Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (front, side and curtain air bags, sensors and inflators).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2008 Saturn Aura owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
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 when there isn't one. The tail and brake lights work intermittently. The steering system is dangerous. There's vibrating in the steering wheel and accelerator pedal at all speeds, the steering wheel pulls and jerks when braking and hitting bumps, the steering doesn't hold alignment and the power steering works intermittently.
My vehicle's make and model have received recalls as stated online, however, my specific VIN does not state any recalls. I am having the same symptoms with the airbags, electrical, and transmission as the recalls stated with my make and model. I believe there should be recalls for my vehicle's VIN. My check engine light has been on, and it is not shifting the way it should. My airbag warning light also turns on at times.
The power train has failed the car won't start the fuses and relays are burning up and the transmission shifts so hard at a jolt almost. The service ecs ecm and service airbag indicator staying lit and the back passenger airbag looks like it's about to deploy it's a safety hazard I love my car I've only had it a year and I don't know what is happening or why.
The service airbag light came on, took my car to miles Chevrolet to get it checked out. They told me my airbag module is defective. My car has never been in an accident and it's a 2008. The airbag should not be defective for both of those reasons. I don't feel I should be paying for this, and I feel this is going to be an ongoing issue. Assumingly, this May be the reason the Saturn Aura had been recalled and not distributed anymore, due to the many recalls this vehicle has had. This is a safety issue, if I got into an accident my airbags will not deploy. I am asking this be put on the recall list, as I've seen many complaints of this issue particularly with the Saturn auras, which were only produced for 3 years, then taken off the market. Thank you for your time.
Passenger airbag light. Airbag light does not remain on when a passenger of 115+ lbs is in the seat. I had the dealership check it and was told they could not find a problem. It was suggested that maybe the passenger was not sitting properly. Experimented with several different size passengers and the problem still persists. How safe is my passenger? Is the airbag activated even if the light does not stay on? Intermediate drive shaft---keep hearing a clunking/popping sound as well as feeling a pop under my feet on the driver's side. Dealership said it is the intermediate shaft that needs replaced but that it is not a hazard. How can a shaft related to the steering not be a hazard.
Tl* the contact owns a 2008 Saturn Aura. While driving approximately 5 MPH, the vehicle accelerated independently and crashed into a building. The air bags failed to deploy. A police report was filed and no injuries were reported. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, but diagnostic testing was not performed. The failure occurred twice. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 48,000.
My side or side curtain air bags did not deploy on my 2008 Saturn Aura. 1. I was driving on the highway in the far left lane at about 60mph. A vehicle behind me changed lanes erratically to the right crossing over 4 lanes of traffic. The car had to swerve back into the lane to her right when someone entered the highway. The car who changed lanes lost control of her car and went sideways across the lanes to the left and struck my right front passenger door with the front end of her car. This pushed me across the breakdown lane with the left front fender (from the headlight down to the beginning of the door) of my car striking the concrete median. 2. I was jarred to the left and my head struck the left driver's window. I later had severe left pain in my head, back, hip & leg. …
I purchased this car on 11/05/2017 and have experienced more problems everyday with the electrical systems in the car. My power locks rarely work on all of my doors. I manually unlock my driver's door and if I try to unlock the other doors with my power lock controls, some or none of the other locks will unlock or lock. This problem happens with the car being stationary, in motion, and on all varieties of driving. My seatbelt light on my dashboard flashes even when my seatbelt is on. This problem happens with the car being stationary, in motion, and on all varieties of driving. The tire monitor and tire pressure light are on at all times, even after having my tires checked by a specialist. This problem happens with the car being stationary, in motion, and on all varieties of driving. The passenger airbag goes on and off when a passenger is seated and wearing a seatbelt. …
We purchased a 2008 Saturn Aura xe 3.5 v6 white in color in January from a carmax in newport news the first day we were supposed to take it home they didn't allow us because they said something about a airbag light so they replaced the battery,now a couple amounts down the road the passenger airbag stays off most of the time when a person of 120+ pounds sits in the seat its become a hazard as I have two teen boys and a daughter that have to ride in this car carmax wants to charge me to fix it when its supposed to be covered by warranty I need additional help this is very dangerous this car should have been recalled along with the Pontiac g6 cars that's were having the same problem.
Tl contact owns a 2008 Saturn Aura. While driving less than 10 MPH and attempting to make a right turn, the air bags deployed without impact. The seat belt locked around the contact's neck. Her neck was injured and she was transported to a physician due to the chemicals expelled from the air bags. The impact was forceful enough that the contact thought she had been shot. The vehicle was towed to the dealer and they advised her not to drive the vehicle. The failure mileage was 10,495 and current mileage was 10,600.
Airbag complaints in other Aura years
Frequently asked questions
How common are airbag problems on the 2008 Saturn Aura?
NHTSA has 26 complaints about the air bags of the 2008 Saturn Aura, 6% of the model year's 432 complaints. The component named most often is side/window (3 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2008 Saturn Aura airbag problems?
No. NHTSA lists no air bags recall for the 2008 Saturn Aura, though it has 4 recalls 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 Aura airbag problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 63,000 miles, and 22% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 2 crashes, 0 fires and 4 injuries to air bags 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.