2007 Saturn ION Air Bags Problems

Source: NHTSA · Updated Apr 17, 2026 · 65 complaints analyzed

Owners have filed 65 complaints with NHTSA about air bags problems on the 2007 Saturn ION, 7% of all complaints for this model year. Half of the reports with a mileage happened before 66,000 miles. The words owners use most often: “air bag” (32% of reports).

What owners describe

Phrases that appear unusually often in these complaints compared with complaints about other cars.

  • Air bag: mentioned in 21 of 65 complaints (32%)
  • Ignition switch: mentioned in 13 of 65 complaints (20%)
  • Bags electrical: mentioned in 9 of 65 complaints (14%)
  • Smd consumer: mentioned in 7 of 65 complaints (11%)

At what mileage do air bags problems happen?

Based on 44 complaints that reported the odometer reading.

Under 10k miles3 · 7%
10k–25k miles4 · 9%
25k–50k miles8 · 18%
50k–75k miles11 · 25%
75k–100k miles10 · 23%
100k–150k miles6 · 14%
150k+ miles2 · 5%

How serious are the reports?

Of 65 complaints, 23 mention a crash, 14 an injury.

Saturn ION air bags complaints by model year

Peak: 2007, with 65 complaints
2003: 492003492004: 522004522005: 342005342006: 612006612007: 652007652008: 120081

n = 262 complaints · Source: NHTSA

Model yearAir Bags complaintsShare of that yearMedian miles
2008 ION125%82,000
2007 ION657%66,000
2006 ION615%79,413
2005 ION346%63,053
2004 ION526%55,000
2003 ION496%80,000

When owners reported it

Peak: 2014, with 34 complaints
2007: 1200712008: 5200852009: 1200912011: 3201132013: 4201342014: 342014342015: 7201572016: 1201612017: 2201722018: 3201832019: 3201932021: 120211

n = 65 complaints · Source: NHTSA

Related recalls (1)

Air bags; electrical system:ignition:switchFeb 10, 2014 · NHTSA campaign 14V047000 · 2,190,934 vehicles

Problem: This defect can affect the safe operation of the airbag system. Until this recall is performed, customers should remove all items from their key rings, leaving only the ignition key. The key fob (if applicable), should also be removed from the key ring. General Motors LLC (GM) notified the agency on February 10, 2014 that they are recalling 619,122 model year 2005-2007 Chevrolet Cobalt, and 2007 Pontiac G5 vehicles. On February 25, 2014, GM increased the recall to include an additional 748,024 model year 2006-2007 Chevrolet HHR and Pontiac Solstice vehicles and 2003-2007 Saturn Ion vehicles and 2007 Saturn Sky vehicles. In these models, the weight on the key ring and/or road conditions or some other jarring event may cause the ignition switch to move out of the run position, turning off the engine. On March 27, 2014, GM notified the agency that the defective ignition switches may have been used as service replacement parts on other vehicles, and as a result GM will be recalling certain model year 2008-2010 Chevrolet Cobalt, Saturn Sky, and Pontiac G5 and Solstice, and 2008-2011 Chevrolet HHR vehicles. The part numbers for the service parts are 10392423 (a/k/a ACDelco D1461F), 10392737, 15857948, 15854953, 15896640, and 25846762. This expansion represents an additional 823,788 vehicles.

Risk: If the key is not in the run position, the air bags may not deploy if the vehicle is involved in a crash, increasing the risk of injury.

Fix: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the ignition switch, free of charge. An interim notification was issued to owners of 2007 and earlier models on March 10, 2014, informing them of the safety defect. Owners of 2008 and later vehicles will be mailed an interim letter on April 21, 2014. All affected owners will receive another letter once parts are available. The recall began on April 18, 2014. Owners may contact Chevrolet at 1-800-222-1020, Pontiac at 1-800-762-2737 or Saturn at 1-800-553-6000. GM's number for the initial recall is 13454 and 14063 for the expansion. GM’s recall number for the vehicles that may have received the replacement parts is 14092. Note: Until the recall repairs have been performed, it is very important that customers remove all items from their key rings, leaving only the vehicle key. The key fob (if applicable), should also be removed from the key ring. Always wear your seatbelt.

What owners report

Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.

When i put the car in park the key dosent want to come out theres something wrong with the ignition. And the red air bag dosent shut off from the dashboard it stays red.

Received Jan 18, 2021 · NHTSA complaint 11388716

Tl* the contact owns a 2007 saturn ion. While driving, an unusual tapping noise was heard under the dashboard. The contact also mentioned that the front passenger seat air bag warning indicator flickered on and off. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The dealer and manufacturer were not…

Received Oct 23, 2019 · NHTSA complaint 11270531

Tl* the contact owns a 2007 saturn ion. The contact stated that the key became stuck in the ignition and was unable to be removed. The vehicle was not diagnosed by a dealer. The vin was included in nhtsa campaign numbers: 14v171000 (electrical system), 14v153000 (steering), and 14v047000 (air bags…

Received Jul 17, 2019 · NHTSA complaint 11232874
Saturn ION
2006 Saturn ION•2 Quad Coupe photographed in New Castle, Pennsylvania. Finished in Chili Pepper Red.. Representative photo; appearance varies by model year. Photo: MercurySable99, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

Frequently asked questions

Do all 2007 Saturn IONs have air bags problems?

No. NHTSA has 65 owner complaints about air bags for the 2007 Saturn ION (7% of the 876 complaints for this model year). Complaint data shows that the problem is reported, not how many of all cars sold are affected.

Was there a recall on the 2007 Saturn ION air bags?

Yes: 1 safety recall list air bags. Check your VIN on NHTSA.gov to see whether the fix was done on your car.

At what mileage do air bags problems start?

The median reported mileage is 66,000 miles: half of the reports with a mileage came before that.

What do owners say about air bags problems on the 2007 Saturn ION?

The most frequent phrase is “air bag”, in 21 of 65 complaints, followed by “ignition switch” (13).

Other 2007 Saturn ION problems

See all 2007 Saturn ION problems or air bags problems across all ION years.