2008 Saturn Aura Transmission Problems

The list goes on. Shifting issues started and we've been trying to figure it out among other issues.. Transmission shift cable. Power train transmission. Car randomly won't accelerate while driving. Dials not moving periodically. Coolant holds normally then randomly is emptied like their is a leak. Fill it up & it sucks it on like it won't hold it. Thirsty. Coolant leak but no service light. Car overheated for awhile but now doesn't. Wouod just shoot up to red zone. Got a call last night that it wasn't shifting right & sounded bad. Wks before randomly hard shifted. Our kid was stranded in the cold. Got to him & the car wouldn't shift from neutral. It rolled backwards on him & he threw on the parking brake thankfully!! Scary ordeal & thankful he is ok. When shifting gears, the shifter moved but sounds like it's not connected to anything & the gears don't shift. It stays in neutral. Car won't start. He also randomly has battery issues when his alternator & battery are good. Car just won't start randomly. It is available for inspection once we get it home.. I was led here thinking, it has to have recalls & we weren't notified then I saw recalls for this make & model, just not ours. No warning lights this time. Service engine has came on before them go off intermittently. We've had it connected at auto zone & fixed a few codes it through then service light went off. It's reduced engine power while driving & doesn't accelerate. Drives slow. Reduced power. All these previous issues now the shifting cable. :(

NHTSA ID

11445774

Incident

Dec 30, 2021

Shift cable broke off while driving. Vehicle has been diagnosed by mechanic for broken transmission shift cable by personal mechanic. There are no warning lamps or messages on dash . There is a current recall for this problem. My Vin number is not coming up for recall.

NHTSA ID

11434380

Incident

Sep 17, 2021

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 SATURN AURA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE GEAR SHIFT FAILED AND WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS PLACED IN DRIVE IT RESPONDED AS IF IT WERE IN REVERSE GEAR WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR A DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 128,000. RK

NHTSA ID

10593666

Incident

May 21, 2014

Mileage

128,000 mi

THE VEHICLE TRANSMISSION SHIFT CABLE FAILED WHILE IN A PUBLIC STREET, AND WAS ONLY ABLE TO MOVE IN REVERSE (IT COULD NOT BE PLACED IN PARK). DURING AN AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION CHANGE ON THE SATURN AURA THE SHIFT CABLE BROKE CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO BE STUCK IN THE EXISTING GEAR (REVERSE), UNABLE TO BE PLACED IN PARK OR CHANGED FROM REVERSE TO FORWARD. THIS HAS THE IDENTICAL RESULTS AS RECALL "NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V224000" AND "NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 12V460000". THE VEHICLE IN QUESTION HAD THE RECALL WORK FOR 12V460000 COMPLETED PRIOR TO THE INCIDENT, AND AFTER CONTACTING GM WAS STATED TO NOT BE AFFECTED BY 14V224000. IT IS MY CONCERN THAT ALL SATURN AURA'S SHIFT CABLES ARE FAULTY AND SHOULD BE RECALLED. *TR

NHTSA ID

10586802

Incident

Feb 28, 2014

Mileage

82,844 mi

THE CAR WOULD NOT GO FORWARD OR BACK UP ONCE YOU HAVE STOPPED AND TAKE YOUR FOOT OFF THE BRAKES. THE TRANSMISSION FAILED WITHOUT ANY WARNING. THE WARNING LIGHT NEVER CAME ON; IT HAD NEVER STALLED OR JERKED. AFTER RESEARCHING THIS MAKE AND MODEL CAR, THIS IS A COMMON FLAW. ANOTHER OWNER LEFT THE CAMPAIGN NUMBER 12V460000 ON THE INTERNET. I DON'T KNOW THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THIS NUMBER. I DO KNOW THAT MANY OWNERS ARE HAVE THE SAME ISSUES WITH THIS CAR AT 100,000 MILES OR 6 YEARS AFTER OWNERSHIP. THIS IS A $4,000.00 REPAIR. MOST ALL CONCERNED HAVE TWO YEARS OF CAR PAYMENTS LEFT OWING ON THEIR CARS. GM HAS SELECTIVELY CHOSEN SEVERAL INDIVIDUAL OWNERS AND REPAIRED THEIR TRANSMISSIONS. *TR

NHTSA ID

10565600

Incident

Feb 4, 2014

Mileage

101,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 SATURN AURA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HE NOTICED THAT HE COULD TAKE THE KEY OUR OF THE IGNITION WITHOUT THE VEHICLE BEING SECURED IN PARK. THE CONTACT TRIED TO START THE VEHICLE BUT THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT START BECAUSE THE VEHICLE WAS NOT SECURED IN PARK. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN FOR INSPECTION. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE ISSUE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 40,000. UPDATED 09/26/12*LJ

NHTSA ID

10468245

Incident

Feb 15, 2012

Mileage

40,000 mi

AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION SHIFT CABLE BROKE WHEN MOVING FROM PARK INTO REVERSE. CABLE HAD CORRODED AND BROKE NEAR THE POINT OF CONNECTION TO THE TRANSMISSION IN FRONT OF THE FIREWALL. CAR ROLLED BACKWARDS AND WOULD NOT RESTART BECAUSE TRANSMISSION WAS NO LONGER IN PARK AND COULD NOT BE SHIFTED. 2008 SATURN AURA 3.5L WITH 4 SPEED TRANSMISSION WITH PROBLEMS VERY SIMILAR TO NHTSA ACTION NUMBER : EA11015. SATURN WOULD NOT COVER REPAIRS UNDER WARRANTY AND REPAIRS COST $307.72. IF BREAKAGE HAD OCCURRED SOMEWHERE OTHER THAN A PARKING LOT IT COULD HAVE BEEN VERY DANGEROUS WITH NO CONTROL OR ABILITY TO MOVE OUT OF TRAFFIC OR HARM'S WAY. SHOULD NOT HAVE WORN OUT AND BROKEN WITH 40,000 MILES AND 2 YEARS OLD. *TR

NHTSA ID

10465162

Incident

Jun 16, 2010

Mileage

40,554 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 SATURN AURA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN THE GEAR SHIFTER WAS PLACED INTO PARK WITH THE BRAKE PEDAL ENGAGED, THE TRANSMISSION FAILED TO RECOGNIZE THAT IS WAS IN PARK. THE FAILURE RECURRED INTERMITTENTLY AND BECAME PROGRESSIVELY WORSE. AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE DEFECT. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS ALSO MADE AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. THERE WAS AN OPEN CONCURRENT INVESTIGATION UNDER NHTSA ACTION NUMBER EA11015 (POWER TRAIN: AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION: GEAR POSITION INDICATION (PRNDL) THAT COULD POSSIBLY HAVE BEEN ASSOCIATED WITH THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 45,000. UPDATED 7/18/12 *CN

NHTSA ID

10460741

Incident

Oct 4, 2011

Mileage

45,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 SATURN AURA XE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT AFTER STARTING THE VEHICLE AND SHIFTING INTO REVERSE, THE VEHICLE ROLLED BACK AND REMAINED LOCKED IN REVERSE. THE SHIFTER THEN WENT LIMP WHEN MOVED TO DRIVE AND THEN HIT A CURB. THE CONTACT TURNED THE IGNITION OFF AND TIRED TO RESTART IT AGAIN, BUT WITH NO SUCCESS. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER. THE DEALER INFORMED THE CONSUMER, THE SHIFTER CABLE BROKE FROM THE GEAR BOX. THE NEW CABLE WAS THE SAME AS THE FAILED PART. FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 7,492 UPDATED 03/23/12 *BF UPDATED 05/11/12

NHTSA ID

10450480

Incident

Mar 3, 2012

Mileage

7,492 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 SATURN AURA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE GEAR SELECTOR WAS SHIFTED INTO THE PARK POSITION AND THE ENGINE WAS TURNED OFF. WHEN THE CONTACT EXITED THE VEHICLE, IT BEGAN TO ROLL. THE CONTACT REENTERED THE VEHICLE WITH CAUTION AND ENGAGED THE EMERGENCY BRAKE TO STOP THE IT. THE ENGINE FAILED TO RESTART UNTIL THE GEAR WAS SHIFTED INTO NEUTRAL, WHERE IT WAS STARTED AND RESUMED AS NORMAL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, WHO STATED THAT THE SHIFT LINKAGE WAS FAULTY. THERE WAS A RECALL ON THE 2009 MODEL YEAR ASSOCIATED WITH NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 09V073000 (POWER TRAIN: AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION: LEVER AND LINKAGE: COLUMN SHIFT). THE CONTACT EXPERIENCED A SIMILAR FAILURE AS MENTIONED IN THE RECALL. THE REPAIR WAS NOT COVERED IN THE SERVICE WARRANTY AND THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 71,000.

NHTSA ID

10413540

Incident

Jul 16, 2011

Mileage

71,000 mi

TRANSMISSION SHIFT CABLE 2008 SATURN AURA XE: THE TRANS. SHIFT CABLE IN MY 2008 SATURN AURA WITH 47,305 MILES HAD TO BE REPLACED. THE CAR WOULD NOT START, I TRIED TO HAVE A PASSERBY JUMP THE VEHICLE BECAUSE INITIALLY I THOUGHT MAYBE IT WAS THE BATTERY. WHEN HE LIFTED THE HOOD AND BEGAN TO PLACE THE CABLES ON THE BATTERY THE VEHICLE ROLLED FORWARD ALMOST KNOCKING HIM DOWN. LUCKILY I WAS IN THE CAR AND FELT THE VEHICLE MOVE AND PLACED MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE PUSHING ON THE SHIFTER TO THE POSITION FOR PARK BELIEVING THAT MAYBE IN ERROR I HADN'T HAD THE VEHICLE IN PARK BUT IT WAS IN PARK ALREADY - I THEN APPLIED THE EMERGENCY BRAKE. WHEN THE TOW TRUCK DRIVER CAME TO TOW THE VEHICLE I EXPLAINED I COULDN'T GET THE VEHICLE INTO PARK AND THAT IT HAD MOVED ALMOST RUNNING OVER SOMEONE. HE SAT IN THE VEHICLE AND PUT IT IN NEUTRAL AND STARTED THE CAR STATING THAT IT WAS IN NEUTRAL SAFETY MODE BECAUSE THE TRANSMISSION SHIFT CABLE WAS STRETCHED OR BROKEN. THE CABLE HAS BEEN REPAIRED BY ME AND WASN'T COVERED UNDER A RECALL OR WARRANTY. *TT

NHTSA ID

10411913

Incident

Jul 10, 2011

Mileage

47,305 mi

I HAVE A 2008 SATURN AURA. THE CAR WAS PARKED WITH NOBODY INSIDE IT AND THE, KEYS REMOVED, IN A PARKING LOT WITH A VERY SLIGHT INCLINE. WHILE MY WIFE WAS INSIDE A STORE THE VEHICLE ROLLED BACKWARD 100 FEET ONLY TO BE STOPPED BY A PARKING BLOCK. THE PRNDL STILL SHOWED THE VEHICLE AS BEING IN PARK. *TT

NHTSA ID

10407609

Incident

Jun 20, 2011

Mileage

41,000 mi

I HAVE A 2008 SATURN AURA. CAR FAILS TO ENGAGE IN PARK 75% OF THE TIME, ESPECIALLY WHEN THE TRANSMISSION IS HOT. DOES NOT ALLOW CAR TO AUTO-UNLOCK, NOT BE ABLE TO BE RESTARTED UNLESS SHIFTED TO NEUTRAL, CAUSES CAR TO ROLL UNLESS EMERGENCY BRAKE IS ENGAGED........DEALER CLAIMS SHIFTER CABLE IS CRACKED AND IS CHARGING $360 TO REPLACE.......I NOTICED A RECALL FOR ALMOST THIS EXACT SAME PROBLEM ON THE 2009 AURA....SHOULD THIS MODEL YEAR BE INCLUDED ALSO? *TR

NHTSA ID

10404496

Incident

May 10, 2011

Mileage

47,500 mi

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 SATURN AURA. THE CONTACT STATED THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT START DUE TO THE GEAR SHIFT THAT WAS STUCK IN REVERSE. WHILE DRIVING IN REVERSE OUT OF A PARKING SPACE THE GEAR SHIFT WOULD NOT SHIFT BACK INTO PARK OR DRIVE IT REMAINED IN REVERSE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER WHO STATED THAT THEY WERE RESEARCHING THE WARRANTY WITH THE GENERAL MOTORS MANUFACTURER TO CONFIRM IF THE VEHICLE COULD BE REPAIRED UNDER THE WARRANTY. THERE ARE NO RELATED RECALLS FOR THIS YEAR MAKE AND MODEL VEHICLE. THE CONTACT DID NOT CALL THE MANUFACTURER. THE FAILURE MILEAGE 43,287.

NHTSA ID

10354195

Incident

Sep 6, 2010

Mileage

43,287 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 SATURN AURA. THE CONTACT WAS REVERSING APPROXIMATELY 2 MPH INTO A PARKING SPACE WHEN THE VEHICLE ABNORMALLY ACCELERATED FORWARD. IMMEDIATELY, THE GEAR WAS MOVED FROM REVERSE' INTO PARK AND THEN THE VEHICLE ROLLED FORWARD WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT TURNED THE ENGINE OFF AND REMOVED THE IGNITION KEY CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO STOP. THE ENGINE WOULD NOT RESTART. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE TECHNICIAN INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE SHIFT CABLE CONTROL FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE CONTACT STATED THERE WAS A MANUFACTURER'S RECALL RELATED TO THE FAILURE. THE REFERENCE NUMBER WAS UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 57,782. UPDATED 11/16/10. *LJ

NHTSA ID

10350111

Incident

Nov 27, 2009

Mileage

57,782 mi