This Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician about vehicles that have an unusual noise and is difficult to identify, isolate or pinpoint. Technician should get record a sound clip or take a video of the noise for assessment by engineering. Technician will need to call General Motors Technical Assistance Center for further assistance.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗2008 Saturn Aura body problems
moderate 11 complaints filed with NHTSA · avg repair $1,500 · see body across all vehicles →
Failure mileage
Complaints
11
Recalls
0
Avg fix
$1,500
Is there a fix? Manufacturer service bulletins
The manufacturer has issued service bulletins covering body on this vehicle — documented repair instructions, service campaigns, or warranty extensions sent to dealers. A TSB isn't a recall (it's not a free safety remedy), but it's the manufacturer acknowledging the issue and how to fix it.
This Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician about vehicles that have an unusual noise and is difficult to identify, isolate or pinpoint. Technician should get record a sound clip or take a video of the noise for assessment by engineering. Technician will need to call General Motors Technical Assistance Center for further assistance.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗This warranty bulletin provides labor operation numbers for customer concerns that cant be duplicated.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗This Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician about vehicles that have a loud tick or rattle noise under the hood at all operating conditions. Technician will need to check the lower and oil pressure to the upper end oil pressure. Technician will need to inspect the oil feed orifice in the cylinder head. Technician will clean out and debris found in the orifice.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗This Informational bulletin describes warranty part reviews where door glass had chips or scratches.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications. Bring the bulletin number to your dealer or shop.
The failure pattern owners describe
Door latch failure dominates the complaints. Owners report doors that pop open during turns or normal driving, won't latch when shut, or—dangerously—won't unlock even when the handle is pulled. Power locks cycle erratically: some report the button only unlocks, not locks, or require two to three cycles to engage. One owner's passenger door flew open mid-drive; another couldn't close her door for the first several hours of driving. At 165,000 miles, all four door latches failed on one vehicle.
Driver seat welds are breaking, causing seats to slump to one side or lift unevenly. One owner's seat became loose enough to wiggle freely—a hazard in a crash when the seat could catapult occupants into deploying airbags. Replacement costs exceed $1,000.
Dashboard panels above the glove box are cracking early in ownership, along with adjacent trim pieces. One owner also reports the glove box hanging down. Water is pooling in the cabin on at least one vehicle; the owner notes GM has a technical service bulletin for this issue and fears floor-pan rust.
Independent mechanics declined diagnosis on some failures; dealers quoted $50–$100 just to look at door issues. A dealer lubricated the steering box for a moaning noise, but the problem returned post-warranty.
Failure modes owners describe
Driver seat weld failure
Welding at the seat frame breaks, causing the seat to slump to one side and lose structural attachment to the vehicle. The entire seat and housing base may need replacement.
When: Occurs during normal use and adjustment; failure mileage not stated
Symptoms owners cite: Seat slumps toward console or leans to one side; Seat can be wiggled up and down freely; Seat not properly affixed to vehicle; Seat lifts high on one side when adjusting power seat
Repairs/costs cited: Entire seat and housing base replacement required; dealer estimate over $1000
Door latch failure
Doors fail to latch reliably, either stuck open or stuck closed. Doors can pop open while driving, requiring multiple attempts to close or lock. Power locks may work intermittently, requiring multiple cycles to engage.
When: Various mileages; one report at 165,000 miles; onset appears to be mid-life or later in vehicle ownership
Symptoms owners cite: Door flies or pops open while turning or during normal driving; Door will not latch when shut; Door will not unlock even when handle is pulled; Power lock button only unlocks doors, does not lock them; Lock requires multiple power cycles to engage; Manual locking via remote required as workaround
Repairs/costs cited: Dealer diagnostic fee $50–$100; repair cost not stated in narratives
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Saturn customer service and GM dealer contacted; told no recalls exist for door issues
Dashboard and trim cracking
Dashboard surface above glove box cracks and splits. Crack extends through adjacent trim areas such as the change holder below the dimmer switch. Glove box hangs down due to structural failure.
When: Early in vehicle ownership; reported within first several years of ownership
Symptoms owners cite: Dash above glove box begins to crack; Left change holder cracks; Entire dash area completely cracked through; Glove box hangs down
Repairs/costs cited: No repair information provided by owners
Door locks cycling independently
Door locks lock and unlock on their own while the vehicle is driving or parked, without user input. Manually locked doors unlock when the owner returns to the vehicle.
When: Failure mileage unknown
Symptoms owners cite: Doors lock and unlock independently while driving; Doors lock and unlock independently while parked; No warning indicators illuminated; Manually locked doors are found unlocked when returning to vehicle
Repairs/costs cited: No repair attempted or completed
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: James Martin Chevrolet stated no recalls exist for door locks; manufacturer not made aware
Water intrusion into cabin
Water leaks into the passenger compartment, pooling on the floor. Owner reports this is a known GM TSB issue and cites rust risk to floor pan.
When: Failure mileage not stated
Symptoms owners cite: Water pooling in passenger compartment; Continuous water accumulation requiring shop vac removal
Repairs/costs cited: No repair information provided
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Owner indicates this is a GM Technical Service Bulletin (TSB) issue, meaning GM is aware
Synthesized from 11 NHTSA owner complaints — unverified consumer allegations, summarized for patterns. The verbatim filings appear below.
What owners are reporting 0 most recent
Had body trouble with your 2008 Saturn Aura?
File a complaint with NHTSA → It's free, official, and how every report above got here — owner filings are the federal safety record this page is built on.
Common questions
How serious is the body problem on the 2008 Saturn Aura?
It's a documented issue but not catastrophic. 11 complaints have been filed. Repairs average $1,500 and most owners catch it before it causes a breakdown.
At what mileage does the body typically fail?
Across the 8 complaints that reported odometer mileage, most body failures cluster between 75,000 and 127,000 miles, with the median around 90,239. A quarter of owners report trouble before 75,000; a quarter make it past 127,000. Maintenance history matters more than the odometer alone — this is the reported failure window, not a guarantee.
What does it cost to fix?
Independent shops typically charge around $1,500 for body repairs on this vehicle. Dealer pricing tends to run 20-40% higher. The exact figure depends on the specific failure mode, parts availability, and your local labor rates. If you're outside factory warranty, an extended service contract often covers this category.
Are there any recalls related to body?
No active recalls currently cover body issues on this vehicle. The complaints filed represent owner-reported failures that haven't risen to the level of a manufacturer-issued recall — but they're still worth knowing about before you buy or budget for repairs.
Related
Complaint and recall data sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
public records database. Verify the raw federal record at
nhtsa.gov/vehicle/2008/Saturn/Aura.
Severity ratings are derived from reported crashes, fires, injuries, and fatalities. Repair cost estimates are
independent-shop national averages and may differ in your area. Some links on this page are affiliate links.