RoadVitals

2001 Saturn Saturn L Series Engine Problems

Owner-reported complaints naming the engine system, filed with NHTSA

Data refreshed

Engine reportsComplaints 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.
8
Latest Jan 26, 2011
Share of all reportsThis category as a share of every owner report on file for this model year. One report can name more than one component, so the categories overlap.
89%
of 9 total
Crash or fire reportedReports in this category whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. The reporter's own answer on the NHTSA form, not a verified finding.
0
Injuries or deaths reportedTotals the submitters entered on their own reports in this category. Not verified by NHTSA and not a casualty statistic.
0

What this page shows

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 2001 Saturn Saturn L Series submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 8 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.

Owner reports naming engine

Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed

Engine
Filed Jan 26, 2011

I HAVE A 2001 SATURN L200 AND THE TIMING CHAIN BROKE AT ONLY 77,352 MILES. *TR

NHTSA ID
10378825
Incident
Jan 2, 2011
Mileage
77,352 mi
Engine
Filed May 18, 2009

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 SATURN L SERIES. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 10 MPH ON NORMAL ROAD CONDITIONS, THE VEHICLE BACKFIRED WHILE MAKING A LEFT TURN. THE ENGINE STALLED AND FAILED TO RESTART AND THE VEHICLE COASTED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE WAS CALLED AND THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE TECHNICIAN STATED THAT THE TIMING CHAIN FAILED. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 07V519000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING), ALTHOUGH THE FAILURES WERE IDENTICAL. THE VIN WAS NOT ACCEPTED BY THE SYSTEM. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 102,000.

NHTSA ID
10269137
Incident
May 16, 2009
Mileage
102,000 mi
AirbagsEngineFuel system
Filed Apr 14, 2009

THERE IS NO ONE THING WRONG WITH MY 2001 SATURN L300 V6. JUST EVERYTHING. I TAKE IT IN FOR ONE REPAIR AND SOMETHING ELSE IS WRONG LESS THAN A WEEK LATER. LESS THAN 3 MONTHS AFTER I BOUGHT IT USED, I HAD TO REPLACE THE RADIATOR. THEN MY TIRES WERE BAD BECAUSE THE SUSPENSION SUCKS, AND YOU HAVE TO BUY AN AFTER-MARKET KIT JUST TO FIX THAT ISSUE. THEN MY WATER PUMP BLEW UP. THEN MY FUEL PUMP BLEW. THESE CARS ARE HORRIBLE & SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE ABOUT IT! *TR

NHTSA ID
10265276
Incident
Feb 17, 2007
Engine
Filed Oct 9, 2008

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 SATURN L SERIES. WHILE DRIVING 5 MPH, THE TIMING BELT CAME APART AND THE VEHICLE STALLED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A SHOP TO BE REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 93,750.

NHTSA ID
10244940
Incident
Oct 6, 2008
Mileage
93,750 mi
Engine
Filed Sep 29, 2008

TIMING CHAIN BROKE ON A 2 LANE HIGHWAY GOING ABOUT 65 MPH. LUCKY TO GET TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD IN ONE PIECE. ENGINE STALLED AND WOULD NOT START. *TR

NHTSA ID
10243941
Incident
Sep 27, 2008
Mileage
79,000 mi
Engine
Filed Jan 23, 2008

TIMING CHAIN LINKS SEPARATED ON MY 2001 SATURN L SERIES. *TR

NHTSA ID
10215796
Incident
Jan 16, 2008
Mileage
94,525 mi
Engine
Filed Feb 27, 2007

TL*- THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE 2001 SATURN L STATION WAGON'S TIMING CHAIN BROKE WHILE DRIVING AT 5-10 MPH AND TURNING A CORNER. THE CONTACT HAD THE VEHICLE SERVICED AT 99,000 MILES BACK IN 07/04, AND ASKED THE SERVICE MANAGER IF THE TIMING CHAIN SHOULD BE SERVICED AND WAS TOLD THAT TIMING CHAINS DID NOT USUALLY BREAK. THE CONTACT ASKED ABOUT THIS AT THAT TIME BECAUSE SHE DID RESEARCH ON THE VEHICLE DUE TO OTHER PROBLEMS SHE WAS HAVING WITH IT, AND FOUND A BULLETIN REGARDING THE TIMING CHAIN. SHE GAVE SERVICE BULLETIN ACTION # EA6009 WITH THE INVESTIGATION STILL OPEN. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLEWAS OUT OF WARRANTY, AND DUE TO THE TIMING CHAIN BREAKING, IT ALSO RUINED THE ENGINE. SHE STATED THAT THE DEALERSHIP INFORMED HER THAT SHE WOULD HAVE TO REPLACE THE TIMING CHAIN AND HAVE THE ENGINE REBUILT OR PURCHASE A NEW ENGINE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE HAD 150,000 MILES WITH ROUTINE OIL CHANGES. THE CONTACT FELT THAT THE SERVICE BULLETIN SHOULD HAVE BEEN SENT TO HER REGARDING THE PROBLEM WITH THE TIMING CHAIN. THE CONTACT FILED A COMPLAINT WITH THE SATURN MANUFACTURER OF SATURN, AND WAS GIVEN CLAIM # 1-23035882. *AK

NHTSA ID
10183666
Incident
Jan 19, 2007
Mileage
15,000 mi
EngineVisibility
Filed Dec 1, 2006

IN OCTOBER 2006, MY ENGINE COOLANT LIGHT CAME ON. I WAS TOLD IT WAS A BAD CAP THAT WAS NOT HOLDING THE PRESSURE. WITHIN TWO WEEKS, THE SAME LIGHT CAME ON. I WENT BACK AND THEY SAID CAP WAS FINE AND COULD NOT FIND A PROBLEM. STATED THAT THEY HAD ADDED A DYE TO THE ENGINE COOLANT TO LOOK FOR THE PROBLEM AND COME BACK IN TWO WEEKS. ALMOST EXACTLY TWO WEEKS LATER, DEC. 1, I RETURNED BECAUSE I HAD FOUND THE PROBLEM. THE COOLANT - INCLUDING THE BRIGHT, FLUORESCENT GREENISH, YELLOWISH DYED - LEAKED ALL IN THE PASSENGER FLOORBOARD AND WAS BEING SOAKED INTO THE MAT AND UPHOLSTERY. MY HEATER CORE HAD FAILED. WHEN I QUESTIONED THE WISDOM OF USING THE DYE, SATURN SAID THERE WAS NO WAY FOR THEM TO KNOW THIS WOULD HAPPEN, IE LEAK INTO MY CAR - YET I HAVE FOUND ONLINE MANY COMPLAINTS OF THE SAME HEATER CORE PROBLEM. *JB

NHTSA ID
10174913
Incident
Dec 1, 2006

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

Data on this page last refreshed .