Owner-reported complaints naming the suspension system, filed with NHTSA
Data refreshed
Reports naming suspension components — springs, struts, shocks, control arms and related hardware. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2001 Saturn LS submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 29 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 29, in the owner's own words
REPLACED WATER PUMP, TIMING CHAIN AND PULLEYS AT APPROXIMATELY 90K MILES. APP. 10K MILES LATER, TIMING CHAIN BROKE AND HAD TO BE REPLACED AGAIN. MULTIPLE ISSUES WITH SUSPENSION, FUEL SENSORS, OIL FILTER CASING.
I GET VERY POOR MILEAGE ON MY TIRES AND I INEVITABLE GET CUPPING IN MY REAR TIRES. THIS CAUSES A SOUND IN MY CAR THAT SOUNDS LIKE THE TIRE IS FLAT WHEN I AM DRIVING WHEN IN FACT IT IS DUE TO CUPPING. I READ ON ALLDATADIY THAT A SPACER NEEDS TO BE PLACED BETWEEN THE REAR SUSPENSION SUPPORT AND THE VEHICLE BODY DURING ALIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM. TIRES ARE EXPENSIVE AND IT CAUSES ME TO NOT WANT TO DRIVE MY CAR TOO FAR. *TR
LOW BANG NOISE IN PASSENGER SIDE FRONT END. WORSE TURNING RIGHT OR LEFT. SOUNDED LIKE MAJOR BREAK, BUT NOTHING COULD BE SEEN VISUALLY. HAD CAR TOWED TO MECHANIC. HAD TO REPLACE UPPER STRUT MOUNTS ON BOTH FRONT AND RIGHT STRUTS. PASSENGER SIDE UPPER STRUT MOUNT WAS BROKEN COMPLETELY, AND DRIVER SIDE UPPER STRUT MOUNT WAS CRACKED. UPPER STRUT MOUNTS BOTH MADE OF A PLASTIC BASED MATERIAL. SERVICE MANAGER STATED THE SHOCK COULD HAVE BROKEN THROUGH, AND HIT HOOD OF CAR IF WE HAD NOT SERVICED IT IMMEDIATELY. REPLACEMENT PART MADE OF SAME MATERIAL. HAD TO HAVE AN ALIGNMENT DONE. VERY EXPENSIVE TO FIX, AND I AM NOW CONCERNED THE CAR COULD BE DANGEROUS TO DRIVE. *TR
MY 2001 L200 SATURN HAD A PROBLEM WITH DASH LIGHTS/AND GAUGES DIMMING AND AT TIMES I HAD NO INTERIOR DASH LIGHTS....IT ENDED UP BEING A MAIN MODULE WHICH COST ME $595. SEEMS LIKE READING ALL THE OTHER COMPLAINTS SIMILAR TO MINE THEY HAVE BEEN NUMEROUS PROBLEMS. I THINK THIS IS A SATURN PROBLEM AND THEY SHOULD HAVE TAKEN CARE OF THIS FOR FREE. I HAVE REPLACED THE STEERING BOX, STRUTS FRONT/REAR...STABILIZER REAR BAR, CATALYTIC CONVERTER TWICE.....I AM VERY DISAPPOINTED IN THIS CAR. I HAVE PUT MORE MONEY IN THIS THAN MY OTHER TWO SATURN'S WHICH I HAD ONLY NORMAL THINGS; TIRES, BRAKES, ETC. I WISH I HAD NEVER BOUGHT THIS 3RD ONE. *TR
2001 L200 SATURN, THE FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE SPRING CRACKED APPROXIMATELY 4 INCHES FROM END OF SPRING. THIS OCCURRED DURING NORMAL DRIVING. *TR
I HAVE HAD NOTHING BUT PROBLEMS SINCE I PURCHASED THIS USED 2001 SATURN IN 2001. I HAVE PUT 2 CATALYTIC CONVERTERS, STEERING RACK, STABILIZER BAR, FRONT STRUTS, HAD A HEAD GASKET MAJOR PROBLEM. I HAVE OWNED TWO OTHER NEW SATURN'S WITH NO PROBLEMS...I AM ROUGHLY DISAPPOINTED IN THIS CAR. ALSO MY DASH LIGHTS DIMMED WHEN SECURITY LIGHT FLASHED ON AND WHEN THAT HAPPENED ALSO MY TEMP GAUGE AND GAS GAUGE WOULD GO FROM RIGHT TO LEFT AND THEN BACK QUICKLY. I HAD TO HAVE A MODULAR REPLACED. AGAIN, I AM SOOOOO DISAPPOINTED WITH THIS CAR. WITHIN THE FIRST YEAR OF OWNING THIS I HAD TWO INLINE FUEL FILTERS AS THE CAR JUST STOPPED WHILE DRIVING...SPEED WENT DOWN AND DOWN AND NOTHING. HAS ANYONE ELSE HAD SO MANY PROBLEMS *TR
2 FRONT COIL SPRINGS HAD TO BE REPLACED ON 2001 SATURN L SERIES WITH 53,450 MILES SPRING HAD BROKEN AWAY. *TR
FRONT LEFT SPRING IN MCPHERSON STUT SUSPENSION. SPRING SNAPPED AT BOTTOM. MECHANIC SAID HE HAD SEEN THIS ON ANOTHER SATURN. REPAIR COST IS $972.00. CLEAN BREAK WITH RUST. MECHANIC SUGGESTED MANUFACTURING FLAW. *TR
2001 SATURN 200L KEY WOULD NOT TURN IN ENGINE, STEERING SHOOK VIGOROUSLY WHILE DRIVING. *TS WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH, ON THE DAY THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED, THE VEHICLE'S STEERING WHEEL BEGAN TO VIBRATE AND PULL TO THE RIGHT. THERE WAS ALSO A NOISE COMING FROM THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE ON THE PASSENGER SIDE. THE CONSUMER ASSUMER THE PROBLEM WOULD RESOLVE ITSELF BUT IT DIDN'T. TWO WEEKS LATER THE CONSUMER CALLED THE DEALER. THE VEHICLE WA TAKEN TOT HE DEALER WHO DETERMINED THAT THE PROBLEM WAS WHEEL BALANCING. THE ADJUSTMENT WERE MADE AND THE VEHICLE WAS RETURNED TOT HE CONSUMER. ABOUT A MONTH LATER THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT START INTERMITTENTLY. THE CONSUMER CALLED THE DEALER WHO EXPLAINED THAT THIS WAS A SAFETY FEATURE. SEVERAL MONTHS WENT BY AND THE PROBLEM CONTINUED TO OCCUR. SOMEONE SUGGESTED TOT HE CONSUMER THAT SHE NEEDED A NEW STARTER. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER BUT THEY WERE UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. THE VEHICLE WAS RETURNED TO THE CONSUMER . ONCE AGAIN THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO NOT START. THE DEALER FINALLY REPLACED THE STARTER. THE VEHICLE TIE ROD EVENTUALLY HAD TO BE REPLACED. THAT WAS THE NOISE THE CONSUMER HEARD WHEN SHE FIRST PURCHASED THE VEHICLE. ON DAY WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE SUDDEN LOST ALL POWER. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A SERVICE DEALER WHO DETERMINED THAT THE VEHICLE'S TIMING CHAIN HAD BROKEN. NONE OF THESE FAILURES WERE COVERED BY THE VEHICLE EXTENDED WARRANTY. THE CONSUMER CONTACTED YHE MANUFACTURER BUT THEY PROVIDED NO ASSISTANCE. *NM
I PURCHASED A 2001 SATURN LW200 NEW FROM SATURN OF GREENVILLE, SC. MY TIRE DEALER UPON CHECKING ALIGNMENT DISCOVERED THAT THE REAR CAMBER (WHICH IS NOT ADJUSTABLE) WAS OUT OF SPEC. I HAD THE SATURN DEALER CHECK THIS & THEY VERIFIED IT. I THINK THIS IS AN ASSEMBLY OR DESIGN DEFECT. HOWEVER, THE SATURN DEALER WANTED APPROXIMATELY $500 TO RETROFIT A KIT THAT WOULD FIX THE PROBLEM. OBVIOUSLY, SATURN IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM BUT WILL NOT TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR DEALING WITH IT. *JB
CONTINUOUS CUPPING OF REAR TIRES DUE TO AN ENGINEERING DEFECT. SHIMS PLACED IN REAR OF CAR. THE CUPPING HAS CONTINUED CAUSING DANGEROUS WEARING OF THE TIRES AT ONE POINT, THE TREAD WAS BEGINNING TO SEPARATE FROM THE CORE AFTER A HIGHWAY TRIP. SATURN TOLD ME THAT THEY CORRECTED THE PROBLEM WITH THE SHIMS. THE FOURTH SET OF TIRES IN 90,000 MILES IS NOW PLACED ON THE CAR BECAUSE ON THE CONTINUING CUPPING. *JB
DEFECT IN STEERING/ BROUGHT TO DEALER/ REPLACED GEAR ASSEMBLY, AND FRONT TORSION BAR LINKS. *JB
EIGHT MONTHS AFTER I BOUGHT A 2001 SATURN L300 I STARTED HAVING TIRE PROBLEMS. IT STARTED OUT WITH THE FRONT RIGHT TIRE RUBBING WHEN I TURNED THE WHEEL WHILE BACKING UP. I ONLY HAD 6400 MILES ON THE TIRES. LOUD NOISES WERE COMING FROM THE TIRES AT 12964 MILEAGE. MY SATURN SERVICE DEPT. RESET THE FEA TO NEW SPECS AND INSTALLED A CAMBER CASTER KIT AND 4 NEW TIRES. THIS WAS THE 2ND SET OF TIRES FOR MY 2001 SATURN L300. AT 17224 MILEAGE THE RUBBING ON THE RIGHT FRONT TIRE WAS BACK. THIS TIME THE SERVICE DEPT. RE-SECURED THE RIGHT FRONT WHEEL HOUSE. THEN ON NOV 24, 2003 (25277 MILEAGE) THE LOUD NOISE WAS BACK. AT THIS TIME THE TECH FOUND THE TIRES STARTING TO SLIGHTLY CUP. HE RE-INSPECTED AND FOUND ALL 4 TIRES OUT OF SPECS AND IT WAS NECESSARY TO REALIGN ALL. I TOOK THE CAR (27115 MILEAGE) BACK IN ON JAN 16, 2004 AND THE TIRES WERE MAKING LOUD NOISES. THIS TIME THE TECH CONFIRMED THAT THE TIRES WERE CUPPING AND OUT OF ROUND. THEY REPLACED ALL 4 TIRES AND RESET TO NEW FACTORY SPECS. ALSO, DID A WHEEL ALIGNMENT. THIS WAS THE 3ND SET OF TIRES. ON DEC 20, 2004 I HAD A RATTLE ON THE RIGHT FRONT. AT THIS TIME THEY REPLACED THE RIGHT FRONT LINK BAR(38871 MILEAGE). MARCH 29, 2005 THE CAR WAS BACK IN THE SERVICE DEPT. WITH LOUD TIRE NOISE(42667 MILEAGE). THE TIRES HAD HIGH AND LOW SPOTS. I WAS TOLD I NEEDED TO REPLACE THE TIRES AGAIN. I TOOK THE CAR BACK IN FOR NEW TIRES ON JUNE 22, 2005. AT THIS TIME AFTER CALLING SATURN CUSTOMER SERVICE AND THE DEALER MANAGER, I AGREED TO BUY 2 TIRES AND SATURN BUY 2 TIRES. SATURN PAID TO REALIGN THE TIRES. AT THIS TIME I WAS TOLD BY A TECH THAT SATURN HAD A MANUFACTURING PROBLEM WITH THE 2001 L300 SERIES. IT HAD TO DO WITH THE TIRES CUPPING AND MAKING LOUD NOISES. HE SAID THAT AS LONG AS THE CAR DROVE AND TURNED WITH NO PROBLEMS THAT SATURN DID NOT CONSIDER THE CUPPING, LOUD NOISES AND REPLACING TIRES EARLY A PROBLEM. HE SAID IF I COULD TAKE THE CAR TO A NASCAR GARAGE, IT COULD BE FIXED AND SATURN COULD FIND OUT HOW TO FIX THE L300 SERIES. *NM
ABNORMALLY QUICK WEARING OUT OF TIRES. THE SERVICE MANAGER SAID SOMETHING ABOUT THE VEHICLE BEING SET UP FOR EUROPEAN ROADS AND FOR $800 THEY COULD INSTALL A KIT TO MAKE IT ALIGN CORRECTLY FOR AMERICAN ROADS.*AK I SAID BECAUSE OF A MANUFACTURING DEFECT I SHOULD HAVE TO PAY FOR A KIT TO RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. HE SAID THAT WAS BASICALLY IT. THE OUTSIDE THE SERVICE GARAGE HE FLAGGED ME DOWN AND TOLD ME TO COMPLAIN TO SATURN AND IF THERE WERE ENOUGH COMPLAINTS IT MAY BE RECALLED.
CONSUMER HAS A CONCERN THAT THE VEHICLE HAS THREE AND A HALF SETS OF TIRES REPLACED AFTER THE FRONT END HAD BEEN REPLACED BY THE DEALER. THE PROBLEM WITH TIRES WEARING OUT EXCESSIVELY ARE STILL RECURRING. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION. *LA
REAR TIRES FAILED WELL WITHIN THEIR EXPECTED MILEAGE AND HAD TO BE REPLACED, ALONG WITH A REAR-END ALIGNMENT. THIS SHOULD BE A RECALL ISSUE FOR ALL 2001 SATURN L300 OWNERS. MAKE: SATURN MODEL: L-SERIES YEAR: 2001 SERVICE BULLETIN NUMBER: 00T72A NHTSA ITEM NUMBER: 633545 SUMMARY DESCRIPTION: SUBJECT REGARDING SERVICE MANUAL UPDATE FOR CHASSIS SERVICE MANUALS REGARDING ALIGNMENT SPECIFICATIONS AND SERVICE PROCEDURE FOR INSTALLATION OF SPACERS BETWEEN REAR SUSPENSION SUPPORT AND VEHICLE BODY WHEN PERFORMING WHEEL ALIGNMENT. *AK
I OWN TWO 2001 SATURNS, AN L300 AND A LW300, BOTH PURCHASED AT SATURN OF SILVER SPRING. BOTH OF THESE CARS HAVE EATEN REAR TIRES ON A REGULAR BASIS. THE DEALER MAINTAINED THAT I DIDN'T ROTATE TIRES ENOUGH. I PREVIOUSLY NEVER HAD A FWD CAR THAT ATE REAR TIRES. FORTUNATELY I REGULARLY PREMATURELY REPLACED TIRES BEFORE CUPPING LED TO BLOWOUTS. I BELIEVE THAT THE FIX OUTLINED IN SERVICE BULLETIN NUMBER: 00T72A NHTSA ITEM NUMBER: 633545 SHOULD RESULT IN A MANUFACTURER RECALL BEFORE SOMEONE GETS KILLED IN AN ACCIDENT AS A RESULT OF THIS OBVIOUS DEFECT.*AK
DEALER HAS REPLACED, FOUR TIMES THE FRONT LEFT WHEEL BEARING, CONSUMER WILL PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *NM
CONSTANT VIBRATION OVER 70MPH. TIRES REPLACED. SUSPENSION BUSHINGS REPLACED. FRONT WHEEL ALIGNMENT DONE. PROBLEM STILL PERSISTS.*AK
2001 SATURN L200 - HEAVY STEERING WHEEL VIBRATION/NOISE AND SEVERE PREMATURE TIRE WEAR. I WAS TOLD BY THE DEALER ON AT LEAST 6 OCCASIONS THAT THIS WAS NORMAL ON THIS YEAR AND MODEL AND MANY TIMES NOTHING WAS EVEN DONE, THERE HAVE BEEN 3 BRAND NEW SETS OF TIRES PUT ON BY THE DEALER OVER THE PAST YEAR OR SO AS WELL AS NEW FRONT END COMPONENTS AND 2 SETS OF ALIGNMENT SPECIFICATIONS. THE NEW TIRES ONLY LASTED APPROX. 5-6MOS BEFORE NEW ONES WERE NEEDED WITH THE TIRE BRAND BEING FIRESTONE. THIS HAS BECOME A SERIOUS SAFTEY ISSUE. A FOURTH SET OF TIRES WERE PUT ON WITH 1/2 PAID BY DEALER AND 1/2 PAID BY ME (PRO-RATED USE) ALONG WITH ANOTHER NEW SET OF ALIGNMENT SPECS. SO FAR IT APPEARS TO BE GOOD. HOWEVER, IT APPEARED AS SUCH EVERY OTHER TIME AND ALL THE WHILE THE WARRANTY CLOCK IS TICKING. *AK
2001 SATURN, PURCHASED JUNE 2001, HAD TO REPLACE REAR TIRES TWICE DUE TO ALIGNMENT PROBLEMS. CURRENTLY I HAVE ABOUT 41000 MILES ON THE L300. THE TIRES WERE FIRESTONE AFFINITY. ALSO THE DRIVERS SEAT HAS SHIFTED TO THE RIGHT, DEALER WILL NOT REPAIR UNDER WARRANTY. THE DECK LID IS MISALIGNED AND AFTER SEVERAL ATTEMPTS, IT IS STILL NOT RIGHT.
ALIGNMENT IN THE SUSPENSION CAUSES EXCESSIVE WEAR(CUPPING) ON THE INSIDE OF THE TIRES. *JB
CONSUMER NOTICE VIBRATION COMING FROM FRONT END OF VEHICLE WHILE TRAVELING. 2 GOOD YEAR TIRES HAD TO REPLACED DUE TO SEPARATION. DEALER SERVICE COULDN'T CORRECT PROBLEM. CONSUMER SUGGESTED RECALL. *AK. *CB
THE SATURN L-200 HAS A REAR SUSPENSION PROBLEM. I KNOW THERE IS A SERVICE BULLETIN OUT THERE SOMEWHERE, BUT SATURN IS NEGLECTING TO ACKNOWLEDGE THIS PROBLEM NO MATTER IF THE CAR IS IN OR OUT OF WARRANTY. IT MAKES THE CAR UNSAFE TO DRIVE, AND COULD VERY EASILY CAUSE LOSS OF CONTROL. *JB
VEHICLE HAS AN ALIGNMENT FAILURE , THAT CAUSES THE FRONT TIRE TO WEAR EXCESSIVELY. DEALERSHIP INSTALLED AN ALIGNMENT KIT TO REPAIR THE PROBLEM.*AK
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
Data on this page last refreshed .