Pre-purchase inspection checklist — 2009 Saturn Aura
The 2009 Saturn Aura has 390 owner complaints and 5 recall campaigns, with significant issues in steering and power train systems. Limited data is available on other potential concerns. Inspection should focus on steering and transmission, as well as the electrical and brake systems due to common complaints.
NHTSA data on file today
The 2009 Saturn Aura has 5 NHTSA recall campaigns and 390 owner complaints on file as of . Recall data is refreshed daily from NHTSA.
Recall campaigns on file
- NHTSA #14E044000 Steering Shaft Inadequate Support of U-Joint NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #14V252000 Brake Lights may or may not Randomly Illuminate NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #14V153000 Sudden Loss of Electric Power Steering NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #12V460000 The Transmission Shift Cable May Detach NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #09V073000 SHIFT LEVER INDICATOR/FMVSS 102 & FMVSS 114 NHTSA notice
Most-cited components in owner complaints
- Steering 210 complaints
- Power Train 65 complaints
- Electrical System 59 complaints
- Electronic Stability Control (ESC) 59 complaints
- Service Brakes 40 complaints
- Vehicle Speed Control 29 complaints
Of the 390 complaints on file, 12 report a crash and 2 a fire; across all 390 complaints, owners report 10 injuries and 1 death (owner-reported, not verified by NHTSA).
Known issues to inspect
power steering loss
How to check: Test for smooth steering wheel movement; check assist function.
shift cable fracture
How to check: Inspect transmission shift cable for any fractures.
wiring issues
How to check: Check for unusual electrical behavior and wiring damage.
Test-drive walkthrough
- 01
Cold start
What to check: Listen for unusual engine noises.
Red flag: Persistent knocking or rattling.
- 02
First minute idling
What to check: Check for power steering assist.
Red flag: Steering is stiff or unresponsive.
- 03
City driving
What to check: Shift through all gears smoothly.
Red flag: Transmission hesitates or shifts hard.
- 04
Highway acceleration
What to check: Accelerate to check vehicle response.
Red flag: Sluggish response or transmission slip.
- 05
Braking
What to check: Test for smooth and effective braking.
Red flag: Brakes feel spongy or grind.
Questions for the seller
Use this exact phrasing.
- Has the steering issue been repaired?
- Have any transmission repairs been made?
- Are there outstanding recall repairs?
- Any recurring electrical issues?
- Has the vehicle been in any accidents?
Documents to request
Don't sign anything until you have these.
- Recall repair records
- Service and maintenance records
- Vehicle history report
- Accident history
- Title and registration
Generated by gpt-4o on from the NHTSA recall campaigns and owner-complaint counts on file for the 2009 Saturn Aura at the time. AI output can be wrong; confirm anything you find with a mechanic.
Next step
Looking at a specific 2009 Saturn Aura? Check the actual car
This checklist covers the model. From your free try.vin dashboard you can go further — paste the seller's listing for a deal score, or drop their photos for an AI condition report.