Owner-reported complaints naming the transmission system, filed with NHTSA
Data refreshed
Reports naming the automatic or manual transmission, including shifting behaviour, shudder, slipping and transmission control modules. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2000 Saturn Sl submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 28 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 28, in the owner's own words
MY 2000 SATURN SL1 SOMETIMES HAS REVERSE & SOMETIMES NOT & TO GET IT TO GO INTO REVERSE YOU HAVE TO GIVE IT A LOT OF GAS & IT HAS WENT IN REVERSE AT LOW & HIGH SPEEDS. THIS COULD BE DANGEROUS. *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 SATURN SL2. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 50 MPH, THE CONTACT HEARD A LOUD BANG. THE VEHICLE SHOOK AND SMOKE APPEARED UNDER THE HOOD. THERE WAS A LOT OF FLUID ON THE GROUND, AND THE VEHICLE HAD TO BE TOWED TO THE CONTACT'S RESIDENCE. HE FOUND A HOLE IN THE TRANSMISSION AND CALLED THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER; HOWEVER, THEY WERE UNABLE TO ASSIST. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 117,000. UPDATED 07/29/08 *BF UPDATED 08/01/08
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 SATURN SL2. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO SHIFT GEARS AT 10 MPH, THE GEARS BECAME STUCK AND COULD NOT SHIFT INTO NEUTRAL. THE FAILURE NEARLY CAUSED A CRASH. THE DEALER STATED THAT A NEW TRANSMISSION WAS NEEDED; HOWEVER, THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 00V310000 (POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:PARK/NEUTRAL START SWITCH). THE CONTACT FILED A COMPLAINT WITH THE MANUFACTURER. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 56,000. UPDATED 12/07/07
MY CAR WHEN PUT INTO REVERSE, MAKES A LOUD BANG NOISE AND SLAMS HARD INTO GEAR. I AM TOLD I NEED A NEW TRANSMISSION. MANY COMPLAINTS ON THE SAME EXACT SITUATION ALL OVER THE INTERNET. *JB
1. I PURCHASED MY 2000 SATURN SL1 FROM A USED CAR DEALER ABOUT 2 MONTHS AGO. AFTER I STARTED THE CAR AND SHIFTED INTO REVERSE. FOR A FEW SECONDS NOTHING HAPPENED AND I THOUGHT I WAS EITHER AGAINST A BUMP IN THE PAVEMENT OR IT WAS STILL IN NEUTRAL. I GAVE IT MORE GAS. SUDDENLY, THE CAR SLAMMED INTO REVERSE AND I NEARLY LOST CONTROL AND BACKED INTO A CAR. I CHECKED THE TRANSMISSION FLUID LEVEL TO SEE IF MORE WAS NEEDED. IT WAS FULL. A COUPLE DAYS LATE, IT DID IT AGAIN. NOW IT DOES IT ABOUT EVERY THIRD REVERSE SHIFT. ALSO THE SERVICE ENGINE SOON LIGHT CAME ON. SO, I CHECKED THE COMPUTER CODES AND THEY INDICATED A TRANSMISSION PROBLEM. I GOT ON THE INTERNET TO SEE WHAT HAD TO BE DONE TO FIX IT. IT TURNS OUT MANY SATURN OWNERS ARE HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM WITH THEIR TRANSMISSIONS. THERE IS EVEN A SERVICE BULLETIN, NHTSA ITEM NUMBER: 612478 THIS IS VERY EXPENSIVE REPAIR TO THE TRANSMISSION TO FIX A VALVE PROBLEM. MANY SATURN OWNERS CAN'T AFFORD SUCH A REPAIR. SO, THEY DRIVE THE CAR AT THE RISK OF BACKING INTO SOMETHING OR SOMEONE. SATURN OBVIOUSLY KNEW SOMETHING WAS WRONG A LONG TIME AGO AND DIDN'T RECALL THE VEHICLES. *NM
I AM THE THIRD COMPLAINT WITH THE SAME PROBLEM: INTERMITTENTLY, WHEN PLACED IN PARK OR NEUTRAL OR WHILE DRIVING, THE VEHICLE WILL RPM 3,500-4,000. I HAVE TAKEN TO DEALER AND PRIVATE MECHANICS AND NO ANSWER HAS BEEN GIVEN. NOTHING SHOWS ON DIAGNOSTIC COMPUTER. WHEN ENGINE REVS, I WILL PLACE IN PARK, TURN CAR OFF, AND START AGAIN. SOMETIMES THIS DOES THE TRICK. THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS AS VEHICLE WILL TRY TO DRIVE WHEN WAITING AT A STOP LIGHT AND FOOT IS ON THE BRAKE. PLEASE HELP. *NM
REVERSE GEAR HAD BEEN ACTING FUNNY (NOT GOING INTO REVERSE AND ALLOWING THE CAR TO SLIDE FORWARD BEFORE GRABBING). GRINDING SOUND WAS NOTED, TOOK CAR INTO AAA APPROVED FACILITY, THEY COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG. FINALLY REVERSE GEAR JUST QUIT (AS I WAS TRYING TO PARALLEL PARK) AND "SERVICE ENGINE SOON" LIGHT CAME ON. THIS WHOLE PROCESS TOOK ABOUT A MONTH FROM START TO FINISH. TOOK IT BACK TO AAA APPROVED FACILITY WHO PUT IN ON THE COMPUTER AND FOUND VARIOUS CODES P0300, P0732, P1599, P0732, P1599. THE MILEAGE ON THIS CAR IS 37,134. I BOUGHT IT NEW IN 2000. CALLED SATURN IN STEVENS CREEK, WAS TOLD THAT I NEEDED TO BRING IT TO A SATURN DEALERSHIP. EXPLAINED TO THEM THAT THE NEAREST ONE IS APPROX. 2 HOURS FROM WHERE I LIVE AND I WAS NOT COMFORTABLE DRIVING A CAR WITH TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS THAT DISTANCE.(2ND INTO 3RD GEAR WAS NOW VERY ROUGH SHIFTING). WAS TOLD THAT WAS THE ONLY OPTION. THIS IS MY ONLY CAR SO THIS WAS NOT AN OPTION AT ALL. CHECKED AROUND THIS AREA TO FIND SOMEONE TO FIX IT. AAMCO WILL NO LONGER REPAIR TRANSMISSIONS IN SATURN CARS BECAUSE THEY ARE SO UNRELIABLE. FOUND A REPAIR SHOP THROUGH WORD OF MOUTH WHO SAID THEY WILL FIX IT FOR $1,700.00. THEY DID RESEARCH AND FOUND A BULLETIN (# 00-T-24) WHICH DEALS EXACTLY WITH THIS PROBLEM AND SUGGESTS HOW TO FIX IT. IN THE BULLETIN (OF WHICH I HAVE A COPY) IT STATES "THIS CONDITION MAY BE CAUSED BY AN IMPROPERLY MACHINED SURFACE FINISH ON THE AREA OF THE INPUT SHAFT HUB WHERE THE SEALS RIDE. IMPROPER SURFACE FINISH ON THE INPUT SHAFT HUB ALLOWS CROSS LEAKAGE BETWEEN THE 1ST AND 2ND/ REV CLUTCHES". THIS IS THE FAULT OF SATURN AND THEY SHOULD PAY FOR ANY REPAIRS. IN ADDITION TO THE $1,700.00 FOR REPAIRS, I AM HAVING TO RENT AN ECONOMY CAR FOR A WEEK AT A COST OF $163.58. AGAIN, THIS CAR HAS ONLY 37,134 MILES ON IT. *NM
REVERSE GEAR HAD BEEN ACTING FUNNY (NOT GOING INTO REVERSE AND ALLOWING THE CAR TO SLIDE FORWARD BEFORE GRABBING). GRINDING SOUND WAS NOTED, TOOK CAR INTO AAA APPROVED FACILITY, THEY COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG. FINALLY REVERSE GEAR JUST QUIT (AS I WAS TRYING TO PARALLEL PARK) AND "SERVICE ENGINE SOON" LIGHT CAME ON. THIS WHOLE PROCESS TOOK ABOUT A MONTH FROM START TO FINISH. TOOK IT BACK TO AAA APPROVED FACILITY WHO PUT IN ON THE COMPUTER AND FOUND VARIOUS CODES P0300, P0732, P1599, P0732, P1599. THE MILEAGE ON THIS CAR IS 37,134. I BOUGHT IT NEW IN 2000. CALLED SATURN IN STEVENS CREEK, WAS TOLD THAT I NEEDED TO BRING IT TO A SATURN DEALERSHIP. EXPLAINED TO THEM THAT THE NEAREST ONE IS APPROX. 2 HOURS FROM WHERE I LIVE AND I WAS NOT COMFORTABLE DRIVING A CAR WITH TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS THAT DISTANCE.(2ND INTO 3RD GEAR WAS NOW VERY ROUGH SHIFTING). WAS TOLD THAT WAS THE ONLY OPTION. THIS IS MY ONLY CAR SO THIS WAS NOT AN OPTION AT ALL. CHECKED AROUND THIS AREA TO FIND SOMEONE TO FIX IT. AAMCO WILL NO LONGER REPAIR TRANSMISSIONS IN SATURN CARS BECAUSE THEY ARE SO UNRELIABLE. FOUND A REPAIR SHOP THROUGH WORD OF MOUTH WHO SAID THEY WILL FIX IT FOR $1,700.00. THEY DID RESEARCH AND FOUND A BULLETIN (# 00-T-24) WHICH DEALS EXACTLY WITH THIS PROBLEM AND SUGGESTS HOW TO FIX IT. IN THE BULLETIN (OF WHICH I HAVE A COPY) IT STATES "THIS CONDITION MAY BE CAUSED BY AN IMPROPERLY MACHINED SURFACE FINISH ON THE AREA OF THE INPUT SHAFT HUB WHERE THE SEALS RIDE. IMPROPER SURFACE FINISH ON THE INPUT SHAFT HUB ALLOWS CROSS LEAKAGE BETWEEN THE 1ST AND 2ND/ REV CLUTCHES". THIS IS THE FAULT OF SATURN AND THEY SHOULD PAY FOR ANY REPAIRS. IN ADDITION TO THE $1,700.00 FOR REPAIRS, I AM HAVING TO RENT AN ECONOMY CAR FOR A WEEK AT A COST OF $163.58. AGAIN, THIS CAR HAS ONLY 37,134 MILES ON IT. *NM
DT- WAS ON THE INTERNET WONDERED IF THERE WAS A RECALL FOR SATURN SL2. THERE WAS, BUT IT DIDN'T INCLUDE THIS VEHICLE DUE TO VIN. WHEN KEY IS NOT IN THE IGNITION ONE CAN SHIFT IN ANY GEAR, AND THE VEHICLE WILL ROLL. IT CAN BE STOLEN IF SOMEONE CHOSE TO PUSH IT ONTO A TRUCK. *AK
MY SATURN CLUTCH/TRANSMISSION JUST LOCKED UP AND DOES NOT FUNCTION. I WAS LEFT ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD WITH MY THREE SMALL CHILDREN. MY CAR ONLY HAS 52,000 MILES ON IT. THIS PROBLEM SHOULD NOT BE OCCURING WITH THIS MILAGE.
WHILE DRIVING TRANSMISSION FAILED WITH NO WARNING. *AK WHILE DRIVING, THE VEHICLE ALL OF A SUDDEN OVERHEATED AND STALLED. THE CONSUMERS MECHANIC TOLD HER THE INTAKE MANIFOLD WAS SEVERELY DAMAGED. *JB
SET SCREW THAT HOLDS THE SHAFT THAT HOLDS THE SPIDER GEARS IN PLACE CAME LOOSE CAUSING THE SHAFT TO BACK OUT BREAKING THE TRANSMISSION APART AND LOCKING UP IN MIDDLE OF ROAD. HAD TO REPLACE TRANSMISSION TRANS IS AVAILABLE. *NM
WHILE SHIFTING IN REVERSE THE VEHICLE BECAME INOPERATIVE. CONSUMER APPLIED THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL AND THE VEHICLE FAILED TO MOVE. CONSUME RWAS UNABLE TO TURN OF THE WINDSHIELD WIPER. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION, AN D MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT TRANSMISSION AND WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *AMK
WITHOUT ANY WARNING, I GOT IN MY SATURN AND STARTED IT AND THE "SERVICE ENGINE SOON" LIGHT WENT ON. AS I PUT IT IN REVERSE TO PUT IT IN A PARKING SPACE, THERE WAS NO REVERSE MOVEMENT, ONLY REVING ENGINE. THE DEALER I TOOK IT TO, TOLD ME THIS WAS A "KNOWN" PROBLEM (A NUT GETS LOOSE AND FALLS OFF, INSIDE THE TRANSMISSION. I ALSO NEEDED A TRANSMISSION SERVICE. I WAS SUSPECIOUS AT FIRST BUT I WAS NOT CLOSE TO HOME SO I PAID THE $440.OO. TODAY I FIND THAT THERE ARE IDENTICAL AND NEARLY IDENTICAL COMPLAINTS AND THAT THIS PROBLEM IS KNOWN SINCE APR 2000, ONE MONTH AFTER I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE NEW. THIS IS SO OBVIOUS A WARRANTY SITUATION AND I WANT TO BE REIMBURSED WITH CREDIT CARD INTEREST !!!!!*AK
TRANSMISSION HAD TO BE REBUILT AT 30,000 MILES, WOULD GRIND WHEN SHIFTING TO 2ND GEAR WHEN COLD. THIS WAS DONE UNDER WARRANTY. THE CAR NOW HAS 62,000 MILES AND SOMETIMES GRINDS, I AM AFRAID IT IS GOING OUT AGAIN.*AK
I HAVE A 2000 SATURN SL1 (AUTO TRANS). THE OIL GALLEY PLUG COME OUT OF THE BACK OF THE ENGINE AND BROKE MY FLYWHEEL, TORQUE CONVERTER, AND THE TRANSMISSION. SATURN SAYS IT IS NOT THEIR FAULT AND THEY WILL NOT PAY FOR IT TO BE FIXED, BUT THIS PLUG CAN NOT BE TOUCH WITHOUT TAKING THE WHOLE ENGINE OUT AND TAKING THE ENGINE APART. KNOW THIS NOW THE LAST ONE TO TOUCH THIS PLUG IS SATURN WHEN THEY WERE PUTTING THE ENGINE TOGETHER NOW I HAVE TO PAY FOR THEIR MISTAKE, NOW A PLUG THAT DOES NOTHING AND CAN NOT BE TOUCH OR A REASON TO BE SERVICED, HAS CAUSED $2200 OF DAMAGE. KNOWING ALL OF THIS, WHY SHOULD I PAY FOR THEIR MISTAKE. IS THERE ANYWAY THAT YOU CAN HELP ME. CALL IF YOU CAN OR CAN'T HELP PLEASE!*AK
MY 2000 SATURN SL1 HAS A PROBLEM WHICH I FEEL IS A MANUFACTURER'S DEFECT. WHEN PUT INTO REVERSE, THE CAR EITHER DOES NOT SHIFT AT ALL, OR, HESITATES THEN SHIFTS UNEXPECTEDLY, OR SHIFTS ONLY WHEN GAS AND BRAKE ARE PRESSED AT THE SAME TIME. THIS IS A VERY DANGEROUS PROBLEM THAT IS JUST AN ACCIDENT WAITING TO HAPPEN. *AK
WHEN VEHICLE IS ENGAGED IN REVERSE IT MAKES A TERRIBLE NOISE. DEALER NOTIFIED. *AK
THE CONSUMER STATED THAT THE TRANSMISSION WAS LEAKING. *YH *DT
I HAVE ONLY HAD THIS CAR 11 MONTHS. IT ONLY HAS 42, ALMOST 43,000 MILES ON IT AND THE TRANSMISSION NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. I DONT UNDERSTAND THAT. I NEED SOME HELP GETTING MY CAR REPAIRED OR REPLACED. I CAME TO A COMPLETE STOP AND PUT THE CAR IN REVERSE TO PARK. IT WOULDNT GO INTO REVERSE. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER THE FOLLOWING MORNING AND THEY TOLD ME THAT I NEED A NEW TRANSMISSION BUT COULDNT EXPLAIN HOW OR WHY IT HAPPENED. HELP!! PLEASE!!AK
WHILE DRIVING, THERE IS A DELAYED ENGAGEMENT WHEN CHANGING GEARS WHICH MAKES IT HARD TO GO INTO GEAR, THE VEHICLE ALSO COASTS BEFORE ENGAGING INTO GEAR, THE RPM'S WILL RACE ALL THE WAY INTO THE RED ZONE GOING 30 MPH. NLM TT
THE VEHICLE HAS HAD A HISTORY OF POSSIBLE MANUFACTURER DEFECTS WITHIN THE TRANSMISSION AS STATED IN THE TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN #00-T-24 ISSUED ON 04/2000. THE SATURN DEALER AT WHICH I PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE WILL NOT EVEN CONSIDER THE DEFECT, BUT INSTEAD WISHES TO CHARGE ME FOR A NEW TRANSMISSION. MY VEHICLE IS NOT EVEN 2 YEARS OLD. I WOULD HOPE THAT THE CORPORATION WOULD STAND BEHIND THERE PRODUCT, INSTEAD OF TRYING TO MAKE UP EXCUSES.*AK
VEHICLE HAD TO BE REALIGNED ON THREE OCCASIONS BY DEALER DUE TO THE EXCESSIVE WEAR ON FRONT TIRES. *AK BATTERY REPLACED TWICE. THE CABLE SHIFT CONTROL REPLACED. BOLT AND SEAL WASHER REPLACED. CONSUMER STATES THE VEHICLE MADE A ROARING NOISE AND VIBRATED WHILE DRIVING. BOTH FRONT INNER DOOR HANDLES FAILED AND WERE REPLACED. *YH
I HAVE TAKEN MY VEHICLE IN FOR THE SAME PROBLEM BEGINNING AT 6,000 MILES. I HAVE TAKEN MY CAR TO THE DEALER FOR REPAIRS ON 8 DIFFERENT OCCASIONS. THE PROBLEM HAS YET TO BE FIXED. ON THE LAST TRIP TO THE SHOP I WAS TOLD THAT THE PROBLEM WAS OPERATOR USE AND THAT WOMEN ARE HARDER DRIVERS ON CARS THAN MEN. I WAS ALSO TOLD THAT THEY ONLY MADE $600 ON THE VEHICLE, THEREFORE THEY WERE NOT GOING TO PUT ANY MORE MONEY INTO FIXING IT. MY CAR WAS NOT REPAIRED PROPERLY THE FIRST TIME. I WOULD LIKE IT REPAIRED OR RELACED AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. NO SAFETY DEFECT LISTED. *AK
INTERIOR OVERHEAD SAGGING ABOVE DOME LIGHT, TRIED TO HAVE DEALER FIX (SAME CONDITION AFTER "REPAIR"). TRACTION CONTROL BUTTON FAILED, HAD TO BE REPLACED. ASH TRAY LIGHT FAILED 3 TIMES, DEALER REPLACED. VENTILATION BLOWER ONLY WORKS ON HIGH SPEED - ALL OTHER SPEEDS BURNED OUT OVER 2 WEEKS (COULD SMELL ELECTRICAL BURNING). REMOTE CONTROL WORKS HALF OF THE TIME, NO IMPROVEMENT AFTER DEALER REPLACED BATTERIES, SAYING "WHITE FILM" WAS A KNOWN CAUSE OF REMOTES NOT WORKING. CHANGE OIL LIGHT CAME ON 1000MILES AFTER LAST OIL CHANGE, COINCIDING WITH FAN BLOWER BURNING OUT. HAD TO REPLACE ALL 4 TIRES BECAUSE OF IRREGULAR WEARING ON REAR AND PREMATURE ALIGNMENT DRIFT ON THE FRONT. BRAKE DUST IS EXCESSIVE - FRONT RIMS ALWAYS COATED BLACK FROM DUST. SOME HESITATION WHEN AUTOMATIC IS SHIFTING GEARS. OXYGEN SENSOR REPLACED AFTER 4 TRIPS TO THE DEALER TO DETERMINE CAUSE OF "SERVICE ENGINE SOON LIGHT" COMING ON WHILE ACCELERATING. ADDING 1LITER ENGINE COOLANT PER MONTH - NO LEAKS NOTED UNDER VEHICLE.*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
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