Reliability & 5-year cost of ownership — 2008 Saturn Aura
NHTSA data on file today
The 2008 Saturn Aura has 5 NHTSA recall campaigns and 433 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 #14V224000 Transmission Shift Cable may Fracture/Rollaway NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #14V153000 Sudden Loss of Electric Power Steering NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #12V460000 The Transmission Shift Cable May Detach NHTSA notice
Most-cited components in owner complaints
- Power Train 124 complaints
- Steering 112 complaints
- Electrical System 93 complaints
- Service Brakes 59 complaints
- Exterior Lighting 45 complaints
- Electronic Stability Control (ESC) 43 complaints
Of the 433 complaints on file, 18 report a crash and 1 a fire; across all 433 complaints, owners report 9 injuries and 1 death (owner-reported, not verified by NHTSA).
Below average
Estimated 5-year repair + maintenance cost: $6,000–$10,000AI estimate — not from NHTSA data
The 2008 Saturn AURA encounters significant issues related to its power train, steering, and electrical system, with 5 recalls and 432 complaints logged. Despite recall efforts, persistent complaints in key areas suggest below-average reliability. However, given some variability in complaints, the data's limitations warrant caution.
Most-common failures
| Part | Typical mileage (AI estimate) | Cost range (AI estimate) | Frequency |
|---|---|---|---|
| Power train | Unknown | $700–$3,000 | very common |
| Steering system | Unknown | $400–$2,000 | common |
| Electrical system | Unknown | $100–$1,000 | common |
AI estimate — not from NHTSA data: the mileage bands and repair-cost ranges above. Get a written repair quote before you budget.
Scheduled maintenance to budget
Routine items every owner should plan for.
- Oil and filter changes
- Brake inspections
- Transmission fluid change
- Steering alignment check
- Battery replacement
- Tire rotations and balance
Warning signs to watch for
Symptoms that signal a major upcoming repair.
- Transmission slipping
- Loss of power steering
- Intermittent electrical issues
- Braking performance issues
Generated by gpt-4o on from the NHTSA recall campaigns and owner-complaint counts on file for the 2008 Saturn Aura at the time. The rating is an AI assessment; cost and mileage figures are AI estimates, not NHTSA data.