2008 Saturn Aura Steering Problems

Source: NHTSA · Updated Feb 21, 2026 · 112 complaints analyzed

Owners have filed 112 complaints with NHTSA about steering problems on the 2008 Saturn Aura, 26% of all complaints for this model year. Half of the reports with a mileage happened before 80,000 miles. The words owners use most often: “intermediate steering” (8% of reports).

What owners describe

Phrases that appear unusually often in these complaints compared with complaints about other cars.

  • Intermediate steering: mentioned in 9 of 112 complaints (8%)
  • Wheel became: mentioned in 9 of 112 complaints (8%)
  • Electric power: mentioned in 8 of 112 complaints (7%)

How much does it cost to fix?

Owners who wrote down what they paid or were quoted put the typical steering repair on the 2008 Saturn Aura at $1,100, and half of them between $1,050 and $1,400.

Based on 7 NHTSA complaints about this problem alone that state a repair bill or quote (2011–2021), converted to 2026 dollars with the U.S. consumer price index. These are owners' own figures, not a quote: they include dealer quotes, and owners who file complaints often faced larger repairs, so they can run higher than typical shop prices. Prices vary by shop, region and warranty coverage. How we calculate this.

At what mileage do steering problems happen?

Based on 88 complaints that reported the odometer reading.

Under 10k miles2 · 2%
10k–25k miles9 · 10%
25k–50k miles15 · 17%
50k–75k miles13 · 15%
75k–100k miles14 · 16%
100k–150k miles19 · 22%
150k+ miles16 · 18%

How serious are the reports?

Of 112 complaints, 6 mention a crash, 2 an injury.

Saturn Aura steering complaints by model year

Peak: 2009, with 210 complaints
2000: 2200022005: 1200512007: 652007652008: 11220081122009: 2102009210

n = 390 complaints · Source: NHTSA

Model yearSteering complaintsShare of that yearMedian miles
2009 Aura21054%123,700
2008 Aura11226%80,000
2007 Aura6511%80,340
2005 Aura120%58,000
2000 Aura267%439,000

When owners reported it

Peak: 2014, with 29 complaints
2008: 1200812010: 222011: 5201152012: 882013: 7201372014: 29292015: 6201562016: 13132017: 8201782018: 992019: 3201932020: 552021: 4202142022: 222023: 2202322024: 442025: 3202532026: 11

n = 112 complaints · Source: NHTSA

Related recalls (1)

Steering:electric power assist systemMar 31, 2014 · NHTSA campaign 14V153000 · 1,373,177 vehicles

Problem: General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2004-2006 and 2008-2009 Chevrolet Malibu, 2004-2006 Malibu Maxx, 2009-2010 HHR (non-turbo), 2010 Cobalt, 2008-2009 Saturn Aura and 2004-2007 Ion, and 2005-2009 Pontiac G6. In the affected vehicles, there may be a sudden loss of electric power steering (EPS) assist that could occur at any time while driving.

Risk: If power steering assist is lost, greater driver effort would be required to steer the vehicle at low speeds, increasing the risk of a crash.

Fix: GM will notify owners, and dealers will perform one of four bulletins. Parts are not currently available. GM expects to send an interim notification around May 28, 2014. When parts are available, owners will be mailed a second letter to come in to have the applicable bulletin applied. Bulletin 14115 covers model year 2004-2007 Saturn Ion, 2009-2010 Chevrolet HHR and 2010 Chevrolet Cobalts. Dealers will replace the EPS motor. Bulletin 14116 covers model year 2004-2006 Chevrolet Malibu and Malibu Maxx, 2005-2006 Pontiac G6 and 2008-2009 Chevrolet Malibu, Pontiac G6 and Saturn Aura built from March 1, 2008, through June 27, 2008. Dealers will replace the torque sensor assembly. Bulletin 14117 covers model year 2008 Chevrolet Malibu, Pontiac G6 and Saturn Aura built from February 1, 2008, through February 28, 2008. Dealers will replace the torque sensor assembly and EPS motor controller unit. Bulletin 14118 covers model year 2008 Chevrolet Malibu, Pontiac G6 and Saturn Aura built from October 1, 2007, through January 31, 2008. Dealers will replace the EPS motor controller unit. The recall began on July 17, 2014. Owners may contact Chevrolet at 1-800-630-2438, Saturn at 1-800-553-6000, and Pontiac at 1-800-620-7668. GM's number for this recall is N140115. Note: GM bulletin number 14119 will be implemented for model year 2006-2008 and early production of 2009 Chevrolet HHR (non-turbo) and model year 2003 Saturn ION to provide EPS Motor replacement for the life of the vehicle.

What owners report

Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.

The Air Bag Service Warning Message and warning light is illuminated I took the car back to the dealership had it serviced and a month later the message and light are on again. The passenger Air Bag sensor is malfunctioning sometimes it doesn't detect the passenger most times it detects a passenger…

Received Feb 21, 2026 · NHTSA complaint 11719644

My electric power steering stopped working. Not safe to drive. This was fixed prior on recall. I did not own car then.

Received Dec 31, 2025 · NHTSA complaint 11708100

I noticed a rattling while driving also smoking under the hood so I took it to a garage and he said that's no problem and that I have a severe oil leak under the front of car he showed me and oil is EVERYWHERE HE MENTIONED HE COULDNT FIX IT THERES A PROBLEM WITH THE ABS LINE AND POWERSTEERING AXLE…

Received Jul 21, 2025 · NHTSA complaint 11674932
Saturn Aura
2007 Saturn Aura photographed in USA.. Representative photo; appearance varies by model year. Photo: IFCAR, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.

Frequently asked questions

Do all 2008 Saturn Auras have steering problems?

No. NHTSA has 112 owner complaints about steering for the 2008 Saturn Aura (26% of the 432 complaints for this model year). Complaint data shows that the problem is reported, not how many of all cars sold are affected.

Was there a recall on the 2008 Saturn Aura steering?

Yes: 1 safety recall list steering. Check your VIN on NHTSA.gov to see whether the fix was done on your car.

At what mileage do steering problems start?

The median reported mileage is 80,000 miles: half of the reports with a mileage came before that.

How much does it cost to fix steering problems on the 2008 Saturn Aura?

Owners report a typical cost of $1,100 (half paid between $1,050 and $1,400), from 7 complaints that state a repair bill or quote, in 2026 dollars.

What do owners say about steering problems on the 2008 Saturn Aura?

The most frequent phrase is “intermediate steering”, in 9 of 112 complaints, followed by “wheel became” (9).

Other 2008 Saturn Aura problems

See all 2008 Saturn Aura problems or steering problems across all Aura years.