2001 Saturn LW200 Problems
Owner-reported complaints filed with NHTSA, grouped by component
Data refreshed
What this page shows
Everything below is an owner-reported complaint submitted to NHTSA about the 2001 Saturn LW200, grouped by the component NHTSA recorded on the report. These are not confirmed defects, and they are not recalls. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a category with more reports in it is not evidence that a part is defective.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Reports by component
Ranked by how many owner reports name each component category
- Engine763.6%
- Electrical19.1%
- Exterior lighting19.1%
- Steering19.1%
- Suspension19.1%
Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.
Each component in detail
What the reports in each category say, in the owners' own words
Engine
Reports naming the engine itself — including stalling, misfires, oil consumption, cooling and internal engine components.
From owner reports, verbatim
WHILE DRIVING MY CAR WITH 2 SPECIAL NEEDS CHILDREN IN IT MY STEERING WHEEL WENT CRAZY. IT WENT FROM BEING CENTER TO VERTICAL. I DROVE AS CLOSE TO HOME AS I COULD GET AND THEN MY CAR CAME TO A GRINDING HAULT. I THOUGHT I UAD A FLAT TIRE BUT THATS NOT WHAT IT WAS. AFTER TOWING IT HOME WE LOOKED UNDER IT AND THE ENGINE CRADLE HAD BROKE!! WHEN THIS HAPPENED IT BROKE THE CONTROL ARM ON MY CAR CAUSING MY TIRE TO ROTATE INWARD AND BACK INTO THE FENDER WELL. WE HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO FIX IT AND WE HAVE NO OTHER CAR. THE ONLY WAY THE CHILDREN WERE HURT WAS PSYCHOLOGICAL, SINCETHEY ARE AUTISTIC. NOONE WAS INJURED BUT IF THE CRADLE BROKE CAUSING THE CONTROL ARM TO BREAK WHILE DRIVING I VERY WELL COULD HAVE LOST CONTROL. WE WERE STRANDED IN THE DARK, WITH 2 SPECIAL NEEDS KIDS AND NOWAY HOME. IF WE WERE ON THE HIGHWAY IT COULD HAVE BEEN FATAL!!
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 SATURN LW200. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT 60 MPH, THE VEHICLE LOST ACCELERATOR FUNCTION AND STALLED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE OWNERS RESIDENCE. AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC DIAGNOSED THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE TIMING CHAIN HAD FRACTURED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 124,000.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Electrical
Reports naming the electrical system — wiring, battery, charging, control modules, infotainment and electrical accessories.
From owner reports, verbatim
2001 SATURN L200. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO IGNITION CONTROL MODULE FAILURE RECALL NOTICE. *SMD THE CONSUMER STATED IN DECEMBER 2013, THE VEHICLE STARTED RUNNING REALLY BAD, RUNNING ROUGH AND WOULD SHUT OFF. THE CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO HIS MECHANIC, WHERE HE DISCOVERED A RECALL. THE CONSUMER STATED HE WAS NEVER INFORMED ABOUT THE RECALL. THE MECHANIC FIXED THE VEHICLE. HOWEVER, IT CONTINUED TO RUN ROUGH. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED HIS MECHANIC, AND HE INFORMED THE CONSUMER, THE VEHICLE NEEDED A NEW ENGINE.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Exterior lighting
Reports naming headlights, tail lights, turn signals and other exterior lighting.
From owner reports, verbatim
2001 SATURN L200. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO RECALL BULLETIN 05052. *SMD THE CONSUMER STATED THE LEFT REAR BRAKE LIGHT WORKED SPORDICALLY AND THE PROBLEM WENT ON FOR YEARS. RELACING THE BULB WOULD ONLY CORRECT THE PROBLEM FOR A SHORT TIME. *JB
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Steering
Reports naming the steering system — racks, columns, power-steering assist and steering linkage.
From owner reports, verbatim
WHILE DRIVING MY CAR WITH 2 SPECIAL NEEDS CHILDREN IN IT MY STEERING WHEEL WENT CRAZY. IT WENT FROM BEING CENTER TO VERTICAL. I DROVE AS CLOSE TO HOME AS I COULD GET AND THEN MY CAR CAME TO A GRINDING HAULT. I THOUGHT I UAD A FLAT TIRE BUT THATS NOT WHAT IT WAS. AFTER TOWING IT HOME WE LOOKED UNDER IT AND THE ENGINE CRADLE HAD BROKE!! WHEN THIS HAPPENED IT BROKE THE CONTROL ARM ON MY CAR CAUSING MY TIRE TO ROTATE INWARD AND BACK INTO THE FENDER WELL. WE HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO FIX IT AND WE HAVE NO OTHER CAR. THE ONLY WAY THE CHILDREN WERE HURT WAS PSYCHOLOGICAL, SINCETHEY ARE AUTISTIC. NOONE WAS INJURED BUT IF THE CRADLE BROKE CAUSING THE CONTROL ARM TO BREAK WHILE DRIVING I VERY WELL COULD HAVE LOST CONTROL. WE WERE STRANDED IN THE DARK, WITH 2 SPECIAL NEEDS KIDS AND NOWAY HOME. IF WE WERE ON THE HIGHWAY IT COULD HAVE BEEN FATAL!!
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Suspension
Reports naming suspension components — springs, struts, shocks, control arms and related hardware.
From owner reports, verbatim
WHILE DRIVING MY CAR WITH 2 SPECIAL NEEDS CHILDREN IN IT MY STEERING WHEEL WENT CRAZY. IT WENT FROM BEING CENTER TO VERTICAL. I DROVE AS CLOSE TO HOME AS I COULD GET AND THEN MY CAR CAME TO A GRINDING HAULT. I THOUGHT I UAD A FLAT TIRE BUT THATS NOT WHAT IT WAS. AFTER TOWING IT HOME WE LOOKED UNDER IT AND THE ENGINE CRADLE HAD BROKE!! WHEN THIS HAPPENED IT BROKE THE CONTROL ARM ON MY CAR CAUSING MY TIRE TO ROTATE INWARD AND BACK INTO THE FENDER WELL. WE HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO FIX IT AND WE HAVE NO OTHER CAR. THE ONLY WAY THE CHILDREN WERE HURT WAS PSYCHOLOGICAL, SINCETHEY ARE AUTISTIC. NOONE WAS INJURED BUT IF THE CRADLE BROKE CAUSING THE CONTROL ARM TO BREAK WHILE DRIVING I VERY WELL COULD HAVE LOST CONTROL. WE WERE STRANDED IN THE DARK, WITH 2 SPECIAL NEEDS KIDS AND NOWAY HOME. IF WE WERE ON THE HIGHWAY IT COULD HAVE BEEN FATAL!!
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
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.
Elsewhere on this vehicle
Data sources
- NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation — owner-reported complaints and the components recorded on them
Data on this page last refreshed .