Head-to-head reliability
Saturn AURA vs FORD F 150
How the Saturn AURA and FORD F 150 compare on NHTSA complaints, recalls and crash reports — and which is the lower-risk used buy.
Based on NHTSA owner-complaint & recall records
Saturn AURA vs FORD F 150: The AURA has 1432 complaints over 4 years (358/yr) with steering and powertrain issues, while the F-150 has 11311 over 10 years (1131/yr) with transmission and electrical problems. The AURA has 2 deaths, the F-150 1. Source: NHTSA owner complaints.
The picture
Is the Saturn AURA or FORD F 150 more reliable?
A plain-English read on what the NHTSA record says about living with each vehicle.
Saturn AURA
The Saturn AURA, a midsize sedan, shows a high complaint rate concentrated in steering, powertrain, and electrical systems. Owners report sudden power steering loss, transmission jerking, and brake light malfunctions, which can affect control and safety. With 16 recalls and 2 deaths reported, it presents notable reliability concerns for a used car buyer.
FORD F 150
The Ford F-150, a full-size pickup, has a lower per-year complaint rate but still a high volume, with powertrain and electrical issues dominating. Owners describe hard shifts and transmission failures, as well as camera and sensor malfunctions. With 145 recalls and 1 death, it shows a pattern of transmission and electronic problems that could impact daily usability.
The numbers
Side-by-side NHTSA record
Lower is better in every category. The highlighted cell is the stronger result.
| Category | Saturn AURA | FORD F 150 |
|---|---|---|
| Total complaintsAll model years combined | 1,432 Better | 11,311 |
| Safety recallsFederal recall campaigns | 16 Better | 145 |
| Crash reportsCrash-related complaints | 44 Better | 328 |
| Complaints per yearAveraged across model years | 358.0 Better | 1131.1 |
| Reported injuriesTied to owner complaints | 30 Better | 287 |
| Reported deathsTied to owner complaints | 2 | 1 Better |
Source: NHTSA owner complaints & recall records.
What actually goes wrong
The problems owners report
The most-complained-about systems on each vehicle — what fails, and what owners say in their own words.
Saturn AURA
- 01STEERING387
- 02POWER TRAIN373
- 03ELECTRICAL SYSTEM256
- 04SERVICE BRAKES213
- 05AIR BAGS149
Owners report sudden loss of power steering, making the car difficult to turn, especially at highway speeds. This can be dangerous if a quick maneuver is needed.
Transmission issues include jerking, hard shifts, and failure to shift properly. Some also report problems with the gear shifter and brake light interaction, which can be confusing and unsafe.
Electrical failures cause brake lights to illuminate randomly or not at all, and can lead to stalling. These issues are linked to recalls and can affect visibility and engine operation.
Brake light malfunctions are common, with lights staying on or failing to activate. This can mislead other drivers and increase collision risk.
“The power steering completely failed while driving. This made the car very difficult to turn and because it happened at a high speed, if there had been an immediate need to swerve, it would not have been possible due to the power steering failure. It is not a…”
“THE CAR WAS EXITING THE OFFRAMP AT 70 MPH WHEN THE POWER STEERING WENT OUT WILE TRYING TO EXECUTE A LEFT TURN WITH NO POWER STEERING. I HAD A CONVERSATION WITH SATURN CUSTOMER ASSISTANCE CENTER AND THE RECALL WAS TURNED INTO A # 15356 SPECIAL COVERAGE ADJUSTM…”
FORD F 150
- 01POWER TRAIN3,553
- 02ELECTRICAL SYSTEM2,071
- 03UNKNOWN OR OTHER1,401
- 04EXTERIOR LIGHTING1,164
- 05ENGINE847
The 10-speed automatic transmission is a major source of complaints, with hard shifts, jerks, and even loss of power. Owners report dangerous situations in traffic.
Electrical problems include camera malfunctions and pre-collision assist errors, which disable safety features. Some also report loud noises from the transmission area.
Headlight issues are common, with recalls for headlights. Owners may experience reduced visibility at night.
Engine-related complaints are less frequent but still notable, with some owners reporting stalling or performance issues.
“I started noticing hard and delayed shifts from 7th into 8th gear. My RPM's were not increasing when this happened, and then on a very crowded major road I lost all power, vehicle shut off and drifted, then started up and jerked again very hard. This failure…”
“I am reporting a safety-related transmission problem I experienced with my 2020 Ford F-150 equipped with the 10R80 automatic transmission. While driving normally, the transmission shifts hard (ie: jerks, clunks) between 4-5 and 5-6 gears, and has on occasion…”
Official recalls
Safety recalls on record
Federal recall campaigns — the defect, the risk, and the fix. Confirm any open recall was completed before you buy.
Saturn AURA — 16 recalls
The defect: 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…
The risk: Any of the above failure conditions increases the risk of a crash.
The fix: 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,…
The defect: 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.
The 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 no…
The fix: 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 instruct…
The defect: 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…
The risk: Any of the above failure conditions increases the risk of a crash.
The fix: 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,…
The defect: General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2004-2006 and 2008-2009 Chevrolet Malibu, 2004-2006 Malibu Maxx, 2009-2010 HHR (non-turbo), 2010 Cobalt, 2008-2009 Saturn Aura and 2004-2007 Ion, and 2005-2009 Pontiac G6. In the affected vehicles, there may be a sudden loss of electric power…
The risk: If power steering assist is lost, greater driver effort would be required to steer the vehicle at low speeds, increasing the risk of a crash.
The fix: GM will notify owners, and dealers will perform one of four bulletins. Parts are not currently available. GM expects to send an interim notification around May 28, 2014. When parts are available, owners will be mailed a second letter to co…
FORD F 150 — 145 recalls
The defect: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2018-2020 F-150 trucks equipped with high series LED headlamps with Autolamp (On/Off) functionality. The Daytime Running Lamps (DRL) may remain activated instead of dimming to parking lamps when the Master Lighting Switch (MLS) is manually rotated from…
The risk: DRL that cannot dim may reduce the visibility of other drivers, increasing the risk of a crash.
The fix: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will reprogram the body control module, free of charge. The recall began March 10, 2020. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 20C03.
The defect: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2019-2020 F-150 vehicles. The fastener securing the Power Distribution Box (PDB) 12V cable and Battery Monitoring System (BMS) eyelets to the positive battery terminal may loosen and affect the vehicle's systems such as instrument panel displays and br…
The risk: Inoperative vehicle systems or an engine stall can increase the risk of a crash. Reduced braking and steering efforts increases the risk of a crash. This condition could also create a resistive short, increasing the risk of a fire.
The fix: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the positive battery cable/BMS/PDB joint for excess sealant adhesive and remove any excessive adhesive, reassemble the joint, and retorque the fastener, as necessary, free of charge. The re…
The defect: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2015-2019 Ford F-150 and 2017-2019 Ford F-250 Super Duty, F-350 Super Duty, F-450 Super Duty, and F-550 Super Duty pick-up trucks equipped with an engine block heater. Water and contaminants may get into the block heater cable's splice connector causin…
The risk: When the heater is plugged in, prolonged corrosion could cause a resistive short, increasing the risk of overheated or melted wiring which can increase the risk of a fire.
The fix: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will disable the block heater cable, free of charge. Once parts are available, Dealers will replace the engine block heater cable, free of charge. The recall began June 3, 2019. Owners may contact Ford…
The defect: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2018-2020 F-150 and 2019-2020 F-250, F-350, F-450, and F-550 Super Duty pickup trucks, and 2018-2019 Ford Explorer, 2019-2020 Expedition, and 2020 Escape vehicles equipped with driver and/or passenger's manual front seat back recliner mechanisms. Also…
The risk: A seat back with an improperly assembled recliner mechanism may have reduced strength and may not adequately restrain an occupant in a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
The fix: Ford will notify owners, and Ford and Lincoln dealers will inspect the seat structure and replace them, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began October 21, 2019. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's num…
Buyer analysis
Saturn AURA or FORD F 150: which should you buy?
The Saturn AURA has a higher complaint rate per year (358 vs 1131 for the F-150, but over fewer years) and more severe safety-related complaints like steering failure. The F-150 has more total complaints but a lower per-year rate, though transmission issues are widespread. In practice, the AURA may pose more immediate safety risks, while the F-150's problems are more about drivability and electronic glitches.
Key differences
- The AURA has a higher rate of steering failures, which can be critical for control, while the F-150's main issue is transmission harshness.
- The AURA's electrical problems affect brake lights and can cause stalling, whereas the F-150's electrical issues disable driver-assist features.
- The F-150 has more recalls overall, but the AURA's recalls include steering and wiring that are safety-critical.
- The AURA is a sedan with fewer years of data, while the F-150 is a truck with a longer track record.
- Inspect the power steering system for any signs of failure, especially at highway speeds.
- Check brake light operation and look for any electrical gremlins that cause intermittent lighting.
- Test the transmission for hard shifts, especially between 4th-5th and 5th-6th gears.
- Verify that all camera and sensor systems are functioning, as they may disable safety features.
Before you buy
- Have a mechanic inspect the steering rack and power steering pump on the AURA.
- On the F-150, take a test drive to feel for transmission jerks and listen for unusual noises.
- Check for open recalls on both vehicles and ensure they've been addressed.
- Review the vehicle's service history for any transmission or electrical repairs.
- Consider a pre-purchase inspection by a certified mechanic familiar with these models.
Check the actual car
Comparing models is smart. Checking the VIN is essential.
Brand averages tell you the trend. A VIN check tells you what's wrong with the specific Saturn AURA or FORD F 150 in front of you — accident history, open recalls and title records.
Go deeper
Full reliability reports
- Comparison
- Saturn AURA vs FORD F 150
- Saturn AURA total complaints
- 1,432
- FORD F 150 total complaints
- 11,311
- Saturn AURA total recalls
- 16
- FORD F 150 total recalls
- 145
- Saturn AURA avg complaints/year
- 358.0
- FORD F 150 avg complaints/year
- 1131.1
- More reliable overall
- Saturn AURA
- Saturn AURA top complaint area
- STEERING
- FORD F 150 top complaint area
- POWER TRAIN