2009 Saturn ASTRA: complaints, problems and recalls
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
2 owner complaints analyzed
1 distinct recall campaigns
60,000 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2009 model year. Data updated: . 1 complaints include usable failure mileage. View data status.
This selection has limited data. It remains available for lookup but is excluded from search indexing.
Most common problems
Air Bags is the most frequently named component, appearing in 1 of 2 complaints (50.0%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Transmission and shifting | 1 | 50.0% |
| Steering behavior | 1 | 50.0% |
Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.
Component breakdown
Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Air Bags | 1 |
| Power Train | 1 |
Air Bags: 1; Power Train: 1
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 0 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 0 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 1 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 0 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 0 |
| 150,000 and above | 0 |
Under 25,000: 0; 25,000 to 49,999: 0; 50,000 to 74,999: 1; 75,000 to 99,999: 0; 100,000 to 149,999: 0; 150,000 and above: 0
50,000 to 74,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (1). 1 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.
Complaints over time
Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 2016 | 2 |
2016: 2
Pattern summary
Air Bags leads the component reports. Transmission and shifting appears in 1 complaint narratives. Steering behavior appears in 1 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.
Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.
Examples from the source records
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
Owner report 10889065 · 2016-07-27 (July 27, 2016)
TL* TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 SATURN ASTRA. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 15 MPH, ALL OF THE WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED AND THE STEERING WHEEL SEIZED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED, BUT THE VEHICLE FAILURE TO ACCELERATE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT SHIFT OUT OF REVERSE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE SHIFT BUSHING FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF T…
Owner-reported narrative. 60,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10889065 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10928029 · 2016-11-26 (November 26, 2016)
TAKATA INFLATORS: WE WERE NOTIFIED IN MARCH 2016 THAT THERE WAS A RECALL AND AN ISSUE WITH THE AIRBAG PARTS POTENTIALLY EXPLODING IN THE EVENT OF AIRBAGS INFLATING. IT IS NOW NOVEMER 2016 AND THERE IS STILL NO SOLUTION OR REPAIR. THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE.
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10928029 at NHTSA ↗
Recall history
1 distinct campaigns affect this selection. Announcement dates below are different from vehicle model years. A campaign may cover multiple years.
16V063000 · Air Bags:Frontal:Driver Side:Inflator Module
Reported: 2016-02-03 (February 3, 2016)
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2006-2011 Saab 9-3 vehicles manufactured May 31, 2002, to February 15, 2011, 2006-2009 Saab 9-5 vehicles manufactured June 7, 2005, to May 28, 2009, and 2008-2009 Saturn Astra vehicles manufactured April 11, 2007, to July 24, 2008. Upon deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, excessive internal pressure may cause the inflator to rupture.
Consequence: In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, the inflator could rupture with metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver's frontal air bag inflator on Saab 9-3 and 9-5 vehicles and will replace the driver's frontal airbag module on Saturn Astra vehicles, free of charge. The recall began on March 1, 2017. Owners may contact Saab customer service at 1-800-955-9007 or Saturn customer service at 1-800-553-6000. GM's number for this recall is 28810.
NHTSA campaign record ↗Vehicle analysis explorer
Inspect model-year patterns, reported mileage, monthly activity and the evidence behind each signal.
Data completeness
2 unique complaints in this selection. Analysis snapshot: 2026-10-01.
Missing, zero and invalid mileage is excluded. Dates after the snapshot are excluded. Examples are limited selections, not a representative sample.
Problems by model year
Model-wide comparison of the eight most reported components across the model. Cells show counts and shares within each model year. Open a cell for source examples.
| Component | 2008 | 2009 |
|---|---|---|
| Air Bags | 9558.6%ODI 10261096 · 4,000 miAIRBAGS DID NOT GO OFF NO RESPONSE FROM ONSTAR AFTER CRASH. *TR | 150.0%ODI 10928029TAKATA INFLATORS: WE WERE NOTIFIED IN MARCH 2016 THAT THERE WAS A RECALL AND AN ISSUE WITH THE AIRBAG PARTS POTENTIALLY EXPLODING IN THE EVENT OF AIRBAGS INFLATING. IT IS NOW NOVEMER 2016 AND THERE IS STILL NO SOLUTION OR REPAIR. THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE. |
| Electrical System | 2012.3%ODI 10301890SERVICE UPDATE-INV & CUST-OBD SYSTEM IMPROVEMENTS RPRGRM ECM & TCM EXP 8/80 WARR. TYPE:YT NUMBER:08335. *TR | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. |
| Power Train | 169.9%ODI 10532318 · 40,906 miBASICALLY THIS VEHICLE DID THE SAME THING AS YOUR RECALL #12V46000 FOR THE SATURN AURA, SEE BELOW: 2008 SATURN AURA POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:GEAR POSITION INDICATION (PRNDL) NHTSA CAMPAIGN #12V460000 DATE ANNOUNCED: SEPTEMBER 18, 2012 VEHICLES AFFECTED: 426,240 SUMMARY: 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 FRACTU… | 150.0%ODI 10889065 · 60,000 miTL* TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 SATURN ASTRA. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 15 MPH, ALL OF THE WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED AND THE STEERING WHEEL SEIZED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED, BUT THE VEHICLE FAILURE TO ACCELERATE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT SHIFT OUT OF REVERSE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE SHIFT BUSHING FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF T… |
| Engine | 84.9%ODI 10667659 · 45,000 miTL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 SATURN ASTRA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT 25 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT ACTIVATED THE EMERGENCY BRAKE IN ORDER TO STOP THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE RECURRED MULTIPLE TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A PRIVATE MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE CPM FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 45,000. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. |
| Steering | 63.7%ODI 10250466 · 3,800 miTL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 SATURN ASTRA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FRONT END OF HIS VEHICLE WAS OUT OF ALIGNMENT. WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED, HE CAN FEEL THE FRONT END SWAYING TO THE SIDE. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THE ROADS WERE THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE AND NOT THE VEHICLE. THEY REFUSED TO SERVICE THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 3,800. UPDATED 12/30/08. *LJ UPDATED 01/05/09. *JB | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. |
| Unknown Or Other | 63.7%ODI 10748831 · 46,000 miTHE VEHICLE WILL NOT REGISTER THE CORRECT GEAR ON THE SHIFTER ASSEMBLY DISPLAY, SHOWS PARK OR ALL LIGHTING INDCATORS ILLUMINATE SIMULTEANEOUSLY, IMPOSSIBLE TO DETERMINE EXACTLY WHICH GEAR IT IS ACTUALLY IN, MOST TIMES REVERSE EVEN THOUGH THE INDICATOR LIGHTS ARE NOT ACCURATE. DEALER RECOMMENDS CHANGING BOTH THE SHIFTER ASSEMBLY AND CABLE AT A COST OF OVER $1300, CAR HAS LESS THAN 46000 MILES. PROBLEM IS INTERMITTENT, HAPPENS RANDOMLY WITHOUT WARNING. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. |
| Structure:Body | 42.5%ODI 10610239 · 34,000 miLAST SPRING I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE STREET, AND NOTICED THAT MY PASSENGER SIDE MIRROR GLASS WAS MISSING. THE GLASS LOST THE ADHESION TO THE PLASTIC BACKING. EVEN WITH MANY REPORTS IN ONLINE FORUMS, AND WITH HUNDREDS OF SALES OF MIRRORS ON EBAY, BOTH ONSTAR AND THE DEALERSHIP STATED THERE WERE NO SERVICE BULLETINS OR RECALLS RELATED TO THE ISSUE. AS IF MIRRORS FAILING IS NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR. INSTEAD OF PAYING OVER $70 ON A NEW MIRROR PLUS INSTALLATION, I FOUND A USED ONE ON EBAY AND REPLACED IT MYSELF. THIS PAST MAY, THE DRIVER'S SIDE M… | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 42.5%ODI 10305663 · 17,000 miI HAVE A 2008 SATURN ASTRA. WHEN ENTERING A HIGHWAY FROM A RAMP, OR PUNCHING TO ACCELERATE, THE GAS PEDAL ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS HAS STUCK TO THE FLOOR. BY TAPPING IT HAS RELEASED BUT THIS HAS HAPPENED AT LEAST A DOZEN TIMES IN THE LAST 3 MONTHS. *TR | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. |
Darker cells indicate a larger share of submitted complaints. Components overlap. This measures complaint composition, not failure probability.
Failure mileage by component
Median and middle 50% of usable owner-reported mileages. Ranges require at least five records.
| Component | Mileage range (25th–75th percentile) | Median | Usable records | Examples |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Power Train | Too few reports for a range | 60,000 mi | 1 (sparse) | ODI 10889065 · 60,000 miTL* TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 SATURN ASTRA. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 15 MPH, ALL OF THE WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED AND THE STEERING WHEEL SEIZED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED, BUT THE VEHICLE FAILURE TO ACCELERATE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT SHIFT OUT OF REVERSE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE SHIFT BUSHING FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF T… |
Complaint and recall timeline
Explore monthly filing activity alongside recall announcements. Up to ten years of monthly history is available.
Solid line: filed complaints. Dashed amber lines: recall announcement dates for this vehicle selection; markers include all recall components. The latest month is partial. Temporal proximity does not establish causation.
Monthly counts, recall campaigns and complaint examples
| Month | Complaints | Campaigns announced | Examples |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-11 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2024-12 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-01 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-02 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-03 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-04 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-05 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-06 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-07 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-08 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-09 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-10 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-11 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-12 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-01 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-02 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-03 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-04 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-05 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-06 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-07 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-08 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-09 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-10 (partial) | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
Emerging complaint spikes
Complete months in the latest six months with at least 10 complaints, at least twice the preceding 12-month average, and at least three square-root deviations above that average.
This is a descriptive screening rule, not a statistical defect finding. Publicity and reporting changes can increase submissions.
No complete months meet the spike thresholds for this selection.
Equal-age model-year comparison
Model-wide cumulative reports during the first three or five calendar years, starting with the model year (age 0). Only fully elapsed windows are compared.
2008: 9 complaints · 2009: 0 complaints
| Model year | Through age 0 | Through age 1 | Through age 2 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 4 | 6 | 9 |
| 2009 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Date coverage across each selected cohort
| Year | Incident dates used | Filing date fallbacks | Excluded dates |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 162 | 0 | 0 |
| 2009 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
Incident date is preferred when valid and no later than filing; otherwise filing date is used. Model year approximates age. Equal observation time does not adjust for sales, distance driven or reporting delays. One complaint linked to multiple model years can appear in each cohort.
Components reported together
Each cell counts unique complaints naming both components. Open a nonzero cell for examples.
| Component | Air Bags | Power Train |
|---|---|---|
| Air Bags | — | 0 |
| Power Train | 0 | — |
Co-reporting does not establish that one component caused another concern.
Recurring narrative patterns
Specific keyword mentions beyond broad component labels. Matching includes negations and comparisons and does not confirm a diagnosis.
0 patterns with matching reports.
No narratives match the published patterns.