Steering. Review the 210 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Power Train. Review the 65 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Electrical System. Review the 59 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

12 crash reports2 fire reports9 injury reports

Power Train complaints

65 reports

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40,000 miles · Apr 11, 2014

Electrical SystemPower Train

WHEN DRIVING MY CAR WILL BRIEFLY LOSE POWER. GAS BECOMES UNRESPONSIVE. ONCE EVERYTHING KICKS BACK ON THE TRANSMISSION WILL NOT SHIFT, AND DASH DISPLAYS SERVICE ESC, TRACTION, POWER STEERING, ABS. AFTER THIS HAPPENS CAR WILL NOT START AFTER IT'S SHUT OFF. SOMETIMES IT JUST FLICKERS, CAUSING BRAKE LIGHTS TO STAY ON, BLINKERS TO C…

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NHTSA ODI #10579087

101,040 miles · Apr 2, 2014

EnginePower TrainSteering

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ON 12/06/2013 MY PREGNANT DAUGHTER, MY 15 YEAR OLD AND 2 YEAR OLD DAUGHTER WERE DRIVING HOME IN OUR 2009 SATURN AURA. AS SHE BEGAN TO TURN INTO A BUSY HIGHWAY, THE ENGINE BEGAN TO SHAKE AND THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY STOPPED MID TURN IN THE MIDDLE OF A BUSY INTERSECTION/HWY. PASSER DRIVERS PULLED OVER AND HELPED PUSH MY GIRLS TO SAFETY. AAA WAS CONTACTED AND THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO MY HOME. I CONTACTED THE DEALER AND I WAS INFORMED THAT MY CAR WAS NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTY AND THAT I WOULD HAVE TO COVER THE COSTS OF SERVICING THE CAR. THE VEHICLE CONTINUES TO LOSE POWER AND TRY TO SHUT OFF AT CERTAIN SPEEDS. ABS AND TRACTION LIGHTS COME OFF AND ON, AND KEYS GET STUCK IN THE IGNITION. UNEXPECTED SHUT OFF OCCURRED AGAIN ON 12/17/2013. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10576772

82,540 miles · Apr 1, 2014

Power Train

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 SATURN AURA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS SECURED IN PARK, IT WOULD ROLL AWAY IN EITHER DIRECTION. THE VEHICLE ALSO HAD TO BE SECURED IN NEUTRAL IN ORDER TO START AND THE EMERGENCY BRAKE HAD TO BE APPLIED IN TO STOP THE VEHICLE FROM MOVING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO DEALER. THE CONTACT REFERENCED NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 12V460000 (POWER TRAIN) HOWEVER, THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED AND THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE DEFECT. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 82,540.

NHTSA ODI #10576280

66,000 miles · Mar 7, 2014

Electronic Stability Control (esc)EnginePower Train

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I WAS MAKING A LEFT TURN ONTO A ONE WAY. TRAFFIC WAS CLEAR ENOUGH TO ENTER. MY CAR SPUTTERED AND THE ESC SERVICE LIGHT CAME ON. THEN SERVICE TRACTION LIGHT. THEN CHECK ENGINE LIGHT. I STEPPED OFF THE GAS THEN STEPPED BACK ON IT. THE CAR THEN DIED. I WAS TURNING INTO 40 MILES PER HOUR TRAFFIC. I THOUGHT FAST BECAUSE THERE WERE 3 VEHICLES APPROACHING QUICKLY BEHIND ME. I HIT THE HAZARD LIGHTS. THE CAR THAT WAS APPROACHING SLAMMED ON BRAKES AND BLEW AT ME IN FRUSTRATION. WE SAT IN THE MIDDLE OF THE STREET FOR SEVERAL MINUTES. WHEN I FINALLY GOT THE CAR TO START AGAIN IT JERKED REALLY HARD WHEN PUTTING IT INTO GEAR. I COULD NOT GET THE CAR TO GO PAST 25 MILES PER HOUR IN 40 MPH TRAFFIC. THIS ALL HAPPENED WHILE MY [XXX] YEAR OLD SON WAS IN THE BACK SEAT. I AM AFRAID OF MY CAR! ITS BEEN TO THE DEALERSHIP TWICE. EACH TIME ITS GIVING THEM THE SAME ERROR CODE AND THEY ARE NOT SURE WHATS GOING ON WITH THE VEHICLE. I HAVE CONTACTED GM CUSTOMER SERVICE REGARDING THE ISSUE. I HAVE A CLAIM NUMBER AND WAS TOLD I WOULD BE CONTACTED THE NEXT DAY. ITS NOW TWO DAYS LATER AND NO ONE FROM GM CUSTOMER SERVICE HAS CONTACTED ME. I AM NOW SEVERAL HUNDRED DOLLARS IN THE HOLE BECAUSE OF THIS. WHY IS THERE NO RECALL. I FEAR THAT MY VEHICLE WILL GET US IN A TERRIBLE ACCIDENT CONSIDERING I TAKE THE HIGHWAY TO WORK DAILY. WHAT AM I TO DO? *TR PARTS OF THIS DOCUMENT HAVE BEEN REDACTED TO PROTECT PERSONALLY IDENTIFIABLE INFORMATION PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).

NHTSA ODI #10567821

116,500 miles · Jan 10, 2014

EnginePower Train

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DRIVING AT 60 MPH, THE VEHICLE LOST FORWARD MOMENTUM AND THE TACHOMETER INDICATED 5000+ RPMS. I WAS ABLE TO GET TO THE SHOULDER AND CALL FOR A TOW TRUCK. AFTER EXTENSIVE RESEARCH ON-LINE AND WITH PERSONAL CONTACTS WHICH WORK FOR A GM DEALER, IT IS MOST LIKELY THE 3-5-R WAVE PLATE WHICH HAS RENDERED THE VEHICLE HAZARDOUS TO DRIVE. AFTER TOWING HOME AND LETTING THE VEHICLE SIT IT STARTED FINE BUT IT HAS A NEW WHINING SOUND COMING FROM THE ENGINE. SHIFTING FROM PARK TO REVERSE RESULTS IN MIXED RESULTS. SOME INSTANCES IT WILL ACTUALLY SHIFT INTO REVERSE AND PROPEL THE VEHICLE BACKWARDS. SHIFTING TO DRIVE I HAVE THE SAME MIXED RESULTS, WITH NO FORWARD MOVEMENT NOTED ON MOST OCCASIONS. THE HARROWING EXPERIENCE OF LOSING DRIVE WHILE AT 60 MPH IS ENOUGH OF A SAFETY CONCERN TO WARRANT FURTHER EXPLORATION INTO A RECALL OF THE VEHICLES AFFECTED WITH THE SAME TRANSMISSION (6T70/6T75) WHICH ARE INSTALLED IN VARIOUS MODELS OF GM PRODUCTS SINCE 2007. THE COMMON REPAIR VARIES FROM REPLACEMENT OF THE DEFECTIVE WAVE PLATE TO COMPLETE TRANSMISSION REPLACEMENT. EITHER OPTION IS VERY COSTLY TO THE CONSUMER AND WITH A "KNOWN" DEFECT THAT AFFECTS GM VEHICLES WITH AS LITTLE AS 40,000 MILES ON THEM. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10559362

60,000 miles · Aug 29, 2013

Power Train

HAD TRANSMISSION FLUSHED AT 50,000 MILES. SHORTLY AFTER ABOUT 60,000 MILES I STARTED TO FEEL A DIFFERENCE IN THE WAY IT SHIFTED, WHEN I GOT 50 MPH THE POWER TRAIN SEEMED TO SHAKE. NOW IT'S WORSE THAN BEFORE, ANY THING OVER 50 AND IT SHAKES. THIS HAPPENS IN FINAL GEARS ( 5TH & 6TH ) SEEMS TO BOUNCE BACK AND FORTH & NOT LOCKING …

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NHTSA ODI #10537965

121,000 miles · Jul 23, 2013

Power Train

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 SATURN AURA. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE SITTING AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT, SHE ATTEMPTED TO ACCELERATE BUT THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT MOVE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION WHERE THEY STATED THE 3/5 WAY PLATE IN THE TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER…

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NHTSA ODI #10526305

62,000 miles · Jul 2, 2013

Fuel System, GasolinePower Train

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THE CAR HAS SEEMED TO MISS SHIFTS WITH THE ENGINES REVVING, A DELAY, AND THEN A HARD UPSHIFT FOR SEVERAL YEARS ON AN INTERMITTENT BASIS. THE DEALER IT WAS PURCHASED FROM COULDN'T FIND ANYTHING WRONG WITH IT. ON JUNE 25 AND 26, IT ACTED UP MORE THEN USUAL AND THE TRANSMISSION FINALLY FAILED TO PROVIDE ANY FORWARD MOMENTUM AFTER ABOUT 20 FEET AND 5 MPH EVEN THOUGH THE TACHOMETER SHOWED 5000RPM WHILE PULLING OUT INTO 55 MPH TRAFFIC ON A 2 LANE COUNTRY ROAD ABOUT NOON ON THE 26TH. THIS WAS VERY UPSETTING AND IS CERTAINLY A SAFETY ISSUE. I WAS ABLE TO GET IT TO GO BY USING THE MANUAL SHIFT FEATURE FOR A BIT AND THEN IT SETTLED DOWN AGAIN. I TOOK IT TO MY LOCAL MECHANIC THAT VERY DAY AND WAS ADVISED I WOULD NEED TO GO TO THE GM DEALER AS IT WAS A PROBLEM WITH THE COMPUTER PROGRAMMING IN THE TRANSMISSION. WHEN I CONTACTED THE DEALER THEY SAID THEY WERE UNAWARE OF ANY ISSUES LIKE THIS. I FOUND THAT HARD TO BELIEVE AS SIMILAR ISSUES HAVE OCCURRED IN COWORKERS GM CARS AND ARE ALSO REPORTED ON THE INTERNET IN SATURN AND GM FORUMS. THEY KEPT THE CAR FOR 2 DAYS, INITIALLY SAYING THERE WAS NO PROBLEM, AND THEN SAID THERE MIGHT BE AN UPDATE AFTER ALL TO THE TRANSMISSION SOFTWARE AND INSTALLED IT. I DO NOT FEEL COMFORTABLE WITH THIS AND AGAIN FIND MYSELF SOMEWHAT INCREDULOUS THAT GM WOULD BE UNAWARE OF A PROBLEM THAT MY SMALL TOWN MECHANIC WAS. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10522874

51,000 miles · May 7, 2013

Power Train

THE CAR WOULD NOT GO INTO PARK AS A RESULT THE CAR WOULD ROLL FORWARD OR BACKWARD WITH THE ENGINE OFF. IT WAS ALSO DIFFICULT TO RESTART AS IT WOULD NOT ENGAGE IN PARK. TOOK IT TO A GM DEALER, WHO SAID IT WAS NOT A RECALL AS THE AURA HAS A SIX SPEED TRANSMISSION AND ONLY AURAS WITH A 4 SPEED TRANSMISSION WERE COVERED WHEN THE S…

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NHTSA ODI #10510973

85,000 miles · Mar 20, 2013

Power Train

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 SATURN AURA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH, THE TRANSMISSION FAILED AND WOULD NOT SWITCH TO THE NEXT GEAR. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION AND THEY STATED THAT THE TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE…

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NHTSA ODI #10503740

Official recalls

14V252000 · Electrical System:wiring; Electronic Stability Control (esc); Exterior Lighting:brake Lights; Exterior Lighting:brake Lights:switch; Vehicle Speed Control:cruise Control

May 14, 2014

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 Aura vehicles manufactured April 24, 2006, through May 26, 2009. In the affected vehicles, increased resistance in the Body Control Module (BCM) connection may result in voltage fluctuations in the Brake Apply Sensor (BAS) circuit. These fluctuations can cause one or more of these conditions: the brake lights to illuminate without the brake pedal being pushed; the brake lights to not illuminate when the pedal is pushed; difficulty disengaging the cruise control; moving the gear shifter out of the 'PARK' position without pushing the brake; and disablement of crash avoidance features such as traction control, electronic stability control, and panic braking assist features.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: Any of the above failure conditions increases the risk of a crash.

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 pedal home position, free of charge. The manufacturer distributed an Interim letter to customers on July 14, 2014. The recall began on August 18, 2014. Owners may contact General Motors customer service at 1-800-222-1020 (Chevrolet), 1-800-762-2737 (Pontiac), 1-800-553-6000 (Saturn). GM's number for this recall is 13036.

Additional source detail variants (5)

Electronic Stability Control (esc)