Problems · NHTSA complaints

2000 Saturn SL problems

Owners filed 171 complaints about the 2000 Saturn SL with NHTSA between Nov 1999 and Jul 2018. The most-cited component is power train (36).

Complaints
171
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
11
Reported by owners
Fires
4
Reported by owners
Injuries
13
People reported injured
Deaths
2
Reported to NHTSA
01 —By component

Complaints by component

One complaint can cite several components
  1. Power train36
  2. Engine and engine cooling36
  3. Electrical system30
  4. Tires15
  5. Service brakes, hydraulic13
  6. Steering12
  7. Suspension9
  8. Vehicle speed control8
  9. Exterior lighting7
  10. Visibility7
  11. Air bags6
  12. Structure6
  13. Seats5
  14. Wheels4

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.

Data from NHTSA Complaints API · synced Nov 10, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
02 —Trend

When complaints were filed

Does it get worse with age? Complaints per calendar year filed
View as table
Model yearComplaints filed per calendar year
19991
200021
200122
200229
200320
200423
200516
20064
20076
20085
20095
20103
20112
20120
20130
201412
20150
20161
20170
20181

Mileage at failure isn’t a structured field in NHTSA complaint data, so we don’t chart it. Some owners mention it in their reports below.

03 —Owner reports

Top problems in owners’ words

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first

Power train

36 reports1 fire1 related recall
“ROLL PIN ON RETAINER IN TRANSMISSION DIFFERENTIAL SHEERED OFF CAUSING THE RETAINING PIN TO WEAR THROUGH THE BELL HOUSING AND SEIZE TRANSMISSION. A ROLL PIN IS LIKE USING A RIVET TO HOLD A VERY IMPORTANT MECHANICAL COMPONENT TOGETHER. THIS IS ANOTHER HORRIBLE GM DESIGN. THIS IS AN ACCIDENT WAITING TO HAPPEN. $2300 LATER TO REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Sep 12, 2014Power trainODI 10632728

Engine and engine cooling

36 reports2 fires
“TIMING CHAIN FAILURE OF SATURN 2000 TODAY WHILE DRIVING ON AN INTERSTATE HIGHWAY MY SATURN STOPPED WORKING AND I HAD TO DRIFT TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD PARK IN A DANGEROUS LOCATION GET TOWED ONLY TO FIND OUT IT WAS THE TIMING CHAIN THAT BROKE CAUSING A CATASTROPHIC ENGINE FAILURE. I HAVE TO JUNK MY CAR AND GET A NEW ONE. I AM VERY DISTRESSED TO FIND THE RECALL OF THE TIMING CHAIN IN THIS VEHICLE AND SINCE IT WAS LAWFULLY REGISTERED TO ME AM WONDERING WHY I HAVE NO RECALL FROM YOU? *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled May 27, 2011Engine and engine coolingODI 10402914

Electrical system

30 reports1 fire
“SOON AFTER PURCHASING THE VEHICLE WE STARTED HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THE IGNITION SWITCH. SOMETIMES IT WAS VERY DIFFICULT TO EVEN START THE CAR AS THE SWITCH WOULD BE FROZEN IN PLACE. AFTER SOME PLAY WITH THE STEERING WHEEL IT WOULD WORK. THEN THERE WERE TIMES YOU COULD NOT TURN THE VEHICLE OFF WITHOUT SEVERAL ATTEMPTS. WE TRIED TO TAKE THE CAR TO A MECHANIC TO SEE IF IT COULD BE FIXED BUT THE PROBLEM CONTINUED. NOW THE KEY HAS TO BE LEFT IN AT ALL TIMES, YOU CAN'T REMOVE IT AT ALL. THIS IS A SAFETY CONCERN WITH ALL THE RECALLS REGARDING THE IGNITION IN THESE VEHICLES. NOT TO MENTION A PERSONAL CONCERN THAT THE VEHICLE COULD BE EASILY STOLEN WITH A VISIBLE KEY IN THE SWITCH. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Oct 27, 2014Electrical systemODI 10650315

Tires

15 reports1 crash
“SIDEWALL EXPLODED WHILE ENTERING A DRIVEWAY. BOUGHT THE SAME TIRE AS A REPLACEMENT AND IT DEVELOPED A GIANT SIDEWALL BUBBLE IN A FEW THOUSAND MILES THAT JUST RUPTURED...THE TWO TIRES BOTH WENT BAD IN ONLY 11333 MILES...ABOUT 5666 MILES EACH!! *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Aug 6, 2008Air bags, TiresODI 10237300

Service brakes, hydraulic

13 reports2 crashes1 fire1 related recall
“I WAS TRAVELING ON THE FREEWAY AT 75 MPH (SPEED LIMIT.) THE TRUCK IN FRONT OF ME HIT THE BRAKES. I APPLIED MY BRAKES AS I SHOULD HAVE HAD ENOUGH DISTANCE TO SLOW DOWN ENOUGH. MY BRAKES LOCKED-UP AND I SLID INTO THE PICK-UP TRUCK IN FRONT OF ME AT ABOUT 65 MPH. THE SEAT BELTS WORKED, BUT THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. MY CAR WAS TOTALED. I WAS INJURED AND TAKEN BY AMBULANCE TO THE HOSPITAL. *NM”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Nov 20, 2006Service brakes, hydraulic, Air bagsCrash reportedODI 10173835

Steering

12 reports1 fire
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 SATURN SL. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE TRAVELING AT UNKNOWN SPEEDS, THE KEY COULD BE REMOVED AND THE VEHICLE WOULD CONTINUE TO OPERATE AS NORMAL. IN ADDITION, THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE STEERING WHEEL SEIZED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE ENTIRE IGNITION SYSTEM NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 80,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Sep 5, 2014Steering, Electrical systemODI 10631049
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 10, 2026

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.