2004 Saturn Ion vs 2004 Volvo S40
Complaints, recalls, TSBs, investigations and safety ratings side by side, from official federal data. Last verified Aug 7, 2026. Raw complaint counts are not adjusted for sales volume.
| Metric | 2004 Saturn Ion | 2004 Volvo S40 |
|---|---|---|
| NHTSA complaints | 898 | 48 |
| Recall campaigns | 8 | 6 |
| Service bulletins (TSBs) | 525 | 238 |
| Investigations | 4 | 0 |
| Crash reports | 51 | 5 |
| Fire reports | 4 | 1 |
| NCAP overall rating | — | — |
| EPA MPG (combined) | 23–26 | 22–23 |
| Median reported incident mileage | 70,000 mi | 64,500 mi |
Reported problems side by side
| Component | Saturn Ion | Volvo S40 |
|---|---|---|
| Steering | 345 | 4 |
| Electrical System | 331 | 11 |
| Air Bags | 52 | 11 |
| Power Train | 60 | 1 |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 36 | 2 |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 33 | 5 |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 27 | 4 |
| Exterior Lighting | 25 | 2 |
Symptoms owners describe
| Won’t start | 137 | 0 |
| Steering problems | 87 | 0 |
| Stalling | 41 | 9 |
| Loss of power | 34 | 0 |
| Rust / corrosion | 20 | 0 |
| Check engine light | 9 | 6 |
| Hesitation / surging | 9 | 0 |
| Vibration / shaking | 7 | 0 |
2004 Saturn Ion
2004 Volvo S40
Compare all Saturn Ion vs Volvo S40 years →
Method. Complaints are unique NHTSA reports. A vehicle that sold more units will naturally accumulate more complaints — use shares and read the underlying reports before drawing conclusions.