Most common 2009 Saturn Aura problems
Share of the 390 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Saturn Aura complaints by model year
Best Aura years: 2005, 2010. Years to avoid: 2007, 2008, 2009. Compare all years →
2009 Saturn Aura recalls (4)
Vehicle speed control › Cruise control
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2004-2012 Chevrolet Malibu vehicles manufactured May 16, 2003, through October 11, 2012, 2004-2007 Malibu Maxx vehicles manufactured June 25, 2003, through April 5, 2007, 2005-2010 Pontiac G6 vehicles manufactured May 26, 2004, through January 4, 2010, and 2007-2010 Saturn…
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will attach the wiring harness to the BCM with a spacer, apply dielectric lubricant to both the BCM and harness connector and the BAS and harness connector, and will relearn the brake…
Steering › Electric power assist system
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.
Remedy: 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.
Power train › Automatic transmission › Gear position indication (PRNDL)
General Motors (GM) is recalling certain model year 2007-2010 Saturn Aura and model year 2008-2010 Chevrolet Malibu and Pontiac G6 vehicles, equipped with a 4-speed automatic transmission. On these vehicles, the tabs on the transmission shift cable end may fracture and separate.
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will install a retainer over the cable end or replace the shift cable as necessary. This service will be performed free of charge. Notification to owners began on on November 9, 2012.
Power train › Automatic transmission › Lever and linkage › Column shift
General motors is recalling 276,729 my 2009 Buick enclave, Chevrolet cobalt, hhr, malibu, traverse, GMC acadia, Pontiac g5, g6 and Saturn aura and outlook passenger vehicles. These vehicles fail to comply with federal motor vehicles safety standard 102, "transmission shift position sequence, starter interlock, and transmission…
Remedy: Dealers will inspect and ensure that the shift cable adjustment clip is fully engaged. In the event that the clip does not engage, the shift cable will be replaced free of charge.
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal safety investigators have looked into a possible defect involving the 2009 Saturn Aura:
Fleet Vehicle Recall Completion Audit
On November 18, 2010, NHTSA's Recall Management Division (RMD) opened an audit query (AQ10-001) to investigate recall remedy completion by rental car companies on safety recall campaigns.It was expected to provide the agency an indication of how completely and how quickly rental car fleets perform necessary recall-related remedies on the vehicles owned and then rented/leased for use on the roadways.RMD queried three…
What 2009 Saturn Aura owners say
Steering all 210 →
The contact owns a 2009 Saturn Aura. The contact stated driving 55 MPH, the vehicle lost power steering functionality. The power steering warning light was illuminated. The contact veered to the side of the road. The contact turned off and restarted the vehicle; however, the failure persisted. The contact turned off and inspected the vehicle and noticed that the power steering was electric. The contact's brother turned off, restarted the vehicle, and shook the steering wheel several times until the steering wheel became operable. The contact was able to drive the vehicle to the residence at slow speeds. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed. The mechanic determined that the electric power steering assist system had failed, and the failure was related to NHTSA Campaign Number: 14V153000 (Steering). The vehicle was not repaired. …
The contact's partner owns a 2009 Saturn Aura. The contact's partner noticed that the brake lights randomly would illuminate. The contact stated that the failure occurred at various speeds and related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 14V252000 (Electrical System, Exterior Lighting, Vehicle Speed Control, Electronic Stability Control). Additionally, when the contact's partner was coming to stop while driving, the power steering failed. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 14V153000 (Steering). The failure of the power steering occurred once. The failure of the brake lights was a recurring failure. The contact had not taken the vehicle to a local dealer or independent mechanic. The vehicle had not been diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer had not been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 230,000.
Transmission & drivetrain all 65 →
The contact owns a 2009 Saturn Aura. The contact stated that while coming to a stoplight, the transmission failed to shift properly, and the vehicle jerked. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the steering wheel seized with the power steering warning light illuminated. The contact stated that the steering wheel became difficult to turn. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed and determined that the transmission had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The dealer was contacted. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 124,000.
The contact owns a 2009 Saturn Aura. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle experienced a loss of power steering assist. Additionally, while driving 50-55 MPH, the transmission jolted. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Numbers: 14V252000 (Electrical System, Exterior Lighting, Vehicle Speed Control, Electronic Stability Control), 14V153000 (Steering), 12V460000 (Power Train), and 09V073000 (Power Train). The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 126,000.
Stability & traction control all 61 →
My car has been nothing but problems since I purchased it. The moonroof has leaked and I have paid to have it repaired several times even though GM says they aren't to blame. The leaks in the moonroof are only what I can start to attribute the electrical problems to. I randomly loose radio controls, have buttons that don't work, cant use my key fobs after replacing them and replacing batteries only the "panic" button will work. What takes the cake is the reduced engine power light that came on yesterday and the service ECM light, nearly killing us on the highway. I get reduce engine power but with no warning to go from 68 to 35 in the high speed lane is asking for death. …
When I bought the car last year the dealership said they installed brand new brakes but they where still squeaking so I just thought it was because of the new brakes but a month later my brakes and rotors and calipers were completely gone it costed me $1200 to replace them but then 2 months later again it started doing the same thing my brakes wore down completely so I asked my uncle to look at them and change them for me so he did and now my brakes are doing the same thing they grind very loud and squeak and I didn't buy no cheap brakes either they where top performance brakes another problem I had what's my control module in my transmission went out as I was driving on the high way my speedometer wasn't working and my car moved slowly and made a loud noise so I replaced it and it's working for now then my doors won't unlock I'll hit the unlock button in the car and the key chain but …
2009 Saturn Aura engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2.4L 4-cyl hybrid | 4-speed automatic | FWD | 26 / 34 / 29 |
| 2.4L 4-cyl | 6-speed automatic | FWD | 22 / 33 / 26 |
| 3.6L 6-cyl | 6-speed automatic | FWD | 17 / 26 / 20 |
EPA ratings. Class: Midsize car.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2009 Saturn Aura a good car?
Based on 390 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2009 Aura rates use caution: 1.6× as many complaints as a typical year of the Aura at the same age. It is one of the Aura years we suggest avoiding. Complaint counts don't account for sales volume or individual maintenance, so have any used car inspected before buying.
What is the most common problem with the 2009 Saturn Aura?
The steering — 210 complaints, 54% of all complaints for this model year, most often about column. Next are the transmission & drivetrain (65) and stability & traction control (61).
How many recalls does the 2009 Saturn Aura have?
There are 4 recalls for the 2009 Saturn Aura, the most recent from May 14, 2014 (cruise control). Recall repairs are free at any authorized dealer — check whether yours has been done with the VIN recall check.
What are the best and worst years of the Saturn Aura?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2005 and 2010. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 2007, 2008 and 2009. See the full Saturn Aura years comparison.
At what mileage do 2009 Saturn Aura problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 100,000 miles; 15% of problems with a recorded mileage started before 50,000 miles.
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.