Owner-reported complaints naming the engine system, filed with NHTSA
Data refreshed
Reports naming the engine itself — including stalling, misfires, oil consumption, cooling and internal engine components. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2000 Saturn LS submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 150 reports on file name it.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
The 25 most recent of 150, in the owner's own words
THE WHOLE SUBFRAME ON MY 2000 SATURN LS IS ROTTED SO BAD THAT I CAN'T EVEN DRIVE THE VEHICLE. IT STARTED WITH MY CAR NOT STARTING AND PUTTING IT UP ON A LIFT TO SEE WHAT THE PROBLEM WAS. THAT NOT STARTING PROBLEM IS A BAD RESONATOR, BUT IN THE PROCESS THE SUBFRAME WAS FOUND TO BE SERIOUSLY ROTTED AWAY. *TR
CAR LEAKING OIL - NOW ENGINE TROUBLE
REF: 07V519 I AM FILLING THIS COMPLAINT CONCERNING MY 2000 SATURN LS1 2.2L ENGINE. WHILE DRIVING ON A SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA FREEWAY IN JULY 2008 MY TIMING CHAIN BROKE. THIS CAUSED US TO TRY AND GET TO THE SIDE OF THE FREEWAY FROM THE LEFT SIDE OF THE FREEWAY, A VERY NERVE-RACKING SITUATION. AFTER TALKING TO THE DEALERSHIP AND SEVERAL INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOPS I ELECTED TO REPLACE THE ENGINE INSTEAD OF FIXING THE TIMING CHAIN AND THE OTHER DAMAGE THAT WAS CAUSED IN THE BROKEN TIMING CHAIN. THE REPAIR WAS COMPLETED BY CLAREMONT AUTO CENTER IN POMONA CA ON 14/JULY/2008. IF NECESSARY I SHOULD BE ABLE TO GET A COPY OF THE REPAIR BILL.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 SATURN LS. WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH, THE VEHICLE RANDOMLY STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT HAD TO COAST THE VEHICLE TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE CONTACT'S RESIDENCE. AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC DIAGNOSED THE VEHICLE AND STATED THAT THAT THERE WAS AN INTERNAL FAILURE WHERE THE TIMING BELT PREMATURELY FRACTURED INTO THE MOTOR AND FRACTURED THE VALVES. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS NOT AVAILABLE.
TL * THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 SATURN LS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE IDLING, THE VEHICLE SHOOK, THE ENGINE ROARED AS THE RPMS DECREASED. THE DEALER REPROGRAMMED THE BODY CONTROL MODULE, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER AGAIN AND THE TIMING CHAIN, TENSIONER, AND GUIDES WERE REPLACED. THE FAILURE APPEARED TO BE REMEDIED, BUT RECURRED A YEAR LATER. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE TIMING CHAIN COULD NOT BE PROPERLY ADJUSTED AND WAS STRIKING THE GUIDES, WHICH PRODUCED THE ROARING SOUND IN THE ENGINE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED AND THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 99,000.
I TOOK MY CAR IN FOR A TUNE UP AND FOUND OUT THE TIMING BELT TENSIONER HAD GONE BAD DESTROYING MY MOTOR. *TR
JUST READ THE RECALL ON GM CARS DUE TO FAULTY IGNITION. MY DAUGHTER OWNED A 2000 SATURN LS UNTIL JULY 2012 (WHEN SHE TRADED IT IN) AND ON 2 DIFFERENT OCCASIONS, IT ALSO STOPPED RUNNING AS SHE WAS DRIVING. LUCKILY IT DID NOT RESULT IN AN ACCIDENT. *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 SATURN LS2. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR DIAGNOSIS. THE INTAKE SENSOR, SPEED SENSOR AND VARIOUS OTHER COMPONENTS WERE REPLACED. IN ADDITION, THE TURN SIGNALS ALSO BEGAN TO MALFUNCTION. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN THE KEY WAS REMOVED FROM THE IGNITION, IT WAS ABNORMALLY HOT TO THE TOUCH. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN FURTHER REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 62,000.
I HAD JUST GONE TO THE GAS STATION TO FILL UP MY 2000 SATURN LW2 WHEN I WAS ABOUT TWO BLOCKS FROM THE GAS STATION. I WAS RIGHT AROUND THE CORNER FROM MY HOUSE, AND HAD JUST TURNED RIGHT ONTO A STREET WITH A HILL. SUDDENLY, MY CAR STARTED SPUTTERING SO I IMMEDIATELY TRIED TO PULL OVER. I WASN'T COMPLETELY OUT OF THE STREET WHEN I SUDDENLY LOST ALL POWER BRAKES AND POWER STEERING GOING DOWN THE HILL AT 25 MILES PER HOUR. I COULDN'T STOP THE CAR SO I PUT IT IN PARK, WHICH STOPPED IT INSTANTLY, CAUSING MY NECK TO JERK, WHICH HAS BEEN SORE FROM WHIPLASH FOR THE PAST FOUR DAYS SO FAR. I HAD THE CAR TOWED TO THE MECHANIC WHO FOUND BITS OF MY TIMING BELT ALL THROUGH THE MOTOR, WHICH BLEW THE ENTIRE ENGINE. AFTER HEARING THAT IT WOULD BE OVER $3,000 FOR A USED ENGINE INSTALLED, WE'VE BEEN TRYING TO DETERMINE OUR NEXT MOVE, FINANCIALLY. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 SATURN L-SERIES WAGON. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT RESTART. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A DEALER FOR DIAGNOSIS. THE DEALER INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD NEED A NEW TIMING CHAIN AND A NEW ENGINE, AS THERE WAS A LOT OF INTERNAL DAMAGE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED BUT OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 143,000. UPDATED 11/07/12*LJ THE REPAIRS WERE COMPLETED, IN ONE WEEK, BY THE CONSUMER'S HUSBAND. UPDATED 11/07/2012 *JS
I ARRIVED AT MY DESTINATION, TURNED OFF THE ENGINE, RAN INSIDE FOR NO MORE THAN 5 MINS AND WHEN I CAME BACK OUT THE ENGINE WAS UNABLE TO TURN OVER AND MADE HORRIBLE NOISES WHEN ATTEMPTING TO START. I CALLED A TOW TRUCK TO COME PICK IT UP TO BRING IT BACK TO THEIR SHOP TO CHECK IT OUT. WHEN I ARRIVE AT THE SHOP TODAY THEY TELL ME THAT THE TIMING CHAIN HAS BROKEN AND BENT THE VALVES. THE WHOLE ENGINE NOW NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. THEY TELL ME IT IS $3600 MINIMUM TO REPLACE AND THIS IS WITH A USED ENGINE FOR $2400+ JUST FOR HIS USED ENGINE. ALL IN ALL, I'M VERY GLAD THE VEHICLE WASN'T MOVING WHEN THIS HAPPENED BUT STILL VERY FRUSTRATED SINCE THIS DOES NOT SEEM TO BE AN UNCOMMON THING WITH THE SATURN L-SERIES. *TR
ENGINE BEGAN HAVING A SLOW KNOCKING NOISE, PRIOR TO THAT I WOULD HEAR A NOISE OF THE CHAIN SLAPPING, WHICH I WAS EXPLAINED TO BY SATURN THAT THIS WAS NORMAL IN MY VEHICLE. DROVE THE VEHICLE HOME THEN WHILE I WAS PARKING, HEARD A LOUD BANG AND WHEN I GOT OUT - THERE WAS OIL GUSHING FROM UNDERNEATH. PARKED THE CAR AND HAVE NOT REPAIRED IT SINCE... WAS JUST DOING RESEARCH NOW TO REPLACE THE ENGINE AND FOUND THAT FINALLY THERE WAS ANOTHER ROUND OF RECALLS REGARDING THE ENGINE. I HAVE ASKED MY SATURN DEALER BEFORE ABOUT THIS (WHILE THEY WERE STILL IN BUSINESS) AND WAS TOLD THAT ONLY SPECIFIC YEARS WERE COVERED... *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 SATURN LS. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH THE CONTACT HEARD A TICKING NOISE IN THE ENGINE. THE NOISE WAS HEARD WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS. THE CONTACT INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND NOTICED THE NOISE WAS COMING FROM THE TIMING BELT LOCATED IN THE ENGINE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 SATURN L SERIES. THE CONTACT STATED THAT IN THE ATTEMPT TO START THE VEHICLE, THE WARNING LIGHTS WOULD ILLUMINATE ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL AND THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT START. THE DEALER DIAGNOSED THAT THE THERE WAS NO COMPRESSION TAKING PLACE, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO STALL. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED, BUT THE RECALL ASSOCIATED WITH NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 07V519000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING), DID NOT INCLUDE THE VIN. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 50,000. UPDATED 02/03/12*LJ THE CONSUMER HAS SINCE TRADED THE VEHICLE. UPDATED 02/10/12
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS 2000 SATURN L-SERIES SEDAN. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 25 MPH THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO DECELERATE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE TECHNICIAN STATED THE TIMING CHAIN FRACTURED CAUSING DAMAGE TO THE HEAD OF THE ENGINE. THE TECHNICIAN STATED THE TIMING CHAIN HAD TO BE REPLACED AND DEPENDING ON THE SEVERITY OF THE DAMAGE THE HEAD ON THE ENGINE ALSO HAD TO BE REBUILT OR REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. NHTSA RECALL CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 07V519000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING) MAY BE RELATED TO THE FAILURE BUT IT DO NOT INCLUDE 2000 MODELS. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 103,000 UPDATED 04/19/12*LJ UPADTED 04/27/12
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 SATURN LS1. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED AND FAILED TO RESTART. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO ADVISED THAT THE TIMING CHAIN FRACTURED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER HAD NOT BEEN NOTIFIED OF THE PROBLEM. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 95,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 SATURN LS1. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING UPHILL WHEN THE VEHICLE BECAME RESISTANT TO ACCELERATION ATTEMPTS. AFTER SEVERAL MINUTES, THE VEHICLE STALLED COMPLETELY. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER WHERE THE CONTACT WAS TOLD THAT THE TIMING CHAIN WAS FRACTURED AND WOULD NEED REPLACING. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 150,000.
TIMING CHAIN BROKE ON 2000 SATURN LS2 3.0L V6 ENGINE WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD CAUSING ENGINE FAILURE. THE 2.2L ENGINE HAS BEEN RECALLED AND THERE ARE MANY COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE 3.0L ENGINE HAVING THE SAME FAILURES. THIS ENGINE SHOULD BE INCLUDED IN THE RECALL ALSO. *TR
2000 SATURN L SERIES TIMING CHAIN FAILURE. METICULOUS MAINTENANCE AND SENSIBLE DRIVING STILL HAVE LEFT ME WITH A BROKEN TIMING CHAIN, BENT VALVES(INTERFERENCE MOTOR, I'M TOLD) AND BASICALLY A BUSTED MOTOR. BIG PROBLEM NOT COVERED BY A RECALL FOR THE 11/00 TO 01 L SERIES. BUNCH OF BULL RECALL ISN'T FOR MY CAR WHEN IT'S THE EXACT SAME DESIGN SEPARATED BY ONLY MONTHS IN PRODUCTION ! NORMAL DRIVING DOWN ROAD AND AWFUL RATTLE SOUND AND MOTOR WAS STALLED AND SO WAS I . *TR
MY TIMING CHAIN SEPARATED AND CAUSED MAJOR DAMAGE TO MY ENGINE. I HAVE A SATURN 2000 LS 2.2L ENGINE. I NEVER HAD A PROBLEM, NEVER KNEW THE CHAIN WAS A PROBLEM. I WENT TO START MY CAR, IT WOULD NOT START. IT WAS TOWED TO GOODYEAR, THEY SAID I HAVE NO COMPRESSION, THE TIMING CHAIN BROKE. MY ONLY SOLUTION IS TO PUT A NEW ENGINE INTO MY CAR. I HAVE ALWAYS CHANGED THE OIL AT 3,000 MILES AND MECHANICALLY TOOK CARE OF MY CAR. I AM LOOKING TO REPLACE THE MOTOR WITH MONEY I DO NOT HAVE. A TIMING CHAIN SHOULD NOT FAIL IN THESE CONDITIONS. *TR
HAD THE TIMING CHAIN ON MY 2000 SATURN LS1 SNAP ON ME, LEAVING ME STRANDED IN A PARKING LOT LATE AT NIGHT AND WAITING MORE THAN AN HOUR FOR A TOW TRUCK TO SHOW UP. REPAIR COST OF THIS PART, WHICH IS MEANT TO LAST THE LIFE OF THE VEHICLE, RAN $800. A RECALL AGAINST SATURN WAS ISSUED BY YOUR AGENCY BY YOUR AGENCY ON THE 20001 MODEL OF THIS CAR BUT NONE OF THE OTHER YEARS, DESPITE THE FACT THAT THE MODEL YEARS 2000 THROUGH 2003 ALL HAVE THE SAME DEFECTIVE TIMING CHAIN AND OILER INSTALLED IN THEM FROM THE FACTORY. *TR
4 CYLINDER SHOT, ENGINE SHOT.THIS 2000 LS2 V-6 HAD THE WHOLE 100,000 MILE MAINTENANCE DONE, TIMING CHAIN BLA BLA BLA.ELECTRIC WINDOWS,4 WAYS HAZARDS, TURN SIGNALS,ENGINE,A/C-HEATER,BLOWER MOTOR,HANDLES BROKE-INTERIOR ONLY,CAR RAN GOOD WHEN IT RAN BUT WHEN IT STOPPED IT ALWAYS COSTS MONEY. *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 SATURN LS. WHILE DRIVING AT 55 MPH, THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS SHIFTING ABNORMALLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALERSHIP WHERE THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE ENGINE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED BECAUSE OF THE TIMING CHAIN. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE APPROXIMATELY 92,000.
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 SATURN LS1. HE STATED THE VEHICLE WAS CONSUMING LARGE QUANTITIES OF ENGINE OIL. THE DEALER STATED THE RACK AND PINION ASSEMBLY NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN FOR A SECOND OPINION TO A LOCAL MECHANIC WHERE THE POWER STEERING RESERVOIR WAS REPLACED AND THE FAILURE CEASED. ON A SEPARATE OCCASION, WHILE DRIVING AT SPEEDS OF OVER 10 MPH OR ATTEMPTING A LEFT OR RIGHT TURN, THE VEHICLE WOULD LOSE POWER. ALSO, WHILE IN THE REVERSE MODE, THE VEHICLE WOULD STALL. THE DEALER COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. THE FAILURE PERSISTED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER OVER 4 ADDITIONAL TIMES AND THE FAILURE COULD NOT BE DUPLICATED. THERE WERE NO RECALLS ON THE VEHICLE AND NO FURTHER REPAIRS WERE MADE TO THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE UNDER 103,000.
I STARTED THE CAR AND BACKED OUT OF THE DRIVEWAY WHEN A PUT IT IN FORWARD IT STALLED. IT STARTED AGAIN AND I DROVE TO MY DESTINATION. IT ALSO STARTED AGAIN AND I WAS ABLE TO RETURN HOME. WHILE I WAS DRIVING TO AND FROM MY APPOINTMENT I COULD NOT MAINTAIN SPEED GOING UP HILLS ON THE HIGHWAY. WHEN I WENT TO START THE CAR THE NEXT DAY IT TURNED OVER BUT DID NOT START. FROM THERE ON IT WOULD NOT TURN OVER AT ALL. MY MECHANIC SAYS THERE NO COMPRESSION ON ANY OF THE CYLINDERS AND IT IS MOST LIKELY THE TIMING CHAIN. *TR
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.
Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own
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