RoadVitals

2004 Saturn LS

Recalls, owner-reported complaints, investigations and safety data

Data refreshed

Owner complaintsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
1
Latest Aug 5, 2011
Safety recallsA safety recall is issued when a manufacturer or NHTSA determines that a vehicle has a safety-related defect or does not comply with a federal motor vehicle safety standard. Recall repairs are free. Whether a specific vehicle is covered depends on its VIN — a recall listed for a model year does not necessarily apply to every vehicle of that year.
0
InvestigationsNHTSA opens an investigation to examine whether a safety defect may exist. An open investigation is not a determination that a defect exists, and many investigations close without a recall. Investigations can, however, lead to one.
0
Crash or fire reportedComplaints whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. These are the reporter's own answers on the NHTSA form, not verified findings.
1

Overview

Our database contains 1 NHTSA owner-reported complaint for the 2004 Saturn LS, most frequently naming the exterior lighting and steering categories. 4 manufacturer communications are on file.

Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.

What owners report

Complaints grouped by the component NHTSA recorded

  • Exterior lighting150.0%
  • Steering150.0%

Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.

Safety recalls

No recalls in our database for this model year

That does not guarantee a specific vehicle is unaffected — recalls are issued against VINs, and new campaigns are announced regularly. Check a VIN on NHTSA.gov.

Recent owner complaints

Reports submitted to NHTSA, shown in the owner's own words

Exterior lightingSteering
Filed Aug 5, 2011
Fire reported

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 SATURN LS 300. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE HEADLIGHTS AND TURN SIGNALS FAILED. IN ORDER TO TURN THE LIGHTS OFF, THE BATTERY HAD TO BE DISCONNECTED. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT SMOKE WOULD EMIT FROM THE STEERING COLUMN WHILE DRIVING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER TO HAVE THE FAILURE DIAGNOSED. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 86,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE 87,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE. UPDATED 09/01/2011 *LN *TR

NHTSA ID
10417153
Incident
Mar 1, 2011
Mileage
86,000 mi

Manufacturer communications

A bulletin sent by a manufacturer to its dealers. Not a recall, and repairs are not necessarily free.

SB-020842001B

EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS

GENERAL MOTORS VEHICLES AND TRUCKS: SUBJECT REGARDING, 2002 AND PRIOR PASSENGER CARS AND TRUCKS, CHEMICAL DAMAGE TO EXTERIOR POLYCARBONATE HEADLAMP LENSES. *SLC UPDATED *EH UPDATED 3/30/11. HEADLAMP LENS OVERHEATING WHEN COVERED AND CHEMICAL DAMAGE TO EXTERIOR POLYCARBONATE HEADLAMP LENSES. CAN CAUSE CRAZING OR CRACKING OF HEADLAMP LENS. *PE UPDATED 6/24/11. *PE UPDATED 5/14/12. INCLUDING 2013 MODEL YEAR. *PE

050310003

WHEELS:RIM

LOW TIRE PRESSURE, LEAKING CAST ALUMINUM WHEELS (REPAIR WITH ADHESIVE SEALANT). 2008 AND PRIOR GM PASSENGER CAR AND LIGHT DUTY TRUCKS (INCLUDING SATURN) AND HUMMER H2, H3 AND SAAB 9-7X WITH CAST ALUMINUM WHEELS. *NJ UPDATED 10/23/09. *PE

08089-B

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM; ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:SOFTWARE; EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL:NAVIGATIONAL SYSTEM(GLOBAL POSITIONING SYSTEM)

GENERAL MOTORS CORP: SPECIAL COVERAGE ADJUSTMENT; ANALOG ONSTAR DEACTIVATION. *PE UPDATED 2/17/09. *PE

08-089

EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL

BUICK CADILLAC CHEVROLET GMC HUMMER OLDSMOBILE PONTIAC SAAB SATURN SERVICE CAMPAIGN: SEE DOCUMENT SEARCH BUTTON FOR OWNER LETTER. SPECIAL COVERAGE ADJUSTMENT-ANALOG ONSTAR DEACTIVATION. FCC RULED IN 2002 WIRELESS CARRIERS WOULD NO LONGER RE REQUIRED TO SUPPORT ANALOG WIRELESS NETWORK STARTING IN 2008. *PE CSC LETTER WAS RECEIVED. UPDATED 12/1/08. *PE

Manufacturers file copies of the bulletins they send to dealers with NHTSA. These often describe diagnostic or repair procedures for a known condition. They are not recalls: repairs described in a bulletin are usually only free if the vehicle is still under warranty or the manufacturer has extended coverage.

Compare model years

Complaint and recall counts across every year of this model

Saturn LS by model year
YearComplaintsRecallsInvestigationsIssue Index
2004Viewing100—
2003000—
20024933857.8
20015827861.3
20003826759.4
1999001—

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. Older model years have had longer for reports to accumulate.