AI Damage2008 Saturn Aura: common problems
Owners of the 2008 Saturn Aura filed 433 complaints with NHTSA, most often about powertrain and steering. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 433
- involving a crash
- 18
What fails most often
- 1 Powertrain 29% of all complaints
- 2 Steering 26% of all complaints
- 3 Electrical system 21% of all complaints
- 4 Service brakes 14% of all complaints
- 5 Exterior lighting 10% of all complaints
- 6 Electronic stability control 10% of all complaints
- 7 Air bags 6% of all complaints
- 8 Vehicle speed control 5% of all complaints
- Powertrain: 124 complaints (29% of all), 7 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Steering: 112 complaints (26% of all), 6 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Electrical system: 93 complaints (21% of all).
- Service brakes: 62 complaints (14% of all), 4 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Exterior lighting: 45 complaints (10% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
Engines and transmissions
US-market versions per EPA. On the right: how many NHTSA complaints name this engine or transmission type.
- 2.4 L · petrol · 4 cyl
- 3.5 L · petrol · 6 cylnamed in 2 complaints
- 3.6 L · petrol · 6 cylnamed in 1 complaints
- 2.4 L · hybrid · 4 cyl
- automatic, 4-speed
- automatic, 6-speed
Drive: FWD
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 433 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) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Powertrain | 124 | 7 | 0 |
| Steering | 112 | 6 | 0 |
| Electrical system | 93 | 0 | 0 |
| Service brakes | 62 | 4 | 0 |
| Exterior lighting | 45 | 1 | 0 |
| Electronic stability control | 43 | 1 | 0 |
| Air bags | 26 | 2 | 0 |
| Vehicle speed control | 22 | 3 | 0 |
| Engine | 19 | 1 | 0 |
| Latches, locks, linkages | 19 | 1 | 0 |
| Seats | 19 | 1 | 0 |
| Structure | 18 | 3 | 0 |
| Suspension | 9 | 2 | 0 |
| Fuel/propulsion system | 8 | 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.
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.
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…
He was stuck in seat belt unable to get loose for 15 min finally getting out of it. He was seen by drs @ hospital and released with bruised ribs, cuts and abrasions.
Also, the power steering malfunctioned and failed to work while operating the vehicle. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failures. The failure mileage was 47,000.
The air bags failed to deploy. A police report was filed and no injuries were reported. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, but diagnostic testing was not performed. The failure occurred twice. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 48,000.
As I began turning the wheel, the car locked up, hesitated, then quickly sped up. Because there was no ability to gain control of the car, the vehicle stuck the curbside and then a tree. My son and I were not injured, only shook up.
Exiting route 53 at lake cook road at 30 mph. All of a sudden, the car starting swerving and went down into a ditch for no known reason. The car was totaled.
1st problem rear door locks would keep opening and locking by themselves,same time trunk would would not unlock.had to have all repaired at a cost of $450.2nd problem while car parked in drive an in park car rolled back into mail box now have to have fender repaired,took to dealer could find no problem.3rd problem car…
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 891 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 2% most complained about).
On average one model year of the Aura has 240 complaints (6 years in the data). This year has 433, above average.
What to check before buying
- Powertrain. Shift quality under load, harsh shifts, transmission codes, CV joints.
- Steering. Steering play, power assist, rack and tie rods after a wheel impact.
- Electrical system. Scan all modules, test the battery and alternator, inspect connectors near the impact zone.
- Service brakes. Pedal feel, ABS operation, leaks, discs and hoses.
Other years of this model
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 2008 Saturn Aura?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: powertrain, steering, electrical system. Total complaints: 433. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: steering or power steering problems (16%), warning lights, check engine (11%), door locks, latches, handles (7%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2008 Saturn Aura?
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 Aura 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.