RoadVitals

2001 Saturn Sl Brakes Problems

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

Data refreshed

Brakes 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.
13
Latest Jul 26, 2014
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.
12%
of 111 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.
1
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 service brakes, the antilock braking system, brake hoses, master cylinders or the parking brake. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2001 Saturn Sl submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 13 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 brake

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

Brakes
Filed Jul 26, 2014

WHILE ACCELERATING FROM A LIGHT UP TO ~20MPH THERE WAS THE SMELL OF BRAKE FLUID/RUBBER BURNING. WHEN TRAFFIC SLOWED AGAIN BRAKES HAD NO RESPONSE EVEN WHEN PRESS ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR. CAR WAS STOPPED IN TIME TO AVOID ACCIDENT BY APPLICATION OF EMERGENCY BRAKE AND PLACING THE CAR IN NEUTRAL. PUMPING THE BRAKES FAILED TO REGAIN PRESSURE THOUGH AFTER DRIVING TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD WITH EBRAKE AND RESTARTING CAR A HARD PUMP OF THE BRAKES HAD SOME RESISTANCE. FURTHER CAUTIOUS DRIVING AND PRESSURE REBUILT. AFTER INSPECTION AT THE SHOP NO EXPLANATION FOR THE EVENT COULD BE FOUND. *TR

NHTSA ID
10616483
Incident
Jul 25, 2014
Mileage
94,000 mi
Brakes
Filed Jan 25, 2005

THE CONSUMER STATED THE BRAKE PADS WEAR PREMATURELY. THE PART HAS BEEN REPLACED FIVE TIMES WITHIN ONE YEAR. THE CAUSE HAS NOT BEEN DETERMINED. PLEASE PROVIDE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. *JB

NHTSA ID
10108875
Incident
Jan 24, 2005
Mileage
76,885 mi
Brakes
Filed Jun 10, 2004
Crash reported

DRIVING DOWN A TWO HOUSE DEAD END STREET TRAVELING ABOUT 20 MILES PER HOUR, WHEN THE DRIVERS SIDE REAR WHEEL CILINDER BROKE AND ALL ABILITY TO STOP WAS LOST. AFTER REPLACING THE WHEEL CILINDER, IT WAS ALSO REALIZED THAT THE PASSENGER SIDE BRAKE LINE TO THE REAR BRAKE WAS MISSING SEVERAL WASHERS AND THEN CAUSED THE BRAKE LINE TO LEAK. TWO WEEKS LATER THE MASTER CILINDER FOR THE BRAKES ALSO FAILED ALL BEFORE I EVER HADTO REPLACE ANY OF THE BRAKE PADS OR SHOES. *AK

NHTSA ID
10075129
Incident
May 15, 2004
Mileage
32,000 mi
BrakesElectricalPowertrain (other)
Filed Jul 24, 2003

THE VEHICLE BRAKE ROTOR WARP SEVERAL TIMES WHICH CAUSED VIBRATION WHILE BRAKING. THE DEALER REPLACED THE ROTORS. WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS MOVED FROM A STOP THE VEHICLE JERKED FORWARD. THE VEHICLE ALSO ACTS AS IF IT WANT TO STALL WHEN SITTING IDLE. THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE EITHER CONCERN. THE RADIO LIGHT WAS INOPERATIVE THEREFORE THE DEALER REPLACED THE RADIO. *AK *CB *NLM

NHTSA ID
10025025
Incident
Jun 26, 2003
Mileage
55,153 mi
BrakesElectricalEngine
Filed Jun 13, 2003

DEFECTIVE BRAKE ROTORS ON 2001 SATURN SL. *MR FRONT BRAKE PADS AND ROTORS HAD TO BE REPLACED 4 TIMES. INTERMITTENTLY VEHICLE BUCKED AND STALLED AT IDLE. DEALER WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE CONCERN ON ROAD TEST. RADIO LIGHT INOPERATIVE. RADIO ASSEMBLY REPLACED. *TT *JB

NHTSA ID
10024545
Incident
Mar 12, 2001
Mileage
8,715 mi
Brakes
Filed May 1, 2003

FRONT BRAKE ROTORS HAVE HAD TO BE "TURNED" TWO OR THREE TIMES AND VEHICLE ONLY HAS 33K MILES ON IT. DEALER IS AWARE AND HAS SO FAR COVERED UNDER WARRANTY.

NHTSA ID
10016822
Incident
Mar 1, 2003
Brakes
Filed Oct 23, 2002

I HAVE NOT EVEN OWNED THIS VEHICLE FOR ONE FULL YEAR AND IT HAS COST ME $700.00 IN LESS THAN 2 WEEKS. DT

NHTSA ID
768771
Incident
Oct 22, 2002
BrakesTires & wheels
Filed Oct 23, 2002

NO SUMMARY. DT

NHTSA ID
768770
Incident
Oct 15, 2002
Brakes
Filed Aug 5, 2002

WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED VEHICLE SHIMMIES. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER, AND THEY STATED THAT THE BRAKE DRUMS NEEDED CHANGING. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK

NHTSA ID
8015511
Incident
Aug 1, 2001
Brakes
Filed Jun 25, 2002

VEHICLE WOULD VIBRATE SEVERELY WHEN BRAKES ARE APPLIED. VEHICLE BEEN TO THE DEALER ON FOUR OCCASIONS, BUT PROBLEM REOCCURRING. FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK

NHTSA ID
8012653
Incident
Apr 15, 2002
Brakes
Filed Apr 23, 2002

WHEN APPLYING BRAKES VEHICLE WILL SHUTTER AND VIBRATE. ROTORS ARE PREMATURELY WARPING. TOOK TO DEALER TO REPLACE BRAKE PADS AND ROTORS BUT PROBLEM STILL EXISTS.*AK DEALER REPLACED AND TURNED ROTORS ONCE, STATING THERE WAS NO MECHANICAL PROBLEM FOUND. *JG

NHTSA ID
8008342
Brakes
Filed Mar 19, 2002

AFTER A RAIN OR SNOW DAY, BRAKES WILL TIGHTEN UP AND MAKE A GRINDING NOISE LIKE METAL TO METAL. DEALER WAS CONTACTED. *AK

NHTSA ID
8005957
Incident
Feb 1, 2002
BrakesElectricalEngine
Filed Jan 25, 2002

NUMEROUS BRAKE FAILURE. BRAKE PEDAL FADES TO THE FLOOR AFTER SITTING OVERNIGHT, NOTICE NOT FLUID AT RT FRONT BRAKE LINE, REPLACE MASTER CYLINDER. POWER BLEED AND RT 26 MILES AFTER RAPAIR, NORMAL BRAKING PERFORMANCE. POOR BRAKE PERFORMANCE, SOMETIMES A LOUD SNAP OR CLICK BEFORE FAILURE, SOMETIME NO WARNING, SOMETIME JUST A SOFT OR SPONGY BRAKE PEDAL. BATTERY LEAKING ACID INTO BATTERY BOX, VERIFIED AND FOUND BATTERY LEAKING AT POSSITIVE CABLE REPLACE BATTERY, COVER, POSSITIVE CABLE, TRANS FILTER AND CLEANED ENGINE COMPARTMENT. HOSE FROM COOLANT TANK TO THROTTLE BODY RUBBED, REPLACE HOSE. ADJUSTMENT PARKING BRAKES HARD TO PULL, ADJUST PER SERVICE MANUEL.

NHTSA ID
9005681
Incident
Aug 1, 2000

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.

Other components reported on this vehicle

Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own

Electrical30Engine20Transmission18Airbags13

Elsewhere on this vehicle

Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .