2008 Saturn Aura Suspension Problems

I bought this 2008 Saturn Aura from dealer on 09/13/2023. Since I bought it, I fractured my hand and foot while checking the tires and brakes. 10/27/23 - I put the car in park to investigate what was causing the constant rattling noise while at the same time the car would shudder. While I was on one knee with one hand on ground so l could bend and look into the wheel well, the car rolled the tire over my hand and foot that was in its path because I wasn't able to move quick enough and didn't expect that to happen. 11/16/23 - I found out what the rattling noise and shudder was caused by when I completely lost all steering control and hit a tree which damaged the vehicle and caused injury, not only to myself but also to my 5 year old nephew who was in the car with me. I was told by a mechanic that a damaged joint bearing caused separation of the u-joint resulting in loss of steering control. What the hell is wrong with this car. I paid $1500 for the vehicle, then to top it off add injury costs I paid; the repairs and/or replacement of the u-joint and transmission shift cable due to damage. I don't know what to do to remedy the situation. I can't even afford to fix the body damage or replace the wheel rim damage caused by the wreck. Where do I go from here? I can't afford a new vehicle that why I bought this car. What a joke. Please advise. Maybe I can find free council.

NHTSA ID

11562877

Incident

Oct 27, 2023

FAILURE OF THE WAVE PLATE. MY VEHICLE HAS ONLY 82,000 MILES AND THE WAVE PLATE IS FAILING. I'M UNABLE TO REVERSE AND THE GEARS SHIFT WHILE DRIVING. THIS IS A KNOWN ISSUE IN GM CARS AND THEY REFUSE TO REPAIR. UNFORTUNATELY, A SINGLE SPECIAL BULLETIN WAS SENT OUT AND MY VEHICLE MET THE CRITERIA FOR MILEAGE BUT WAS 5 MONTHS PASS THE 10 YEAR MARK. SINCE THIS IS A KNOWN ISSUE ALL VEHICLES SHOULD BE RECALLED AND A FIX SHOULD BE IMPLEMENTED OR A REIMBURSEMENT PROVIDED TO OTHERS DUE TO THEIR NEGLIGENCE IN DESIGN. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE AND CAUSES THE VEHICLE TO DO HARD SHIFTS WHILE DRIVING. MY SON, 16 YEARS OLD, WAS DRIVING AND DUE TO HIS INEXPERIENCE HE COULD HAVE HAD AN ACCIDENT BECAUSE THE VEHICLE BECAME DIFFICULT TO DRIVE.

NHTSA ID

11208534

Incident

May 13, 2019

Mileage

82,000 mi

DRIVING DOWN A ROAD DOING ABOUT 35MPH AND NOTICE THE POWER STEERING QUITS WORKING, A MESSAGE COMES UP ON THE INFO PANEL THAT READS POWER STEERING, AND A BELL RINGS. I LOOK IN THE MANUAL AND IT SAYS THAT THE CAR HAS ELECTRIC POWER STEERING (NO FLUID TO CHECK). I CALL THE DEALER AND HE SAYS THE CAR WAS REPAIRED UNDER A RECALL AT 86000 MILES (IT HAS 126000 NOW). APPARENTLY WHAT EVER HAPPENED BEFORE IS HAPPENING AGAIN. BEFORE ALL OF THIS HAPPENED I NOTICED A SLIGHT VIBRATION IN THE STEERING WHEEL AS I WAS AT A RED LIGHT. NOT SURE IF THE TWO ARE RELATED.

NHTSA ID

11057634

Incident

Dec 30, 2017

Mileage

126,000 mi

EXITING ROUTE 53 AT LAKE COOK ROAD AT 30 MPH. ALL OF A SUDDEN, THE CAR STARTING SWERVING AND WENT DOWN INTO A DITCH FOR NO KNOWN REASON. THE CAR WAS TOTALED. *TR

NHTSA ID

10599199

Incident

Oct 31, 2013

Mileage

49,000 mi

THERE IS A CLUNK SOUND IN THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE WHEN MOVING FROM A FULL STOP. A CLUNK CAN ALSO BE HEARD WHEN SLOWING DOWN PREPARING TO STOP. TOOK VEHICLE TO AUTHORIZED SERVICE CENTER, DEALER INDICATED THE STEERING SHAFT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AND A FULL 4 WHEEL ALIGNMENT WOULD BE REQUIRED. REPAIRS ARE SCHEDULED FOR TWO WEEKS FROM TODAY. *TR

NHTSA ID

10502149

Incident

Nov 1, 2012

Mileage

31,000 mi

CAR BEGAN GROANING LOUDLY WHEN WHEEL IS TURNED TO THE RIGHT (EITHER PARKED OF MOVING), STEERING FEELS "JUMPY" TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP WHO REPLACED A STRUT AND CHARGED ME FOR IT, THEN I TOOK IT BACK AND THEY REPLACED THE INTERMEDIATE STEERING SHAFT AND CHARGED MY WARRANTY. TOOK IT BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP A THIRD TIME AND THEY SAID THE SOUND MUST BE NORMAL BECAUSE NO RECALLS HAVE BEEN ISSUED, BUT THEY CAN NOT CLARIFY WHAT THE ISSUE IS. THE SOUND AND STEERING JUMP FEELING IS ABNORMAL AND GETTING WORSE, SEE VIDEO: HTTP://YOUTU.BE/OHDBXTHSWM0. *TR

NHTSA ID

10501217

Incident

Feb 1, 2013

Mileage

30,000 mi

2008 SATURN AURA. CONSUMER STATES THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE BEGAN MAKING CLUNKING NOISE *TGW THE CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE LOCAL DEALER, WHERE THEY LUBRICATED THE INTERMEDIATE STEERING SHAFT. AS IT TURNED OUT, THAT WAS ONLY A TEMPORARY FIX. IN JANUARY 2012, THE NOISE RETURNED AGAIN, FOLLOWED BY A POPPING NOISE. ANOTHER VISIT TO THE DEALER RESULTED IN A QUOTE OF $500 TO REPLACE THE LEFT FRONT CONTROL ARM ASSEMBLY AND BALL JOINT. AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR FACILITY PERFORMED THE WORK FOR $312 INSTEAD. THE CONSUMER STATED THE NOISE HAS SINCE RETURNED AGAIN TO THE STEERING SHAFT.*JB

NHTSA ID

10454122

Incident

Nov 1, 2010

TOOK MY AURA INTO SATURN ON 12/21/09 FOR CLICKING NOISE, SATURN SERVICE REPOSITIONED INTERMEDIATE STEERING SHAFT PER TECHNICAL BULLETIN. NOW HAVE THE SAME PROB GOING ON AGAIN BUT I FOUND ANOTHER SERVICE BULLETIN 06-02-32-002D DATED 06/17/2010 ALSO ANOTHER FOR FRONT END CLUNK/RATTLE/KNOCKS 06-02-32-007G DATED 04/05/2010. I AM CURRENTLY OUT OF WARRANTY WITH THE STEERING PROB AND NOISE FROM THE FRONT END. I HAVE CONTACTED SATURN CUSTOMER SERVICE, THEY ARE NOT VERY HELPFUL. ALL THEY WANT ME TO DO IS TAKE IT IN TO THE DEALERSHIP TO HAVE IT DIAGNOSE THEN WE WILL GO FROM THERE. TODAY I FOUND OUT THE NOISE PROBLEM IN THE FROM END, IT IS THE STRUTS, BOTH HAVE TO BE REPLACED, BIG BUCKS. *TR

NHTSA ID

10438136

Incident

Dec 21, 2009

Mileage

19,247 mi