2002 Saturn Sl Electrical Problems

IGNITION REQUIRES KEY JIGGLE IN ORDER TO START. ELECTRICAL ISSUES SUCH AS CONSTANT SHORTS, MAJOR FAILURE IN SUPPORTING SYSTEMS.

NHTSA ID

11361173

Incident

Jul 1, 2020

Mileage

57,000 mi

I OWN A 2002 SATURN SL VEHICLE PURCHASED IN 7/2016. I'M HAVING PROBLEMS STARTING MY VEHICLE. BOTH STARTER AND BATTERY HAVE BOTH BEEN CHECKED OUT OK. ALL SPARK PLUGS WERE REPLACED ON 10/31/18. AFTER THESE REPAIRS, WHEN STARTED IT STILL MADE VERY NOISY SOUNDS COMING FROM THE ENGINE. NOW I CAN'T GET IT TO START AT ALL. I TRIED TO GET HELP ABOUT A RECALL RELATING TO MY VEHICLE'S STARTING PROBLEMS. I CONTACTED SATURN COMPANY 1(800)533-6000 AND GM RECALL CENTER 1(866)694-6546. NEITHER WERE WILLING TO HELP. I FOUND INFO ON THE KELLEY BLUE BOOK WEBSITE. I ENTERED MY VIN NUMBER AND FOLLOWING WAS DISPLAYED: NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID: 03V231; REPORT DATE: INFO UNAVAILABLE; VEHICLES AFFECTED: 239,993; CONSEQUENCE: INFO UNAVAILABLE; WHAT YOU SHOULD DO: DEALERS WILL (1) REPLACE THE IGNITION CONTROL MODULE, (2) REPLACE THE IGNITION CONTROL MODULE AND SPARK PLUGS, OR (3) REPLACE THE IGNITION CONTROL MODULE, SPARK PLUGS, AND UPDATE THE POWERTRAIN CONTROL MODULE. WHEN PARTS BECOME AVAILABLE, OWNERS WILL BE ADVISED TO CONTACT THEIR DEALERS FOR APPOINTMENTS TO HAVE THEIR VEHICLE REPAIRED. PARTS SHOULD BE AVAILABLE DURING SEPTEMBER 2003. SUMMARY: ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH 2.2L L4 (L61) ENGINES, A FAILURE OF THE IGNITION CONTROL MODULE MAY CAUSE DETERIORATION IN IDLE QUALITY, REDUCTION IN OVERALL ENGINE POWER, AND THE VEHICLE MAY BE HARD TO START. CONTINUED OPERATION OF THE VEHICLE AFTER SUCH AN IGNITION MODULE FAILURE WILL RESULT IN THE "SERVICE ENGINE SOON" LIGHT FLASHING, AND MAY LEAD TO SECONDARY FAILURES OF THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER, OXYGEN SENSOR, AND EXHAUST RESONATOR. FAILURE OF THE RESONATOR WILL CAUSE INCREASED EXHAUST NOISE. PROLONGED OPERATION OF THE VEHICLE FOLLOWING A RESONATOR FAILURE MAY LEAD TO A FIRE. **CAN YOU PLEASE HELP ME WITH FINDING OUT IF THIS RECALL EFFECTED MY VEHICLE?

NHTSA ID

11162608

Incident

Oct 15, 2018

Mileage

141,244 mi

IGNITION CYLINDER IS WORE OUT, WHEN PUTTING IN THE KEY, YOU HAVE TO JIGGLE THE KEY, SOMETIMES TAKES UP TO 10 MINUTES FOR THE KEY TO TURN AND START. SOMETIMES IT WORKS FINE. THIS IS AN OFF AND ON PROBLEM. THIS MONTH (SEPT 2017) IT HAS BEEN REAL BAD. I AM AFRAID TO GO ANYWHERE, FEARING I WILL BE STRANDED.

NHTSA ID

11023642

Incident

Sep 7, 2017

Mileage

988,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 SATURN SL. AFTER PARKING THE VEHICLE AND RETURNING TWENTY MINUTES LATER, THE IGNITION KEY WOULD NOT TURN AND THE STEERING WHEEL SEIZED. THE VEHICLE COULD NOT BE RESTARTED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE IGNITION MODULE FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 78,000.

NHTSA ID

10759947

Incident

Aug 24, 2015

Mileage

78,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 SATURN SL. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE IGNITION SWITCH FAILED. THE IGNITION SWITCH WAS REPLACED ON FOUR SEPARATE OCCASIONS; HOWEVER, THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 211,795. THE CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE WOULD STALL EACH TIME. UPDATED 08/19/15*JB ALSO, THE STARTER WAS REPLACED. UPDATED 11/19/15.*JB

NHTSA ID

10735168

Incident

Feb 10, 2009

Mileage

211,795 mi

THIS VEHICLE IS A DEATH TRAP THE VEHICLE SHUTS OFF WHILE DRIVING, CAN NOT START, WHOLE STEERING COLUMN IS LOOSE, KEY COMES OUT DURING DRIVING. ...UPDATED 09/22/15 *BF

NHTSA ID

10731864

Incident

Jul 7, 2010

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 SATURN SL. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH, THE KEY EJECTED FROM THE IGNITION SWITCH WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE CONTINUED TO RUN IN THE ON POSITION WITHOUT THE KEY IN THE IGNITION SWITCH. THE FAILURE RECURRED ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER AND WAS NOT DIAGNOSED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 77,000.

NHTSA ID

10691605

Incident

Jun 1, 2012

Mileage

77,000 mi

WE HAVE A SATURN SL1 THAT HAS THE EXACT SAME PROBLEM THAT THE CARS ON THE IGNITION RECALL LIST HAVE. THE KEY COMES OUT IN ANY POSITION - THE WHEEL LOCKS UP AND WE CAN'T GET IT TO UNLOCK - WE LIVE IN A RURAL AREA AND OUR ROADS ARE VERY ROUGH. WE FEEL THAT THE KEY MAY MOVE FROM THE RUN POSITION WHILE WE ARE DRIVING THE CAR AND THE ENGINE WILL TURN OFF AND WE WILL BE IN GREAT DANGER. WE HAVE CONTACTED GM AND THEY SAID THAT SINCE THE CAR IS NOT ON THE RECALL LIST - THERE IS NOTHING THEY CAN DO....WE WOULD APPRECIATE IT IF YOU COULD INVESTIGATE THIS SITUATION. OUR CAR HAS BEEN SITTING IN OUR DRIVEWAY FOR 3 MONTHS, BECAUSE WE ARE AFRAID TO DRIVE IT. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME -- AWAITING YOUR EARLIEST RESPONSE. [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

NHTSA ID

10641820

Incident

Jul 1, 2014

KEYS COME OUT OF IGNITION DURING USE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10639765

Incident

Sep 29, 2014

Mileage

105,619 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 SATURN SL. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE KEY WAS REMOVED WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS ON. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 90,000...UPDATED 10/06/14 *BF

NHTSA ID

10630977

Incident

Sep 10, 2012

Mileage

90,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 SATURN SL. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS EXPERIENCING IGNITION FAILURES. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14E021000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM). THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 60,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 82,500.

NHTSA ID

10607670

Incident

Jul 11, 2012

Mileage

60,000 mi

I HAVE REMOVED THE KEY WITH THE VEHICLE STOPPED AND THE CAR CONTINUES TO RUN. THE KEY FALLS OUT OF THE IGNITION SWITCH. ADDITIONALLY, THE KEY CAN BE REMOVED BEFORE BEING TURNED TO THE "OFF" POSITION. THIS CAUSES THE KEY TO BE DIFFICULT TO REINSERT INTO THE IGNITION. *TR

NHTSA ID

10607254

Incident

Mar 23, 2013

IGNITION SWITCH IS HARD TO IMPOSSIBLE TO TURN ON AND ONCE THE CAR IS RUNNING THE KEY WILL TURN TO THE OFF POSITION AND WITH THE KEY EXTRACTED FROM THE LOCK THE ENGINE CONTINUES TO RUN. *TR

NHTSA ID

10606539

Incident

Jun 27, 2014

Mileage

230,000 mi

WHILE CAR IS MOVING KEY COMES OUT OF IGNITION. *TR

NHTSA ID

10598689

Incident

Jan 21, 2014

Mileage

140,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 SATURN SL2. THE CONTACT STATED THE VEHICLE STALLED INTERMITTENTLY WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED THAT THE IGNITION SWITCH WAS DEFECTIVE AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE DEFECT. THE CONTACT WAS NEVER NOTIFIED OR INFORMED IF HIS VEHICLE WAS INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 03V231000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM). THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 85,000.

NHTSA ID

10597917

Incident

Jun 12, 2012

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 SATURN SL. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE IGNITION LOCKED AND PREVENTED THE VEHICLE FROM BEING STARTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER OR MECHANIC. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.

NHTSA ID

10597207

Incident

Jun 8, 2014

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 SATURN SL. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE STALLED ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE VISIBILITY WAS LOW ON THE HIGH BEAMS AND THE LIGHTS ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE IGNITION SWITCH NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 03V231000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM) AND NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 05V158000 (EXTERIOR LIGHTING). THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 60,000.

NHTSA ID

10594901

Incident

Feb 5, 2007

Mileage

60,000 mi

WHEN I REMOVED THE KEYS FROM MY CAR IT KEPT RUNNING. THEY KEYS HAVE ONLY FALLEN OUT TWICE, BUT I HAVE SINCE REMOVED ALL THE EXTRAS FROM THE KEY FOB. BUT THE CAR SHOULD NOT CONTINUE TO RUN AFTER IT HAS BEEN PLACED IN PARK AND THE KEY REMOVED FROM THE IGNITION. I KNOW IT IS AN OLDER CAR AND CURRENTLY HAS 135,000 MILES ON IT. I HAVE HAD DILIGENT MAINTENANCE PERFORMED ON IT SINCE I PURCHASED IT NEW IN 2002. THE PROBLEM OCCURRED WHEN IT HAD 45,000 MILES ON IT AND SHOULD HAVE BEEN REPLACED BY GM, BUT I WAS ADVISED IT WAS A COSTLY EXPENSE FOR ME. GM SHOULD REPLACE THE IGNITION AT THEIR COST. *TR

NHTSA ID

10594855

Incident

May 1, 2007

Mileage

45,000 mi

IGNITION SWITCH FAILS CAUSES STEERING WHEEL TO LOCK AND OR UNABLE TO TURN ON CAR. *TR

NHTSA ID

10593442

Incident

Jan 8, 2014

Mileage

75,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 SATURN SL1. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE FAILED TO START AND THE KEY FAILED TO TURN TO START THE ENGINE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 104,000.

NHTSA ID

10585512

Incident

Apr 22, 2014

Mileage

104,000 mi

THE KEY COMES OUT OF THE IGNITION WHILE RUNNING. THERE IS ALSO TROUBLE TURNING THE KEY IN THE IGNITION TO START IT. SIMILAR TO WHAT CAN HAPPEN WHEN THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKS, SOMETIMES THE KEY WONT TURN. THIS HAPPENS WITHOUT THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKED AND TAKES 20-30 TRIES BEFORE IT FINALLY TURNS OVER. *JS

NHTSA ID

10579663

Incident

Apr 2, 2013

Mileage

162,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 SATURN SL. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE KEY WAS UNABLE TO BE REMOVED FROM THE IGNITION. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE KEY WAS ABLE TO BE REMOVED WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS BEING OPERATED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 72,000. UPDATED 5/27/14*CN UPDATED 06/02/2014 *JS

NHTSA ID

10579224

Incident

Apr 11, 2013

Mileage

72,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 SATURN LS. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE THE DRIVER DROVE AT LOW SPEED IN A PARKING LOT THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT'S INDEPENDENT MECHANIC INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND LOCATED THE FAILURE AT THE IGNITION SWITCH. THE CONTACT NOTIFIED THE MANUFACTURER, WHO ADVISED THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER 14V047000 (AIR BAGS, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM). THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 155,000.

NHTSA ID

10574029

Incident

Mar 17, 2014

Mileage

155,000 mi

THE GM IGNITION PROBLEMS PROMPTING THE CURRENT RECALL ALSO AFFECTED THE CAR ABOVE. I BOUGHT THE 2002 SATURN NEW IN MARCH OF 2003, AND OWNED IT FOR OVER 10 YEARS, SELLING IT LAST FALL TO A FRIEND. I HAD IT AT THE JAKE SWEENEY (CINCINNATI) DEALERSHIP SEVERAL TIMES FOR STRANGE "ELECTRICAL" PROBLEMS. (CAR DID NOT HAVE AUTO DOOR LOCKS OR WINDOWS - EVERYTHING WAS MANUAL). I WOULD BE DRIVING, WHEN ALL THE DASH GAUGES WOULD GO OUT. IT WOULD REGISTER NO SPEED, NO TEMP, NO GAS, NO RPMS. ODOMETER DIDN'T MOVE. I COULD DRIVE THE CAR, STOP AND START. THEN SUDDENLY IT WOULD "COME TO". THE DEALERSHIP THOUGHT I WAS NUTS, UNTIL FINALLY IN EARLY 2013, I WAS ABLE TO GET IT TO THE DEALERSHIP WHILE IT WAS DOING IT. AFTER DAYS OF DIAGNOSTICS, THEY SAID IT WAS THE IGNITION. THEY REPLACED THE WHOLE THING (AT MY EXPENSE) AND THE PROBLEM WAS SOLVED. THEY SAID "WERE YOU AWARE THAT YOU COULD TAKE THE KEY OUT WHILE THE CAR WAS IN DRIVE?" (I HAD NOT BEEN AWARE). *TR

NHTSA ID

10569374

Incident

Mar 1, 2005

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 SATURN SL. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HE ATTEMPTED TO START THE VEHICLE BUT THE ENGINE WOULD NOT START. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION WHERE THEY STATED THAT THE IGNITION SWITCH WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 155,062. *TR

NHTSA ID

10568187

Incident

Jun 15, 2011

Mileage

155,062 mi