U.S. public vehicle records

2008 Saturn AURA problems and owner complaints

Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.

Key facts

432 owner complaints analyzed

4 distinct recall campaigns

78,750 mi median reported failure mileage

Scope: 2008 model year. Data snapshot: 2026-09-12 (September 12, 2026). 360 complaints include usable failure mileage.

Owner-reported patterns

Most common problems

Power Train is the most frequently named component, appearing in 112 of 432 complaints (25.9%). A complaint can name multiple components.

Recurring terms in complaint narratives
Topic	Matching reports	Share of complaints
Braking behavior	123	28.5%
Steering behavior	114	26.4%
Transmission and shifting	79	18.3%
Electrical and battery issues	42	9.7%
Engine operation	14	3.2%
Fuel system concerns	6	1.4%

Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.

Component breakdown

Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.

Power Train

112

Steering

111

Electrical System

Service Brakes

Electronic Stability Control (Esc)

Exterior Lighting

Unknown Or Other

Air Bags

Power Train: 112; Steering: 111; Electrical System: 89; Service Brakes: 59; Electronic Stability Control (Esc): 43; Exterior Lighting: 42; Unknown Or Other: 28; Air Bags: 23

Reported problems by failure mileage

Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.

Under 25,000

25,000 to 49,999

50,000 to 74,999

75,000 to 99,999

100,000 to 149,999

150,000 and above

Under 25,000: 33; 25,000 to 49,999: 50; 50,000 to 74,999: 81; 75,000 to 99,999: 81; 100,000 to 149,999: 79; 150,000 and above: 36

50,000 to 74,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (81). 72 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.

Complaints over time

Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.

2008

2009

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

100

2015

2016

2017

2018

2019

2020

2021

2022

2023

2024

2025

2026

2008: 5; 2009: 7; 2010: 9; 2011: 25; 2012: 33; 2013: 51; 2014: 100; 2015: 42; 2016: 45; 2017: 22; 2018: 25; 2019: 23; 2020: 10; 2021: 8; 2022: 7; 2023: 5; 2024: 8; 2025: 6; 2026: 1

Pattern summary

Power Train leads the component reports. Braking behavior appears in 123 complaint narratives. Steering behavior appears in 114 complaint narratives. Transmission and shifting appears in 79 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.

Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.

Complaint evidence

Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.

Owner report 10269771 · 2009-05-23 (May 23, 2009)

BRAKE SHUDDER FROM WARPED BRAKE ROTORS (15,000 MILES) BRAKE LININGS FINE. CAUSES INTERMITTENT BRAKING PROBLEMS. *TR TEMPORARY FIX:ROTORS TURNED (UNTIL THEY WARP AGAIN AND CAN NO LONGER BE TURNED) ORIGINAL ROTOR DURABILITY IS QUESTIONABLE. (A SAFETY AND QUALITY ISSUE). *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 15,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10269771 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10351398 · 2010-08-23 (August 23, 2010)

SERVICE TRACTION CONTROL/ESC LIGHT COMES ON INTERMITTENTLY BRAKE LIGHT STAY ON CONSTANTLY GO OFF WHEN BRAKE PEDAL IS TAPPED!!! *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 36,500 miles reported. Look up ODI 10351398 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10246070 · 2008-10-20 (October 20, 2008)

I AM HAVING TROUBLE WITH MY STEERING. I HEAR A CLUNKING SOUND AND LOOSE POP FEELING IN MY STEERING SHAFT ESPECIALLY ON STOP AND GO ON UPGRADES AND TURNING HARD SHARP TURNS.. THEY LUBED THE INTERMEDIARY STEERING SHAFT BUT ITS BACK AGAIN AFTER 5000 MILES. I FEEL THE CAR IS UNSAFE TO DRIVE AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 15,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10246070 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10335678 · 2010-06-10 (June 10, 2010)

2008 SATURN AURA 4 CYL HAS POWER STEERING PROBLEMS. LIGHT COMES ON AND OFF AND THEN THE STEERING LOCKED UP WHILE I WAS DRIVING AT ABOUT 45 MPH. TURNED OFF ENGINE AND RESTARTED AND STEERING WAS BACK. HAVING THIS PROBLEM FOR ABOUT 6 MONTHS. SATURN SAID NEEDS NEW MOTOR FOR ABOUT $300. RIDICULOUS!! *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 65,100 miles reported. Look up ODI 10335678 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10404010 · 2011-06-01 (June 1, 2011)

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 SATURN AURA. THE CONTACT STATED THE VEHICLE CONTINUED TO ROLL FORWARD AFTER SHIFTING INTO PARK GEAR. IN ORDER TO STOP THE VEHICLE, THE CONTACT ENGAGED THE PARKING BRAKE. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED SHE WAS UNABLE TO REMOVE THE KEY FROM THE IGNITION. THE VEHICLE WAS EXAMINED BY AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO STATED THAT THE SHIFTER CABLE WAS FRACTURED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHERE THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND OFFERED TO COVER HALF OF THE EXPENSES. THE …

Owner-reported narrative. 56,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10404010 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10404496 · 2011-06-05 (June 5, 2011)

I HAVE A 2008 SATURN AURA. CAR FAILS TO ENGAGE IN PARK 75% OF THE TIME, ESPECIALLY WHEN THE TRANSMISSION IS HOT. DOES NOT ALLOW CAR TO AUTO-UNLOCK, NOT BE ABLE TO BE RESTARTED UNLESS SHIFTED TO NEUTRAL, CAUSES CAR TO ROLL UNLESS EMERGENCY BRAKE IS ENGAGED........DEALER CLAIMS SHIFTER CABLE IS CRACKED AND IS CHARGING $360 TO REPLACE.......I NOTICED A RECALL FOR ALMOST THIS EXACT SAME PROBLEM ON THE 2009 AURA....SHOULD THIS MODEL YEAR BE INCLUDED ALSO? *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 47,500 miles reported. Look up ODI 10404496 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10411913 · 2011-07-11 (July 11, 2011)

TRANSMISSION SHIFT CABLE 2008 SATURN AURA XE: THE TRANS. SHIFT CABLE IN MY 2008 SATURN AURA WITH 47,305 MILES HAD TO BE REPLACED. THE CAR WOULD NOT START, I TRIED TO HAVE A PASSERBY JUMP THE VEHICLE BECAUSE INITIALLY I THOUGHT MAYBE IT WAS THE BATTERY. WHEN HE LIFTED THE HOOD AND BEGAN TO PLACE THE CABLES ON THE BATTERY THE VEHICLE ROLLED FORWARD ALMOST KNOCKING HIM DOWN. LUCKILY I WAS IN THE CAR AND FELT THE VEHICLE MOVE AND PLACED MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE PUSHING ON THE SHIFTER TO THE POSITION FOR PARK BELIEVING THAT MAYBE IN ERROR I HADN'T HA…

Owner-reported narrative. 47,305 miles reported. Look up ODI 10411913 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10450354 · 2012-03-05 (March 5, 2012)

1ST INCIDENT (2/4)- VEHICLE WAS PLACED IN PARK. DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR WOULD NOT OPEN. DOOR UNLOCKED AS IT SHOULD BUT DOOR REMAINED SHUT. HAD TO EXIT VEHICLE OUT OF PASSENGER DOOR. TRIED OPENING DOOR FROM OUTSIDE, REMAINED SHUT. LEFT VEHICLE FOR 20 MINUTES, RETURNED AND TRIED OPENING AGAIN WOULD NOT OPEN WITH REMOTE. A FEW HOURS LATER, DOOR OPENED LIKE NOTHING HAPPENED. 2ND INCIDENT (2/17)- SAME AS BEFORE. TURNED ON AND OFF CAR AGAIN STILL COULD NOT OPEN DOOR. EXITED OUT OF PASSENGER DOOR. CAME BACK TO CAR AFTER 2 HOURS AND DOOR WOULD NOT OPEN. A…

Owner-reported narrative. 48,500 miles reported. Look up ODI 10450354 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10259975 · 2009-02-25 (February 25, 2009)

I OWN A 2008 SATURN AURA XR. THE CAR HAS BEEN TROUBLE SINCE I HAVE TAKEN IT HOME. IT HAS HAD A TOTAL OF 8 PROBLEMS WITHIN THE FIRST YEAR, AND NOW HAS A PROBLEM THAT IS DANGEROUS AND SATURN HAS BEEN UNABLE TO CORRECT. THE CAR IS LESS THAN A YEAR OLD WITH ONLY 14000 MILES. PERIODICALLY WHEN GOING AT SPEEDS ABOVE 55 MPH THE TRACTION AND STABILITY CONTROL SYSTEM WILL ERROR. WHEN THIS OCCURS THE WHOLE CAR BEGINS TO SHAKE. THE ENGINE BEGINS STALLING OUT AND THE CAR BECOMES DIFFICULT TO CONTROL. I HAVE TAKEN THE CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP TWICE. THE DEALER…

Owner-reported narrative. 14,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10259975 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10345852 · 2010-07-28 (July 28, 2010)

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 SATURN AURA. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT MOVED THE VEHICLE OFF THE ROADWAY AND WAS ABLE TO RESTART THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE THEN RESUMED NORMAL OPERATION. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO BE EXAMINED FOR THE CAUSE OF FAILURE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 40,000. UPDATED 10/28/10. *LJ THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. UPDATED 11/02/10*JB

Owner-reported narrative. 40,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10345852 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10233372 · 2008-07-07 (July 7, 2008)

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 SATURN AURA. WHILE FILLING THE TANK WITH FUEL AT A SERVICE STATION, THE CONTACT OBSERVED A GASOLINE LEAK COMING FROM THE FUEL TANK UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE. HE NOTICED A STREAM OF GASOLINE ON THE GROUND. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS CALLED TO THE SCENE FOR SAFETY CONCERNS. THE VEHICLE IS CURRENTLY BEING TOWED TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 4,000. PHONE INTERVIEW UPDATE (JUL-09-2008): THE COMPLAINANT DID NOT REALIZE FOR A WHILE THAT THE FUEL TANK WAS LEAKING WHILE HE WAS REFUELING IT. H…

Owner-reported narrative. 4,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10233372 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10546285 · 2013-09-30 (September 30, 2013)

THE ESC TRACTION LIGHT FLASHED ON AND OFF RANDOMLY, THEN THE CHECK AIRBAG LIGHT FLASHED ON AND OFF RANDOMLY AND FUEL TANK AND THE ENGINE GAUGES GOING UP THEN BACK DOWN TO ZERO. AND NOW THE SECURITY SYSTEM HAS "LOCKED UP" AND WILL NOT DISENGAGE. I FOUND A WEBSITE [XXX] LOTS OF PEOPLE HAVING THE SAME EXACT ISSUE, MANY START WITH CHANGING OUT TO A NEW BATTERY, THEN THE STATER AND THEN THE ALTERNATOR ONLY TO HAVE THIS ISSUE CONTINUE AND COSTING THEM A SMALL FORTUNE. IT SEEMS THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH THE COMPUTER CONTROL PANEL HAVING A MALFUN…

Owner-reported narrative. 47,500 miles reported. Look up ODI 10546285 at NHTSA ↗