2008 Saturn Astra Powertrain (other) Problems

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.

NHTSA ID

11731553

Incident

Mar 27, 2026

Mileage

61,830 mi

THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT SHIFT OUT OF REVERSE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE SHIFT BUSHING FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE

NHTSA ID

11649379

Incident

Mar 20, 2018

I can't get in gear. Sometimes I can put it gear but after I have stopped and put it in park, it will not go into any gear so I get stuck. I am a senior and bought this second hand. It only has 47,000 miles on it. It appears it doesn't always go into park properly. This shift problem has been recalled on other cars of this make and model and I need it repaired as soon as possible. It happens all the time and I am afraid to drive it anywhere.

NHTSA ID

11468414

Incident

Jun 4, 2022

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 SATURN ASTRA. WHEN THE CONTACT SWITCHED THE GEAR SHIFTER INTO THE DRIVE POSITION, THE TRANSMISSION INDICATOR ERRONEOUSLY DISPLAYED THAT THE SHIFTER WAS IN THE DRIVE #3 POSITION. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. BIG M CHEVROLET (704 N. DIXIE BLVD, RADCLIFF, KY) WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 37,000.

NHTSA ID

11232413

Incident

Jul 14, 2019

Mileage

37,000 mi

THE VEHICLE WAS ON A FLAT SURFACE RECENTLY PARKED AND TURNED OFF IN THE DRIVEWAY AND THE TRANSMISSION WAS IN PARK WHEN IT STARTED ROLLING BACKWARD. IT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE IN PARK AND IT ACTED LIKE IT WAS IN REVERSE OR IN NEUTRAL.

NHTSA ID

11115248

Incident

Jul 31, 2018

Mileage

70,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 SATURN ASTRA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE FAILED TO SHIFT INTO THE PARK POSITION. IN ADDITION, THE KEY COULD NOT BE REMOVED FROM THE IGNITION. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE HAD TO BE PLACED IN NEUTRAL IN ORDER TO REMOVE THE KEY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 108,000. ..UPDATED 07/31/17 *BF

NHTSA ID

10991134

Incident

May 22, 2017

Mileage

108,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 SATURN ASTRA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE GEAR SHIFT LEVER FAILED TO OPERATE AS INTENDED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 52,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

NHTSA ID

10959074

Incident

Feb 15, 2017

Mileage

52,000 mi

TL* TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 SATURN ASTRA. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE ATTEMPTING TO PUT THE VEHICLE IN PARK, IT INDEPENDENTLY SHIFTED TO REVERSE. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE GEAR BOX NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 23,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. UPDATED 12/13/16*LJ

NHTSA ID

10908647

Incident

Sep 20, 2016

Mileage

23,000 mi

FOOT ON THE BRAKE, SHIFTING FROM PARK TO REVERSE (IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE CAR WAS STARTED), ALL THE LIGHTS ON THE PRNDL (AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION GEAR POSITION INDICATOR) ILLUMINATED. THOUGH MOVING THE SHIFT LEVER, THE GEAR WOULD NOT ENGAGE. PUSHED SHIFTER BACK TO PARK THEN SLOWLY TO REVERSE. FINALLY IT CLICKED IN. THIS HAPPENS EVERY TIME I SHIFT TO REVERSE, FOOT ON THE BRAKE. THE CAR ONLY HAS 68,000 MILES ON IT. FROM ANOTHER OWNER, APRIL 2016 COMPLAINT: "SAME AS YOUR RECALL #12V46000 FOR THE SATURN AURA...2008 SATURN AURA POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:GEAR POSITION INDICATION (PRNDL) NHTSA CAMPAIGN #12V460000 DATE ANNOUNCED: SEPTEMBER 18, 2012 VEHICLES AFFECTED: 426,240 SUMMARY: 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. " YOU NEED TO RECALL SATURN ASTRAS FOR THE SAME REASON. PLASTIC CLIPS ARE DETERIORATING - ACCIDENTS WILL HAPPEN. OTHER COMPLAINT STATED: SPOKE WITH GMC YESTERDAY ON 11APR16 - THEY ADMITTED THAT THE SAME CLIPS WERE USED ON PRNDL CABLE IN THE ASTRA - JUST MADE AT OTHER FACTORIES "THAN THE ONES AFFECTED IN THE RECALL."YOU ALREADY HAVE REPORTS OF THE SAME ISSUE FROM ASTRA OWNERS THAT MIMIC THE ONES IN SISTER-CARS. PLEASE INVESTIGATE.

NHTSA ID

10871983

Incident

Jun 1, 2016

Mileage

68,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 SATURN ASTRA. WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS SHIFTED INTO PARK, IT WOULD NOT ENGAGE IN PARK AND KEPT MOVING. IN ORDER TO SHUT OFF THE VEHICLE, THE CONTACT HAD TO APPLY THE HAND BRAKE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FAILURE OCCURRED EVERY DAY FOR THE PAST TWO WEEKS. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 30,126.

NHTSA ID

10855419

Incident

Apr 14, 2016

Mileage

30,126 mi

SHIFTING FROM PARK TO REVERSE (IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE CAR WAS STARTED), ALL THE LIGHTS ON THE PRNDL (AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION GEAR POSITION INDICATOR) ILLUMINATED. THOUGH MOVING THE SHIFT LEVER, THE GEAR WOULD NOT ENGAGE.THIS HAS HAPPENED TWICE TO MY HUSBAND AND THREE TIMES TO ME (STREET PARKED OR IN DRIVE OR PARKING LOT). I ALSO GOT OUT OF THE DRIVEWAY BUT THEN COULDN'T GET INTO DRIVE GEAR. WIGGLED THE SHIFTER, FINALLY IT CLICKED IN. I ALSO NOTICE A LACK OF POWER WHEN ACCELERATING ON TO THE HIGHWAY, HEAR THE ENGINE LUG (WONDER IF I AM TRULY IN THE TOP DRIVE GEAR). "SAME AS YOUR RECALL #12V46000 FOR THE SATURN AURA...2008 SATURN AURA POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:GEAR POSITION INDICATION (PRNDL) NHTSA CAMPAIGN #12V460000 DATE ANNOUNCED: SEPTEMBER 18, 2012 VEHICLES AFFECTED: 426,240 SUMMARY: 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. " YOU NEED TO RECALL SATURN ASTRAS FOR THE SAME REASON. PLASTIC CLIPS ARE DETERIORATING - ACCIDENTS WILL HAPPEN. THE CAR ONLY HAS 47,000 MILES ON IT, OUR ONLY CAR. I NO LONGER TRUST WHAT GEAR I AM IN. SPOKE WITH GMC YESTERDAY ON 11APR16 - THEY ADMITTED THAT THE SAME CLIPS WERE USED ON PRNDL CABLE IN THE ASTRA - JUST MADE AT OTHER FACTORIES "THAN THE ONES AFFECTED IN THE RECALL." I HAVE AN APPT, AT A LOCAL GMC DEALER TO HAVE THE PROBLEM DIAGNOSED TOMORROW 13APR16. GMC IS PAYING THE FIRST HOUR OF DIAGNOSTICS. WE ARE GOING TO BE STUCK PAYING OUT OF POCKET FOR WHAT SHOULD BE THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE CAR MANUFACTURER. GMC WON'T ESCALATE MY COMPLAINT UNTIL AFTER THE DIAGNOSIS. BUT YOU ALREADY HAVE REPORTS OF THE SAME ISSUE FROM ASTRA OWNERS THAT MIMIC THE ONES IN SISTER-CARS. PLEASE INVESTIGATE.

NHTSA ID

10855060

Incident

Mar 6, 2016

Mileage

47,000 mi

CAR LOSE POWER CHECK ENGINE ON DIAG VEHICLE REPLACE 2 ACCELERATOR PEDAL STILL THE SAME PROBLEM CODE P2138 GOOGLE THE VEHICLE PROBLEM GM HAVE OPEN BULLETIN ABOUT SOME KIND OF HARNESS REPLACEMENT FOR MORE THAN 30 MODELS WITH THE SAME PROBLEM IT SHOULD BE A RECALL

NHTSA ID

10852341

Incident

Mar 3, 2016

Mileage

10 mi

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. THAT I HAD TO HAVE GM DEALER LOOK AT IT, BECAUSE THEY DON'T BELIEVE ME. ONCE GM SAYS IT'S THE CABLE THEN THEY WILL DECIDE IF THEY WILL DO A REPAIR. SATURN ASTRA NEEDS TO BE RECALLED THE CABLE REPLACED.

NHTSA ID

10715499

Incident

May 4, 2015

Mileage

78,750 mi

THE PRNDL (AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION GEAR POSITION INDICATOR) STOPPED FUNCTIONING. MOVING THE SHIFTER LEVER (LOCATED BETWEEN THE FRONT SEATS) DOWN OR UP PRODUCED NO ACTION ALTHOUGH THE CAR WAS STUCK IN THE ?R? OR REVERSE POSITION AS INDICATED BY THE CLUSTER. TOOK CAR TO A SHOP AND THEY FOUND THAT THE END OF SHIFTER CABLE (LOCATED IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT) HAS COMPLETELY ERODED. SHOP MECHANIC MENTIONED THAT THIS IS A KNOWN ISSUE AND THAT SATURN AURAS WERE RECALLED A WHILE BACK FOR THAT EXACT ISSUE. WHY WASN'T SATURN ASTRA? REPAIR TOTALED OVER $300. I'VE OWNED SEVERAL CARS IN MY LIFE BUT NEVER HAD THIS HAPPENED. THE CAR HAS ONLY 58K MILES ON IT. *TR

NHTSA ID

10621399

Incident

Aug 2, 2014

Mileage

58,000 mi

WHEN ATTEMPTING TO SHIFT THE VEHICLE FROM REVERSE TO FORWARD THE SHIFT LEVER WENT INTO POSITION HOWEVER WHEN MY WIFE STEPPED ON THE GAS TO GO FORWARD THE VEHICLE WAS STILL IN REVERSE. APPARENTLY THE SHIFT CABLE FAILED AND THE VEHICLE COULD NOT CHANGE GEARS. SHE WAS LEFT WITH A VEHICLE THAT WAS UNSAFE TO DRIVE THUS HAD TO BE TOWED. I DO NOT FEEL THAT THE USE OF A PLASTIC CLIP IN SUCH A KEY POSITION IS SAFE AND THUS SHOULD BE REVIEWED. *TR

NHTSA ID

10546282

Incident

Sep 28, 2013

Mileage

47,138 mi

BASICALLY THIS VEHICLE DID THE SAME THING AS YOUR RECALL #12V46000 FOR THE SATURN AURA, SEE BELOW: 2008 SATURN AURA POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:GEAR POSITION INDICATION (PRNDL) NHTSA CAMPAIGN #12V460000 DATE ANNOUNCED: SEPTEMBER 18, 2012 VEHICLES AFFECTED: 426,240 SUMMARY: 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. CONSEQUENCE: IF THE TABS WERE TO FRACTURE AND SEPARATE, THE SHIFT LEVER AND THE ACTUAL POSITION OF THE TRANSMISSION GEAR MAY NOT MATCH. THE DRIVER WOULD BE ABLE TO MOVE THE SHIFTER TO 'PARK' AND REMOVE THE IGNITION KEY, BUT THE TRANSMISSION GEAR MAY NOT BE IN 'PARK.' THE VEHICLE MAY NOT BE ABLE TO BE RESTARTED AND THE VEHICLE COULD ROLL AWAY AFTER THE DRIVER HAS EXITED THE VEHICLE, RESULTING IN A POSSIBLE CRASH WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING WHEN EXITING VEHICLE IT BEGAN TO ROLL BACK, THAT WAS THE SECOND TIME. AT THAT TIME, THE VEHICLE SHIFT LEVER WAS IN PARK POSITION, WHEN THE SHIFT LEVER READ THE CAR WAS IN D1. CONSEQUENTLY IT WOULD NOT RESTART. ADDITIONALLY, THE SHIFT LEVER COULD NOT BE MOVED. LUCKILY I WAS AT WORK AND IT WAS PARKED ON FLAT GROUND, WITH NO OTHER CARS AROUND. THIS COULD HAVE HAPPENED WHEN I WAS ON THE HIGHWAY, OR I AFTER I HAD GONE INTO WORK. I FEEL IT IS A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10532318

Incident

Jul 26, 2013

Mileage

40,906 mi