2007 Saturn Aura Reliability Data: Problems & Recalls
Avoid The 2007 Saturn Aura has 607 NHTSA complaints, a complaint index of 75, and ranks 2nd worst of 5 model years, earning an Avoid verdict. Transmission & powertrain issues, including shift-cable failures tied to two recalls, dominate the complaints.
Based on NHTSA complaints per model-year, not a reliability rating. Methodology
YearToAvoid Scorecard
- Complaint Index
- 75/100
- #2 of 5 Aura years
- Verdict
- Avoid
- vs. other years of this model
- Complaints
- 607
- unique NHTSA reports
- Recalls
- 3
- distinct NHTSA campaigns
- Crashes
- 13
- reported in complaints
- Fires
- 6
- Injuries
- 10
- Top issue
- Transmission & Powertrain
- NHTSA overall rating
- Not rated
- EPA combined MPG
- 21
- 18 city / 28 hwy
- Injuries / deaths
- 10 / 0
Top 2007 Saturn Aura problems
Share of this year’s NHTSA complaints by component group. Groups with 15+ complaints have their own page.
- Transmission & Powertrain184 (30%)
- Electrical System154 (25%)
- Brakes139 (23%)
- Engine115 (19%)
- Airbags101 (17%)
- Steering65 (11%)
- Structure & Body42 (7%)
- Fuel System41 (7%)
- Other21 (3%)
- Suspension, Wheels & Tires18 (3%)
A complaint can list more than one component, so shares add up to more than 100%. Shares are % of complaints.
What owners report
- Shift cable failures let the car roll or move even when the gear selector shows park, sometimes causing the vehicle to crash into objects while unoccupied.
- Some owners report the vehicle suddenly accelerated forward with the selector in park, leading to a collision.
- Electrical problems include a dash display going out intermittently, a battery that would not hold a charge, and a fire reported near 100,000 miles after warning lights lit up and the car failed to accelerate.
- Brake complaints describe sudden unexpected acceleration or a lurch when applying the brakes at slow speeds in traffic.
- Airbag complaints describe non-deployment during frontal collisions, in one case alongside a brake lockup.
2007 Saturn Aura recalls
3 NHTSA recall campaigns list this model year.
- NHTSA 14V252000May 14, 2014Brakes2,440,524 vehicles
Electronic stability control (esc)
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.
Risk: 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.
- NHTSA 14V224000Apr 30, 2014Transmission & Powertrain1,131,113 vehicles
Power train:automatic transmission:lever and linkage:floor shift
General Motors LLC (GM) notified the agency on April 29, 2014, that they are recalling 56,214 model year 2007 and 2008 Saturn Aura vehicles. On May 22, 2014, GM increased the recall to include an additional 1,074,899 model year 2004-2008 Chevrolet Malibu vehicles manufactured from May 16, 2003, through October 5, 2007, model year 2004-2007 Malibu Maxx vehicles manufactured from June 25, 2003, through April 5, 2007, and model year 2005-2008 Pontiac G6 vehicles manufactured from May 26, 2004, through September 28, 2007, and equipped with 4-speed transmissions. The total number vehicles being recalled is now 1,131,113.
Risk: If the transmission shift cable fractures while the vehicle is being driven, the transmission gear selection may not match the indicated gear and the vehicle may move in an unintended or unexpected direction, increasing the risk of a crash. Furthermore, when the driver goes to stop and park the vehicle, despite selecting the ÂPARK position, the transmission may not be in ÂPARK. If the vehicle is not in the "PARK" position there is a risk the vehicle will roll away as the driver and other occupants exit the vehicle or anytime thereafter. A vehicle rollaway increases the risk of injury to exiting occupants and bystanders.
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and GM dealers will replace the shift cable assembly and mounting bracket, free of charge. The manufacturer has not yet provided a notification schedule. Owners may contact General Motors at 1-800-553-6000. GM's number for this recall is 14152.
- NHTSA 12V460000Sep 18, 2012Transmission & Powertrain426,240 vehicles
Power train:automatic transmission:gear position indication (prndl)
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.
Risk: 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.
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will install a retainer over the cable end or replace the shift cable as necessary. This service will be performed free of charge. Notification to owners began on on November 9, 2012. Owners were instructed to not bring their vehicles for repair until January 2013. Owners may contact General Motors at 1-800-521-7300.
2007 Saturn Aura fuel economy and fuel cost
- City
- 18 MPG
- Highway
- 28 MPG
- Combined
- 21 MPG
- Annual fuel cost (EPA)
- $3,100
- 15,000 mi/yr
- Fuel
- Regular
- Current regular gas
- $4.32/gal
- national avg.
EPA figures; median across configurations of this model year. Estimate your own cost with the fuel cost calculator.
2007 compared with other Aura years
Frequently asked questions
- Is the 2007 Saturn Aura reliable?
- Based on NHTSA complaints and recalls, the 2007 Aura ranks 2nd worst out of 5 model years with a complaint index of 75, earning an Avoid verdict relative to other Aura years.
- What are the most common problems with the 2007 Saturn Aura?
- Transmission & Powertrain complaints make up 30% of the total (184 complaints), followed by Electrical System issues at 25% (154 complaints) and Brakes at 23% (139 complaints).
- Does the 2007 Saturn Aura have a transmission recall?
- Yes. NHTSA lists two Transmission & Powertrain recalls (campaigns 14V224000 and 12V460000) covering shift cable assembly problems that could let the vehicle roll or move unexpectedly out of park.
- At what mileage do 2007 Aura transmission problems typically show up?
- The median mileage at failure for Transmission & Powertrain complaints is 87,645 miles, close to the overall median failure mileage of 78,000 miles for this model year.
- How does the 2007 Aura compare to other model years?
- The 2007 Aura's complaint index of 75 is worse than the 2005 (index 0, Good) and 2008 (index 50, Caution) but better than the 2009 (index 100, Avoid).