Problems · NHTSA complaints

2002 Saturn SL problems

Owners filed 149 complaints about the 2002 Saturn SL with NHTSA between Nov 2001 and Jul 2023. The most-cited component is electrical system (43).

Complaints
149
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
23
Reported by owners
Fires
5
Reported by owners
Injuries
19
People reported injured
Deaths
0
Reported to NHTSA
01 —By component

Complaints by component

One complaint can cite several components
  1. Electrical system43
  2. Power train30
  3. Engine and engine cooling18
  4. Air bags10
  5. Service brakes, hydraulic10
  6. Seats9
  7. Steering8
  8. Tires7
  9. Engine5
  10. Exterior lighting5
  11. Structure4
  12. Equipment4
  13. Suspension3
  14. Fuel system, other2

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 9, 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
20012
200218
200318
200421
200511
200614
20076
200811
20096
20104
20110
20120
20132
201423
20154
20161
20172
20184
20190
20201
20210
20220
20231

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

Electrical system

43 reports2 crashes3 fires
“I OWN A 2002 SATURN SL VEHICLE PURCHASED IN 7/2016. I'M HAVING PROBLEMS STARTING MY VEHICLE. BOTH STARTER AND BATTERY HAVE BOTH BEEN CHECKED OUT OK. ALL SPARK PLUGS WERE REPLACED ON 10/31/18. AFTER THESE REPAIRS, WHEN STARTED IT STILL MADE VERY NOISY SOUNDS COMING FROM THE ENGINE. NOW I CAN'T GET IT TO START AT ALL. I TRIED TO GET HELP ABOUT A RECALL RELATING TO MY VEHICLE'S STARTING PROBLEMS. I CONTACTED SATURN COMPANY 1(800)533-6000 AND GM RECALL CENTER 1(866)694-6546. NEITHER WERE WILLING TO HELP. I FOUND INFO ON THE KELLEY BLUE BOOK WEBSITE. I ENTERED MY VIN NUMBER AND FOLLOWING WAS DISPLAYED: NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID: 03V231; REPORT DATE: INFO UNAVAILABLE; VEHICLES AFFECTED: 239,993; CONSEQUENCE: INFO UNAVAILABLE; WHAT YOU SHOULD DO: DEALERS WILL (1) REPLACE THE IGNITION CONTROL MODULE, (2) REPLACE THE IGNITION CONTROL MODULE AND SPARK PLUGS, OR (3) REPLACE THE IGNITION CONTROL MODULE, SPARK PLUGS, AND UPDATE THE POWERTRAIN CONTROL MODULE. WHEN PARTS BECOME AVAILABLE, OWNERS WILL BE ADVISED TO CONTACT THEIR DEALERS FOR APPOINTMENTS TO HAVE THEIR VEHICLE REPAIRED. PARTS SHOULD BE AVAILABLE DURING SEPTEMBER 2003. SUMMARY: ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH…”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Dec 19, 2018Power train, Electrical system, EngineODI 11162608

Power train

30 reports1 fire
“SATURN IS AN L200 SERIES/THERE WAS ONLY THE LS ON YOUR LIST.NUMEROUS OCCASIONS OF ENGINE STALL WHILE TRAVELING AT ALL SPEEDS. CALLED SATURN/SAID VIN NOT ACCEPTED? LIVE IN FLORIDA KEYS/HAD TO GO TO MIAMI & GET TAIL LAMP FIXED/ONLY LASTED TWO WEEKS (THIS WAS BEFORE ENGINE STALL) & CALL TO SATURN. AM 69YR OLD FEMALE/AFRAID TO USE CAR/PAID FOR ALL SORTS OF REPAIRS/MODULES/SENSORS???AND MORE. NO ONE IN KEYS TO REPAIR VIA GM - SATURN SAID MIAMI ONLY. ROUNDTRIP OVER 200 MILES. AFRAID TO DRIVE/CAN'T AFFORD ANOTHER CAR/MUST JUNK AND, OFCOURSE, SATURN SAID VIN # NOT UNDER RECALL FOR ENGINE OR ELECTRICAL. IS THERE ANY WAY TO RECOUP DOLLARS I PAID FOR ANY REPAIRS ON THIS CAR??? SO MUCH MORE THAN I AM LISTING HERE......THANK YOU NHTSA. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Oct 10, 2014Power train, EngineODI 10643802

Engine and engine cooling

18 reports1 crash
“TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 SATURN S SERIES. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE CONSTANTLY SHUTS OFF EVER SINCE IT WAS PURCHASED. THE VEHICLE MUST REMAIN PARKED FOR AT LEAST A WEEK BEFORE IT WILL RESTART. AFTER THE MOST RECENT FAILURE, THE VEHICLE HAD TO BE TOWED TO THE DEALER. THE TECHNICIAN COULD NOT DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE AND THE ENGINE LIGHT REMAINS ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE CONTACT HAS BEEN CALLING THE DEALER WHERE THE VEHICLE IS CURRENTLY LOCATED, BUT HAS NOT GOTTEN A RESPONSE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 97,000. UPDATED 05/27/09 *BF UPDATED 05/29/09.*JB”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled May 6, 2009Engine and engine coolingODI 10267839

Air bags

10 reports8 crashes1 fire
“A car hit me it the front passenger side the hood of my car bent up the passenger side of my windshield cracked and my car went spinning not one air bag came out”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jul 4, 2023Air bagsCrash reportedODI 11530331

Service brakes, hydraulic

10 reports2 crashes
“I WAS DRIVING ON A HIGHWAY FOR ABOUT 15 MILES WHEN I STARTED TO HEAR A HIGH PITCHED GRINDING SOUND OR CAVITATION NOISE WHICH I THOUGHT MAY HAVE COME FROM THE AXLE OR BRAKES. UPON EXITING THE HIGHWAY I STEPPED ON THE BRAKES WHICH WENT TO THE FLOOR BEFORE I FELT THEM BEGIN TO STOP THE CAR. I IMMEDIATELY BEGAN TO PUMP THE BREAKS AND THE CAR DID STOP. I DROVE ABOUT A MILE MORE ON LOCAL STREETS BUT WAS STILL ONLY ABLE TO STOP BY PUMPING THE BRAKES. SO I STOPPED AT A PEP BOYS STORE AND HAD THEM CHECK OUT THE BRAKES. THEY SAID I HAD PLENTY OF BRAKE PADS AND BRAKE FLUID. THEY TEST DROVE IT BUT COULD FIND ANYTHING WRONG. SO I DROVE THE CAR HOME AND IT WORKED FINE ALL THE WAY. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jul 12, 2010Service brakes, hydraulicODI 10342812

Seats

9 reports6 crashes
“THE VEHICLE WAS STOPPED, WAS INVOLVED IN A 3 CAR COLLISION. THE VEHICLE WAS HIT FROM BEHIND BY A 1985 CADILLAC FLEETWOOD TRAVELING AT AT LEAST A MODERATE RATE OF SPEED. THE VEHICLE WAS PUSHED INTO A 2002 AUDI (I BELIEVE IT WAS) SUV. DURING THE COLLISION THE DRIVERS SEAT BACK FAILED AND COLLAPSED INTO THE BACK SEAT. I BELIEVE IT WAS THE SEAT ADJUSTER THAT FAILED. THE DRIVER SUSTAINED A CONCUSSION DUE TO THE COLLISION AND THE SEAT FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS ON A STATE ROAD, AND WAS STATIONARY.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Aug 31, 2018SeatsCrash reportedODI 11123911
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 9, 2026

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