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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 engine repair cost distribution

$2500+ (0%)

$1000 - $2499 (10%)

$500 - $999 (13%)

$100 - $499 (28%)

< $100 (48%)

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Chart based on 215 repair trips. The repair cost chart excludes repairs made under warranty, do-it-yourself repairs, and repair trips that include maintenance.

2000 mi

Engine Light came on. They replaced the gas line and gas cap. Salesman said it was a common problem in the Astra model.

16120 mi

C $600

Flex pipe needed to be replaced. Did not fall under original warranty, but dealer fixed it free of charge as a "courtesy."

45000 mi

The o2 sensor was defective. It was replaced under extended warranty.

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55180 mi	Check engine P0011 removed the cam phaser and removed the oil screen on both of them, easy job, clear codes an run like a new car!
69220 mi	Replaced flex pipe

52700 mi C $1500	Clutch was done. Even though i have been driving a manual vehicle for 15 years with no clutch problems
67600 mi C $150	Burping of the car at start-up when cold at corners. Original spark plugs changed.
94240 mi C $250	Exhaust system (muffler repair)

1000 mi

Update for the filler/ gas cap assembly.

30000 mi	Check engine light. This was found to be a gasket on the oil fill cap that was seated improperly at a previous oil change at the same dealership.
76000 mi US $100	Check Engine light for MAF. Car ran fine. Replaced MAF with used MAF from junkyard. Part cost was $50.

19000 mi	Intake cam phaser oil control valve had a cracked filter screen (per TSB) and was replaced. CEL on and you could feel it not phasing properly - bumps in acceleration.
28000 mi US $56	Loss of power, check engine light on and off for a month. Dealer replaced exhaust cam phaser solenoid.
41000 mi	Exhaust heat shield at rear of vehicle loose and rattling, shield had cracked around mounting nuts, added a fender washer to resecure.
51000 mi	Center exhaust heat shield came loose, repaired with fender washers.

22320 mi	Engine warning light came on. Repair undertaken under warranty, leaking hose at fuel tank filler pipe.
32860 mi C $250	Engine warning light came on. Dealer had to remove last chance screens from part of injection system as part of factory TSB

87000 mi US $300	Had to replace MAF sensor which had failed and triggered engine light with code p1011 (MAF self test read out of range)
102000 mi US $320	Ignition coil failed and needed to be replaced. It was a very simple job that with the help of the Internet I was able to do myself.
123000 mi US $650	Valve cover needed replacement.

110000 mi

US $80

Th ignition coil pack started to fail. I ordered a new ignition coil pack from a distributor in Hong Kong. Instead of paying $486 for the part I paid $80 with free shipping. Replacing the part took me all of 15 minutes. This was a quick fix

33700 mi	coil module bad - many other modules replaced - major difficulty diagnosing problem. Could not communicate with car - car dead, no start
54000 mi US $875	Engine light - failed Mass Air Flow unit in intake

4000 mi US $33	Fuel take filler neck replaced due to fuel cap leakage.
30700 mi	Intake timing valve stopped working properly. Dealer replaced it under warranty. No problems since repair.
36300 mi	Intake sensor faulted and failed. Intake manifold replaced in order to fix sensor.
110500 mi US $1097	Remove and replace intake manifold to replace intake tuning valve.
139000 mi US $1300	Replaced cracked exhaust manifold and exhaust pipe Replaced faulty cam sensor Replaced faulty cam sensor Replaced cracked exhaust manifold and exhaust pipe
148000 mi US $125	Replaced cracked dipstick tube

2000 mi	Emission warning light came on. Code indicated leak in evaporative emission control system. Dealer repaired wiring problem.
33300 mi US $557	Intermittent problem: car started normally but did not respond to gas pedal. Replaced pedal position sensor and bypassed its wires around the firewall connector to avoid micro fretting.
38000 mi US $398	Loss of throttle response. Replaced gas pedal and then when that did not solve the problem, replaced the ECM- engine control module. Charge was for unneeded gas pedal. ECM was replaced under warranty at no charge. Intermittently degraded performance, especially acceleration. Dealer replaced the intake side variable cam timing solenoid and removed oil screens per service bulletin. Also changed oil per TSB.

30000 mi

There was a bulletin out for my car stating that the oil filters behind the crankshaft position sensors should be removed when the typical symptoms, low power and check engine light on, appear. No parts were replaced, only removed.

34700 mi	Fuel tank filler neck replacement, service bulletin.
75000 mi US $7	Check engine light for code p0068. Required cleaning the throttle body. Job took less than 20 minutes

11000 mi	Timing belt cover broke loose and was chattering under the hood easy fix for the dealer.
17000 mi	Cruise control stopped working on the highway for about 100 miles and then came back on. I took it in and they reflashed the computer. It has worked well since so I'm keeping my fingers crossed.

15000 mi	Notified by OnStar of a faulty cam sensor. Shop diagnosed, replaced part and fixed problem.
54000 mi US $100	Cam sensor again

46000 mi

US $160

Engine light on - required Carbon Flush

36600 mi	Oxygen sensor replaced under warranty.
65300 mi US $100	Coolant level system intermittently malfunctioned

72000 mi US $1100	Airflow sensor
73000 mi	Bad accelerator position sensor triggered abnormal pedal response and check engine light. Sensor was replaced and fixed the problem.

2000 mi

Check engine light on; faulty gas cap replaced by dealer.

18000 mi	Cam actuator solenoid replaced, resistance detected out of normal range.
30000 mi	Check engine light was illuminated. Dealer service department replaced fuel filler neck & gas cap per service bulletin under warranty.

71000 mi US $100	Loss of power. Engine dieseling when under load. Rough idle. Replaced both VVT camshaft solenoids.
82000 mi US $235	Replaced defective vapor canister purge valve solenoid.
107280 mi US $89	Replace ignition coil pack. Replace spark plugs.
108560 mi US $106	Replace front section of exhaust system.
114120 mi US $859	Replaced both crankshaft position sensors. Replace intake manifold.
116000 mi US $110	Replaced accelerator pedal position sensor (gas pedal).
119000 mi US $30	Replaced leaking valve cover gasket.

82300 mi US $165	Check Engine Light: Error code P0101. Dealer wanted $900 to replace MAF Sensor. Purchased Re-mfg MAF replaced myself. Check Engine Light has remained on 3 weeks past replacement.
243000 mi US $23	Coil Pack replacement

186000 mi

US $250

ignition coil pack failed on #1 cylinder. Replaced with new GM branded part. Seems to be a common failure; had exactly the same failure on a second Astra.

10000 mi

Engine light came on after car was suffering from mpg problems. Diagnostic code indicated a drivetrain sensor. Dealer erased the code and ordered new part. Gas mileage improved after part replaced. Engine light came on after car was suffering from mpg problems. Diagnostic code indicated a drivetrain sensor. Dealer erased the code and ordered new part. Gas mileage improved after part replaced.

91760 mi

C $500

changed broken drive belt

79700 mi US $200	Replaced part of the exhaust between the manifold and the catalytic converter
105000 mi US $440	Oxygen sensor and purge valve

44000 mi

US $600

Fuel o2 sensor was blown - needed to be replaced.

142300 mi

US $987

Car brought in to diagnose check engine light codes. Problems were traced to defective purge solenoid and throttle body. Both parts were replaced.

1000 mi	Check engine light came on at 120miles. The fuel filler neck was of incorrect specification for American market. The Fuel filler neck and Fuel cap were replaced under warranty by dealer.
16000 mi	There was a small oil leak from the Cam position sensor. Diagnostic dye was added, checked, and deemed not a problem after diagnosis. The sensor was removed and the seal reseated. No problem with oil leak since.
28800 mi	Check engine light came on and engine was down on power. Took car in and the dealer fixed a flaw in the oil screen for the variable valve timing actuated. The car is running better than new now.
43000 mi US $200	Engine had erratic rough idle and intermittent check engine light. The dealer ran a diagnosis and found that the spark plugs were loose. I replaced the plugs.

60000 mi US $700	Spark coil distributor failed. Needed to be replaced.
78000 mi US $1500	Throttle body failed. Needed replacement

135160 mi

C $100

Catalytic converter efficacy problems OBD II codes O2 sensors changed

8370 mi

Car threw 2 CEL (P0011 and P000A) - car now needs a accuator solenoid valve assy.

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22000 mi	1. Check engine light came on - no other symptoms, car ran normally. Turns out there is TSB addressing this issue. Fixed.
76000 mi US $200	Bad thermostat. Replaced radiator fluid (flush).

55800 mi C $580	Exhaust flex pipe and exhaust heat shield both rusted out, replaced with new parts.
65100 mi C $130	Check engine light indicated problem. Dealer diagnosed as historical code for MAF sensor but suggested I wait to see if it comes back before spending money on this.
77500 mi C $600	Cleaned throttle body carbon buildup caused because I failed to replace the spark plugs in time. First dealer told me incorrectly that they last 100000 km.
81840 mi C $800	oxygen (O2) sensor replaced

35960 mi	Timing belt replaced and tensioners.
44360 mi	Check Engine Light Replaced Evap Purge Valve Parts had to be ordered from Montreal. 3 days for part to arrive. Cleared all codes. Cost of repair without extended warranty would have been $331.00
55800 mi	Check engine light on. Dealer replaced part and light came on within a day. Intermittent fault, dealer rechecked and decided to replace the vehicle computer which had to be ordered. Part now in, will just have to give the car up for a day.
66500 mi	8-31-11 Recurring Problem check engine light Small hole in rubber diaphram in camshaft cover, problem reviewed with GM Tech Centre. 4 previous attempts to repair--car goes back to dealer for GM Tech to Diagnose 11-15-11.
73780 mi	Car went back to dealer for techs from GM Canada to go over the car. Previous repair replaced the Brake Booster and problem still exists. Had car 5 days and replaced the intake manifold and fuel injectors-- problem persists. not fixed
78740 mi	Constant CE lights. Dealer offered to provide 3000.00 credit toward new vehicle. They had it for 3 weeks while I was on holidays and never touched it. Just bought a 2012 Hyundai Accent 5 door GLS with a complete 6 year warranty. Bye bye GM.

32000 mi

The engine light goes off for a day and then stays on,this has been going on for 4 months, this GM car is a joke and a piece of junk and so are GMs so-called reps.

10000 mi

Broken emission sensor triggered engine light (non-flashing). Dealer repaired.

12000 mi US $15	Fuel filler neck faulty; fuel filler neck and gas cap replaced under warranty
13000 mi	Engine light came on. O2 sensor needed to be replaced. Part ordered, installed and repaired under original factory warranty. Part ordered on original visit to dealer, replaced upon notice of part arrival. Two hour repair time in shop.
16000 mi	Exhaust part has crack, however the PART IS NO LONGER MANUFACTURED? REALLY? For a 4 year old vehicle? Part needs to be specially-made by GM to repair, wait time unknown.
31300 mi US $400	Check engine light came on, car running rough, clacking sound as though from lifters. Brought car to dealer. Diagnosed fouled plugs and intake manifold. Dealer replaced plugs, cleaned intake manifold, valves and injectors, throttle body. Scanned and r
41000 mi US $170	I lost one original key, and not wanting to ever be stranded I visited the dealership to get two additional keys. I knew they were specialty keys needing programming, and I would need to pay for the parts and programming time.
51000 mi US $1100	Engine light came on. Defect in accelerator pedal. Accelerator Pedal part no longer manufactured, and was located aftermarket by dealer. Part location and repair took approx. 5 working days. I paid for a rental car during that time. Repairs total cost $1200, plus $400 rental car expense. Cost given in USD. also valve cover and gasket needed replacement

17560 mi

Car would not start. Dealer unable to locate cause of problem. Problem still exists. Car would not start, reason was found to be the key, new key stopped the problem.

81000 mi

US $1100

REPLACED COMPUTER CHIP

99000 mi US $1023	camshaft position sensor oxygen sensor replaced
143000 mi US $180	Engine misfire,1 coil bad replaced

47500 mi

My engine computer went out at about 24,000 and I was starting to worry the one that they replaced it with.

54000 mi

US $1300

Needed the coils replaced.

54440 mi	free repare and matance at time of purches loose mufler heat sheld
57040 mi C $20	Engen. Causon not (CHECK ENGEN) Amber Light. Comes on every second or there fiill
57960 mi C $10	check engen light on used code resder to reset. mass air flow code also getting very low milage. thawed car in heated grage. ice build up in air in take,+ tire presse. In APR. when temp went up to -6 all problems went away. except milage
59000 mi C $90	Engine codes and poor gas mileage -had tire air pressure corected -used a bottle of octane in fuel system -bought a obdII with can code. and cleared codes and it erased something else for me not sure what. car is all better now using 90/91 gas
69400 mi C $380	I also had a oil change. was over charged for filter+ o-ring. 19.67 i by this for 8.35 ring inculcated. over filed anti-freeze.repair refused to do. tried to cheat me unnecessary repairs.
75020 mi C $125	new flex pipe cut exhaust and welded in new flex pipe and remounted on car. $39 for flex at UAP NAPA $41 to a home welding shop. consumed $45 of home shop supplies.
76260 mi C $524	new alternator and serpentine belt $524

149300 mi

Noticed engine was using small amount of oil (less than 1qt/change) - had engine dye added to engine oil - found slow oil leak coming from engine oil cooler

144000 mi

US $250

Timing belt pulleys valve cover gasket

47120 mi

C $1200

Throttle potentiometer

68200 mi

C $250

Issue with MAF sensor

50000 mi US $100	Replaced the coil pack after "Check Engine Light" and sluggish acceleration.
84000 mi US $225	Check engine light was on because unheated O2 sensor was not heating up. Reason was exhaust flex pipe needed replacement. Also replaced resonator.
101000 mi US $160	serpentine belt tension pulley needed replacement.

48500 mi

US $90

Bank 1 Sensor 1 Oxygen Sensor went out, and engine light came on.

39680 mi

C $80

Original problem was engine rattle from stop to @ 2200rpm. Tried higher octane fuel, no change. Second time engine rattle followed by engine low power could not exceed 60km hr. There is a service bulletin for this but no fault code.

64700 mi US $250	Mass air flow sensor not working within set limits - replaced with aftermarket part (because GM would not cover it) and paid to have CEL light turned off.
79000 mi US $775	Oil leaking into cylinders.
84000 mi	CEL came back on, issue with catalytic converter. Dealer quoted $1200 for repairs. No repair was done. Going to local small repair shop with good reputation instead.

51800 mi

US $100

Replaced the downstream O2 sensor

32000 mi	"Coolant Level" msg appears on screen after sharp turns, fast starts/stops. Coolant level OK, I suspect sensor or leak in system. Sensor bad, part ordered. Will be warranty repair.
32800 mi	Coolant level sensor that was ordered last week came in yesterday and was replaced today (6 days after part was ordered).
36500 mi US $1500	Replace oxygen sensor to fix problem. Remaining time in shop was for 75K check-up items: replace plugs,rnair filters, oil/filter, timing belt, water pump, etc.
78000 mi US $220	check engine light returned after previous repair, but with new code: replaced canister purge valve (P0496).
82600 mi	Engine light on. Trying to diagnose possible timing issue from when the belt was changed the mechanic bent half the valves, opted to replace engine at his expense. Still has car a year later.

21000 mi	serpentine belt and tensioner replaced, warranty work, also tire replaced, warranty work.
29300 mi	Pulley on alternator needed to be replaced, there was a service bulletin on this so the dealer replaced this at their cost.

19700 mi

Check engine light illuminated. Faulty O2 sensor and thermostat found. O2 sensor overnighted to dealer. Installed the following day.

27000 mi	idler pully for AC chirping off idle
31000 mi	Part came in and was wrong part. Dealer very lax about calling when parts come in. Have to keep on top of them
34000 mi	Finally got right part in. problem repaired

95000 mi US $800	Ignition coil had to be replaced. The engine was cutting out.
107000 mi US $98	The mass air flow sensor needed to be replaced.

14000 mi

US $79

Tensioner faulty part ordered waiting on arrival for repair. Identified by screech at low RPM with AC on while engine cold.

6000 mi

The gas cap and fuel pipe had to be replaced because of a bad seal. This apparently was under a recall.

11000 mi	Transmission software needed to be re-flashed; it was a company recall order. I also asked them to lube the moon roof indoor screen, but they mistakenly lubed the moon roof itself.
13000 mi	Check engine light came on, took it in to dealership since I knew it was a recall on the fuel cap. They checked it and told me it was repaired, but it came back on again. Took it in twice, it is now working as it should. No problems, I'm happy.
22500 mi	Second time the check engine light has come on my baby. This time it had to do with a charcoal filter for excess fuel. It needed to be replaced, and took a whole weekend and and a day for me to get it back.

20000 mi	Intake manifold Sensor problem
22300 mi	Entire intake manifold had to be replaced

66000 mi

Over several days, the car failed to start a few times. It would sound like it was trying - like it was out of gas. To fix it, the shop replaced the fuel pump.

22000 mi US $1200	Key snapped in ignition, Replacement key has taken 4 months to obtain, Still not replaced yet. Car can not be driven without key.
11500 mi	Key finally arrived. Tired of this car. Now the alignment is off.

7000 mi	loud noise from last time turned out to be belt tensioner. drive belt and belt tensioner replaced
13000 mi	The car has had continued problems related to the drive belt and the belt tensioner. Problem with belt tensioner and drive belt never repaired. Took them forever to get the part, then they didn't have the tool needed to install it. This was the last straw.

49000 mi

CEL illuminated with P0008. Dealer replaced exhaust camshaft actuator solenoid under warranty.

3000 mi	Check engine light came on. Replaced gas cap and "tube".
15000 mi	"Camshaft - Intake - Replace"

961 mi	Check engine light came on. Report from dealer was that the "filler neck need to be replaced". Parts ordered, delivery expected in about a week. Car still drivable with check engine light on. Check engine light on. Report was "filler Neck needed to be replaced." Part ordered and will need to go back to have it installed.
1240 mi	Parts ordered during last visit were installed. In shop early morning and out in the afternoon. Successful repair.
14260 mi	Check engine light on. Code was for the exhaust cam phaser solinoid. Part was replaced and car seems to have substantially more power than before. Dealer ordered alternator pulley and special tool to complete TSB for a funny sound from accessory belt. They have already replaced the air conditioner compressor which did nothing. Replacing alternator pulley solved problem.

27000 mi

Check engine light with EVAP system Code - replaced sensor earlier kept happening replaced valve this time.

94860 mi C $200	Replaced Flex Pipe. Was rusted and leaking.
53660 mi C $700	Ignition coil pack needed to be replaced. Also new spark plugs.

24000 mi	A couple of sensors were not working correctly. I guess the dealer replace them.
49000 mi US $116	Serpentine Belt broke and had to have it replaced.
50000 mi US $350	Had to have the screens on the cam shaft actuators removed to fix a performance issue causing the service engine soon light to come on.

1860 mi	Got a code p0116 coolant temp sensor. this occurred just after driving thru 6 inches of heavy wet snow for about an hour
27900 mi C $22600	flex pipe from exhaust manifold cracked caused fix engine soon light

6000 mi	Noise coming from the idle pulley on the accessory belt. Design defect, the new part has a different design. The accessory belt and tensioner were also replaced.
16000 mi	Serpentine belt pulley was bad from factory.
87000 mi US $350	ECU reported evap. valve fault. Dealer replaced the valve.

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27900 mi	Check engine light came on. Car also hard to start. After turning car off, fan still blew. Technicians apparently tried reprogramming computer several times with no change. Finally managed to reset it, light turned off. All under warranty.
43400 mi C $600	Technicians discovered perforation in exhaust pipe while changing tires. Entire pipe had to be replaced. Considered wear and tear and not covered under warranty.
45260 mi	Check engine light came on. Deemed fault O2 sensor. Replaced under warranty.
53940 mi	Car taking much longer than usual to start. Fuel consumption increased significantly as well. Check engine light came on. Service centre flushed emissions system and cleaned fuel injectors. Problem recurred after picking car up, CEL back on. Car still starting rough; seems to get worse the more warmed up the car is. Becomes progressively more difficult to start. Check engine light back on after a few days. Problem deemed as faulty intake manifold valve, entire manifold replaced. Same problem as before, immediately after picking car up from last repair. Car difficult to start, followed by check engine light coming on the next day. Took back to dealership, now diagnosed as faulty fuel pump, was replaced. 1 week after previous repair, car suddenly lost all power while driving home. Had to have it towed to dealer at my expense. Diagnosed as defective replacement fuel pump from previous repair, and replaced under repair warranty.
83700 mi C $300	Replaced flex pipe. Mechanic also diagnosed leak in exhaust manifold but has not been repaired yet.

18000 mi

check engine light came on. Dealer replaced cam phasing solenoid.

8000 mi US $44	P0442, P0455, P0456 Set of codes. (Diagnose and Replace Fuel Fill Cap and Filler Pipe, if Necessary) Codes reset, if on again the work will be done.
26700 mi	Car idle will drop to zero and the car will restart automatically.
35000 mi US $1500	P0420 code; replaced catalytic converter and inspection revealed honey-comb was completely melted but for a 1 inch section in the middle of the converter. Was getting very poor fuel mileage, so replaced the fuel injectors and fuel rail and cam actuators. Also a code for failure of sensor in accelerator petal. Petal assembly was also replaced.

9000 mi	There was a problem with the gasoline vapor sensor which triggered the check engine light
24000 mi	the coolant level warning light came on. the dealer said that this has been a typical problem but they do not know how to prevent it. there is no problem with the cooling sustem
38000 mi	a fuel exhaust sensor went bad causing the check engine light to go on. It did not affect the driveability of the vehicle but did reduce mileage.

64000 mi US $137	number 2 cylinder miss firing replaced coil pack
65000 mi US $179	Had to replace cam shaft sensor
80000 mi US $126	cam shaft sensor replaced per computer code, although still get ocassional dash light indicating same problem. Feel it has something to do will oil screen on cam sensor from blog compaints for that same problem.I did not change screen.
110000 mi US $460	exhaust sensor replaced
120900 mi US $880	Timing belt

1400 mi	Electric cooling fan failure, not fixed after4days Electric radiator fan replaced
1000 mi	1 blown fan fuse. Electric cooling fan replaced 2nd trip. Cooling fan failure 2nd and 3rd trip. In shop 4 days, not fixed 7/1/08

64000 mi US $350	The exhaust line came disconnected behind the catalytic converter and some small holes were forming in the resonator as well, due to corrosion. The shop replaced the resonator as well as the pipe between the cat and the resonator.
59000 mi US $1350	Replaced bad Mass Air Flow sensor. Also replaced all spark plugs which were damaged from engine running too rich (due to faulty MAF sensor). Lastly, replaced ignition coil bracket because ignition coil #2 was bad.

40000 mi US $25	Problem ongoing. Still chasing the problem. Engine stumbles, reminds of fuel filter problems but cannot find a filter. Added extra fuel injector cleaner but no inprovement. NO FAULTS NOTED BUT CHECK ENGINE LIGHT FLASHES.
38200 mi US $500	Coil pack burned, intermittent problem presenting as stumble

6820 mi

Check engine light came on, no difference in driveability felt. Tech Cause: Code P065E SET, INTAKE MANIFOLD TUNING VALVE BINDING. Tech Comments: RETRIEVED CODE, TESTED IMT OPERATION AS PER PIP 4476, VALVE BINDING INSIDE INTAKE MANIFOLD AT TIMES

4000 mi

They said the Mass Air Flow Sensor was not good. Replaced Mass Air Flow Sensor.

11000 mi	Squeak from accessory belt when running the A/C and accelerating at low RPM's. Shop unable to replicate so nothing done. The problem has gotten worse so I took it in again a few weeks ago. They replaced the belt but the problem is coming back.
30000 mi	Accessory belt tensioner replaced.
36000 mi	This model has a known (there is a TSB but no recall because GM doesn't support Saturns anymore) problem with the alternator pulley causing the accessory belt to drag/slip. I refused to pay to fix something that should be covered.

7440 mi	Rough starting ONLY after car sits for a day or more. Once started car is fine. Nothing major. No codes thrown.
9300 mi	Intake valve common in the plastic intake was worn loose. replaced the intake and 3 throttle body bolts came loose after a month causing rough starts parts order bolts and gasket and repaired when they arrive. Car is 100% now

54400 mi US $25	Crankshaft pulley became loose and caused the serpentine belt to tear. Solution was to tighten the crankshaft pulley and replace the serpentine belt.
58000 mi US $350	Exhaust flex pipe developed a leak. Replaced the flex pipe with new from OEM.

11160 mi	crankcase sensor failed -dealer replaced no charge
72540 mi C $1000	camshaft solonoid replaced

39000 mi	Engine light present at end of trip. Took to Meineke and there were no codes flashed to the computer. No further engine light indicator present
41000 mi	check engine light came on with no codes displayed when computer checked. Also had free oil change
71300 mi US $70	Oil pressure sensor
89700 mi US $30	Small oil leak from filter
93000 mi US $1500	Check Engine Light on for fuel/air mix. Replaced: Catalytic Converter, Air Flow sensor. Check engine light appeared again after 2 days.

9000 mi	Check engine light on, fuel system vapor leak. Light was reset. Told that parts would be replaced if light comes on again.
35000 mi	Replaced fuel filler neck and gas cap due to poor design. Faulty oxygen sensor, could not remove due to crossthreading at factory, manifold assembly had to be replaced. Engine light came back on, will go back in shop, so repair outcome is pending. Shop said computer needed to be reset because of oxygen sensor replacement. Engine light came back on after reset. Fuel pump failed pressure test and replaced. No problems or check engine light since.
66000 mi US $55	Got a check engine light, code indicated the evaporative emissions purge valve was bad. I got this code several months ago, I reset it, but since it came back on again I replaced the part. Got the part for $55 and put it in myself.

93000 mi	Replaced camshaft actuator solenoid valve
105000 mi US $660	Timing belt rubbing on a trim piece due to tensioner failure. Replaced belt and tensioner.
115000 mi US $190	Replaced bad thermostat
136000 mi US $950	Ordered a coolant level sensor Coolant level sensor replaced Replaced bad timing belt tensioner
145000 mi US $225	Engine overcooling - thermostat replaced
161000 mi US $95	Replaced faulty intake camshaft position sensor
164000 mi US $100	Replaced exhaust camshaft position sensor

17000 mi

Code: DTCP000A - Camshaft Position Solenoid Code: DTCP000A - Camshaft Position Solenoid; Oil Filter clog up (solved)

85700 mi	Check engine light was on. Car functioned normally otherwise. Replacement valve had to be ordered. Car was left overnight, but part was backordered. Returned in 2 weeks when part arrived. Light went off in meantime. Replacement done anyway.
72800 mi	"Throttle body erratic. Tested for SES light on & erratic idle at times. Tested data. Code P0068 02 P0068 04. Diag & replace failed throttle body assembly. Tested all wires from tac to ecm. OLH needed for diagnosis time." "Cam solenoid erratic. Modify both tested for SES light on-code P000A set. Tested cam control system. Diag & replaced intake cam control solenoid. Modify solenoid assy by removing screens & remove exhaust solenoid to modify as described..."
88800 mi US $210	Needed two valve sensors replaced. Installed ordered valve parts.
99000 mi US $1495	Code P0496 Evaporative Emission Purge solenoid stuck open. Needed to be replaced. Code P0135 HO2S Heater Performance Sensor & Code P2A00 HO2S Performance Sensor - O2 sensor failed. Needed to be replaced. Codes P0300 and P0301 Engine Misfire Cylinder #1 - Failed ignition coil. Needed to be replaced. Also replaced all spark plugs.

13000 mi

The engine light came on. Error code indicated repair needed. After repair, the light came on after just 20 miles driven. Car was back in the shop for several more days. Dealer did no further work, but light is off now.

15300 mi

The key does not start the car. The radio display screen flashes with turn signals, radio fades in and out of reception, radio volume decreases when trying to increase with the knob on the radio. Both keys were replaced and the car needed to be reprogrammed.

17000 mi	Code P000A for the intake camshaft solenoid failing to advance camshaft timing causing poor low-speed performance. A somewhat common issue for the Astra. Dealer replace intake and exhaust camshaft solenoids. Performance as good as new.
30000 mi	Return of P000A intake camshaft solenoid. Repaired about a year previously and problem returned. TSB calls for solenoid replacement and removal of the filter screens. Hopefully this will be the last of it.

7000 mi	Ping on accelleration. Was told no idea why its happening. Said would be in a bulletin, and if any further problems it has been at least documented. Then looked at receipt and says "could not duplicate" even though I was told they did. I am angry.
6000 mi US $1300	Throttle body died. Had been having trouble for about a year, finally got too unstable to drive without having it replaced. Oil pan stripped. Part discontinued. Not available nation wide, or worldwide anywhere. Would not hold oil.

62000 mi

Fuel Pump Went Out

102000 mi

US $95

ignition coil pack failed on #1 cylinder. Replaced with new Opel branded part.

57200 mi

US $800

Ignition coil needed replacement.

29000 mi	Check engine light came on while on a trip.
33000 mi	Check engine light came on again, dealer said it was a different sensor than in December, but the December failure might have triggered this failure. A part had to be ordered. Cam phaser sensor replaced

59000 mi	The auxillary catalytic converter developed a leak in the flex pipe. Repair was covered under 8/80 emission warranty.
81000 mi US $350	Mass air flow sensor was replaced, throttle body assembly cleaned

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160000 mi US $450	engine/exhaust noise and check engine light was on. a flexible manifold/exhaust tube was replaced which solved both issues.
166000 mi US $745	Ignition coils had to be replaced.
177800 mi US $500	replaced water pump

US $250

For the second time, bringing this vehicle to a Chevy dealer for periodic maintenance caused a Check Engine light shortly after. Code was Intake Manifold valve operating slowly. The last time this happened, the manifold was replaced to fix.

71000 mi

US $1300

Catalytic converter melted due to fuse blown and sensors unable to allow vehicle to run correctly

11000 mi	Car stalled when backing out (auto transmission), and when I turned the engine back on a light came on. Learned it was for ABS or traction, but went off when the car was restarted again, dealer could not identify a problem 10 days later.
13000 mi	Check engine light came on and dealer found the problem to be in fuel cap seal, two parts were replaced, one day repair.

72000 mi

US $200

CK ENG LIGHT STAYS ON WHEN AMBIENT TEMP IS NEAR FREEZING. GOES OUT WHEN SPRING ARRIVES. CODES SET; REPLACED FRONT MIXTURE SENSOR AND MASS AIR FLOW METER WHEN THAT MADE NO DIFFERENCE. CK ENG LIGHT OFF NOW. NEVER HAD POOR PERFORMANCE.

30000 mi	coil and one plug replaced took 2 days no appointment available had to leave car at my expense for warranty work next car wont be a GM
40000 mi US $209	replaced exhaust flex-pipe {took less than an hour but had to pay for 1 1/2 labor}

16000 mi

A pulley needed to be replaced. Caused "Check Engine" light to illuminate and a rattle when starting from complete stop.

16000 mi

Broken belt tensioner (and broken belt) - replaced by dealer/no charge

67000 mi	Replaced Pedal Accelerator Assembly Vehicle loses power and check engine light comes on. Had just picked up vehicle from dealership for replacement of accelerator pedal assembly. Dealership had no idea, recommended fuel inj. & throttle body cleaning. Refused service. Engine stalls when suddenly braking in 4th gear, often when turning. Checked at home and saw they never hooked up hose after prior inspection. Self-fix.
67500 mi US $534	Took car in for oil change. Oil Pan rusted and bolt was stripped. Had to drill new bolt pattern into pan.
74000 mi US $100	The engine was running rough at idle and I wound up replacing the ignition coil pack that sits above the 4 spark plugs. The check engine light came on (P0171 Saturn - Fuel Trim System Lean Bank 1) and the car began making a hissing sound after shut off.
78000 mi US $95	Flex pipe connected to engine had holes and was causing the car to run loudly. Flex pipe was replaced.

62000 mi

US $2000

On way to garage to discuss wheel bearing failure, yellow engine light came whenever I pressed the gas, started running rough, indicated a failure in one of the cylinders most likely. Limped long enough to get to the scrap yard!

56700 mi

Check engine light came on while dealer was having car inspected to complete the sale. Emissions code but they had a hard time gettin it right. Replaced oxygen sensor, then flex pipe, then a catalytic converter under warantee.

47000 mi US $90	Check engine Light - Code P0101 Air Intake issue. Tried Cleaning MAF and New Air Filter - Code came back. Replaced Mass Air Flow Sensor (MAF). Seemed to fix.
49300 mi US $30	Check Engine Light P0128 Coolant Thermostat (Coolant Temperature Below Thermostat Regulating Temperature). Removed thermostat found that it was not closing all the way when cold. Replaced thermostat. Solved.
66000 mi	Air intake volume check engine light. Cleaned MAF, new air filter, new screws on air filter housing closing it tightly.
71000 mi US $600	The very common Ignition coil pack failed on my astra. This was with regular spark plug changes at about 25K miles each.
77000 mi US $100	Noticed black liquid stain on side of transmission looking through the wheel well. Left Engine mount (liquid filled) failed. Replaced with GM Part. Cost of Part was about $100.00

53000 mi US $543	Ignition coil pack.
94000 mi	Fuel canister. Check engine light code checked.

31900 mi	I Just got a CEL I checked It . The code was 9000A. It said Cam gears Out of aliment Or senser. A couple things. I cleared It. So far I have put about 60 miles on It. No more Light. I did Hit A Big pot hole Just before It came on. Go Figure.
49000 mi US $331	They replaced broken flex pipe from engine to muffler

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50000 mi

US $10

acceleration was sluggish, replaced the spark plugs and it started working well again.

58000 mi

US $10

sluggish acceleration - wouldn't go beyond 10 mphs after running for > 5 minutes. Reading here, I thought it signaled a bad ignition coil. I replaced that ($260) and it would then go up to 20 mphs. next guess was a bad oxygen sensor (upstream). Replaced that -> no improvement. Then I also replaced spark plugs (which had been done within 10k miles)-> no improvement. unable to fix it myself having replaced the ignition coil, oxygen sensor, and spark plugs, I brought it to a shop to have it checked out. He discovered the catalytic converter had broken apart. Found it was still under warrantee turned out the catalytic converter broke and we found out that it was still under warrantee (upto 70K miles, IIRC). Dealer replaced it and some subsequent part of the exhaust system (baffle?)

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See TrueDelta's information for all Hatchbacks

See TrueDelta's information for all Saturn models.

2008 Saturn ASTRA repairs by problem area

2008 Saturn ASTRA engine repair cost distribution

2008 Saturn ASTRA

2008 Saturn ASTRA 4dr Hatch

2008 Saturn ASTRA 4dr Hatch

2008 Saturn ASTRA 2dr Hatch

2008 Saturn ASTRA 2dr Hatch

2008 Saturn ASTRA

2008 Saturn ASTRA Engine Problems