Problems · by component
2002 Saturn SL power train problems
30 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 2002 Saturn SL cite power train, 20% of all 149 complaints for this model year.
Complaints
30
20% of all complaints
Crashes
0
Reported by owners
Fires
1
Reported by owners
Injuries
0
Reported by owners
What owners say about the power train
Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
“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…”
“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”
“I CAME TO A COMPLETE STOP AT A STOP SIGN,WENT TO PUT IT FIRST (5SPEED) AND THE SHIFTER BUSHING BROKE. THE SHIFTER WAS JUST FLOPPING AROUND.I COULD HAVE BEEN IN SERIOUS SITUATION IF I WAS IN THE CITY OR TRAVELING.OR PICKING UP A SENIOR CUSTOMER. *JS”
“I HAVE HAD TROUBLE WITH THIS CAR SINCE NEW DELAY AND HARD SHIFTS INTO REVERSE ALWAYS, AND FORWARD GEARS QUITE FREQUENTLY HAD SATURN SERVICE DEPT CHECK AND THEY SHOW NO CODES. *TR”
“TRANSMISSION FAILURE ON 2002 SATURN SL MILEAGE: 50+K ONLY 2ND OWNER BOUGHT FROM USED AUTO DEALER. COVERED ON DEALER WARRANTY AND FIXED IN 2005. TRANSMISSION FAILURE AGAIN AFTER WARRANTY EXPIRATION- 2008. *TR”
“ONE EVENING LAST WEEK I NOTICED THAT WHEN I WOULD SHIFT GEARS AFTER BEING PARKED, IT FELT LIKE SOMETHING DROPPED UNDER MY CAR. THE SAME NIGHT, I WOULD BE DRIVING ABOUT 35-40 MILES AND HOUR IN THE 1-2 RPM RANGE, ALL OF A SUDDEN THE GAUGE WOULD QUICKLY JUMP TO 3 RPMS AND THEN DROP BACK DOWN. IT DID THIS CONSISTENTLY EVERY 2-3 MINUTES. I TOOK MY CAR TO A LOCAL TRANSMISSION SHOP THE NEXT MORNING BECAUSE I FELT THAT IT WAS A SERIOUS PROBLEM. THE BODY VALVE WAS DAMAGED WHICH WAS THE MAIN PROBLEM. THAT WAS REPLACED ALONG WITH A FEW OTHER PARTS. WHEN I WAS PAYING ($2895) THE MAN THAT HAD BEEN HELPING ME INFORMED ME THAT HIS SHOP HAD ENCOUNTERED MANY TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS WITH MY MODEL CAR (2002 SATURN SL1) AND THAT THEY CHECKED IN TO ANY KIND OF RECALL OR BULLETINS. HE SAID THAT HE FELT THAT GM WOULD BE ISSUING A BULLETIN RELATIVELY SOON. I DID MY OWN RESEARCH AND FOUND MULTIPLE COMPLAINTS ABOUT SATURN TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS, IN PARTICULAR THE BODY VALVE. WHEN MY FATHER ORIGINALLY PURCHASED THE NEW VEHICLE, HE HAD COMPLAINED ABOUT THE SHIFTING OF THE CAR AND GONE TO THE SATURN DEALERSHIP TO COMPLAIN A FEW TIMES, AND HE WAS TOLD, "OH, THAT'S JUST THE WAY CAR IS." I FEEL…”
Showing 6 of 30 reports. Read every report on NHTSA.gov.
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 9, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.