Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (battery, alternator, wiring, ignition, instrument cluster, infotainment).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2008 Saturn Astra owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
The contact owns a 2008 Saturn Astra. The contact stated that while shifted to park(P), the vehicle occasionally started rolling forward or backwards. The contact engaged the parking brake. Additionally, the contact was unable to start the vehicle and had to jiggle the key to start it. The contact stated that the gear shift lever was shifted from park(P) to neutral(N) several times before the vehicle started. The contact stated that the failure was intermittent. The contact stated that recently the check engine and low tire pressure warning lights were illuminated. The contact had not taken the vehicle to a local dealer or independent mechanic to be diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not informed of the failure. The failure mileage was 61,830.
My right headlight, kept going out. I couldnt get a sticker because the mechanic stated the headlight kept burning. He reground the right headlight so it could get energy from the battery. Currently, everything in the diagnostic of the car says low beam.
I bought this 2008 Saturn Astra xr used in 2014 from a car dealership. Within a few weeks I began having problems starting the car. And it stalled while driving. I took it to many repair shops for diagnostics and repairs but after spending hundreds and then thousands of dollars replacing various parts and components it still continued having the same exact problems that all the genius mechanics couldn't figure out the cause. I suspect that the car dealership sold me a trade-in car that was involved in a water flood damage situation and all or most of the hidden wiring and electrical components were probably corroded and rusted. But none of the genius mechanics who worked on my car even suspected that all the problems with my car could've been caused by water flood damage. They just kept replacing many old parts with new parts and charging me lots of money. …
2008 Saturn Astra xr 2dr, 5 speed manual, 98K miles. P2138 code and check engine light has repeatedly occurred, resulting in five replacement accelerator pedals to date, with a sixth pedal required. Accelerator pedals have failed in as little as less than one week of operation, or as long as three years of operation. All pedal assemblies being replaced were OEM dealer parts. Wiring harness was inspected for water intrusion per TSB 07-06-04-019e, and determined to be a non-issue. As this is a manual transmission car, the first 1/3-1/2 of the accelerator pedal produces no acceleration, making proper clutch to engine RPM engagement extremely difficult and unsafe. …
When you put the car in reverse the lights light up on the gear shift, and will not engage. I then put the car in park and back in reverse. 2nd time I had an issue that car would not start even though it was in park, I someone try to jump it, thinking it was the battery, because I have gone through 5 batteries because of a short in the doors and also the relay for power locks.. When I put the car in nutral then the car could start and then I can drive it and 3 rd incident I parked the car, my daughter got out of the car and it went forward and she almost got hurt. I took it to my mechanic after the 2nd incident and was told it was the cable. I did research and say that GM recalled thousands of cars because of the cable defect. Saturn aura was recalled also for this issue. I contacted GM to see if they will pay for it, they said there is no recall. …
I was parked at a shopping center, my car was parked and tried to start the car. It would not start and a young man gave me a boost only to still have car not start. I got back in the car and noticed that even though it was in park the display in front of the steering wheel showed the car to be in reverse. The next incident happened at my parents house where the car was parked and turned off but started rolling back. Kids were getting out the car so I immediately pulled emergency brake. Another incident happened at work car in parked position and car was still moving. It continues to happen. I noticed online there was a recall for the exact same problem in the Saturn aura with its shift cable. I contacted the GM manufacturer, they only want to pay half of the cost to fix problem. This is a safety risk to my family and others. …
Problem has occurred twice in four month period. On both occasions the vehicle was in motion going 30-40 MPH. Without warning the assisted power steering ceased operation. In a matter of seconds, the steering wheel became stiff, difficult to turn, and the turning range significantly decreased. No warning lights appeared. On the first occasion, the vehicle was taken to an auto repair shop. No discernible issues were found. The mechanic checked all fuses and found no fault. The mechanic decided to replace a fully functioning fuse, which fixed the issue for approximately three and a half months. A few days ago, without warning, while driving under the same conditions as the first occurrence, the issue returned-power steering assist failed. The vehicle is currently in the shop again. The reason for the power steering failure remains unclear.
Vehicle horn is intermittently inoperable. I have had two near misses due to the non functioning horn. When it is not functioning, depressing the horn button turns the radio volume instead. At the same time the left steering wheel buttons are inoperable. Occasionally the radio volume will lower on its own, then return to normal. This problem is common oversees in the opel / vauxhall versions of the Astra. Replacement of the wiring harness and cim module have only temporarily resolved the issues there. This issue has persisted on and off in my vehicle for several years.the condition exists while stationary and in motion. The car is mostly driven short trips in city traffic. The car is 8 years old, 52,000 miles.
The horn on my vehicle does not operate, creating an extremely dangerous situation for the driver, as well as other vehicles and pedestrians on the road. This is a known problem, addressed by GM "special coverage 10276". Unfortunately, that special coverage did not fix the problem, and GM implemented an extremely low mileage limit so it does not apply to many affected vehicles. This pervasive problem has been known by GM for years both in the USA (with the Saturn Astra) as well as the identical vauxhall Astra and opel Astra in europe.
Owner was stop n go city driving pulled into his home driveway noticed smoke coming from under dash. Parked car and immediately contacted fire service. Car dash ignition area burst into flames and was heavily damaged by fire. Fire was extinguished quickly by firefighters, extremely fast moving fire and excessive smoke. Total damage to vehicle. All damage limited to interior. Point of origin was left of lower dash area under steering wheel. Under investigation at this time as to cause. Suspected electrical in nature.
Electrical complaints in other Astra years
Frequently asked questions
How common are electrical problems on the 2008 Saturn Astra?
NHTSA has 22 complaints about the electrical system of the 2008 Saturn Astra, 14% of the model year's 162 complaints. The component named most often is horn (1 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2008 Saturn Astra electrical problems?
No. NHTSA lists no electrical system recall for the 2008 Saturn Astra, though it has 1 recall for other components. If the problem is widespread, a repair may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin — ask a dealer.
At what mileage do 2008 Saturn Astra electrical problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 77,000 miles, and 18% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 0 crashes, 1 fire and 0 injuries to electrical system problems on this model year. If you notice symptoms, have the car checked before driving further.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.