Steering. Review the 265 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Electrical System. Review the 227 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Air Bags. Review the 34 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

31 crash reports4 fire reports13 injury reports

Steering complaints

265 reports

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170,000 miles · Sep 29, 2015

Electrical SystemEngineSteering

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CASE # 8-1587665159 - 2005 SATURN ION ... I CANNOT GET ANY HELP WITH THIS VEHICLE AND I HAVE GONE THROUGH ALL THE CHANNELS. THE CAR DEALERSHIP STATED THE IGNITION AND POWER STEERING MOTOR WAS REPLACED,YET, I HAVE RECEIVED NO PAPERWORK STATING THIS WAS DONE. IGNITION WAS REPLACED. IF THE POWER STEERING MOTOR WAS REPLACED, IT WENT OUT AGAIN WHILE I WAS OUT OF TOWN, HAD A GARAGE REPLACE IT ALONG WITH THE MODULE BUT IT ALSO WENT OUT. TOOK IT BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP AS PAPERWORK FROM GM STATED I SHOULD DO BUT THEY WOULDN'T HONOR IT BECAUSE IT WAS A USED PART. PREVIOUSLY, THE GAS LINES HAD TO BE REPLACED AS ONE COULD SMELL GAS EVERYWHERE AROUND THE VEHICLE. I HAVE BEEN TOLD BY A GM REP THAT THE CAR IS OLDER WITH A LOT OF MILEAGE AND PROBLEMS WILL HAPPEN BUT GM OFFICIALS KNEW ABOUT SOME OF THESE ISSUES WHEN THE CAR FIRST CAME OUT ... THEY DID NOTHING FOR 10 YEARS. THE POWER STEERING CONSTANTLY GOES OUT, SOMETIMES WITHOUT A WARNING OR SOMETIMES WITH CHIMES. I AM A 68-YEAR-OLD HEART PATIENT THAT HAS TO DRIVE A VEHICLE KNOWING AT ANY MOMENT THE POWER STEERING WILL GO OUT AND I COULD CRASH, YET, GM STATES PULL THE CAR OFF THE ROAD, TURN IT OFF AND BACK ON AND IT SHOULD BE OKAY. THIS IS NOT TRUE. I AM NOT ABLE TO STEER THIS VEHICLE WITH MANUAL TRANSMISSION EVEN THOUGH GM STATES, STEERING CONTROL CAN BE MAINTAINED, AS THE VEHICLE WILL REVERT TO A MANUAL STEERING MODE, BUT WOULD REQUIRE GREATER DRIVER EFFORT AT LOW VEHICLE SPEEDS, WHICH COULD RESULT IN AN INCREASED RISK OF A CRASH. " I PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE LAST YEAR AND HAD NO CLUE ABOUT THE RECALLS. OR PERHAPS GM HAD NOT ADMITTED TO THEM YET. I HAVE NO CHOICE BUT TO DRIVE THIS VEHICLE AS IS AS IT IS THE ONLY MODE OF TRANSPORTATION THAT I HAVE.

NHTSA ODI #10778564

78,000 miles · Sep 28, 2015

Steering

POWER STEERING COMPLETELY FAILED WHILE CAR WAS MOVING. NO WARNING LIGHTS CAME ON.

NHTSA ODI #10778245

200,000 miles · Jun 25, 2015

Electrical SystemFuel/propulsion SystemSteering

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 SATURN ION. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE HESITATED UPON TURNING THE KEY IN THE IGNITION AND AN ABNORMAL NOISE WAS PRESENT. THE CONTACT HAD TO TURN THE VEHICLE OFF AND RESET THE COMPUTER BY RESTARTING THE VEHICLE EACH TIME THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR A MANUFACTURER RECALL AND THEY REPAIRED THE VEHICLE FOR THE IGNITION SWITCH FAILURE. THE CONTACT ALSO NOTICED STRONG FUMES EMITTING FROM OUTSIDE AND INSIDE THE VEHICLE AND IT IDLED ROUGHLY. THE DEALER DID NOT DIAGNOSE THE FUEL SYSTEM FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS ALSO INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V153000 (STEERING) MONTHS AGO AND WAS UNABLE TO DETERMINE WHEN THE RECALL REPAIR WOULD BE PERFORMED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURES. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 200,000.

NHTSA ODI #10730423

Mileage unknown · Feb 17, 2015

Electrical SystemSteering

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 SATURN ION. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. IN ADDITION, THE POWER STEERING FAILED TO OPERATE ONCE THE VEHICLE WAS RESTARTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBERS: 14V171000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM) AND 14V153000 (STEERING); HOWEVER, THE PARTS TO DO THE REPAIR WERE UNAVAILABLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNAVAILABLE.

NHTSA ODI #10683908

118,000 miles · Feb 13, 2015

Electrical SystemEngineSteering

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 SATURN ION. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED UNDER SPECIAL POLICY 10187 AT THE DEALER. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH, THE VEHICLE COMPLETELY SHUT OFF AND THE POWER STEERING WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE FAILURE RECURRED ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE ELECTRONIC POWER STEERING CONTROL MODULE FAILED, THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED AND THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 118,000. UPDATED 4/13/15*CN UPDATED 9/20/2017*CN

NHTSA ODI #10683273

150,000 miles · Feb 6, 2015

Equipment Adaptive/mobilitySteeringUnknown Or Other

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TOOK MY SATURN 2005 TO INTEGRITY CHEVROLET IN CHATTANOOGA, TN 4235359455 ACCORDING TO INSTRUCTIONS ON RECALL LETTER (13454) AND RECEIVED A RENTAL (WAS TOLD IT COULD TAKE WEEKS ) 2 DAYS LATER GOT A MESSAGE THAT MY CAR WAS MIRACULOUSLY FIXED. JOSH BAUGH STATED MY CAR WAS READY AND REPAIRED.CONFUSED, WENT TO GET MY CAR AND UPON ARRIVING AT MY HOME, THE KEY WOULDN'T COME OUT OF THE IGNITION AGAIN.CONTACTED JOSH BAUGH AGAIN AND HE SAID TO BRING THE CAR BY WHEN I GOT A CHANCE.RECEIVED A CALL FROM GM STATING THE PART FOR MY CAR WAS IN AND TO BRING THE CAR TO BE REPAIRED.WAS JUST TOLD BY THE WONDERFUL DEALERSHIP CAR WAS REPAIRED. TOOK MY CAR BACK AND NO REPAIRS HAD BEEN DONE.THEY LIED. LEFT MY CAR AGAIN AND ABOUT A WEEK LATER THEY CALL AND I GO TO PICK IT UP.TOLD ME THE BATTERY WAS DEAD I NEEDED TO BUY ANOTHER ONE I DONT THINK SO BECAUSE THEY WERE THE ONES THAT RAN THE BATTERY DOWN BY LEAVING THE KEY IN THE IGNITION (I JUST HAPPENED TO STOP BY GOT SOMETHING OUT OF MY CAR A DAY AFTER I LEFT IT OPENED THE DOOR THERE WAS THE KEY STILL STUCK IN THE IGNITION.I ALSO SUBMITTED RECEIPTS IN JUNE OF 2014 FOR IGNITION REPLACEMENT FOR THE SAME CAR. NO RESPONSE RESUBMITTED RECEIPTS DEC 2014 JOSH BAUGH EMAIL NEEDED THE ORIGINAL RECEIPTS.FEBRUARY 5TH 2015 TOOK THE RECEIPTS AND SAID THE RECEIPTS NEEDED TO HAVE THE VIN # BUT THEY COULD SEE IT HAD MY NAME AND 2005 SATURN AND THE IGNITION HAD TO REPLACED BY LOCK AND KEY COMP BECAUSE KEY WAS STUCK AND RUN BATTERY DOWN (AT 10:30 AT NIGHT)THEY COULD WRITE THE VIN # IN FOR ME. TO MY SURPRISE (NOT REALLY) A MESSAGE THE REIMBURSEMENT COULDN'T BE DONE BECAUSE WASN'T A VIN # ON RECEIPT ITS NOT LIKE WE ARE ALL TRYING TO GET REIMBURSED FOR SOMETHING WE DIDN'T PAY FOR OR SOME GOVERNMENT BAILOUT!I AM CONTACTING YOU TO LET YOU KNOW THIS DEALERSHIP LIED AND CONTINUES TO TRY TO PREVENT CUSTOMERS FROM RECEIVING THE PROMISES OF THE RECALL. *JS

NHTSA ODI #10681663

135,000 miles · Jan 7, 2015

Air BagsSeat BeltsSteeringCrash

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I WAS DRIVING MY CAR AND A DEER RAN OUT IN FRONT OF ME, I WAS ABLE TO MISS THAT ONE BUT ANOTHER ONE CAME OUT AND I HIT IT. IT HIT SO HARD AND MY STEERING WAS HARD LIKE A CAR WITHOUT POWER STEERING AND THE BRAKES WERE LIKE THAT TOO. THE AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY NOR DID THE SAFETY BELTS CATCH ME AND MY GRANDDAUGHTER. IT DID $3500.00 WORTH OF DAMAGE TO MY CAR AND MY HEAD SLAMMED UP AGAINST THE DRIVER WINDOW, MY GRANDDAUGHTER WAS IN HER CARSEAT BUT I HAD IT IN THE FRONT SEAT SO IT RELEASED THE CARSEAT. SHE HAD BRUISES AND A BLACK EYE, AND NOW 3 YEARS LATER, THAT SAME EYE IS CAUSING HER PROBLEMS SEEING. EVERYDAY I FEEL SO BAD BECAUSE SHE WAS IN MY SATURN THAT NIGHT. PEOPLE ASKED ME OVER AND OVER WHAT ABOUT YOUR AIRBAGS, ETC. I NEVER KNEW WHAT TO SAY UNTIL I STARTED GETTING THE RECALLS AND REALIZED WHAT GM HAD KNOWN ALL ALONG ABOUT MY IGNITION. THIS YEAR MY CAR GOT STUCK IN THE RUN POSITION AND I CALLED THE DEALERSHIP AND WAS TOLD THEY WERE GONE FOR THE DAY. I UNHOOKED THE BATTERY CABLES AND THE CAR STILL WOULD NOT TURN OFF. FINALLY AFTER TOTAL DISGUST, ALL OF A SUDDEN THE ANTIFREEZE OVERFLOW TANK LID POPPED OFF AND SHOT ANTIFREEZE EVERYWHERE, IT JUST BARELY MISSED MY GRANDDAUGHTER AND MYSELF. THE DEALERSHIP COYLE CHEVROLET OF CLARSKVILLE IN CAME AND PICKED UP THE CAR, AND IN THE PROCESS RIPPED THE WIND SHIELD FOR THE SUNROOF OFF, AND CALLED ME TO TELL ME MY CAR NOW HAD A NOISE IN THE LOWER END OF THE ENGINE AND IT WOULD BE $600.00 AND UP. THEY TEST DROVE IT, AND TOLD ME THERE WAS NO ANTIFREEZE IN IT. I HAD ALREADY TOLD THEM WHAT HAPPENED. GM AND COYLE BOTH SAY SORRY THE IGNITION IS THE ORIGINAL REASON FOR THE ENGINE THAT IS NOW LOCKED UP AFTER I WAS TOLD I HAD TO COME GET IT OR I WOULD BE CHARGED A STORAGE FEE LOCKED UP ON ME ON THE EXPRESSWAY HOME. THAT WAS IN SEPTEMBER AND I STILL HAVE NOTHING AND THEY WON'T HELP. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10670847

99,700 miles · Jan 2, 2015

Steering

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GM SENT A RECALL NOTICE FOR THE POWER STEERING MOTOR FAILING SO I TOOK THE CAR IN FOR SERVICE. ( 2005 SATURN ION 2 ) UP UNTIL REPLACING THE MOTOR WE HADN'T HAD ANY PROBLEMS. WITHIN THREE DAYS OF REPLACING THE MOTOR THE POWER STEERING WENT OUT WHILE DRIVING THROUGH A PARKING LOT. NOW THE GM DEALER WANTS $900 TO REPLACE THE MODULE IN THE STEERING COLUMN. THIS IS A DANGEROUS PROBLEM. IF THE POWER STEERING GOES OUT WHILE CHANGING LANES OR TURNING AROUND A CORNER AND YOU UNEXPECTEDLY LOSE THE POWER STEERING YOU COULD VERY EASILY WRECK. I'VE LOOKED THROUGH THE NHTSA COMPLAINTS AND THIS ISN'T AN ISOLATED ISSUE. OTHER POWER STEERING MOTOR REPLACEMENTS HAVE POWER STEERING MODULE FAILURES SOON AFTER THE MOTOR REPLACEMENT. IT'S TIME FOR NHTSA TO DEMAND GM ISSUE A RECALL FOR THIS OBVIOUS DANGEROUS CONDITION. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10669675

97,000 miles · Dec 30, 2014

Steering

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I TOOK MY CAR IN FOR A RECALL ON THE STEERING AND THE SAID THEY REPLACED THE ELECTRIC STEERING MOTOR. IT STILL HAD NO STEERING . THE GM DEALER SAID IT WAS 58.00 TO TELL ME WHAT WAS WRONG, THE DEALER CAME BACK AND SAID THAT IT WAS THE STEERING MODULE WAS BAD. GM CUSTOMER SERVICE SAYS THE MODULE IS COVERED BUT THE GM DEALER WONT REPLACE IT BECAUSE THEY SAY THAT THE MODULE IS PART OF THE STEERING COLUMN AND ITS ON COVERED FOR THE STEERING COLUMN. I HAVE BEEN GOING ROUND AND ROUND FOR 30 DAYS AND NO AVAIL. I NEED SOME HELP. I AM SENDING THIS FOR MY STEP-DAUGHTER [XXX] WHO IS THE OWNER. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6) *JS

NHTSA ODI #10669183

Mileage unknown · Dec 8, 2014

Steering

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 SATURN ION. THE CONTACT RECEIVED A NOTIFICATION FOR NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V153000 (STEERING) AND STATED THAT THE PARTS NEEDED FOR THE REPAIR WERE NOT AVAILABLE. THE DEALER PROVIDED AN UNREASONABLE TIMEFRAME TO SCHEDULE THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND COULD NOT PROVIDE A REASON…

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NHTSA ODI #10662970

Official recalls

14V171000 · Electrical System:ignition

Apr 10, 2014

General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2005-2010 Chevrolet Cobalt, 2006-2011 Chevrolet HHR, 2007-2010 Pontiac G5, 2006-2010 Pontiac Solstice, 2003-2007 Saturn Ion, and 2007-2010 Saturn Sky vehicles. In the affected vehicles, the key can be removed from the ignition when the ignition is not in the "Off" position.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: If the key can be removed from the ignition when the ignition is not in the "off" position, the vehicle could roll away: (a) for an automatic transmission, if the transmission is not in the "Park" position; or (b) for a manual transmission, if the parking brake is not engaged and the transmission is not in the "Reverse" position. This potential for rollaway increases the risk for a crash and occupant or pedestrian injuries.

Remedy: General Motors will notify owners, and for vehicles that were built with the defective ignition cylinder and have not previously had the ignition cylinder replaced with the redesigned part, dealers will replace the ignition cylinder and cut and, if necessary, re-learn two ignition/door keys for each vehicle. For vehicles that were built with the redesigned ignition cylinder or had the ignition cylinder replaced with the redesigned part, dealers will cut and, if necessary, re-learn two ignition/door keys for each vehicle. The recall began on April 18, 2014. Chevrolet owners may contact General Motors at 1-800-222-1020, Pontiac owners at 1-800-762-2737, and Saturn owners at 1-800-553-6000. General Motors' number for this recall is 14113 for the ignition lock cylinder and key replacement, and 14133 for only key replacements. Note: Until a vehicle has been remedied, owners and operators are advised that when exiting, to be sure that the vehicle is in "Park," or in the case of a manual transmission, that the vehicle is in the "Reverse" position and the parking brake is engaged.

14V153000 · Steering:electric Power Assist System

Mar 31, 2014

General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2004-2006 and 2008-2009 Chevrolet Malibu, 2004-2006 Malibu Maxx, 2009-2010 HHR (non-turbo), 2010 Cobalt, 2008-2009 Saturn Aura and 2004-2007 Ion, and 2005-2009 Pontiac G6. In the affected vehicles, there may be a sudden loss of electric power steering (EPS) assist that could occur at any time while driving.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: If power steering assist is lost, greater driver effort would be required to steer the vehicle at low speeds, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will perform one of four bulletins. Parts are not currently available. GM expects to send an interim notification around May 28, 2014. When parts are available, owners will be mailed a second letter to come in to have the applicable bulletin applied. Bulletin 14115 covers model year 2004-2007 Saturn Ion, 2009-2010 Chevrolet HHR and 2010 Chevrolet Cobalts. Dealers will replace the EPS motor. Bulletin 14116 covers model year 2004-2006 Chevrolet Malibu and Malibu Maxx, 2005-2006 Pontiac G6 and 2008-2009 Chevrolet Malibu, Pontiac G6 and Saturn Aura built from March 1, 2008, through June 27, 2008. Dealers will replace the torque sensor assembly. Bulletin 14117 covers model year 2008 Chevrolet Malibu, Pontiac G6 and Saturn Aura built from February 1, 2008, through February 28, 2008. Dealers will replace the torque sensor assembly and EPS motor controller unit. Bulletin 14118 covers model year 2008 Chevrolet Malibu, Pontiac G6 and Saturn Aura built from October 1, 2007, through January 31, 2008. Dealers will replace the EPS motor controller unit. The recall began on July 17, 2014. Owners may contact Chevrolet at 1-800-630-2438, Saturn at 1-800-553-6000, and Pontiac at 1-800-620-7668. GM's number for this recall is N140115. Note: GM bulletin number 14119 will be implemented for model year 2006-2008 and early production of 2009 Chevrolet HHR (non-turbo) and model year 2003 Saturn ION to provide EPS Motor replacement for the life of the vehicle.

14V047000 · Air Bags; Electrical System:ignition:switch

Feb 10, 2014

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.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: 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.

Remedy: 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. GMs 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.

Additional source detail variants (2)

Air Bags

Consequence: 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.

Remedy: 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. GMs 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.

Electrical System:ignition:switch

Consequence: 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.

Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗

NHTSA investigations

EA11014 · Electric Power Steering Failure

Opened Sep 29, 2011 · Closed Apr 15, 2014

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Steering:electric Power Assist System

On March 31, 2014, General Motors Company (GM) submitted a Defect Information Report (DIR) to NHTSA describing a safety defect that may result in a sudden loss of power steering assist in approximately 1,340,447 model year (MY) 2004 through 2010 vehicles equipped with electric power steering (EPS), including 334,728 MY 2004 through 2007 Saturn ION vehicles that are the subject of EA11-014.GM has assigned the recall number N140115.The NHTSA recall number is 14V-153.According to the DIR, if power steering assist is lost, a message is displayed on the Driver Information Center and a chime sounds to inform the driver.GM indicated that steering control can be maintained in manual (unassisted) steering mode, but would require greater driver effort at low vehicle speeds, which could increase the risk of a crash.Sudden loss of power steering assist can occur in the subject vehicles if the system loses electrical power or whenever the system detects a fault that requires it to enter fail-safe operation mode, removing power from the EPS motor.GM?s DIR identifies three basic conditions that may result in loss of power steering assist in the recalled vehicles:power steering motor faults, torque sensor assembly faults, and power steering motor controller unit faults.GM will issue four service bulletins providing different repair procedures for recalled vehicles.Bulletin 14115 will provide repair instructions for replacing the power steering motor in MY 2004-2007 Saturn ION, 2009-2010 Chevrolet HHR (non-turbo), 2010 Chevrolet Cobalt and vehicles repaired in recall 10V-073 that received repairs prior to May 31, 2010.Bulletin 14116 will provide repair instructions for replacing the torque sensor assembly in MY 2004-2006 Chevrolet Malibu and Malibu Maxx, 2005-2006 Pontiac G6 and 2008-2009 Malibu, Pontiac G6 and Saturn Aura vehicles built from March 1, 2008 through June 27, 2008.Bulletin 14117 will provide repair instructions for replacing the torque sensor assembly and power steering motor controller unit in MY 2008 Malibu, G6 and Aura vehicles built from February 1, 2008 through February 28, 2008.Bulletin 14118 will provide repair instructions for replacing the power steering motor controller unit in MY 2008 Malibu, G6 and Aura vehicles built from October 1, 2007 through January 31, 2008.Analysis of information from all sources identified a total of 4,787 complaints and 30,560 warranty claims related to loss of power steering assist while driving in the MY 2004 through 2007 Saturn ION vehicles, resulting in a complaint rate of 14.3 incidents per thousand vehicles and a warranty claim rate of 9.1 percent.ODI?s analysis of alleged steering related crashes identified 12 with evidence indicating the incident was related to a loss of power steering assist. Two of the crash allegations involved low-speed curb impacts and are excluded from the resume crash count.Three incidents occurred in parking lots, six occurred while turning at street intersections, and one occurred on a highway exit ramp.The crashes in parking lots or intersections all occurred at speeds less than 30 mph.The crash on the highway exit ramp involved impact into a guard rail at approximately 35 mph.Two of the crashes resulted in injuries to the drivers.This investigation is closed.All ODI complaints associated with this closing resume are listed in the attachment pages.

Additional source detail variants (2)

Steering:electric Power Assist System

RQ10004 · Electric Power Steering Failure

Opened Dec 15, 2010 · Closed Oct 5, 2011

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Steering; Steering:electric Power Assist System

ODI has received 846 complaints and GM identified 3,489 reports alleging sudden loss of steering power assist in model year (MY) 2004 through 2007 Saturn Ion vehicles manufactured and sold by General Motors Corporation (GM).Sixteen of these complaints alleged that the EPS warning lamp had illuminated before or during the loss of steering assist and the increased steering effort contributed to a crash. Two of the GM crash claims indicated that the driver was injured in the crash. In a previous Preliminary Evaluation PE10-005, ODI investigated the sudden loss of power steering assist in MY 2005 through 2010 Chevrolet Cobalt vehicles. In May 2011, in response to an ODI information request letter for RQ10-004, GM provided ODI with complaint, warranty and EPS system information related to EPS loss of assist for the Saturn ION and Peer vehicles Pontiac G6 and Chevrolet Malibu. In that response, GM indicated that the EPS system used in the subject vehicles was the same as that used in the MY2005 to 2010 Chevrolet Cobalt and Pontiac G5. In March 2010, GM recalled approximately 1.05 million Chevrolet Cobalt and Pontiac G5 vehicles (NHTSA recall no. 10V-073) to correct a defect with the EPS assist motor. The defect identified was described as a buildup of brush debris mixed with oily material on the EPS electric motor armature which causes the motor to stop functioning; the same problem identified in the current subject vehicles.ODI has duplicated this failure in both a Chevrolet Cobalt and Saturn Ion previously tested at the Vehicle Research and Test Center (VRTC). In the defect notification letter for the previously recalled Cobalt and G5 vehicles, GM stated that the vehicles may experience a sudden loss of assist that could occur at any time while driving and that if power steering was lost the vehicle would revert to manual steering mode and would require increased steering effort from the driver.ODI believes that, depending on driving circumstances this increase in steering effort could result in some loss of control and a crash.This investigation has been upgraded to an engineering analysis (EA11-014) to further assess the frequency, scope and safety consequences of a sudden loss of steering assist in the subject vehicles.

Additional source detail variants (2)

Steering:electric Power Assist System

Steering