RoadVitals

2007 Saturn Aura Brakes Problems

Owner-reported complaints naming the brake system, filed with NHTSA

Data refreshed

Brakes reportsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
117
Latest Apr 6, 2025
Share of all reportsThis category as a share of every owner report on file for this model year. One report can name more than one component, so the categories overlap.
19%
of 607 total
Crash or fire reportedReports in this category whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. The reporter's own answer on the NHTSA form, not a verified finding.
3
Injuries or deaths reportedTotals the submitters entered on their own reports in this category. Not verified by NHTSA and not a casualty statistic.
1

What this page shows

Reports naming service brakes, the antilock braking system, brake hoses, master cylinders or the parking brake. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2007 Saturn Aura submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 117 reports on file name it.

Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.

Owner reports naming brake

The 25 most recent of 117, in the owner's own words

BrakesEngineFuel system
Filed Apr 6, 2025

Several Issues

NHTSA ID
11653047
Incident
Jan 21, 2025
BrakesDriver assistance
Filed Mar 13, 2023

The brake lights are illuminated when I’m not breaking, and when I do break, the brake lights will go off and I cannot set my cruise control because of it.

NHTSA ID
11511670
Incident
Apr 2, 2021
BrakesPowertrain (other)
Filed Sep 3, 2022

While driving the car doesn’t switch gear properly. The car made a stalling noise and as soon as I remove my foot from the gas pedal it’s automatically braking.

NHTSA ID
11482711
Incident
Aug 16, 2022
BrakesElectricalExterior lighting
Filed Mar 2, 2022

The contact owns a 2007 Saturn Aura. The contact stated that she was calling on behalf of her deceased son. The contact stated that the vehicle was experiencing failures with the electrical system. The contact stated that several unknown warning lights were illuminated. Additionally, the contact stated that the brake lights would fail to illuminate while depressing the brake pedal. The contact stated that her son had taken the vehicle to an independent mechanic who had informed him that the brakes needed to be replaced; however, the vehicle had not been repaired. The contact stated that the failure had been reoccurring. The dealer and the manufacturer were not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 128,000.

NHTSA ID
11454828
Incident
Jul 6, 2021
Mileage
128,000 mi
BrakesExterior lighting
Filed Apr 29, 2021

I'VE RECENTLY BOUGHT THIS CAR AND THE BRAKE LIGHTS KEEP ILLUMINATING WHEN NOT PRESSED AND HAS DESTROYED TWO BRAND NEW SETS OF ROTORS IN LESS THAN 3 MONTHS DUE TO HOT SPOTS AND STRESS FRACTURES. I HAVE NOTICED IT HAPPENS ALL THE TIME WHETHER I'M DOING CITY OR COUNTRY DRIVING. ALSO THE THIRD BRAKE LIGHT WILL FAIL TO LIGHT UP SOME OF THE TIMES WHENEVER I'M ONLY PRESSING THE ACCELERATOR BUT IT WILL REFUSE TO LIGHT UP WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL IS PRESSED WHEN THIS IS HAPPENING.

NHTSA ID
11414382
Incident
May 20, 2020
Mileage
104,128 mi
BrakesPowertrain (other)Steering
Filed Jan 13, 2021

SO TODAY DRIVING TO WORK CAR RAN FINE GOT OFF MY EXIT CAME TO THE RED LIGHT AND STOPPED. WHEN I GAVE IT GAS TO GO THE ENGINE REVED UP AND WENT BUT VERY SLOWLY THEN IT STOPPED REVING AND DRIVE FINE. THEN ON MY WAY HOME DID THE SAME THING TILL I WENT TO PULL ON TO THE STREET I LIVE ON AND HAD TO WAIT FOR TRAFFIC MY CAR WOULD NOT MOVE BUT REV THE ENGINE. HUSBAND IS CHECKING TRANSMISSION FLUILD LEVELS. BUT HAS NEVER DUN THIS IN THE YEAR I HAVE HAD THIS USED CAR. NOT SURE WHAT TO DO NOW. HAVE READY A LOT OF FOURMS AND ALOT OF PEOPLE HAVING THE SAME ISSUES. BUT NO RECALL

NHTSA ID
11387971
Incident
Jan 13, 2021
Mileage
268,000 mi
Brakes
Filed Apr 27, 2020

WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE THE BRAKES WILL AUTOMATICALLY START ON THERE OWN. THIS WILL LAST ABOUT 15 SECONDS. THIS HAPPENS ABOUT ONCE A WEEK. THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR THE PAST YEAR. WHEN BROUGHT INTO A MECHANIC THEY CANT HELP.

NHTSA ID
11322419
Incident
Apr 1, 2020
BrakesDriver assistance
Filed Dec 31, 2019

I WAS ON MY WAY TO WAL-MART. AS I WAS DRIVING MY CAR ALL OF A SUDDEN WASN'T GOING AS I PRESSED ON GAS SO I NOTICE SOMETHING STRANGE WAS GOING ON TRIED TO SHIFT IT WOULDN'T DOWNSHIFT. THEN I PULLED INTO MIDDLE LANE THAT IS WERE IT SLOWLY STOPPED. THEN I SHUT IT OFF STARTED MY CAR AGAIN TO GO TO A SAFER PLACE IT STARTED, CONTINUE DRIVING ABOUT LESS THEN A MILE TURNED INTO WAL-MART AND AS I WAS TURNING IN CAR GAS PEDALS AND SHIFT WAS NOT WORKING. SO IT ROLLED AND I WAS ABLE TO GET INTO PARKINGNLOT WAL-MART. WHEN I TRIED TO REVERSE AND MAKE THE CAR STRAIGHT IT WOULD NOT MOVE IN DRIVE ONLY REVERSE. I PARKED MY VEHICLE AND CALLED MY HUSBAND CAUSE I WAS PANIC THAT I ALMOST GOT HIT BEHIND ME TILL I PULLED INTO CENTER LANE I DIDN'T WANT TO DRIVE IT.

NHTSA ID
11292318
Incident
Jul 20, 2019
Mileage
90,000 mi
BrakesDriver assistanceElectrical
Filed Jul 16, 2019

TAKATA RECALL MY CAR'S POWER FLUCTUATED WHICH HIGH ACCELERATION THEN BASICALLY DOWN TO NO POWER AND THE RPM GAUGE SHUT DOWN WHILE STILL TRAVELING AT 55 MPH BUT THE BREAKS AND STEERING HAD HIGH RESISTANCE WHICH MADE ME GO INTO A PANIC, I EVENTUALLY PULLED TO THE CURB AND TURNED THE CAR OFF AND CALLED MY HUSBAND HE TOLD ME TO TRY MAKING IT HOME AT A SLOW SPEED IF IT STILL DRIVES SO I STARTED THE CAR AND THE RPM GAUGE WAS BACK WORKING AND I TOLD HIM AND HE SAID THE PROBLEM SOUNDS ELECTRICAL AND DANGEROUS SO I GOT HOME AND WE HOOKED UP A OBD2 CODE READER AND IT GAVE US COFDE C0561 SO MY HUSBAND GOOGLED THE CODE AND IT MENTIONED A RECALL FOR THIS PROBLEM THEN WE FOUND YOUR SITE NHTSA.GOV WE FOLLOWED THE STEPS AND DISCOVERED THERE WAS A PENDING UNREPAIRED REALL ON MY VEHICLE AND IT WAS ABOUT THAT SAME PROBLEM AND EXPLAIN THE FIX REMEDY THAT INVOLVED THE BCM SO I CONTACTED THE CHEVROLE, CADILLAC T DEALERSHIP IN VICTORVILLE CA AND MADE A APPOINTMENT FOR 07/15/2019 TO HAVE THE RECALL PERFORMED AND AS WE ARRIVED FOR THE RECALL WE WERE GREETED BY ROBERT KHOURY AND HE GOT INFORMATION OF OUR VISIT AND IMMEDIATELY STATED THAT IF THEY CHECK THE BCM WE'LL BE CHARGED $139.00 THAT WILL BE APPLIED TO THE REPAIR I THEN LET HIM KNOW NHTSA.GOV SAID THE RECALL WILL BE DONE FREE OF CHARGE AND MR. KHOURY THEN STATED JUNK PEOPLE POST ON WEBSITES SO I TOLD HIM NHTSA IS A OFFICIAL SITE BUT HE WOULDN'T LISTEN AND STATED NO PAY NO FIX BUT WE'LL REPAIR THE BREAK LAMP ONLY SO I LEFT THE CAR WITH THEM HOPING THE MECHANICS WOULD DO THE RIGHT THING, I WENT TO MY OFFICE AND PRINTED OUT NHTSA SAFETY ISSUES & RECALLS AND TOOK IT BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP AND TRYED TO SHOW MR KHOURY BUT HE REFUSED TO READ IT. WE LEFT AGAIN THEN WAS CONTACTED LATER SAYING THE CAR WAS READY AND ON MY WAY HOME IT REPEATED THE SAME THING IT DID WHICH LED TO THE RECALL I CALLED THE DEALER AND KHOURY SAID YOU DIDN'T WANNA PAY

NHTSA ID
11232277
Incident
Jul 15, 2019
Mileage
122,950 mi
Brakes
Filed Jul 9, 2019

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 SATURN AURA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE BRAKE LIGHTS DID NOT ILLUMINATE WHEN APPLYING PRESSURE TO THE BRAKE PEDAL. ALSO, THE BRAKE LIGHTS ILLUMINATED WHEN THE BRAKES WERE NOT BEING APPLIED. THE CONTACT SPOKE WITH AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC AND WAS INFORMED THAT THE FAILURE WOULD NOT BE COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT NOTIFIED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 130,000. *AS *TR

NHTSA ID
11230524
Incident
Jul 1, 2018
Mileage
130,000 mi
BrakesElectricalExterior lighting
Filed Nov 1, 2018

WHILE DRIVING, MY BRAKE LIGHTS COME ON WITHOUT THE PEDAL BEING PUSHED AND THEN WILL EVENTUALLY GO OFF.

NHTSA ID
11144734
Incident
Oct 31, 2018
Mileage
150,000 mi
AirbagsBrakesFuel system
Filed Oct 31, 2018

SINCE NEW, WE HAVE HAD PASSENGER AIR BAG ISSUES, IE: NOT SENSING AN ADULT PASSENGER. BRAKES HAVE BEEN OPERATING POORLY, WITH REAR PADS WEARING OUT, AND FRONT NOT. FOUR NEW MASTER CYLINDERS, PADS & ROTORS WITH NO IMPROVEMENT. NOW MID 2018, STRONG GASOLINE SMELL FROM UNDER REAR OF VEHICLE. I HAVE SEEN WHERE OTHER SATURNS, HAVE A FUEL LEAK RELATING TO THE FUEL PUMP FUEL LINES. I SUSPECT THE SAME FOR OUR CAR. DOESN'T MATTER HOW FULL THE TANK IS, AND OF COURSE IT IS PARKED. SHOULD BE A RECALL ON THIS DEFECT. WE LIVE IN TEXAS WHERE IT IS HOT. WE NOW HAVE ABOUT 130,000MILES ON THE CAR.

NHTSA ID
11144522
Incident
Mar 1, 2018
Mileage
120,000 mi
BrakesExterior lightingVisibility
Filed Aug 14, 2018

MY EXTERNAL BRAKE LIGHTS COME ON AS SOON AS I CRANK MY VEHICLE. THEY DO NOT GO OFF UNLESS I PRESS MY BRAKE PEDAL. I HAVE ALMOST BEEN REAR ENDED A COUPLE OF TIMES. ALSO WHEN I FIRST GET IN MY VEHICLE WHEN I PRESS MY BRAKE PEDAL IT GETS STUCK AND IT MAKES IT HARD TO PUT MY CAR IN GEAR. I NEED THIS CHECKED ALMOST IMMEDIATELY. THIS IS MY SECOND TIME FILING A CLAIM. THE FIRST ONE WAS NOT LOOKED AT.

NHTSA ID
11119947
Incident
Aug 14, 2018
Mileage
150,000 mi
BrakesExterior lighting
Filed Aug 2, 2018

TAKATA RECALL- I HAVE A 2007 SATURN AURA AND I AM HAVING PROBLEMS WITH MY BRAKE LIGHTS. THEY ARE CONSTANTLY ON. I HAVE HAD THE BRAKE SENSORS REPLACED AND SAME OUTCOME. I EVEN HAD THE BRAKE SWITCH REPLACED. WHILE I AM DRIVING MY BRAKE LIGHTS ARE ON AND WHEN I USE THE BRAKES THE BRAKE LIGHT GOES OFF. HAVE ALMOST BEEN REAR ENDED QUITE A FEW TIMES.

NHTSA ID
11115482
Incident
Aug 2, 2018
Mileage
15,500 mi
BrakesEngine
Filed Jun 28, 2018
Crash reported

ON THREE SEPARATE OCCASIONS GOING AT SLOW SPEEDS, I STEP ON THE BRAKS AND THE CAR JUMPS AND GO AT A HIGH SPEED WHEN I AM IN TRAFFIC. IN HAPPENS WHEN THE TRAFFIC IS SLOW AND THEN BEGINS TO MOVE. THE LAST OCCASION RESULTED IN MY CAR BEING TOTALED. IT ALWAYS THE FRONT END.

NHTSA ID
11104530
Incident
Jun 8, 2018
BrakesDriver assistance
Filed Jun 26, 2018

UPON TAKEN OFF MY TRACTION STABILIZER CONTROL LIGHT COMES ON MY CAR WILL THEN STUTTER UPON ACCELERATING MY CAR WILL SMOOTH OUT

NHTSA ID
11103932
Incident
Jun 15, 2018
Mileage
12,100 mi
Brakes
Filed Mar 7, 2018

2007 SATURN AURA. CONSUMER WRITES REQUESTING REIMBURSEMENT FOR VEHICLE REPAIRS RELATED TO A SAFETY RECALL. *LD THE CONSUMER STATED THERE WAS A RECALL FOR BRAKE LAMP MALFUNCTION, BUT THE CONSUMER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE RECURRED. *JS

NHTSA ID
11033651
Incident
Oct 10, 2016
BrakesPowertrain (other)
Filed Jul 31, 2017

I CAN NOT GET SERVICE WITHOUT MAKING MULTIPLE TRIPS TO THE DEALER AS REQUIRED BY GM TO INSTALL A PART THAT IS KNOWN TO THEM.

NHTSA ID
11011756
Incident
Jul 31, 2017
Brakes
Filed Apr 25, 2017

BRAKE LIGHTS STAY ON. WHEN THE BRAKE IS APPLIED THE BRAKE LIGHTS GO OFF AND THEN ON. THIS CONDITION WOULD HAPPEN WHILE STOPPED WITH BRAKES ON OR WHILE DRIVING WITH BRAKES OFF. GM SERVICE POLICY PREVIOUSLY COMPLIED WITH TO FIX CONDITION. BRAKE SENSOR WAS AT FAULT. SENSOR REPLACED.

NHTSA ID
10980452
Incident
Apr 24, 2017
Mileage
93,108 mi
BrakesEngine
Filed Mar 20, 2017

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. IT STARTED THIS BEFORE ANY OTHER PROBLEMS WITH THE VEHICLE, SPECIFICALLY AS I LOST TRACTION ON SOME ICY SNOW AND SPUN THE TIRES A FEW TIMES WHEN THE CAR HAD 50,000 MILES ON IT. BEFORE THE TRACTION CONTROL WAS ADDRESSED I HAD TO REPLACE THE ENGINE AS THE TIMING CHAIN AND CAM ACTUATORS FAILED AT 210 K. WE SOMEHOW FORGOT ABOUT THE TC PROBLEM AND THREE DAYS INTO DRIVING WITH A NEW ENGINE THE CAR DISABLED AGAIN STATING SERVICE TRACTION CONTROL.

NHTSA ID
10967328
Incident
Mar 18, 2017
Mileage
210,000 mi
BrakesDriver assistance
Filed Feb 27, 2017

BRAKE LIGHTS ILLUMINATE WHEN BRAKE PEDAL NOT BEING PUSHED. BRAKE LIGHTS TURN OFF WHEN PEDAL IS PUSHED. ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL FAILS WHEN BRAKE APPLIED. DIFFICULTY SHIFTING OUT OF PARK UNLESS BRAKE PEDAL APPLIED.

NHTSA ID
10957205
Incident
Feb 1, 2017
Mileage
86,000 mi
BrakesDriver assistance
Filed Dec 3, 2016

APPROXIMATELY 30 DAYS AGO, I STARTED EXPERIENCING ISSUES WHERE THE CAR WILL NOT SHIFT FROM PARK GEAR TO DRIVE GEAR. THIS ISSUE HAS OCCURRED APPROXIMATELY 10 TIMES DURING THIS WINDOW. SOMETIMES WHEN THIS ISSUE OCCURS THE ESC LIGHT IS ON WHILE OTHER TIMES THE LIGHT IS OFF. THE ONLY WAY TO "TRICK" THE CAR FROM SHIFTING TO PARK TO DRIVE IS TO TURN THE CAR OFF, PRESS ON THE BRAKE PEDAL OR EMERGENCY BRAKE TO ENSURE CAR IS STILL IN PARK AND GENTLY PUSH AND HOLD THE GEAR SHIFT BUTTON THEN CRANK THE CAR BACK ON.

NHTSA ID
10929703
Incident
Nov 1, 2016
Mileage
250,000 mi
Brakes
Filed Nov 21, 2016

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 SATURN AURA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE EXTERIOR BRAKE LIGHTS FAILED TO ILLUMINATE AND AN ABNORMAL NOISE WAS HEARD AFTER THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. PRIOR TO THE FAILURE, THE VEHICLE WAS REMEDIED PER NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V252000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL, EXTERIOR LIGHTING, SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC, VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL). THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 85,000.

NHTSA ID
10927257
Incident
Nov 17, 2016
Mileage
85,000 mi
AirbagsBrakesElectrical
Filed Nov 14, 2016

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 SATURN AURA. WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS STARTED, THE ESC AND BRAKE INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE AIR BAG INDICATOR FLASHED ON AND OFF. THE DEALER DIAGNOSED THAT THE HARNESS NEEDED TO BE WEATHERED. THE CONTACT DID NOT REMEMBER THE SECOND PART THAT THE DEALER REPLACED. THE FAILURES RECURRED EVERY YEAR SINCE 2007, AT THE ONSET OF WINTER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURES. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 150.

NHTSA ID
10926006
Incident
Sep 20, 2007
Mileage
150 mi
BrakesDriver assistanceElectrical+1 more
Filed Jul 14, 2016

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 SATURN AURA. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH AND TURNING INTO A PARKING LOT, THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED BY ANOTHER MOTORIST THAT THE BRAKE LIGHTS WERE ILLUMINATED FOR APPROXIMATELY THREE MILES. HOWEVER, WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS STOPPED AND THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED, THE BRAKE LIGHTS WERE NOT ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT DROVE THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER AND THEY COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED PER AN UNKNOWN RECALL FOR THE SAME FAILURE IN SEPTEMBER OF 2014. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS INVALID. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 77,054. UPDATED 08/30/16*LJ THE CONSUMER WENT TO ANOTHER DEALER, WHERE THE PROBLEM WAS FIXED. UPDATED 10/26/16.*JB

NHTSA ID
10884782
Incident
Jun 30, 2016
Mileage
77,054 mi

Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.

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Elsewhere on this vehicle

Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .