The Used Car Index

2008 Saturn Aura problems

NHTSA lists 432 complaints for the 2008 Saturn Aura, 18 of them mention a crash and 1 mention a fire. 8 complaints mention an injury, with 9 injuries and 1 deaths reported.

Data build 2026-10-08.

NHTSA lists this vehicle as SATURN AURA.

At a glance

Complaints
432
With crash
18
With fire
1
With injury (complaints)
8
Injuries
9
Deaths
1
Recalls
4
Do not drive recalls
0
Park outside recalls
0
Recall potential units (maximum)
2,440,524
Investigations
1
Open investigations
0
Manufacturer communications
999

Complaints per 100k sold unavailable. No sales source is available for this record.

Where the complaints are

Top systems
SystemComplaintsShare of this vehicle's complaints
POWER TRAIN12428.7%
STEERING11225.9%
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM9221.3%
SERVICE BRAKES5913.7%
EXTERIOR LIGHTING4510.4%
ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC)4310.0%
UNKNOWN OR OTHER286.5%
AIR BAGS266.0%
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL225.1%
ENGINE194.4%
Top subsystems
SystemSubsystemComplaints
POWER TRAINAUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION15
STRUCTUREBODY13
EXTERIOR LIGHTINGBRAKE LIGHTS4
AIR BAGSSIDE/WINDOW3
ELECTRICAL SYSTEMIGNITION2
ELECTRICAL SYSTEMINSTRUMENT CLUSTER/PANEL1
EQUIPMENTOTHER1
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCEADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL1
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCEAUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING1
LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGESDOORS1

One complaint can name several systems, so shares can add to more than 100 percent.

Model-generated complaint tags: This model year has not been tagged.

Recalls

See new recalls and investigations this week.

4 recalls.

14V252000

Date: 2014-05-14. Systems: ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC), EXTERIOR LIGHTING, VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL.

Defect: General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2004-2012 Chevrolet Malibu vehicles manufactured May 16, 2003, through October 11, 2012, 2004-2007 Malibu Maxx vehicles manufactured June 25, 2003, through April 5, 2007, 2005-2010 Pontiac G6 vehicles manufactured May 26, 2004, through January 4, 2010, and 2007-2010 Saturn Aura vehicles manufactured April 24, 2006, through May 26, 2009. In t (excerpt)

Consequence: Any of the above failure conditions increases the risk of a crash. (excerpt)

Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will attach the wiring harness to the BCM with a spacer, apply dielectric lubricant to both the BCM and harness connector and the BAS and harness connector, and will relearn the brake pedal home position, free of charge. The manufacturer distributed an Interim letter to customers on July 14, 2014. The recall began on August 18, 2014. Owners may contact General M (excerpt)

Do not drive: No. Park outside: No.

14V224000

Date: 2014-04-30. Systems: POWER TRAIN.

Defect: General Motors LLC (GM) notified the agency on April 29, 2014, that they are recalling 56,214 model year 2007 and 2008 Saturn Aura vehicles. On May 22, 2014, GM increased the recall to include an additional 1,074,899 model year 2004-2008 Chevrolet Malibu vehicles manufactured from May 16, 2003, through October 5, 2007, model year 2004-2007 Malibu Maxx vehicles manufactured from June 25, 2003, thr (excerpt)

Consequence: If the transmission shift cable fractures while the vehicle is being driven, the transmission gear selection may not match the indicated gear and the vehicle may move in an unintended or unexpected direction, increasing the risk of a crash. Furthermore, when the driver goes to stop and park the vehicle, despite selecting the A PARKA position, the transmission may not be in A PARK.A If the vehi (excerpt)

Remedy: GM will notify owners, and GM dealers will replace the shift cable assembly and mounting bracket, free of charge. The manufacturer has not yet provided a notification schedule. Owners may contact General Motors at 1-800-553-6000. GM's number for this recall is 14152. (excerpt)

Do not drive: No. Park outside: No.

14V153000

Date: 2014-03-31. Systems: STEERING.

Defect: 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. (excerpt)

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. (excerpt)

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. De (excerpt)

Do not drive: No. Park outside: No.

12V460000

Date: 2012-09-18. Systems: POWER TRAIN.

Defect: General Motors (GM) is recalling certain model year 2007-2010 Saturn Aura and model year 2008-2010 Chevrolet Malibu and Pontiac G6 vehicles, equipped with a 4-speed automatic transmission. On these vehicles, the tabs on the transmission shift cable end may fracture and separate. (excerpt)

Consequence: If the tabs were to fracture and separate, the shift lever and the actual position of the transmission gear may not match. The driver would be able to move the shifter to 'PARK' and remove the ignition key, but the transmission gear may not be in 'PARK.' The vehicle may not be able to be restarted and the vehicle could roll away after the driver has exited the vehicle, resulting in a possible cr (excerpt)

Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will install a retainer over the cable end or replace the shift cable as necessary. This service will be performed free of charge. Notification to owners began on on November 9, 2012. Owners were instructed to not bring their vehicles for repair until January 2013. Owners may contact General Motors at 1-800-521-7300. (excerpt)

Do not drive: No. Park outside: No.

Investigations

1 investigations; 0 open.

EA11015

Opened: 2011-11-10. Closed: 2014-06-02.

Transmission Shift Cable Failure

On April 29, 2014, GM submitted a Part 573 defect information report initiating Safety Recall 14V-224 to remedy the subject vehicles equipped with four speed automatic transmissions manufactured before October 31, 2007.On May 22, 2014 GM expanded 14V-224 to include MY 2004-2008 Chevrolet Malibu/Malibu Maxx and MY 2005 - 2008 Pontiac G6 (total recall population 1,131,113).GM will install a replacem

Systems: POWER TRAIN.

Linked campaign numbers: 14V224000.

Manufacturer communications

999 manufacturer communications.

Communications by system
SystemCount
EQUIPMENT425
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM179
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING132
POWER TRAIN100
ENGINE80
EQUIPMENT ADAPTIVE/MOBILITY73
TIRES39
WHEELS38

11023091

Date: 2025-09-09. Type: Other. Systems: UNKNOWN OR OTHER.

New Vehicle Monitoring Programs Section in IVH

11021792

Date: 2025-08-07. Type: Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions. Systems: UNKNOWN OR OTHER.

This Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician about vehicles that have an intermittent no crank, no start, or start stall concern with the security light coming on. Technician may find Diagnostic Trouble Codes B3055, B3060, B3935, C0750, C0755, C0760, C0765, and/o

11020816

Date: 2025-07-18. Type: Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions. Systems: UNKNOWN OR OTHER.

This PI communicates the requirement to provide a pico file to receive diagnostic assistance from TAC.

11019072

Date: 2025-05-30. Type: Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions. Systems: UNKNOWN OR OTHER.

This Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician about the use of J-35616-64B and Mini 50 terminal test probe, replacement terminals, and terminated leads.

11019073

Date: 2025-05-30. Type: Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions. Systems: UNKNOWN OR OTHER.

This Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician about the use of J-35616-64B and Mini 50 terminal test probe, replacement terminals, and terminated leads.

11019074

Date: 2025-05-30. Type: Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions. Systems: UNKNOWN OR OTHER.

This Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician about the use of J-35616-64B and Mini 50 terminal test probe, replacement terminals, and terminated leads.

11014455

Date: 2025-02-20. Type: Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions. Systems: UNKNOWN OR OTHER.

This Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician about vehicles that have an unusual noise and is difficult to identify, isolate or pinpoint. Technician should get record a sound clip or take a video of the noise for assessment by engineering. Technician will need to

11011782

Date: 2024-12-07. Type: Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions. Systems: UNKNOWN OR OTHER.

This Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician about the use of J-35616-64B terminal test probe, replacement terminals, and terminated leads. The J-35616-64B is the latest test probe released for checking tension or probing the .64 series terminals. The test probe

11009156

Date: 2024-10-25. Type: Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions. Systems: ELECTRICAL SYSTEM.

This Preliminary Information communicates to the dealer the process for downloading or updating operating software for the Tire Pressure Monitor, Active Fuel Injector tester, multi media tester, PICO Scope, GR8 starting/charging tester A and Vehicle Data Recorder tools, giving website address and st

11009531

Date: 2024-09-27. Type: Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions. Systems: ENGINE.

This service bulletin provides information for maintenance cleaning of the fuel injectors and gasoline detergent additive.

Notes on this record

  • Complaints from the API and bulk file are merged and deduplicated by ODI number; the API alone misses records.
  • System and subsystem counts are numbers of distinct complaints, recalls or communications that name them. One record can name several systems, so shares across systems can add to more than 100 percent; a single share never exceeds 100 percent.
  • Recalls are counted once per campaign, investigations once per action and manufacturer communications once per NHTSA id, even when NHTSA lists several model names for the same record.
  • A sales denominator is a calendar-year proxy, not the population of vehicles still in use. Rates are copied from verified pipeline output.

Other names NHTSA uses

None listed.

Matched NHTSA models

Matched labels and complaints
NHTSA model labelComplaints
AURA432

Same model, other years

All model years | All Saturn models

Other Saturn models, 2008

Sources

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