There are 16 owner-reported lighting complaints for the 2005 Saturn Ionin NHTSA's database. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
Headlights are to deem even on high beems.cant see anything coming or the on coming traffic can't see me coming.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 SATURN ION. THE CONTACT STATED THAT UPON ACTIVATION OF THE HEADLIGHTS, THE HEADLIGHTS WERE DIM CAUSING POOR FORWARD VISIBILITY WHILE DRIVING AT NIGHT OR IN LOW LIGHT CONDITIONS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER OR AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC TO BE DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER HAD NOT BEEN NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. UPON INVESTIGATION, THE CONTACT DISCOVERED NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 09E012000 (EXTERIOR LIGHTING) HOWEVER, THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 80,000.
THE DRL AND TAIL LIGHTS FLICKER AT HIGH SPEED WHEN CAR IS RUNNING!
A FEW YEARS AGO MY LEFT TURN SIGNAL WENT OUT FOR THE FIRST TIME BUT I JUST REPLACED IT WHICH TOOK A FEW TRYS BEFORE IT ACTUALLY WORKED, OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS I HAVE HAD MORE PROBLEMS WITH THAT TURN SIGNAL WORKING. EVERYTIME I HAVE TO REPLACE IT, IT IS A HASSLE TRYING TO GET IT TO WORK FOR IT TO ONLY GO OUT AGAIN WITHIN A WEEK OR TWO. I AM OUT THERE AGAIN TODAY REPLACING THIS THING. I HAVE READ ABOUT RECALLS ON 2004 IONS, HAVE THERE NOT BEEN ANY FOR THIS PROBLEM FOR THE 2005? *TR
THE RIGHT FRONT TURN SIGNAL DOES NOT LIGHT OR BLINK WHEN THE LEVER IS PRESSED DOWN. THE REAR RIGHT SIGNAL WORKS AS DO THE FRONT AND REAR TURN SIGNALS. I FEEL THIS IS A SAFETY HAZARD. MY DEALER SAYS WE WILL HAVE TO REPLACE THE COMMAND MODULE AT A COST OF @ $1400. *TR
MY RIGHT TURN SIGNAL FLASHES FAST AND WILL NOT WORK. I CHANGED THE BULB THE SAME PROBLEM NOBODY SEEM TO KNOW WHAT TO DO ABOUT THIS , FROM THE AMOUNT OF COMPLAINTS I THINK G M NEED TO FIX THIS PROBLEM. *TR
SINCE THE RECALL ON THE SATURN 2005 ION, I'M WONDERING IF THERE EVER WAS A RECALL BECAUSE OF THE LIGHTING SYSTEM IN THE SATURN 2005 ION? I FEEL LIKE I HAD TO HAVE ALLOT OF SERVICES DONE ON THE LIGHTING SYSTEM. ALL OF THIS STARTED AFTER I HAD RESTORATION PERFORMED TO THE HEADLIGHTS - 7/2/12 7/18/12 - RIGHT FRONT DIRECTIONAL SIGNAL OUT 9/4/12 - RIGHT FRONT TURN SIGNAL BURNT REPL SOCKET - BOTH TURN SIGNALS INOP 11/8/12 - LEFT HEADLAMP BULB REPL 11/13/13 - RIGHT BRAKE LAMP REPL. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 SATURN ION. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FRONT TURN SIGNALS FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER TO HAVE A DIAGNOSTIC PERFORMED, WHICH LOCATED THE FAILURE AT THE BODY CONTROL MODULE. THE DEALER ADVISED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 04V547000 (EXTERIOR LIGHTING). THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 99,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 111,000.
DRIVER SIDE DIRECTIONAL STOPPED WORKING. CHANGED BULB STILL DID NOT WORK. TOOK TO SATURN DEALER SAID THEY HAD TO ORDER A PART FOR $185 TO FIX THE PROBLEM. FIND THAT THE 2003 & 2004 IONS WERE RECALLED FOR THE SAME PROBLEM BUT NOT THE 2005. BELIEVE THE 2005 WAS MANUFACTURED IN 2004 SO SHOULD HAVE THE SAME PARTS AS THE 2004. WHY WAS THE 2005 NOT RECALLED ALSO IF IT HAS THE SAME PROBLEM. *TR
LEFT TURN SIGNAL DOES NOT WORK EVEN WITH NEW BULB. *TR
2005 SATURN ION TURN SIGNAL LIGHTS STOPPED BLINKING, BUT LAMPS NOT BURNED OUT. GM DEALER RECOMMENDS REPLACEMENT OF THE BODY CONTROL MODULE AND EXTENSIVE AND COSTLY REPAIR! CAN'T FIND PARTS. CANNOT PROPERLY OPERATE VEHICLE WITH EXPIRED INSPECTION STICKER REQUIRED IN LA. *TR
2005 SATURN ION. FRONT AND BACK BLINKERS WILL NOT BLINK. I HAVE REPLACED ALL BULBS AND ENTIRE LIGHT ASSEMBLIES. THE VEHICLE IS NOT INSPECTABLE BECAUSE IT HAS TO HAVE ALL LIGHTS WORKING. THIS HAS BEEN AN INTERMITTENT PROBLEM AND THE CAUSE OF THE LIGHT FAILURE IS UNKNOWN. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN WITH AN AUTO MECHANIC/ELECTRICIAN FOR OVER 2 WEEKS NOW AND IS VERY FRUSTRATING AND UNACCEPTABLE. SATURN HAS TO FIND A WAY TO REPAIR THE PROBLEM AT THEIR COST. IT SHOULD NOT BE THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE CUSTOMER TO HAVE THE PROBLEM REPAIRED, BECAUSE IT IS OBVIOUSLY AN INTERNAL MALFUNCTION. NOT ONLY HAVE I HEARD SEVERAL COMPLAINTS REGARDING THE SATURN AND THE DIFFICULTY IN FINDING REPAIR PARTS, BUT TO FIND SOMEONE WILLING TO WORK ON THEM IS NOT EASY EITHER. THIS HAS BEEN AN ONGOING EXPENSE THAT APPEARS TO BE NEVER ENDING . THESE VEHICLES SHOULD BE TAKEN OFF THE ROADS FOR THE SAFETY OF THE DRIVERS AND THEIR PASSENGERS, AS WELL AS OTHER DRIVERS ON THE ROAD, DUE TO THE UNEXPECTED AND UNKNOWING EVENTS OF WHEN AND WHAT WILL MALFUNCTION AT ANY GIVEN TIME. I ALSO FEEL THAT THE VALUE OF THE VEHICLE SHOULD BE REFUNDED TO EACH CUSTOMER AS AN "ALLOWANCE" TO PUT TOWARDS THE PURCHASE OF A SAFER VEHICLE. THIS IS A SERIOUS SITUATION AND SHOULD BE INVESTIGATED TO THE FULLEST BY THE NHTSA IMMEDIATELY. *TR
SIMILAR TO THE 04 SATURN IONS, MY 2005 ION HAS THE SAME FRONT TURN SIGNAL PROBLEM. THE BULB QUITS FLASHING, BUT IS NOT BURNED OUT, IT IS LOSING CONTACT IN THE SOCKET. I CALLED SATURN, BUT THEY DO NOT HAVE A RECALL FOR MY VIN, BIT IT IS THE EXACT SAME PROBLEM AS WITH THE 04. *TR
FRONT DIRECTIONAL SOMETIMES WORK AND SOMETIMES DON'T. AT TIMES IT IS LEFT SIDE OTHER TIMES RIGHT SIDE. BOTH 2003 & 2004 MODEL YEARS OF SATURN ION HAVE IDENTICAL PROBLEM WHICH HAS BEEN RECALLED BUT I HAVE A 2005 AND DEALER AND SATURN CORPORATE SAY THEY CAN'T HELP UNTIL 2005 IS ADDED TO RECALL. *TR
TURN SIGNAL LIGHTS BURNED OUT THEN DIDN'T BURN OUT, BUT STILL DO NOT WORK *AK
HEADLIGHT ON MY 2005 SATURN ION LEAKS. WATER CONDENSATION FORMS ON THE INSIDE OF THE HEADLIGHT. *NM
Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA. A high complaint count may reflect vehicle popularity, not defect severity. Data sourced from NHTSA public records.
Data synced from NHTSA on Apr 26, 2026