10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
3 / 1
Injuries / Deaths:
2 / 0
Average Mileage:
101,290 miles

About These NHTSA Complaints:

The NHTSA is the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints can be spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem. See the Back button — blue bar at the very top of the page — to explore more.

Get notified about new defects, investigations, recalls & lawsuits for the 2009 Saturn Aura:

Unsubscribe any time. We don't sell/share your email.

« Read the previous 20 complaints

problem #158

Feb 052020

Aura

  • 14,000 miles
My power steering then went out and they are not honoring recall on

- Chicago, IL, USA

problem #157

Feb 012020

Aura

  • 14,000 miles
My power steering is gone

- Chicago, IL, USA

problem #156

Feb 052020

Aura

  • 72,154 miles
Driving on the highway. Message on the dashboard "power steering/service ESC". power assist steering stopped functioning while driving, making it very difficult to steer. Drove approximately 5 miles with no power steering assist. Turned the car off. Restarted the car approximately 3.5 hours later - message was no longer on the dashboard and power steering assist was functioning. This situation is similar to various complaints recorded on "carcomplaints.com/Saturn/Aura/steerig/steering.shtml".

- Schofield, WI, USA

problem #155

Dec 182019

Aura

  • 104,000 miles
I had driven my 2009 Saturn Aura in the morning with no problem and parked it in a parking lot at my workplace. When I was about to go home I started my car and the power steering light came on and I checked the steering and I had no power steering. I turned my car off and waited a couple of minutes and then restarted my car. The power steering message had gone away and the power steering worked. I drove down the road a turned my car off to do an errand. When I came back and restarted my car the power steering message came back and I didn't have power steering again because the steering wheel was stiff. I turned the car off again and restarted it a few minutes later. The power steering was working again. I started to drive home and about 7 to 10 minutes later the power steering didn't work again so I pulled over on the side of the road. After pulling over to the side of the road I turned my car off the turned it back on a few minutes later. The power steering was working again. I drove a couple of minutes and then the power steering turned off again. So I pulled over again. This time when I started my car the power steering didn't turn on again so I drove the rest of the way home with no power steering. I found a recall notice on a website. Here is the link: Https://www.cars.com/research/Saturn-Aura-2009/recalls/ looks like the recall number is 14V153000. When I called GM and Saturn on their toll free number they customer service representative said that my car was not part of the recall. I don't understand why that would be because the symptoms of the recall are identical to my car's symptoms. Thank you.

- Sammamish, WA, USA

problem #154

Dec 242019

Aura

  • miles
Power steering intermittently goes out. Works after restarting vehicle. Had scheduled appointment on Dec 27th to fix power steering issue. Was under recall issued warranty. Missed appointment after transmission went out. Was diagnosed bu mechanic who fixed transmission. Took it to GM dealership. Diagnosed it with same problem. Refused to honor warranty because it expired on the 31st. And was diagnosed a week later. Even though had said issue before it expired and confirmation emails to prove it.

- Saint Louis, MO, USA

problem #153

Jan 012020

Aura

  • 125,300 miles
The contact owns a 2009 Saturn Aura. The contact stated that while driving approximately 55 mph, the steering wheel jerked and was difficult to turn. The electronic power steering maintenance message was displayed. The traction control warning indicator light was illuminated. The contact called dan hecht Chevrolet Buick 2400 S banker St, effingham, il 62401(866) 980-2619 however, vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact stated the failure was similar to NHTSA campaign number: 14V153000 (steering). The manufacturer was contacted but, no further assistance was provided. The failure mileage was 125,300.

- Oblong, IL, USA

problem #152

Dec 102019

Aura

  • 171,000 miles
Power steering intermittently goes out while driving, only way to get it back is to restart the car. Happened 4 times within 30 minutes while driving on the highway.

- Chelsea, MI, USA

problem #151

Aug 092017

Aura

  • miles
One day I was own my home powersteering locked

- Greenville, SC, USA

problem #150

Aug 082019

Aura

  • 196,000 miles
The steering has failed. A mechanic as well as research one online, indicate that the factory did recall the car to replace the original steering parts. This one has not yet been completed and GM is stating that the recall is jownvoid because of they required the car to be brought in for the recall prior to 10 years or 150,000. Is it at all possible that because this is a steering issue which is absolutely a safety concern, that the recall should be extended to all vehicles still operating and roadworthy?

- Boise, ID, USA

problem #149

Jun 132019

Aura 4-cyl

  • 130,000 miles
The power steering will go out and service ESC light will come on. Sometimes the steering wheel will snatch when making a turn. The traction will disable and wont enable. When you turn the car off and back on the problem will go away.

- Barstow, CA, USA

problem #148

Jun 092019

Aura

  • 158,000 miles
I have been having a problem with my steering I have been losing it and my ESC light comes on.before it would just come on when I started my car but now it's coming on while I'm driving I can be on the highway or rural roads it doesn't matter it comes on I need to really find out what's happening before me or someone gets hurts or even killed. The light just coming on has been about 6 months to a 1 yr. Now it's affecting me driving just started 2 days ago. I have taken it several times to the dealership to be looked at since all of this has been happening.

- Riverview, FL, USA

problem #147

May 152019

Aura

  • 126,886 miles
Power steering keeps shutting off and locking. It says ESC on it. Turn car off it then is fixed for awhile.

- Gaylord, MI, USA

problem #146

Sep 132018

Aura

  • 180,000 miles
Noticed a several months ago that it was hard to turn my steering wheel when I would back out of a driveway or parking lot and then in the last month, the steering column has started to creak every time I turn it, even while driving on the road, both city and highway. I don't believe that this is normal wear and tear because I've never had this problem with my old vehicle (1998 Oldsmobile cutlass supreme). As far as I know, nothing has happened to create this problem with the steering wheel, but I started to notice that it was hard to turn on pavement a few months after I bought it and was driving it regularly (I didn't drive it a lot at first). I also noticed that if my vehicle was on gravel, it was easier to turn, but on pavement was harder to turn. I have been driving it a lot more lately, which is when I noticed it going from being hard to turn while backing out to a creaking noise being made while turning on the road.

- Southgate, MI, USA

problem #145

Apr 012019

Aura

  • 107,000 miles
The contact owns a 2009 Saturn Aura. While driving 2 mph and attempting to park, the steering ability became extremely difficult and the service electronic stability control message appeared on the message center. The contact turned off and restarted the vehicle, and it operated normally. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer for diagnostic testing. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The approximate failure mileage was 107,000.

- Indianapolis, IN, USA

problem #144

Jan 012018

Aura

  • 150,000 miles
While driving on freeway power steering went out. Extremely difficult to control car. I found that after the car was turned off, the steering works again. This happens all of the time and is very scary. I don't want to drive with my children in the vehicle. Also steering wheel goes back and forth when I am in park and not touching it. Steering feels loose.

- Sandstone, MN, USA

problem #143

Mar 112019

Aura

  • 149,000 miles
Takata recall when starting the vehicle power steering light comes on and the wheel is hard to turn after restarting the car a few times the light went off and the wheel is back to normal. Now when driving the wheel shakes and makes noise.

- Greenbay, WI, USA

problem #142

Mar 142019

Aura

  • 72,000 miles
The power steering went out while I was driving, I had to pull off a city street and turn off my car. I waited about 4-5 minutes and started it again and it was working again. This is now the 3rd time for this event! now it's my passenger rear tire! the warning light is on, does not read pressure, had it checked 2 X's and service center says they don't know what it is!!! help help!!

- Dayton, OH, USA

problem #141

Feb 192019

Aura

  • 150,000 miles
When starting the vehicle power steering light comes on and the wheel is hard to turn after restarting the car a few times the light went off and the wheel is back to normal. Now when driving the wheel shakes and makes noise.

- Oklahoma City, OK, USA

problem #140

Feb 152019

Aura

  • 163,000 miles
Takata recall its a bad thing that the power steering is electric so you can't monitor it yourself and when it's mess up in the middle of driving it's nothing you can do I was in motion on the highway switching lanes and the steering wheel got hard to turn out of no where so I pulled over and my power steering light was on I believe it has something to do with the power steering and electrical

- Atlanta, GA, USA

problem #139

Feb 112019

Aura

  • 103,170 miles
At times the power steering is fine; and then for an unknown reason the warning light comes on the dash and the power steering does not operate. The ESC light comes on too and off.

- Carol Stream, IL, USA

Read the next 20 complaints »