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 2002 Saturn LS submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 242 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 242, in the owner's own words
The same thing is happening to my car that happened to many Saturn owners of the same year. The car is turning but only stays on for a few seconds before shutting off. This seems to be the same as the ignition module and spark plugs issue as it is the same symptoms as those people were experiencing.
ENGINE STALLED WHILE DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS AROUND 65-70 MPH. ENGINE COULD NOT BE RESTARTED AND HAD TO BE TOWED BACK HOME. MECHANIC INSPECTION REVEALED COMPLETE LOSS OF COMPRESSION IN TWO CYLINDERS AND PARTIAL COMPRESSION LOSS IN OTHER TWO. ENGINE WAS PERMANENTLY DAMAGED AND WOULD HAVE TO BE REPLACED OR REBUILT AT HIGH COST IN THE THOUSANDS. ENGINE HAD 102,057 MILES AT TIME OF FAILURE.
VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION AT 30 MPH ON CITY STREET, ENGINE COMPLETELY STOPPED WORKING WITH LOSS OF POWER STEERING AND POWER BRAKES. COASTED VEHICLE TO A SIDE STREET & STOPPED. HAD CAR TOWED TO A MECHANIC. WE WERE QUOTED $1700 BILL TO REPAIR DUE TO BROKEN TIMING CHAIN. RESEARCHED RECALLS AND FOUND THAT NHTSA HAD A RECALL #07V519000 FOR 2001 SATURN L100. THIS SEEMS GROSSLY SHORTSIGHTED ON THE PART OF NHTSA, AS THERE HAVE BEEN DOZENS OF DUPLICATE COMPLAINTS. THIS PROMPTED THE STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA CONSUMERS COUNCIL TO ISSUE A DEFECT PETITION FOR 2000-2003 SATURN L SERIES WITH THE 2.2L ENGINE WITH THE NHTSA. IT IS SURPRISING HOW LITTLE EFFORT THE NHTSA HAS MADE IN LIGHT OF THE SCOPE OF THIS PROBLEM.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 SATURN LS. WHILE DRIVING 15 MPH, THE ENGINE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE TIMING BELT FRACTURED AND THE ENGINE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE LOCAL DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND DID NOT ASSIST. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 161,000.
I LOST POWER AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS AND AT FULL THROTTLE THERE WAS NO ACCELERATION. IT MADE A LOUD BOOM LIKE A BACKFIRE AND A LARGE PIECE OF MATERIAL THAT LOOKED FIBERGLASS MATTING AND ROCKS BLEW OUT OF THE EXHAUST. THE CAR ACCELERATED FINE FOR ABOUT 15 MILES THEN STARTED TO BOG DOWN AGAIN. SHUT OFF VEHICLE AND TRIED TO RESTART UNSUCCESSFUL, WAITED A FEW HOURS THEN CAR RESTARTED WITH NO ISSUES RAN VEHICLE OFF AND ON OVER A THREE DAY PERIOD, THAT IS WHEN IT STARTED MALFUNCTIONING AGAIN WITH VERY ROUGH IDLE, ALMOST DIES, EXTREME LOSS OF POWER W/ALMOST NO ACCELERATION AT FULL THROTTLE. CONTACTED MECHANIC THE VEHICLE RESONATOR WAS EXPANDED TO THE POINT OF SPLITTING THE SEAM, HE REMOVED THE RESONATOR TO FIND ALL THE FIBER PACKING GONE AND THE RESONATOR PACKED WITH WHAT LOOKED LIKE ROCKS. HE STATED THE BITS THAT LOOKED LIKE ROCKS WERE PART OF THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER PACKING THAT HAD BEEN HEATED ABOVE THE LIMITS OF THE MATERIAL. THE DISINTEGRATED MATERIAL MADE A BLOCKAGE IN THE RESONATOR NOT ALLOWING THE EXHAUST GASSES TO FLOW HE CHECKED FOR TSB'S AND RECALL CAMPAIGNS AND FOUND CAMP # 03V231000 ACTION # 03033 RECALL # 03-C-06 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM IGNITION CONTROL MODULE) AND CAMP # 07V519000 ACTION # EA06009 RECALL # 06074. (ENG. TIMING CHAIN) CALLED GM RECALL CENTER GIVEN CASE #8-2430110427 PER BRANDY SHE IS GETTING MANY CALLS ON THIS, SHE SHOWS ONLY THE RECALL 03-C-06 ONLY AND SHE IS TO DENY ANY ADDITIONAL CLAIMS EVEN THOUGH THEY REPLACED THE PART WITH THE SAME PART THAT WAS RECALLED TO BEGIN WITH. INVESTIGATED RECALL # 06074 AND FOUND THAT DID NOT INCLUDE THE 2002 SATURN L SERIES HOWEVER PER MY MECHANIC BOTH RECALLS ARE CONTRIBUTING FACTORS WITH THE OUTSTANDING ISSUES WITH MY VEHICLE. THE CAR IS UNSAFE TO DRIVE. THE 2002 SATURN L SERIES SHOULD NOT BE ON THE ROAD AND IT SHOULDN'T TAKE AN ACCIDENT OR A DEATH BEFORE YOU PEOPLE DECIDE TO RECALL THESE VEHICLES.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2002 SATURN L. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO SLOW DOWN WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT PULLED THE VEHICLE OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND EXITED THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO EMIT SMOKE FROM THE HOOD AND SUDDENLY CAUGHT FIRE. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOTALED. THERE WERE NO INJURIES AND A REPORT WAS NOT FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 110,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 SATURN SATURN LS. WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH, THE STEERING WHEEL BEGAN SMOKING, THE HEADLIGHTS FLICKERED, AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED. IN ADDITION, THE ENGINE WAS SMOKING AND STALLED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A DEALER WHERE THE FAILURE WAS UNDETERMINED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 186,000.
I WAS GOING TO WORK & ALL OUT OF THE BLUE WITH NO WARNING MY TIMING CHAIN BROKE & MY CAR STOPPED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE HIGHWAY & WOULD NOT START BACK. ALSO, MY TAIL LIGHT WON'T WORK BECAUSE THE PLASTIC HOUSING IS BROKEN.
ENTERING HIGHWAY RAMP. VEHICLE STALLED. WOULD NOT RESTART. TIMING CHAIN HAD FAILED.
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 SATURN LS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH, THE VEHICLE JERKED AND THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED BUT THE VEHICLE DID NOT ACCELERATE. THE VEHICLE WAS PULLED OVER TO THE SHOULDER OF THE HIGHWAY WHERE IT STALLED. THE VEHICLE DID NOT RESTART. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE TIMING CHAIN FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 106,192. UPDATED 6/8/15*CN
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 SATURN LS. WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE ENGINE STALLED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE TIMING CHAIN ASSEMBLY NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 249,000.
WHILE DRIVING ON HIGHWAY AT APPROXIMATELY 50 MPH THE CAR ENGINE STALLED AND DIED. I PULLED OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND ATTEMPTED TO RESTART SEVERAL TIMES. I HAD 3 PASSENGERS WITH ME AND AN ARKANSAS STATE TROOPER HELPED US UNTIL A TOW TRUCK ARRIVED. I HAD TO HAVE IT TOWED ABOUT 10 MILES. THE MECHANIC ON SITE TOLD US IT IS GOING TO BE THE TIMING CHAIN AS HE HAS SEEN SEVERAL OF THE SAME ENGINE WITH THIS PROBLEM. HE HAD JUST REPAIRED ON AS WELL. I HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO MY HOME AND EVENTUALLY TO MY MECHANIC. HE CONFIRMED THE TIMING CHAIN BROKE AND THAT HE HAD JUST REPAIRED ONE WITH THE SAME MOTOR. THE REPAIR COST $2400. *TR
AT 60 MPH ON FREEWAY THE TIMING BELT BROKE. I LOST POWER AND CONTROL OF THE CAR. IT CANNOT BE STARTED. SINCE THE REPAIR COST IS TOO HIGH (MORE THAN $2000), AND MY VIN IS NOT INCLUDED IN THE GM RECALL #06074, I HAD TO JUNK THE CAR. *JS THE CAR IS DANGEROUS TO DRIVERS. GM IS NOT WILLING TO RECALL ALL 2001 L200. HOWEVER, DUE TO SO MANY COMPLAINS OF THE SAME PROBLEMS FROM DRIVERS OF THE 2001 SATURN L200 (WHOSE CARS ARE NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL) NHTSA SHOULD FORCE GM TO RECALL ALL 2011 SATURN L200.
PLEASE HELP! MY KEY AND IGNITION ARE BURNING HOT, MY CAR DOESN'T ALWAYS START, THE POWER CUTS OFF, THE SERVICE ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON AND OFF AND WHEN I START IT IN THE MORNING THE EXHAUST IS SUPER STRONG. GM TOLD ME I HAVE TO PAY A DEALER $110.00 TO DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM THAT YOU HAVE CLEARLY DEFINED AND RECALLED IN 2003 BUT I WAS NEVER NOTIFIED AS THE ORIGINAL OWNER FOR THAT RECALL. I BROKE MY NECK AND AM A SINGLE, DISABLED MOM OF A 12 YEAR OLD. I DO NOT WANT TO BE TRAPPED IN A FIRE OR REARENDED AND TOTALLY PARALYZED OR DEAD! WHAT THE HECK IS GM THINKING? THEY SAID THEY ONLY ACT ON RECALLS IF THEY COME FROM YOU! *TR
I WAS BACKING OUT OF A SPOT AND THERE WAS A CLANKING SOUND FROM BEHIND THE DASH FOLLOWED BY A STALL. THE CAR WAS INOPERABLE FROM THAT POINT. I HAD TO PUSH THE CAR OFF OF THE STREET TO AVOID TRAFFIC. MY VEHICLE WAS BROUGHT INTO SATURN OF MARIETTA AND I WAS TOLD THAT THE TIMING CHAIN HAD BROKEN. IT WAS STATED TO ME THAT THERE WAS A DESIGN FLAW IN THE ENGINE AND THEY WERE AWARE OF IT. IT WAS STATED THAT THERE WAS A RECALL FOR IT BUT MY CAR, CURRENTLY, WASN'T INCLUDED. I INQUIRED WHY AND WAS TOLD IT WOULD PROBABLY BE EXPANDED. I WENT AHEAD AND PAID FOR AN ENGINE TO BE INSTALLED FOR $2983.53. I WENT ABOUT MY LIFE, WAITING FOR THE RECALL TO BE EXPANDED. THE REPLACEMENT ENGINE RECENTLY REACHED THE SAME MILEAGE THAT MY OLD ENGINE WAS AT WHEN IT FAILED AND IT DID LIKEWISE. SAME ISSUE WITH THE DEFECTIVE TIMING CHAIN. I WAS NOT NOTIFIED IF THE REPLACEMENT ENGINE WAS AFFECTED BY THE RECALL OR NOT, I BELIEVE IT WAS. I TRIED TO FIND DETAILS BUT THE DEALERSHIP HAS CLOSED AND RECORDS ARE LOST (SO I'VE BEEN TOLD). I HAVE THE PAPERWORK FROM THE REPLACEMENT AND GM IS UNWILLING TO HELP. I'VE SEEN NUMEROUS SIMILAR COMPLAINTS ONLINE CONCERNING THE SAME ISSUE. THE RECALL WAS FOR CARS BUILT 11/00 - 2/01 AND A NEW DESIGN WENT INTO EFFECT IN 5/02, MY CAR WAS BUILT IN 8/01...NINE MONTHS BEFORE THE NEW DESIGN WAS IMPLEMENTED. WHAT ABOUT ALL OF THE CONSUMERS WITH VEHICLES MADE BETWEEN 3/01 AND 4/02? OVER A YEAR WORTH OF PURCHASERS THAT WERE LEFT OUT AND PUT IN A DANGEROUS POSITION. GM IS RUNNING OVER US AND WE NEED HELP. *TR
TIMING CHAIN BROKE WHILE DRIVING. ENGINE DIED AND HAD TO COAST TO THE SHOULDER. *TR
I WAS BACKING OUT OF A PARKING SPOT AND MY 2002 L200 STALLED AFTER A RATTLING SOUND FROM THE ENGINE. I HAD THE CAR TOWED TO THE SATURN DEALERSHIP IN MARIETTA, GEORGIA. THEY DIAGNOSED THAT THE TIMING BELT HAD SLIPPED/BROKE AND HAD DAMAGED THE ENGINE. THEY ALSO SAID THAT THE ENGINE WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED AND THE TIMING BELT ON THESE CARS WAS A KNOWN ISSUE. I HAD SATURN PERFORM THE ENGINE REPLACEMENT END OF OCTOBER, BEGINNING OF NOVEMBER 2008 FOR APPROXIMATELY $5000. I'VE SINCE COME TO REALIZE THAT THERE WAS A RECALL ON SATURN L200S FROM THE SAME TIME PERIOD FOR THE EXACT SAME PROBLEM. THEY'VE CLAIMED THAT MY VIN DOESN'T FALL UNDER THE RECALL. I FEEL THAT I SHOULD BE REIMBURSED FOR THE COST OF THE ENGINE REPLACEMENT BASED ON THE DEFECTIVE PART BEING A KNOWN ISSUE AND MY CAR EXHIBITING THE EXACT SAME ISSUE THAT A RECALL WAS SUBMITTED. UPDATED 09/10/14
ON JUNE 25, 2014, I PURCHASED A 2002 SATURN L-200 FROM ANDREWS AUTOMOTIVE IN MASON, MICHIGAN WITH JUST OVER 62,000 MILES ON IT. ONE MONTH LATER, WHILE DRIVING AT 70 MPH ON US-127 JUST SOUTH OF HARRISON, MICHIGAN, I FELT A SHUDDER IN THE STEERING WHEEL AND THE ENGINE DIED. I WAS ABLE TO COAST TO THE SHOULDER AND SAFELY COME TO A STOP. AFTER SEVERAL UNSUCCESSFUL ATTEMPTS TO RESTART THE VEHICLE, I HAD IT TOWED TO A SHOP IN HARRISON WHERE THEY CONCLUDED THAT THE TIMING CHAIN FAILED AND PISTONS HIT THE VALVES WHICH WILL NECESSITATE A COMPLETELY NEW ENGINE. *JS
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 SATURN L200 (N/A). THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 10 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE BATTERY WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND THEN THERE WAS A LOUD NOISE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE TIMING BELT CHAIN FRACTURED DUE TO NO OIL IN THE ENGINE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 144,872.
VEHICLE STOPPED AFTER TURNING ONTO THE ROAD, ENGINE HAD STALLED AND WOULD NOT CRANK OR START UP AGAIN; BATTERY AND OIL LIGHTS CAME ON. YOU COULD SEE THE SERPENTINE BELT WHEN TRYING TO CRANK SO IT WAS NOT A BATTERY ISSUE. FUEL TANK WAS FULL AND OIL WAS CHANGED A MONTH PRIOR. MECHANICS CONFIRMED THE TIMING CHAIN HAD SNAPPED/BROKEN AND DESTROYED MANY OF THE INTERNAL ENGINE COMPONENTS. $2000 COST TO REPLACE/FIX THE INDIVIDUAL PARTS, $2600 TO JUST GET ANOTHER USED ENGINE. *JS
THE CAR WAS RUNNING FINE. I PULLED AWAY FROM A TRAFFIC LIGHT AND TRIED TO GET UP TO THE SPEED LIMIT OF 45 MILES PER HOUR. AT APPROXIMATELY 40 MILES AN HOUR THE ENGINE JUST STOPPED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD. I MANAGED TO GET IT TO THE SIDE AND CALLED THE WRECKER. MECHANIC SAID TIMING CHAIN BROKE AND I NEED A NEW ENGINE. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 SATURN LS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD SHAKE ALONG WITH AN ABNORMAL NOISE COMING FROM THE ENGINE AND THE VEHICLE WOULD STALL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE TIMING CHAIN NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED BUT FAILED TO RECTIFY THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 80,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 SATURN L300 (N/A). THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD INTERMITTENTLY STALL AT VARIOUS SPEEDS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, WHO WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE WAS NOT REMEDIED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 125,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 SATURN LS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE REVERSING FROM A RESIDENTIAL DRIVEWAY WHEN THE VEHICLE EXHIBITED A LOUD, ABNORMAL NOISE. THE CONTACT PARKED THE VEHICLE AND LATER, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO START. THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED AFTER THE CONTACT HAD MADE SEVERAL ATTEMPTS TO RESTART THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED BY AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, WHO STATED THE TIMING CHAIN WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE DEALER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE DEALER STATED THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN ANY RECALLS AND DECLINED TO PROVIDE A REMEDY TO THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURE WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 139,000.
THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN ON AN INTERSTATE WHEN POWER TO THE DRIVE WHEELS WAS REDUCED AND A LACK OF ACCELERATION WAS FELT. THE STEERING FELT SLIGHTLY HEAVY AND POWER TO THE DRIVE WHEELS WAS LOST. THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN TO THE HARD SHOULDER AND THE ENGINE CUT OUT. THE ENGINE WOULD NOT RESTART. NO OTHER WARNING LIGHTS WERE SHOWN ON THE DISPLAY, AND ALL FLUID LEVELS WERE NORMAL. WHEN THE IGNITION KEY WAS TURNED, A WHIRRING NOISE WAS HEARD FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT, HOWEVER THE CYLINDERS WERE NOT FIRING. *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.
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