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The 2008 Saturn Aura has 432 NHTSA owner complaints and 5 active recall campaigns on file. Here's the breakdown — what's serious, what's noise, and what a working mechanic would actually do about it.
The 2008 Saturn Aura has 432 NHTSA owner complaints and 5 recalls on file (U.S. federal records, as of August 2026). The most-reported system is powertrain at 114 complaints, typically surfacing around 89,863 miles (~$2,500 to repair). Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation.
| Model year | Owner complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2007 Aura | 608 | 4 |
| 2008 Aura (this page) | 432 | 5 |
| 2009 Aura | 390 | 5 |
| 2010 Aura | 2 | 2 |
Average for the segment. Some recurring trouble spots worth knowing about.
The data says walk unless this exact vehicle has documented proof the steering was repaired or replaced.
Our read of the federal NHTSA complaint and recall record for this exact year and model — not a substitute for a pre-purchase inspection. How we score.
Here's what this model is known to do — so you can inspect for it, price it in, or make the seller fix it before you sign.
⚠ The one to take seriously: powertrain is flagged severe on this model , showing up around 89,863 mi. Inspect it closely on a test drive.
Run the VIN from the listing — 5 active recalls on this model. Recall repairs are always free.
Verdict for buyers: 6.0/10 model. The priciest documented failure is powertrain (~$2,500) — get the seller's service records for it or inspect closely. Otherwise an average-risk used buy at a fair price.
We tell you what this model is known for and what to inspect — a vehicle-history report tells you what this exact car has been through. Smart buyers get both.
See the full pre-purchase inspection checklist →A noise, a warning light, a repair quote, "should I buy this?" — get an answer grounded in this vehicle's actual NHTSA record, not generic advice.
Answers use this vehicle's NHTSA complaint & recall record — owner-reported and unverified, not a diagnosis. Verify anything safety-critical with a mechanic.
When owners report each system failing, in actual miles — so you can see what's likely behind you, what's due around now, and what to budget for next. Enter your mileage to mark where you are.
"Typical" = median owner-reported failure mileage from the NHTSA complaint record for this exact year and model. Not a maintenance schedule — a heads-up on where this model's failures cluster.
My electric power steering stopped working. Not safe to drive. This was fixed prior on recall. I did not own car then.
While driving on the overpass/highway, car jumps/skips to the side (opposite of turning direction). Steering shaft has been replaced and didn't solve this issue. We have had front end basically re-done also. Losing power steering fluid; power steering whines and is very…
Driving down a road doing about 35mph and notice the power steering quits working, a message comes up on the info panel that reads power steering, and a bell rings. I look in the manual and it says that the car has electric power steering (no fluid to check). I call the dealer…
Tl* the contact owns a 2008 Saturn aura. While driving in reverse approximately 5 MPH, the contact attempted to shift the gear selector into drive; however the shifter failed to respond and remained in reverse. The vehicle was towed to an authorized dealer who stated the…
Drag to your current mileage. Numbers are derived from this vehicle's complaint history.
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.
Any of the above failure conditions increases the risk of a crash.
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.
It's got known weak points. With a reliability score of 6.0 out of 10 based on 432 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2008 Saturn Aura has a higher-than-average rate of reported issues. The areas to watch are listed above. Whether it's worth owning depends on price, condition, and how much repair exposure you can absorb.
On the NHTSA data, the 2008 Saturn Aura is one to avoid unless a specific vehicle proves otherwise. The data says walk unless this exact vehicle has documented proof the steering was repaired or replaced. The record behind that call: 1 fatality report and 6 crash-related complaints on the steering; Powertrain: 114 complaints, classified severe, failures cluster 57,782–113,000 mi; Reliability score 6.0/10 — around the segment average; 5 recall campaigns on file. This is our read of the federal complaint and recall data — not a substitute for a pre-purchase inspection.
Inspect the powertrain first — it's the most-reported issue on this model, with 114 owner complaints filed. Typical failure occurs around 89,863 miles. Average repair cost runs about $2,500 at an independent shop. Also confirm any open recalls have been completed by running the VIN, and ask for service records covering the problem areas listed above.
It scores 6.0 out of 10 on our NHTSA-based read of 432 owner complaints. The main thing to watch is powertrain. Typical failure occurs around 89,863 miles. Priced fairly and clean on inspection, it's a reasonable used buy. Our data covers what this model is known for — pair it with a vehicle-history report on the VIN to see what that specific car has been through.
Based on NHTSA records, the most-reported issue is powertrain, with 114 complaints filed. Typical failure occurs around 89,863 miles. Average repair cost runs about $2,500 at an independent shop.
The steering is one of the costlier repair items. Average repair cost runs about $700 at an independent shop. Typical failure occurs around 87,880 miles. Catching early warning signs can sometimes extend life by 20–30,000 miles.
Paste your VIN into the decoder at the top of this page. We pull live from NHTSA, so you'll see exactly which campaigns apply to your vehicle and whether the dealer has logged the fix. Recall repairs are always free regardless of mileage or warranty status.
Math is straightforward: a quality service contract runs $1,800–3,500 over 3 years. With 432 complaints on file and the costliest repair averaging $700, one major failure more than pays for it. The catch is reading the contract — many providers exclude wear items and require pre-authorization, so cheaper plans are not always better value.