TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 SATURN ION LEVEL 2. WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED, THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE POWER STEERING LIGHT ILLUMINATED INTERMITTENTLY AND THEN SHE LOST THE ABILITY TO CONTROL THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE BEGAN SIX WEEKS AGO. THE CONTACT DID NOT INFORM THE DEALER DUE TO DIAGNOSTIC TESTING AND REPAIR COST. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THERE WERE NO RELA…
2006 Saturn Ion steering problems
moderate 543 complaints filed with NHTSA · avg repair $700
Complaints
543
Recalls
0
Crashes
17
Avg fix
$700
What owners are reporting 9 most recent
2006 SATURN ION POWER STEERING FAILURE. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 SATURN ION. THE CONTACT STATED THAT AFTER A YEAR OF THE VEHICLE BEING REPAIRED UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V153000 (STEERING), THE POWER STEERING WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER. THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED THAT THE STEERING COLUMN ASSEMBLY AND STEERING MODULE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE…
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS 2006 SATURN ION II. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE POWER STEERING WOULD FAIL SPORADICALLY. THE CONTACT WOULD SHUT OFF THE ENGINE AND THE POWER STEERING ASSIST WOULD RESENT MOMENTARILY BEFORE THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN THE FAILURE WOULD OCCUR, IT WAS EXTREMELY DIFFICULT FOR HIM TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE…
APPARENTLY EITHER THE "NEW IGNITIONS" ARE ALSO FAULTY OR THE DEALERSHIP LIED ABOUT HAVING REPLACED IT AS THEY DID ABOUT HAVING COMPLETED THE 3RD RECALL REPAIRS (I'D RECEIVE A LETTER FROM GM SOME WEEKS LATER SAYING THE PARTS WERE NOW IN AND TO TAKE THE CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP TO HAVE THE WORK DONE). THIS EVENING AT ABOUT 5:35PM PACIFIC TIME I CAME HOME AND YET ONE MORE TIME THE KEY WOULD NOT COME OUT…
LUCKILY MY BROTHER IN LAW WAS DRIVING HIS MOTHERS CAR AT THE TIME. THEY WERE COMING BACK FROM THE GROCERY STORE WHEN THE STEERING TURNED INTO A 1955 MACK TRUCK AS HE DESCRIBED IT. WHEN THEY RETURNED WE LOOKED IT UP IN THE MANUAL AS BEING ELECTRIC. WHEN I RESTARTED THE CAR IT WAS WORKING OK, THEN I TOOK IT AROUND THE BLOCK AND IT WENT OUT AGAIN. I RESTARTED THE CAR AGAIN AND IT WAS OK AGAIN FOR ABO…
ELECTRIC POWER ASSIST STEERING FAILURE. EVERY STARTUP WITHIN 5 MINUTES OF STARTING AUTOMOBILE ELECTRIC POWER ASSIST FAILS AND CAR BECOMES VERY DIFFICULT TO STEER. VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN FIXED BECAUSE OF EXPENSE OF DEALERSHIP REPLACEMENT OF OVER 900 DOLLARS. *TR
I AM WRITING TO REPORT FRAUD BY ROSEVILLE CHEVROLET. THIS IS IN REGARDS TO THE SATURN RECALL OF THE ELECTRIC POWER STEERING #14115. EVIDENTLY THE DEALERSHIP, ROSEVILLE CHEVROLET HAS SUBMITTED A CLAIM THAT THEY HAVE REPAIRED THIS DEFECT. THEY HAVE NOT. I HAD TAKEN MY CAR IN FOR THE FIRST TWO RECALLS. THE PARTS FOR THE THIRD WERE NOT IN YET. I TOLD THE SERVICE MANAGER TO KEEP MY CAR UNTIL THEY …
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 SATURN ION. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 20 MPH AND VEERING RIGHT, A WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED AND "POWER STEERING" ILLUMINATED ON THE MESSAGE BOARD. THE POWER STEERING FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN TO THE DEALER AND THE POWER STEERING UNIT WAS REPLACED; HOWEVER, THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 48,297.
Common questions
How serious is the steering problem on the 2006 Saturn Ion?
It's a documented issue but not catastrophic. 543 complaints have been filed. Repairs average $700 and most owners catch it before it causes a breakdown.
At what mileage does the steering typically fail?
Mileage data is limited for this issue. Owners report failures across a wide range, suggesting cause is more about driving conditions and maintenance than mileage alone.
What does it cost to fix?
Independent shops typically charge around $700 for steering repairs on this vehicle. Dealer pricing tends to run 20-40% higher. The exact figure depends on the specific failure mode, parts availability, and your local labor rates. If you're outside factory warranty, an extended service contract often covers this category.
Are there any recalls related to steering?
No active recalls currently cover steering issues on this vehicle. The complaints filed represent owner-reported failures that haven't risen to the level of a manufacturer-issued recall — but they're still worth knowing about before you buy or budget for repairs.
Other problem areas on this vehicle
Complaint and recall data sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
public records database. Severity ratings are derived from reported crashes, fires, injuries, and fatalities.
Repair cost estimates are independent-shop national averages and may differ in your area.
Some links on this page are affiliate links.