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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71,910 miles · Oct 26, 2015

Power Train

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WENT TO TAKE DAUGHTER TO SCHOOL VEHICLE WOULD NOT MOVE IN REVERSE OR DRIVE. YESTERDAY TRANSMISSION BUCKED ALL DAY WHILE DRIVING. LOOKED ON INTERNET I'M NOT THE ONLY ONE WITH THIS PROBLEM ON THIS SAME VEHICLE. I CALLED THE DEALER THEY SAID NO RECALL FOR THIS PROBLEM WANT ME TO PAY $3000 OR BETTER TO FIX A PROBLEM THAT THEY KNOW ABOUT. IF GM KNOWS ABOUT IT WHY IS THERE NO RECALL ON THE FAULTY PART? PLEASE HELP ME AND THE OTHER DISSATISFIED CUSTOMERS THAT GOT SCREWED ON THESE VEHICLES AND LAUNCH A RECALL FOR ANOTHER FLAW BY GM. THEY ARE MAKING MONEY ON THEIR MISTAKES AND THAT IS WRONG.

NHTSA ODI #10786062

88,889 miles · Oct 15, 2015

Power Train

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THE CAR WOULD NOT START, WOULD NOT EVEN TURN OVER. WE THOUGH IT WAS A STARTER PROBLEM BUT NOTICED WHEN WE SHIFTED TO NEUTRAL IT WOULD START RIGHT UP. WE ALSO NOTICE THE SHIFTING DID NOT SEEM TO LOCK INTO GEAR AS IT NORMALLY DOES. THEN WE NOTICED THAT IF WE PUT THE CAR IN PARK AND WERE ON EVEN A SLIGHT HILL THE CAR WOULD KEEP ROLLING. THE DOORS NORMALLY UNLOCK WHEN THE CAR IS PLACED IN PARK BUT THAT STOPPED HAPPENING. WE CHECKED TO SEE IF THERE WAS A RECALL FOR THIS PROBLEM AND THERE WAS ONE ISSUED IN 2009 FOR THE EXACT PROBLEM WE WERE HAVING. WE TOOK IT TO THE NEAREST DEALER WHO SAID OUR CAR WASN'T INCLUDED IN THE RECALL EVEN THOUGH IT STATED IN THE RECALL THE EXACT MAKE, MODEL AND YEAR.

NHTSA ODI #10782296

90,000 miles · Oct 14, 2015

Power Train

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AFTER EXISTING THE FREEWAY I STOPPED AT A LIGHT. ONCE I TRIED TO ACCELERATE, THE TRANSMISSION STARTED TO SLIP. I WAS ABLE TO ACHIEVE 20-25MPH BEFORE THE ENGINE WOULD REV UP TO 6000-7000 RPM WITHOUT ACCELERATING SIGNIFICANTLY. ONCE I GOT HOME, I FOUND I COULD NO LONGER GO IN REVERSE EITHER. VEHICLE DOES NOT ACCELERATE ABOVE 25MPH NORMALLY OR GO IN REVERSE. I TOOK THE CAR TO A REPAIR SHOP AND THEY IDENTIFIED THAT THE WAVE PLATE IN THE TRANSMISSION WAS AN ISSUE. THERE IS A 3-5-R WAVE PLATE FRACTURE ISSUE WITH GM AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSIONS THAT THIS CAR SEEMS TO BE AFFECTED BY, BUT NOT COVERED BY GM'S SERVICE BULLETIN / EXTENDED WARRANTY. GM OBVIOUSLY HAS NOT IDENTIFIED ALL VEHICLES THAT HAVE THIS ISSUE. I AM AT 6.5 YEARS AND 90,000 MILES AND HAVE A BROKEN TRANSMISSION.

NHTSA ODI #10781937

72,600 miles · Sep 5, 2015

Power Train

WHEN ACCELERATING UP TO SPEED LIMIT OF 45 TRANSMISSION SHIFTED FROM THIRD TO FOURTH WITH A SHARP THUNK THAT SHOOK THE VEHICLE. I JUST HAD DEALER SERVICE TRANSMISSION {FLUSH}. IT HESITATES WHEN SHIFTING INTO FOURTH GEAR A FRACTION OF A SECOND AT SLIGHTLY ELEVATED ENGINE SPEED {200-300} RPM THEN ENGAGES AND SHIFTS INTO FIFTH AND …

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NHTSA ODI #10761817

63,470 miles · Aug 13, 2015

Power Train

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 SATURN AURA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE SHIFT LEVER FAILED TO SWITCH INTO THE PARK POSITION WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE SHIFT CABLE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND STATED TH…

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NHTSA ODI #10748348

110,800 miles · Jul 23, 2015

Power TrainCrash

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CAR HAS HAD INTERMITTENT TRANSMISSION ISSUES FOR YEARS, MAINLY STUTTERS AND SLIPPING. AT THE DEALERSHIP, WE'D JUST GET A SHOULDER SHRUG AND WERE TOLD IT WAS NOT REPEATABLE, DESPITE OUR SEVERAL VISITS FOR THE SAME ISSUE. WELL IT ACTED UP MORE THAN NORMAL AS MY WIFE WAS DRIVING AROUND TOWN (BUCKED AND RACED WITH NO POWER), BARELY MAKING IT HOME. SHE REFUSED TO DRIVE IT THE NEXT DAY, SO I DID. IT DROVE TO WORK FINE. WHILE RUNNING ERRANDS ON THE WAY HOME (2 MILES, NO HIGHWAY, 35 MPH), IT REALLY HESITATED FROM THE GREEN LIGHT AND THE ENGINE WOULD RACE AS POWER TO THE WHEELS WAS LOST (COASTING SLOWLY THROUGH THE INTERSECTION). THEN SUDDENLY IT WOULD ENGAGE AND ACT NORMAL UNTIL IT SHIFTED TO THE NEXT GEAR....AND REPEAT. SO, I FOUND A WIDE SPOT IN THE ROAD WITH NO TRAFFIC AND ATTEMPTED TO TURN AROUND, BUT THE TURNING RADIUS WAS NOT TIGHT ENOUGH FOR THE AVAILABLE SPACE AND I STOPPED AT THE EDGE OF THE ROAD AND PUT IT INTO REVERSE. IT WAS AS IF I PUT IT INTO NEUTRAL. THE ENGINE RACED AND BEFORE I REALIZED WHAT WAS HAPPENING AND CATCH IT, THE FRONT END OF THE CAR HAD FALLEN OFF THE EDGE OF THE ROAD INTO THE DITCH WITH THE CAR'S REAR END 90 DEGREES TO ONE LANE OF TRAFFIC. THE FRONT END WAS EMBEDDED INTO THE FAR BANK OF THE DITCH, BUT IT WAS RETRIEVABLE BY THE TOWTRUCK. THE GARAGE SAID IT WAS THE 35R CLUTCH PLATES AND NEEDED AN ENTIRELY NEW/REBUILT TRANSMISSION TO THE TUNE OF $4900 INSTALLED!!!!

NHTSA ODI #10735917

60,500 miles · May 28, 2015

Power Train

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 SATURN AURA. WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH, THE GEAR BECAME STUCK IN SECOND GEAR. THE FAILURE OCCURRED SPORADICALLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS REPAIRED UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 12V460000 (POWER TRAIN); HOWEVER, THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. T…

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NHTSA ODI #10722028

79,820 miles · May 28, 2015

Power Train

TRANSMISSION SHIFTER CABLE FAILURE EXACTLY AS PER GM RECALL FOR THE 2007/2008 SATURN AURA WITH THE 4 SPEED TRANSMISSION. MY GM DEALER SAYS MY VEHICLE IS NOT COVERED DUE TO IT BEING A 2009 WITH THE 6 SPEED TRANSMISSION ALTHOUGH THE FAULT IS EXACTLY THE SAME.

NHTSA ODI #10721975

67,782 miles · May 27, 2015

Power Train

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 SATURN AURA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE FAILED TO START AND FAILED TO SHIFT INTO PARK. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE TRANSMISSION SHIFT CABLE WAS DEFECTIVE. THE CONTACT WAS MADE AWARE OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 12V460000 (POWER TRAIN); HOWEVER, THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 67,782. UPDATED 7/21/15*CN THE CONSUMER WOULD LIKE TO BE REIMBURSED FOR THE REPAIRS DOCUMENTED IN THE RECALL. UPDATED 11/9/2015*JS

NHTSA ODI #10721804

79,997 miles · May 11, 2015

Power Train

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 SATURN AURA. WHILE DRIVING AT 65 MPH, THE VEHICLE LOST POWER. IN ADDITION, THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED. THE VEHICLE FAILED TO ACCELERATE BUT INCREASED IN RPMS. IN ADDITION, THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE ATTEMPTING TO REVERSE, THE GEAR SHIFTER WAS SHIFTED INTO REVERSE BUT THE VEHICLE FAILED TO MOVE BACKWARDS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE OUTPUT SHAFT IN THE TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 79,997.

NHTSA ODI #10715778

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)