 ION is visibility with 1 filings, followed by electrical system (1) and air bags (1). Complaint categories reflect owner reports and intake categorization; they do not establish a defect pattern or cause.
NHTSA currently has 14 investigation files overlapping the 2008 ION. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should read the complaint-by-year trend as report volume, not a causal diagnosis. Use the related-complaint feed and the official recall lookup when researching a specific vehicle.
4
Complaints
1
Crashes
1
Fires
1
Injuries
0
Deaths
Crashes Reported
1 reports
Source
NHTSA ODI
Federal complaints database
Complaints vs. fleet median (215)
At or below the fleet median complaint volume.
Complaints by Component
| Component | Count |
|---|---|
| VISIBILITY | 1 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 1 |
| AIR BAGS | 1 |
| VISIBILITY/WIPER | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20150724VISIBILITY/WIPER
MY WIPERS FAILED. I COULD HEAR THE WIPER MOTOR RUNNING, BUT THE TRANSMISSION AND LINKAGE HAD FAILED. I TOOK MY CAR TO A MECHANIC WHO FIXED THE ISSUE, BUT IT HAPPENED AGAIN ABOUT A YEAR LATER. I CAN GRAB A WIPER ARM AND MANUALLY MOVE THE WIPERS. BOTH WIPERS MOVE WHEN I MOVE ONE ARM. MY MECHANIC SAID THAT THE PROBLEM WAS WITH BOTH THE WIPER LINKAGE (WHICH HAS A PLASTIC PIECE THAT IS PRONE TO FAILURE) AND THE WIPER TRANSMISSION FAILING.
Mileage: 73,130
20140721CrashAIR BAGS
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS 2008 SATURN ION. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN HEAD ON CRASH BUT THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED UNKNOWN INJURIES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 82,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 82,200.
Mileage: 82,000
20140227FireELECTRICAL SYSTEM
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 SATURN ION. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH, THE DRIVER WAS ATTEMPTING TO CLOSE THE FRONT PASSENGER'S SIDE WINDOW WHEN THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT SMOKE WAS EMITTING FROM THE DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR CONTROL PANEL. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 75,000.
Mileage: 75,000
20110218VISIBILITY
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 SATURN ION. THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE FRONT WINDSHIELD HAD CRACKED. THE MANUFACTURER ADVISED THE CONTACT TO TAKE THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED OR INSPECTED. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE UNKNOWN. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.
Compare 2008SATURNION to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations
EA11014Engineering AnalysisClosed
Electric Power Steering Failure
RQ10004Recall QueryClosed
Electric Power Steering Failure
PE09016Preliminary EvaluationClosed
OUTSIDE DOOR HANDLES STICK UNLATCHED
PE08061Preliminary EvaluationClosed
TIMING CHAIN BREAKS, ENGINE STALL
DP08002Defect PetitionClosed
TIMING CHAIN FAILURE-STALL
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 2008 SATURN ION have?▼
The 2008 SATURN ION has 4 NHTSA complaints, 1 crashes, 1 fires, 1 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 2008 SATURN ION?▼
The most-complained component for the 2008 SATURN ION is VISIBILITY with 1 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include ELECTRICAL SYSTEM and AIR BAGS.
Is the 2008 SATURN ION safe to buy?▼
Review the complaint history, crash and fire reports, safety ratings, and recall status on this page to make an informed decision. No NHTSA crash test rating is available for this model year. Compare with other model years using the links above.
Where does this data come from?▼
All complaint, recall, and safety rating data is sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Complaints are filed by vehicle owners through NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation.
Vehicle Safety Guides
Data vintage: August 2026. Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) complaints database, NHTSA recall campaign API, NHTSA NCAP crash-test ratings, and NHTSA FARS for fatality cross-reference.
Every figure on PlainCars is rendered directly from NHTSA complaint and safety data, no number is typed in by an editor. This year-specific record is rendered from NHTSA ODI, recall, and NCAP rows for the 2008 SATURN ION; no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of August 2026.
Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.