2007 Saturn Aura Engine Problems

Which parts fail

• Engine
  1
• Cooling system
  1

Components named in complaints (engine, cooling system, oil leaks, timing chain, exhaust).

Mileage when the problem started

• Under 25k
  58%
• 25k–50k
  23%
• 50k–75k
  1830%
• 75k–100k
  1626%
• 100k–150k
  1728%
• 150k+
  35%

Owner reports

Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2007 Saturn Aura owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).

Tl* the contact owns a 2007 Saturn Aura. While driving 40 MPH, the vehicle failed to accelerate when the accelerator pedal was depressed. Various warning lights illuminated prior to the failure. The contact mentioned that other drivers noticed and informed the contact that the rear of the vehicle was on fire. The contact pulled over to the side of the road and exited the vehicle. The contact mentioned that smoke was seen coming from the hood of the vehicle before it caught fire. There were no injuries. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, but was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 100,000. Updated 08/30/16

In October 2006, my husband and I purchased a new 2007 Saturn Aura. In December 2006, we received a recall notice from the Saturn of greenville, nc dealership. Modification # 06147. On 12/29/06 I took the car to the dealership to have the car serviced for the recall. As explained to me the recall had to do something with the power steering. On February 21, 2007, I had an upsetting event occur with my new Aura. I drove approximately three miles from my home to a child care center to drop off my one-year old son. I continued my drive to work approximately 2.5 miles. As I approached my place of employment, I noticed some smoke and immediately thereafter lost my power steering. I struggled with the steering until I reached our parking lot and then I ran from the car in panic. Immediately upon leaving the vehicle, the engine erupted into a fiery blaze. …

While driving 55 on a busy two lane highway the vehicle dinged and read service traction control on console, immediately the it flashed engine power reduced and engine disabled and my car lost all power and I was unable to get it all the way off the road due to the uphill incline - the car behind me shot out into oncoming traffic and almost caused a major multiple car pile up. The car restarted after sitting a few minutes with reduced engine power for the first twenty miles - I could top out at about 45 and hear an electrical engagement sound. I took it to the dealership but the traction control and engine lights were gone by the time I got there and it was back up to power. I was told it was likely a sensor on the brake pedal and they had to order the part. It has disabled on me about five times now without warning and does so at any speed. …

'07 Aura xr. Purchased mid-January. Check engine light has been on since I bought it, with no issues other than an exhaust leak at the flex pipe. Started noticing loss of power on acceleration, attributed it to dirty injectors/bad fuel. Put in injector cleaner and premium fuel, car would not start. Finally started and took off only to have same issue, but now worse. Car would almost stall when accelerating from dead stop, have to keep accelerator pinned to the floor when starting, rough idle when running. Next step, replaced spark plugs. Did not fix problem, but still needed replacing. Checked codes: p0016 and p0017 (crankshaft position vs. Intake camshaft position correlation bank 1 fault). Have not taken to dealer to have assessed, but from everything I have read this is a stretched timing chain. …

The vehicle has been in and out of repair for the same problem, engines have been replaced but no solution has been found. When driving around 60mph the engine would stall and 'engine power reduced' and 'traction off' would flash, reducing the car speed and making acceleration near impossible- sometimes multiple times in one trip. Car accelerates very slowly and causes traffic buildup. RPM is at 5 (x1000)/min at just 30mph and the engine is making loud noises. Sometimes when stalled or at a red light the engine will cut out completely and the car will die. Almost consistently the car will rattle and shake in a pulsing matter. As previously mentioned I have brought it in to local repair shops and no one has been able to find a solution. Often times the engine is replaced but the problem comes back after a couple weeks.

Ses light illuminated at approx 95,000 miles when backing out of my driveway. Code read is p0017. I took to my local iowa city GM dealership to diagnose and was told it's a stretched timing chain. I'm the vehicle's second owner and purchased it 6 years ago at 33,000 miles. I've always performed regular oil changes at the specified intervals and taken good care of the car. I was quoted $2,500 to fix this, and told this is not under warranty. A technical service bulletin was issued for certain effected vehicles of the same year with the same engine but excludes the satun/Aura xr: http://www-odi.NHTSA.dot.gov/tsbs/. This is a safety issue with the car and would I would like to know why my 3.6l engine is not covered under the above bulletin.

Due to sudden loss of engine power, I nearly avoided a collision from oncoming traffic. This occurred while turning left at an intersection with regular traffic from an airport. The engine timing chain required replacement, which was rather costly. GM special coverage adjustment bulletin #11340c covers some but -conspicuously- not all GM vehicles with the same 3.6l engine for up to 10 years. I strongly feel that unexpected loss of engine power (due to worn timing chain or any other issue) in the middle of oncoming traffic is a safety issue. I don't understand why all vehicles with the same defective engine / timing chain are not being proactively repaired by GM.

Tl* the contact owns a 2007 Saturn Aura. The contact stated that upon pressing the accelerator pedal,the vehicle was slow to respond. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who was not able to replicate and diagnose the failure. The contact stated that the failure progressed and the traction control service warning light illuminated along with an additional warning lamp. The vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer who diagnosed that the exhaust manifold was cracked and needed to be replaced. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 43,000.

This car has been a bust since the warranty expired. The transmission went out a year ago and was of course a recall for many other auras except our specific one. Had that replaced, now its the timing chain, which is also a common complaint of the Aura yet there is no recall. The car misfires, shakes violently when in idle and when driving. It has a very hard shift. Its very hard to accelerate and the rpms shoot up. It also stalls and it sometimes just shuts off. Every light in the vehicle is on, check engine, stabilty, etc. It another expensive repair thats worth more than half the car.

Tl* the contact owns a 2007 Saturn Aura. While driving at 35 MPH, the brake pedal was depressed but the vehicle took a longer distance to stop. The service traction light illuminated and engine power reduced was displayed across the message board. The vehicle was taken to a dealer. The technician diagnosed that the service traction module needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 91,000. Updated 8/10/15 the consumer stated the engine stalled while driving on the highway. Updated 08/20/15

Engine complaints in other Aura years