AI Damage2009 Saturn SKY: common problems
Owners of the 2009 Saturn SKY filed 46 complaints with NHTSA, most often about air bags and electrical system. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 46
What fails most often
- 1 Air bags 83% of all complaints
- 2 Electrical system 13% of all complaints
- 3 Seats 11% of all complaints
- 4 Powertrain 7% of all complaints
- 5 Exterior lighting 4% of all complaints
- 6 Service brakes 4% of all complaints
- 7 Electronic stability control 2% of all complaints
- 8 Engine 2% of all complaints
- Air bags: 38 complaints (83% of all).
- Electrical system: 6 complaints (13% of all).
- Seats: 5 complaints (11% of all).
- Powertrain: 3 complaints (7% of all).
- Exterior lighting: 2 complaints (4% of all).
Engines and transmissions
US-market versions per EPA. On the right: how many NHTSA complaints name this engine or transmission type.
- 2 L · petrol · turbo · 4 cyl
- 2.4 L · petrol · 4 cylnamed in 1 complaints
- automatic, 5-speed
- manual, 5-speed
Drive: RWD
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 46 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 | 38 | 0 | 0 |
| Electrical system | 6 | 0 | 0 |
| Seats | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| Powertrain | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Exterior lighting | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Service brakes | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Electronic stability control | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Engine | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Engine and cooling | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Fuel/propulsion system | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Parking brake | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Seat belts | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Steering | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Suspension | 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.
Ignition was replaced under recall and now the passenger air bag light is on and will not go out and passenger side airbag is inop. ABS Ecm failed and replacement cost was $1300.00. This is a known issue and should be investigated.
The contact stated that while operating the vehicle, the passengerâs side air bag warning light remained illuminated. The cause of the failure was not yet determined. The local dealer and manufacturer were contacted regarding the failure, but no assistance was offered.
The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the passenger's side air bag and electronic brake control module (EBCM) warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the passenger's side air bag and EBCM needed to be replaced.
The gauges illumination is very poor since the gauges are so deep set in the dash. I can hardly read the speedometer during the day, isn,t very bright even at nite. The mfg. Should do a recall to upgrade the dash lights.
The instrument cluster is set deep into the instrument panel for styling purposes. As a result, the gauges are very dark and cannot be read during daytime driving. Gm should make a software patch available to turn on the back lighting to the gauges day or night when the ignition is turned on.
Steering sensor,steering position,lost comm yaw rate sensor,lost comm steering rate' service warning light on ,traction control abs braking malfunction. Blogs indicate this has been a common general motors issue among saturn and other models
2009 saturn sky base model (2.4-liter inline-four engine 177 hp). Issue#1: in motion, happens on both city streets/highways) at about ~30mph (and up to ~70mph), the transmission will shift down a gear hard enough to pull your body forward violently.
At start up after turning on the a/c the radiator/condenser cooling fan assembly malfunctioned causing the fan to "lock-up". The vehicle began to over heat and the fan assembly began smoking.
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 5,571 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 15% most complained about).
On average one model year of the SKY has 172 complaints (3 years in the data). This year has 46, below 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.
- Seats. Occupant sensor, power adjustment, seat mounts.
- Powertrain. Shift quality under load, harsh shifts, transmission codes, CV joints.
Other years of this model
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 2009 Saturn SKY?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: air bags, electrical system, seats. Total complaints: 46. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: warning lights, check engine (35%), airbag warning light (33%), A/C or heater (7%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2009 Saturn SKY?
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 2009 Saturn SKY 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 2009 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.