AI Damage2008 Saturn Astra: common problems
Owners of the 2008 Saturn Astra filed 162 complaints with NHTSA, most often about air bags and electrical system. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 162
- involving a crash
- 5
What fails most often
- 1 Air bags 59% of all complaints
- 2 Electrical system 14% of all complaints
- 3 Powertrain 10% of all complaints
- 4 Engine 5% of all complaints
- 5 Visibility 5% of all complaints
- 6 Steering 4% of all complaints
- 7 Structure 3% of all complaints
- 8 Tires 2% of all complaints
- Air bags: 96 complaints (59% of all), 4 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Electrical system: 22 complaints (14% of all).
- Powertrain: 17 complaints (10% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Engine: 8 complaints (5% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Visibility: 8 complaints (5% of all).
Engines and transmissions
US-market versions per EPA. On the right: how many NHTSA complaints name this engine or transmission type.
- 1.8 L · petrol · 4 cyl
- automatic, 4-speed
- manual, 5-speednamed in 1 complaints
Drive: FWD
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 162 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).
Components owners complain about
| Component | Owner complaints | involving a crash | Technical service bulletins (TSB) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Air bags | 96 | 4 | 0 |
| Electrical system | 22 | 0 | 0 |
| Powertrain | 17 | 1 | 0 |
| Engine | 8 | 1 | 0 |
| Visibility | 8 | 0 | 0 |
| Steering | 6 | 0 | 0 |
| Structure | 5 | 1 | 0 |
| Tires | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| Vehicle speed control | 4 | 1 | 0 |
| Fuel/propulsion system | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Wheels | 3 | 1 | 0 |
| Engine and cooling | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Exterior lighting | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Electronic stability control | 1 | 0 | 0 |
What owners report
Short excerpts of NHTSA complaints in the original wording. These are owner statements not verified by NHTSA; personal data removed.
Car lose power check engine on diag vehicle replace 2 accelerator pedal still the same problem code p2138 google the vehicle problem gm have open bulletin about some kind of harness replacement for more than 30 models with the same problem it should be a recall
The air bags did not deploy and the contact suffered major injuries to her ribs and back. The contact was taken to the hospital and a police report was filed. The vehicle was destroyed and the manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure and the current mileage was 55,000.
The contact engaged the parking brake. Additionally, the contact was unable to start the vehicle and had to jiggle the key to start it. The contact stated that the gear shift lever was shifted from park(P) to neutral(N) several times before the vehicle started. The contact stated that the failure was intermittent.
Lost power steering without any warning it got very stiff i could not steer the car it got electric power steering pump not mechanical. i want online and this vehicle is made by GM / Opel . many people having the same issue .and parts are discontinuned and only available as used or you can get it shipped from Europe.
My right headlight, kept going out. I couldnt get a sticker because the mechanic stated the headlight kept burning. He reground the right headlight so it could get energy from the battery. Currently, everything in the diagnostic of the car says low beam.
Car will not start unless gear is moved to Neutral many times. Looks like this is a similar problem to the one on Saturn Aura that has recalls on it for the same issue. Why is the Astra not covered under the recall?..,,
And it stalled while driving. I took it to many repair shops for diagnostics and repairs but after spending hundreds and then thousands of dollars replacing various parts and components it still continued having the same exact problems that all the genius mechanics couldn't figure out the cause.
The contact stated no warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was awaiting a diagnostic test. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer had not been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 170,000.
When owners complained
NHTSA complaints by filing year. The peak shows at what age the problems show up most.
Comparison
By complaint count this model year ranks 2,472 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 7% most complained about).
On average one model year of the Astra has 82 complaints (2 years in the data). This year has 162, above average.
What to check before buying
- Air bags. Check the SRS light, stored codes and airbag/curtain status after any impact.
- Electrical system. Scan all modules, test the battery and alternator, inspect connectors near the impact zone.
- Powertrain. Shift quality under load, harsh shifts, transmission codes, CV joints.
- Engine. Cold start, unusual noises, oil leaks and engine codes.
Other years of this model
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 2008 Saturn Astra?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: air bags, electrical system, powertrain. Total complaints: 162. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: warning lights, check engine (6%), steering or power steering problems (3%), airbag warning light (2%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2008 Saturn Astra?
NHTSA lists 0 manufacturer service bulletins for this year. A bulletin tells dealers how to diagnose or fix a known issue; it is not a recall.
Should I buy a 2008 Saturn Astra from a US auction?
Owner complaints describe defects, not crash damage. Before bidding, check the components listed above and review the lot photos: VinWind builds a report of visible and hidden damage by VIN.
Other 2008 models
Read also
Sources: public NHTSA data (USA): service bulletins and owner complaints; YouTube: links to videos credited to their authors. Complaints are owner statements not verified by NHTSA, and describe defects rather than crash damage. Data updated 2026-11-05.