2008 Saturn ASTRA Saturn ASTRA 2008

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2008 Saturn ASTRA repairs by problem area

Engine (47%)

Transmission and Drivetrain (4%)

Brakes and Traction Control (3%)

Suspension and Steering (6%)

Electrical and Air Conditioning (23%)

Paint, Rust, Leaks, Rattles, and Trim (11%)

Other (7%)

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Chart based on 630 repairs.
See TSBs and recalls for the 2008 Saturn ASTRA.

2008 Saturn ASTRA electrical repair cost distribution

$2500+ (0%)

$1000 - $2499 (11%)

$500 - $999 (9%)

$100 - $499 (22%)

< $100 (58%)

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Chart based on 115 repair trips. The repair cost chart excludes repairs made under warranty, do-it-yourself repairs, and repair trips that include maintenance.

2008 Saturn ASTRA

Engine not specified

73000 mi Looking thru the reported problems, I saw that my vehicle had almost every one, some twice. The TPS acted up for 3rd straight Spring with trips scheduled; so it had to go. 
29000 mi Power locks didn't work when sold. 

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2008 Saturn ASTRA 4dr Hatch

138-horsepower 1.8L I4 5-speed manual FWD

25000 mi left passenger window motor regulator. made a weird noise whenever you put the window up. Also had to have the passenger front window switch replaced as it was pulling out of the door when you tried to roll up the window. 
39680 mi

C $280
The horn went again. Repaired about one year ago. The location of the horn leaves it vulnerable to road wash and therefore is dmaged quickly. 
135160 mi

C $500
Alternator dead 
135160 mi

C $100
Battery not charging 
7440 mi steering wheel switches replaced 
7750 mi Speakers cut out while at or near max volume while in the "Drivers" Sound position. Replaced the speaker to no effect. System tends to decrease the volume sporadically, new CD is on order 
44000 mi

US $100
Could not receive in-bound On-Star calls. Outbound worked fine. 
30000 mi Local Chevy Dealer (not a Saturn Certified Service Provider) said the radio needed to be replaced, but stated that they did not have the tools needed to program the radio. Suggested taking it to a SCSP Volume knob not working properly. Radio was replaced 
50000 mi Horn was not working. Horn was fixed under a TSB with manufacturer extended coverage for this known issue. 
76000 mi

US $100
Blower motor was clicking on speeds 1 and 2. I replaced it with a $40 used part myself 
118000 mi Airbag Replacement under recall 
117300 mi

US $700
Alternator needed replacement. 
65000 mi

US $725
Had to replace the compressor. The thermal protection fusible link is not replaceable and requires that a new compressor or solenoid/coil be installed plus refrigerant evacuation & recharge. 
2480 mi The car has a sensor for tire pressure which kept going off. Problem was the valve stems in both front tires which were replaced. 
53000 mi

US $400
A/C compressor clutch coil failure. Actual compressor pump did not fail, just the clutch coil. Required replacement of entire compressor, which includes evacuation and recharge. 
2925 mi Left steering wheel controls and horn started malfunctioning 2 months ago and have been deteriorating since (cannot cycle through the on-board computer items and horn is weak/non-functioning). Dealership replaced steering wheel controls 
95000 mi

US $700
Clutch on air compressor shot, needed new one. Have to wait for it to be shipped from Michigan Wiring harness in rear passenger door came loose, wiring came loose, dealer tried reinserting wires, sparked and caught fire 
2200 mi Emissions light came on. Code read leak in evap control system. Dealer repaired wiring problem. Fixed and car runs with more power now. 
14500 mi HVAC air recirculation actuator under instrument panel stuck and was replaced by dealer. 
14500 mi Aligned ventilation recirculation actuator, which was striking another part inside the dash. Problem solved. Apparently the previously-replaced actuator did not need replacement. 
30900 mi

US $200
Failed coolant level sensor caused false low-coolant indications on panel. Dealer replaced sensor and reservoir. 
38000 mi

US $398
Horn worked only intermittently, usually not after a rainfall. Dealer replaced parts per TSB. 
36000 mi TPMS warning light came on in fail mode (flash 60 sec, then on steady). Problem is intermittent so shop couldn't duplicate it. Fail "self corrected" on the way to the shop, then reappeared a week later. 
33000 mi

US $985
onboard computer failed and resulted in the door ajar light remaining on plus dome interior lights. fully replaced computer. 
65300 mi

US $100
Driver Information Center stopped working. 
168700 mi

US $490
Heat & AC blower motor replaced. 
1000 mi CD player wouldn't eject disks, wouldn't read disks. Error code found on computer, Player replaced. 
22000 mi Solenoid for Fuel door lock failed. The solenoid was replaced under warranty. 
31000 mi the rear electric junction terminal had a short circuit because of which the power locks were messed up.  
70000 mi

US $185
Replaced defective ignition coil pack and spark plugs. 
102000 mi

US $50
Repair broken/stressed wiring inside of rubber boot located between drivers side front and rear doors. Needed repair to restore operation of rear windows and hatch release. 
63600 mi

US $150
rear window motor went out. Did not replace due to cost of part 
67600 mi

US $1500
Rear window regulators failed and replaced 
50000 mi The solenoid that locks and unlocks the fuel door failed. 
56000 mi Solenoid that locks and unlocks the gas door failed. Part was ordered and this trip was to install the part. 
159500 mi

US $415
A/C not cooling. Replaced compressor. 
82786 mi

US $600
Took vehicle to the shop after hearing a squeal from the engine area, smelling something burning, and seeing the warning lights come on (I think it was the check engine light and/or the battery light). It was determined that the alternator needed to be replaced. 

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2008 Saturn ASTRA 4dr Hatch

138-horsepower 1.8L I4 4-speed automatic FWD

18600 mi sensor problem, replaced sensor. One pulley broke, replaced. 
23000 mi AC Started to make a rattling noise, 2 days later the AC started smoking, took to dealier and they replaced, the compressor seized up. 
26000 mi

US $135
Battery had to be replaced. 
40000 mi Coolant sensor bad, replaced. Erroneously reported low coolant. 
55400 mi

US $85
Trunk light sensor bad. 
61000 mi Trunk light inop (NOT the bulb). Repaired under GM Goodwill, no cost to me! Turns out it was the trunk release switch which was faulty & not sending the signal that the trunk was open. Thank you GM!! 
82000 mi Programming of 2nd key. Not done during airbag recall repair due to dealer not having the correct SW. Required GM to get involved. 
103000 mi

US $20
Speakers stopped working. 
25000 mi

US $3
Brake light switch defective caused engine light to go on. Purchased replacement part on line but don't know where to install it. Also rear fuse box may have short circuit causing manual/remote door locks not to work. I needed to check my manual because accessory outlet fuse blew out.Then I noticed that the engine compartment fuse box indicated that there was a brake switch fuse. Sure enough I replaced the fuse and the stop lights worked. Saved $ 200 
62000 mi Air conditioner just died. Parts plus labor to fix was going to be over $1200 so hubby decided to live with it for now since we plan on trading it in next year. 
68400 mi

US $1100
AC repaired 
79000 mi something to do with wiring...i have no idea. 
85000 mi

US $1000
Replaced a/c condenser 
44000 mi

US $20
Mildew smell emitted when the HVAC system operated. Replace cabin air filter after a heavy pollen season. 
94300 mi

US $900
A/C compressor and clutch were worn out. Repair included hoses, compressor, clutch, labor, refrigerant. 
81840 mi

C $800
Rear door wiring connector wore through, causing power window to be inoperable 
30700 mi Tripometer resets every 2000mi 
5580 mi FOB battery keep dying. Dealship replaced battery.....started dying within a week. Going back in..... 
141000 mi Electric door locks stopped working - neither in car button nor key fob lock or unlock doors. Key fob works on rear hatch. Found fuse blown - replaced but did not fix issue. Will investigate further... 
82000 mi A/C Compressor Clutch is dead - only getting warm/hot air from the ventilation system. Discovered the issue with the horn being intermittent. 
cd player won't eject the cd 
620 mi The audio system would not reject the cd. 
5580 mi door handle light missing on the passenger side 
6200 mi Light installed. 
13840 mi

C $25
Strange sound when beginning to move away from a stop with the air conditioner on. Shop supervisor thinks there is something wrong with the air conditioning compressor. Parts ordered, due in 10 days. 
14260 mi Air Conditioning compressor replaced even though I mentioned that very similar symptoms were caused by the alternator pulley that there was a TSB for. Was told the "Shop Foreman" had worked on car and I was wrong. Problem not fixed. 
69400 mi

C $380
also some electrical issues with the heated seat and the oil heater. going home new problems. stuff missing, unwanted repairs, refused to do as asked+a flat on lot. Mirror broken and stuff missing from car after trip. 
10000 mi Damn tire pressure light came on....again 
78000 mi Clutch went out on the a/c compressor 
52000 mi

US $1800
The AC started rattling and seized blowing the freon while stopped at a rail road crossing. 
98200 mi

US $1600
The A/C compressor would not turn on (electrical failure). Need to replace dryer and accumulator as well as recharge the system after replacing. 

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2008 Saturn ASTRA 2dr Hatch

138-horsepower 1.8L I4 5-speed manual FWD

112700 mi cabin light would not turn off, unplugged dealer estimated $500.00 to repair. Thanks to Saturn forum I found all that was necessary was to disconnect battery terminal to reset computer,it worked. 
53000 mi

US $167
Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) battery wasn't strong enough to start in the cold. Had to purchase a new one. Self-installed. 
70000 mi Duralast battery (AutoZone brand) went bad. I had this battery installed less than 3 years ago at AutoZone, so it was still under warranty, and was replaced at no cost. 
93000 mi

US $1000
A/C compressor clutch failed. Entire compressor assembly was replaced. 
38200 mi

US $500
No A/C, shop reports the Compressor has gone out, needs replacement. 
24800 mi Driver Window squeaking and grinding. Regulator removed and greased and replaced. All under warranty. 
40920 mi Windshield wipers would only stop in vertical position. Wiper motor replaced under warranty. 
44020 mi Steering wheel switches for radio malfunctioning. (Volume either not responding or goes up when supposed to be down etc. Scroll wheel intermittent.) Steering wheel switches replaced. 
49600 mi Cruise control failed to engage, switch replaced Cruise control failed to engage, switch replaced. Problem recurred a few days later. Driver window grinding when going up or down. Replaced regulator and rear channel. 
49600 mi Cruise Control, radio controls and horn all malfunctioned or unresponsive. After several failed attempts at replacing unresponsive CC/radio/horn switches, problem diagnosed as faulty CIM module. Replaced under warranty. 
67700 mi

US $1997
A/C compressor and started froze at the same instant causing the car to stop running. Towed to dealer who diagnosed problem. Took 12 days to get the parts in for the repair. Once starter replace dealer found wiring harness to starter bad. 
17000 mi #10276: Intermittent Horn Malfunction Loose contact with Column Integrated Module (CIM) repaired with clamp 
8000 mi

US $44
AC compressor lost ability to cool. Dealer reports a leak in the unit. Parts ordered. 
8000 mi AC clutch failure and leak in unit. Rental car provided and dealer replaced. 
9000 mi AC compressor cycles on and off constantly. Wheels perpetually out of balance. Left side controls on steering wheel quit working. 
18000 mi AC compressor has same issues reported to Saturn dealer.  
29200 mi

US $498
AC compressor failed. Intermittent failure in horn button and radio controls on the steering wheel. 
1000 mi Wrong Tire Pressure Transponder put in wheel when new wheel was installed on prior visit. Dealer order part. Dealer installed new TPMS Transponder and programmed. Dealer made sure I was taken care of for all the visits for one issue and gave me an Ipod adaptor for the car.  
2000 mi Radio lost reception, then CEL came on. Happened near dealer. When they repaired the roof paint they didn’t plug the antenna in all the way. When it came off completely caused the CEL because it lost communication with Onstar.  
4000 mi Door lock making noises when locked. 
33000 mi

US $125
AC recharge by shop 
6000 mi Had turn signal bulb replaced. Got a wheel alignment. Also have roof rails on order that just recently arrived. Will get installed next visit (soon). 
30000 mi A/C recirculate valve replaced or adjusted.  
16000 mi the vehicle needed a new window regulator. 
36300 mi

US $1100
Air conditioning compressor failed. Decided to eat itself. Problem manifested itself with a noisy compressor late summer 2011 and system performance degraded. Since it was out of warranty, just waited until spring 2012 to fix. 
40200 mi

US $1500
Replaced both air conditioning condenser and compressor. 
41000 mi Compressor had not been charged correctly when installed. Compressor was recharged, and problem was resolved. 
53900 mi

US $50
All passenger side rear lights failed. Wiring problem diagnosed and repaired. 
14000 mi A/C not cooling properly. Was low on refrigerant. Recharged. No leak found. A/C seems to still not be cooling properly, but worked fine during dealer diagnosis. 
15000 mi At the last visit the diagnosis showed the AC was fine, but they ordered parts anyway. At this trip they found the compressor was bad, and replaced it along with the expansion valve. 
20000 mi CD Changer inop. Rain sense feature inop. Normal wipers operational 
26000 mi Rain sensing wipers inop. Stereo replaced. Took one week because they had to order it. 
1000 mi blown fuse caused by fan,wrong size fuse insalled by factory. 

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2008 Saturn ASTRA 2dr Hatch

138-horsepower 1.8L I4 4-speed automatic FWD

39300 mi

US $100
The A/C compressor went out. Was blowing warm air. Replaced by Silver Star Chevrolet in Thousand Oaks under extended warranty. My deductible was $100. 
46000 mi

US $230
The battery has such a low charge, the car would not start. Not covered under extended warranty. The dealer charged a fortune for the replacement battery! 
56100 mi

C $240
Battery died 
47940 mi I Replaced The alternator and the Battery 
187000 mi

US $510
replace starter. they couldn't get one bolt off so they had to remove the intake manifold. 
50000 mi Replaced the f-actuator Replaced the f-actuator 
80000 mi

US $373
Rear cargo light switch was replaced, light would not come on when lift gate/hatch was open. 
80800 mi

US $1257
Replaced rear fuse panel and rear hatch lock. Lock system stopped working and rear hatch would not open. 
6000 mi While increasing in speed, (Start to about 45mph) there is pulsing sensation that can be felt and seen in the tachometer readings. Shop changed out the A/C condenser. Helped a little, but the problem still exists. (This is 3rd time in shop for same.) 
36000 mi Pulley on the alternator had a maintenance letter on it for metal on metal squeel. Replaced the Alternator due to loud squeal which continued to worse over time. Note: The pulley was to originally be replaced but due to tooling issues dealer replaced alternator which included new part. 
41300 mi Another tire replacement. New persistent problems: Keyless Entry stopped working when it got cold (winter) & started working again as it warmed up. Flat Tire sensor malfunctioning. Dash Display LCD losing pixels in line from bottom to top. 
62000 mi

US $2000
Persistent electrical problems. Keyless entry virtually unusable. 
22000 mi

US $142
Replace battery. 
104000 mi

US $1200
A/C System Leak from compressor. Compressor replaced and problem fixed 
87000 mi

US $175
battery replacement made. 
94000 mi Blower motor went out. Thought it was the regulator, but was the motor. 
27300 mi

US $77
HVAC Outside air recirculation door inoperable. Flapper door plastic broke at motor arm inlet. replaced with GM part number - 93181045-HOUSING AIR DISTRIBUTOR 
49000 mi

US $100
AC stopped working. Voltage test showed voltage at compressor, clutch not engaging. Evacuated system, removed comp. Thermal Fuse Blew in AC clutch coil. Replaced Fuse. Removed Shim from Clutch to lessen gap on clutch. Recharged, Fixed 
36000 mi Diagnosed alternator belt noise, service bulletin required replacement of alternator with larger pulley. Replaced alternator per service bulletin. Alternator had larger pulley eliminating belt noise. 
1000 mi C/D player would not eject the c/d.Service dept at Saturn ordered a new unit and now it works just fine 
12000 mi The on board computer was replaced, it failed causing warning lights to come on and stay on.  
13000 mi HORN REPLACED, PROBLEM STILL PERSISTENT WITH INTERMITTENT FUNCTIONALITY 
14300 mi Went in to fix horn. fixed horn. Had to take back because fog lights were not working, fixed. Had to take back to replace the fuse block, fixed now horn not working again. Press horn and radio volume increases. 
17000 mi Car in shop for 30 days for radio. Never fixed. Car bought back. 

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2008 Saturn ASTRA

4-cylinder manual 2WD

39200 mi

US $1200
Air conditioning compressor went bad and had to be replaced 

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2008 Saturn ASTRA Electrical Problems

See our lemon odds and nada odds page to see vehicles with no repairs or vehicles with more than three repairs. To see how frequently 2008 Saturn ASTRA problems occur, check out our car reliability stats.