- The problem
- Dorman Products, Inc. (Dorman) is recalling certain replacement intermediate steering shafts sold under the Dorman, OE Solutions, and Solutions brand names, part numbers 425-167, 2425167, and 7-3074, for installation on 2004-2012 Chevrolet Malibu, 2005-2010 Pontiac G6, and 2007-2009 Saturn Aura vehicles. The affected steering shafts may have a yoke that inadequately supports the u-joint bearing resulting in a premature failure.
- The risk
- A joint bearing that fails prematurely may cause separation of the u-joint resulting in a complete loss of steering control, increasing the risk of a crash.
- The fix
- Dorman will notify owners, and dealers will refund the purchase price or replace the steering shafts, free of charge. The recall began in September 2014. Owners may contact Dorman customer service at 1-800-523-2492.
Vehicle safety record
2008 Saturn Aura Problems, complaints & recalls
Owners have filed 433 complaints about the 2008 Saturn Aura with NHTSA, most often about the transmission & drivetrain (124) and the steering (112). Those complaints describe 18 crashes, 1 fire, 9 injuries and 1 death. It is covered by 5 recalls, the latest in July 2014 for the steering. For comparison, the 2007 has 608 and the 2009 has 390.
NHTSA data checked
FFar more problems than a typical Aura year, for its age
#36 most complained-about 2008 vehicle
- Complaints
- 433
- Recalls
- 5
- Crashes
- 18
- Fires
- 1
- Injuries
- 9
- Deaths
- 1
Most common 2008 Saturn Aura problems
Share of all 433 complaints. One complaint can name more than one area. Tap an area for its complaints and recalls.
2008 Saturn Aura recalls 5
Recall repairs are free. Your dealer fixes them whether or not you bought the car there - check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see if yours is done. What to do
- The problem
- 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 the affected vehicles, increased resistance in the Body Control Module (BCM) connection may result in voltage fluctuations in the Brake Apply Sensor (BAS) circuit. These fluctuations can cause one or more of these conditions: the brake lights to illuminate without the brake pedal being pushed; the brake lights to not illuminate when the pedal is pushed; difficulty disengaging the cruise control; moving the gear shifter out of the 'PARK' position without pushing the brake; and disablement of crash avoidance features such as traction control, electronic stability control, and panic braking assist features.
- The risk
- Any of the above failure conditions increases the risk of a crash.
- The fix
- 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 Motors customer service at 1-800-222-1020 (Chevrolet), 1-800-762-2737 (Pontiac), 1-800-553-6000 (Saturn). GM's number for this recall is 13036.
- The problem
- 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, through April 5, 2007, and model year 2005-2008 Pontiac G6 vehicles manufactured from May 26, 2004, through September 28, 2007, and equipped with 4-speed transmissions. The total number vehicles being recalled is now 1,131,113.
- The risk
- 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 PARK position, the transmission may not be in PARK. If the vehicle is not in the "PARK" position there is a risk the vehicle will roll away as the driver and other occupants exit the vehicle or anytime thereafter. A vehicle rollaway increases the risk of injury to exiting occupants and bystanders.
- The fix
- 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.
- The problem
- 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.
- The risk
- 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.
- The fix
- 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.
- The problem
- 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.
- The risk
- 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 crash without prior warning.
- The fix
- 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.
What owners say
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433 complaints about the 2008 Saturn Aura
Newest first, as filed with NHTSA by owners. Page 1 of 18.
engine fuse box gets extremely hot and after turning car off fails to turn on again until it has completely cooled down transmission slipping continuously
The Air Bag Service Warning Message and warning light is illuminated I took the car back to the dealership had it serviced and a month later the message and light are on again. The passenger Air Bag sensor is malfunctioning sometimes it doesn't detect the passenger most times it detects a passenger when there isn't one. The tail and brake lights work intermittently. The steering system is dangerous. There's vibrating in the steering wheel and accelerator pedal at all speeds, the steering wheel pulls and jerks when braking and hitting bumps, the steering doesn't hold alignment and the power steering works intermittently.
My electric power steering stopped working. Not safe to drive. This was fixed prior on recall. I did not own car then.
My 2008 Saturn Aura had the transmission shift cable safety recall completed. The same rollaway condition has returned. GM and the dealer refused reinspection and repair, stating the vehicle 'has lived its life.' This recall addresses a known rollaway safety risk, and the condition still exists.
The power train has failed the car won't start the fuses and relays are burning up and the transmission shifts so hard at a jolt almost. The service ecs ecm and service airbag indicator staying lit and the back passenger airbag looks like it's about to deploy it's a safety hazard I love my car I've only had it a year and I don't know what is happening or why.
My vehicle's make and model have received recalls as stated online, however, my specific VIN does not state any recalls. I am having the same symptoms with the airbags, electrical, and transmission as the recalls stated with my make and model. I believe there should be recalls for my vehicle's VIN. My check engine light has been on, and it is not shifting the way it should. My airbag warning light also turns on at times.
I noticed a rattling while driving also smoking under the hood so I took it to a garage and he said that's no problem and that I have a severe oil leak under the front of car he showed me and oil is EVERYWHERE HE MENTIONED HE COULDNT FIX IT THERES A PROBLEM WITH THE ABS LINE AND POWERSTEERING AXLE OR PUMP. I HAVE TO ALSO PUT ANTI FREEZE IN THE CAR EVERY 2 DAYS. ALONG WITH POWERSTEERING FLUID AND MOTOR OIL. HE MENTIONED HE HAS NO IDEA WHERE THE OIL IS COMING FROM BECAUSE ITS SO MUCH ITS ALL OVER UNDER THE FRONT AND...
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RECCOMMEND ME NOT TO DRIVE IT BECAUSE IT MAY CATCH FIRE. THIS IS MY only resource of a ride. Also I noticed when I go over a bump in the road the dash lights go brighter or darker.The traction control light is also on which just came on along with a s light.i took it to the car wash and did notice it looks like a car possibly swiped the right side because there's paint missing!
Power steering goes out sometimes it's happened three times since I've owned the car in 2017. It just happened today (3/2/25) for the third time And it tells me that there's a recall on Saturn aura that were made in 2008, but when I enter my VIN number, it doesn't show that mine is on a recall. But I'm not sure why it's goes out sometime and then works when I turn my car back on.
The contact owns a 2008 Saturn Aura. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the steering wheel became difficult to steer and did not function as intended. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic and diagnosed with a failed electronic power steering assist module. The contact was informed that the electronic power steering assist module needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure but provided no assistance. The contact was informed that the recall NHTSA Campaign Number: 14V153000 (Steering) was previously completed on the contact's vehicle. The failure mileage was approximately 100,000.
Key ignition don't engaged when turning.
Water is leaking into the passenger compartment to the point of pooling, I am constantly having to shop vac water out but, I feel this could lead to the floor pan rusting out and the seats falling through the floor. This is a GM TSB issue so, GM knows about the problem. There are many other Saturn Aura owners who have experienced this issue.
While I was driving my car going 40 mph down the road the wheel stuck and I couldn't turn or do anything. I had to pull over and reset the car by shutting it off and turning it back on. I've had to do that before when I first started the car and tried to back up in the wheel froze and it wouldn't move anywhere. I went to the garage today and they told me that it's my power steering.
Nobody has inspected my vehicle. However my rear passenger airbag on the driver's side has malfunctioned and blown out the rear interior panel and the service airbag light is on this just happened 4 days ago and there was no accident to cause it.. my transmission is not functioning properly as of yesterday it has a jolt like jerk when shifting into another gear and doesn't want to go all the way into park. And my speed odometer bottoms to 0 and all electrical equipment fails temporarily while driving I have video proof of this happening. My safety as well as other motorists are at risk if this keeps happening... ATTENTION THERE HAS NOT BEEN ANY ACCIDENTS !!! YET.....
Yes my 2008 Saturn Aura 3.5 v6 has a Electrical issue it's goin to get someone killed...
The contact owned a 2008 Saturn Aura. The contact stated while driving approximately 35 MPH and ascending a grade in the road, the steering wheel became very difficult to turn. The contact stated no warning light was illuminated. The contact stated that the vehicle jumped the curb on the left side of the vehicle and then crashed into a telephone pole, he was unable to steer due to the loss of power steering functionality. The contact stated that the crash happened very fast and he was not able to depress the brake...
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pedal to avoid the crash. The contact stated that the front driver's side bumper, grill, and lights were crushed. There was also damage to the driver's side front tire wheel well and axle. The contact stated that he called the police who then wrote a report. The contact stated that he was not injured, however the vehicle was undrivable and was towed to an impound lot. The contact stated that the vehicle was later declared a total loss by his insurance provider. The manufacturer was not informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 198,000.
I bought this 2008 Saturn Aura from dealer on 09/13/2023. Since I bought it, I fractured my hand and foot while checking the tires and brakes. 10/27/23 - I put the car in park to investigate what was causing the constant rattling noise while at the same time the car would shudder. While I was on one knee with one hand on ground so l could bend and look into the wheel well, the car rolled the tire over my hand and foot that was in its path because I wasn't able to move quick enough and didn't expect that to happen....
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11/16/23 - I found out what the rattling noise and shudder was caused by when I completely lost all steering control and hit a tree which damaged the vehicle and caused injury, not only to myself but also to my 5 year old nephew who was in the car with me. I was told by a mechanic that a damaged joint bearing caused separation of the u-joint resulting in loss of steering control. What the hell is wrong with this car. I paid $1500 for the vehicle, then to top it off add injury costs I paid; the repairs and/or replacement of the u-joint and transmission shift cable due to damage. I don't know what to do to remedy the situation. I can't even afford to fix the body damage or replace the wheel rim damage caused by the wreck. Where do I go from here? I can't afford a new vehicle that why I bought this car. What a joke. Please advise. Maybe I can find free council.
The contact owns a 2008 Saturn Aura. The contact stated that while depressing the brake pedal, the brake lights intermittently failed to illuminate. The brake lights occasionally illuminated without the brake pedal being depressed. The contact stated that the vehicle was included in NHTSA Campaign Number: 14V252000 (Electrical System, Exterior Lighting, Vehicle Speed Control, Electrical Stability Control) and was taken to the dealer and dielectric lubricant was added to the BCM and harness connector and the BAS and...
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harness connector. The contact was unsure if attaching the wiring harness to the BCM with a spacer and relearning the brake pedal home position was performed. The contact stated that the failure started 9 years after the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 120,000.
Power steering went out as we were driving, making the wheel almost impossible to turn. There was a recall repair before I purchased the vehicle but I am skeptical it was actually done as I am having the same issue with the power steering that was supposed to have been fixed. This is a continuous problem that puts my life and the lives of others in danger.
Brake lights and headlights randomly go off mainly the brake light thats in the back window!
Stuck in drive something to do with the Shifter cable have to use the emergency brake to stop the car and if shut off it wont start back up
Power steering goes out while driving sometimes, can't control car. Bought car from FB marketplace last month and previous owner states that it has happened before numerous times
The contact owns a 2008 Saturn Aura. The contact stated while driving 75 MPH with cruise control activated, the vehicle lost cruise control functionality with the "Service Traction" message displayed. Additionally, the brake lights turned on unintendedly. The contact stated that the brake lights remained illuminated; however, the brake lights would turn off while depressing the brake pedal. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who was unable to duplicate the failure. The dealer was notified of the...
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failure and informed the contact that the VIN was not included in NHTSA Campaign Number: 14V252000 (Electrical System, Exterior Lighting, Vehicle Speed Control, Electronic Stability Control). The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 160,000.
The transmission shifter assembly fractured on this 2008 Saturn Aura. This defect was issued a recall in 2014. https://auto-recalls.justia.com/saturn/aura/2008/14v224000/index.html This recall was completed. However this same assembly has once again fractured. The vehicle remains in drive even when the transmission lever is shifted into the parked position. There have been dozens of crashes and injuries reported, and this dangerous safety issue has been a known defect on over a million GM models. I believe that since this is a serious safety issue which has been proven to potentially cause injury and death, GM should cover it for as long as the vehicle is driven by owners.
My ABS, traction control service, and ESC service warning lights came on everytime i started my car for about a week and they kept shutting themselves off and on every now and again. Now none of those service lights come across my dashboard and none of my fuses are bad. I found a recall for my car, that applies to my vehicle but its not showing up when i put in my VIN number.
The brake light comes on by itself for no apparent reason it will turn on like you Are braking this could cause and accident it also will slip out of park for no rhyme or reason also which is scary I park on a.hill and luckily I had my wheels turned towards the curb so it didn't move when it happens multiple times
Saturn Aura: every year compared
All Aura years2008 Saturn Aura vs rivals
| Vehicle | Complaints | Recalls | Grade | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 Saturn Aura | 433 | 5 | F | |
| 2008 Saturn Outlook | 633 | 5 | D | Compare |
| 2008 Saturn Vue | 406 | 3 | D | Compare |
| 2008 Saturn Sky | 186 | 5 | D | Compare |
| 2008 Saturn Astra | 162 | 1 | - | Compare |
| 2008 Saturn Vue Hybrid | 11 | 0 | - | Compare |
| 2008 Saturn Ion | 4 | 0 | A | Compare |
| 2008 Saturn Aura Hybrid | 2 | 0 | - | Compare |
More sales usually means more complaints, so compare similar vehicles of the same year. The grade compares each vehicle with its own model's other years.
Questions about the 2008 Saturn Aura
Does the 2008 Saturn Aura have any recalls?
Yes - NHTSA lists 5 recalls for the 2008 Saturn Aura: steering (July 2014); wiring (May 2014); automatic transmission (April 2014); electric power assist system (March 2014) and more. Recall repairs are free at any authorized dealer. Enter your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see whether yours has been fixed.
What are the most common problems with the 2008 Saturn Aura?
By the complaints owners filed with NHTSA, the most common problem areas are the transmission & drivetrain (124), steering (112), electrical system (93).
How many complaints has the 2008 Saturn Aura had?
433 complaints have been filed with NHTSA, the first on June 19, 2008 and the latest on October 31, 2026. Of these, 18 describe a crash and 1 a fire, and together they report 9 injuries and 1 death.
Is the 2008 Saturn Aura a reliable vehicle?
Its Safety Index is 24 out of 100 (grade F: far more problems than a typical Saturn Aura year, for its age). The index weighs complaints, crashes, fires, injuries, deaths and recalls against how long the vehicle has been on the road, compared with the same model's other years. It is not a measure of every repair - read the complaints and owner experiences, and have any used vehicle inspected before you buy.
Which Saturn Aura years have the most complaints?
2007 (608), 2008 (433), 2009 (390). See every Saturn Aura year compared.
What should I do if my 2008 Saturn Aura has a problem?
If it is a safety problem, stop driving it if it is unsafe and contact your dealer. Report it to NHTSA at nhtsa.gov/report-a-safety-problem - enough reports start investigations and recalls - and share your experience here so other owners know what to look for.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) complaints and recalls, checked . Complaints are owners' own reports and are not verified. How we use the data