2004 Saturn ION Air Bags Problems

NHTSA component category: AIR BAGS · data through 07/12/2026

42Air Bags complaints

4.7%Of all 898 complaints

#5Most-reported category

Source: U.S. NHTSA complaint data. Complaints are unverified reports from vehicle owners — a complaint is not a confirmed defect.

How air bags ranks on this vehicle

STEERING323 · 36%

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM233 · 25.9%

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION47 · 5.2%

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH44 · 4.9%

AIR BAGS42 · 4.7%

Share of the 898 complaints citing each category; one complaint can cite several. Full breakdown on the 2004 Saturn ION overview page.

What owners report

“DRIVING CAR IN FRONT STOPS FAST. I TURN TO MISS BUT NOT ENOUGH, SO WE CRASHED. NO AIR BAG COME ON, NO MOTOR KILL, NO…”NHTSA complaint 10171522 — filed 10/22/2006

“VEHICLE INVOLVED IN A CRASH AND AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE CONSUMERS DAUGHTER WAS INVOLVED IN 2 INCIDENTS WITH THIS VEHICLE. THE DAUGHTER WAS…”NHTSA complaint 10079846 — filed 06/23/2004

Excerpts are shortened and scrubbed of personal details; they are individual, unverified reports.

Air Bags complaints by year filed

Frequently asked questions

Does the 2004 Saturn ION have air bags problems?

Air Bags is the #5 most-reported problem area on the 2004 Saturn ION: 42 of 898 complaints on file (4.7%). Complaints are unverified owner reports, not confirmed defects.

How many complaints does the 2004 Saturn ION have in total?

898 complaints were on file with NHTSA as of 07/12/2026. Across all categories, 51 involved a crash, 4 involved a fire, 35 reported injuries, and 3 reported deaths.

What does NHTSA's air bags category include?

NHTSA assigns each complaint to standard component categories; this page reports the AIR BAGS category exactly as NHTSA defines and records it.

About this data — Complaint figures on this page are consumer reports submitted to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), a U.S. government agency. NHTSA does not verify individual complaints; a complaint is not proof that a defect exists, and counts reflect what owners chose to report, not confirmed failure rates. Recall information comes from official NHTSA safety recall campaigns; recall repairs are free at authorized dealers. Always check your specific vehicle by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. CarModelProblems.com is an independent site and is not affiliated with NHTSA or any vehicle manufacturer. Data through 07/12/2026.