2002 Saturn Sl Engine Problems

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

RPMS GO UP TO 5 AND THEN DROP TO 0 - ENGINE STALLS AND WILL START BUT WILL CONTINUE AT HIGH RPMS AND KEEP STALLING. AS I WAS TRAVELING AT 50 MPH, THE RPMS WENT UP TO 5, AND THEN QUICKLY DROPPED TO 0. THE ENGINE STALLED AND I COASTED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. THE VEHICLE WOULD START BUT WHEN REACHING 35 MPH, WOULD DO SAME THING (HIGH RPMS AND THEN DROP AND STALL). I HAD TO KEEP SITTING AND RE STARTING TO GET THE REMAINDER OF 6 MILES TO MY HOME. GARAGE RAN DIAGNOSTIC AND FOUND NOTHING WRONG. THE CAR CONTINUES TO DO THIS AT LEAST 2 TIMES PER WEEK, CURRENTLY SITTING IN OUR GARAGE BECAUSE I AM AFRAID TO DRIVE IT AND GET STRANDED AGAIN. THIS OCCURS ON CITY STREETS AND HIGHWAYS.

NHTSA ID

11097012

Incident

May 8, 2018

Mileage

40,400 mi

SATURN IS AN L200 SERIES/THERE WAS ONLY THE LS ON YOUR LIST.NUMEROUS OCCASIONS OF ENGINE STALL WHILE TRAVELING AT ALL SPEEDS. CALLED SATURN/SAID VIN NOT ACCEPTED? LIVE IN FLORIDA KEYS/HAD TO GO TO MIAMI & GET TAIL LAMP FIXED/ONLY LASTED TWO WEEKS (THIS WAS BEFORE ENGINE STALL) & CALL TO SATURN. AM 69YR OLD FEMALE/AFRAID TO USE CAR/PAID FOR ALL SORTS OF REPAIRS/MODULES/SENSORS???AND MORE. NO ONE IN KEYS TO REPAIR VIA GM - SATURN SAID MIAMI ONLY. ROUNDTRIP OVER 200 MILES. AFRAID TO DRIVE/CAN'T AFFORD ANOTHER CAR/MUST JUNK AND, OFCOURSE, SATURN SAID VIN # NOT UNDER RECALL FOR ENGINE OR ELECTRICAL. IS THERE ANY WAY TO RECOUP DOLLARS I PAID FOR ANY REPAIRS ON THIS CAR??? SO MUCH MORE THAN I AM LISTING HERE......THANK YOU NHTSA. *TR

NHTSA ID

10643802

Incident

Dec 29, 2008

Mileage

44,330 mi

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 GOING FROM A PARKED POSITION TO DRIVING. THE CAR SHIFTED GEARS VERY HARD TO THE POINT IT RATTLED THE WHOLE CAR. I STOPPED DRIVING AND CHECKED THE ENGINE AND ALL FLUID LEVELS. EVERYTHING SEEMED FINE. AS I PULLED OFF AGAIN IT DID THE SAME THING EACH TIME THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION SHIFTED GEARS, THIS TIME HARDER. THE MECHANIC AT WORKED TESTED THE COMPUTER AND IT REGISTERED A PROBLEM WITH THE EGR VALVE AND AN UNKNOWN CODE. WHEN I CALLED A CERTIFIED SERVICE CENTER THEY SAID THEY HAVE SEEN THIS A BUNCH OF TIMES AND THAT IT IS A COMMON PROBLEM. WITH THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM, WHERE IS THE RECALL TO GET IT FIXED. *TR

NHTSA ID

10491002

Incident

Dec 14, 2012

Mileage

160,000 mi

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 SATURN SL. WHENEVER THE CONTACT STARTS THE VEHICLE, THE IGNITION CONTROL MODULE FAILS AND THE IGNITION WILL NOT START. SHE HAD NEW KEYS MADE, BUT THIS DID NOT CORRECT THE ISSUE. DURING THE FAILURE, THE CHECK ENGINE INDICATOR REMAINS ILLUMINATED AND WILL NOT DIM. THE FAILURE HAS BEEN OCCURRING FOR OVER A YEAR. THE CONTACT MUST WIGGLE THE KEYS FOR AT LEAST FIFTEEN TO THIRTY MINUTES BEFORE THE VEHICLE WILL START. THE DEALER HAS NOT BEEN NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 120,000. UPDATED 3/19/09 *CN THE CONSUMER ALSO STATED THE ENGINE IDLES VERY HIGH. OVER 4000 RPM/ UPDATED 03/25/09.*JB

NHTSA ID

10258175

Incident

Feb 1, 2009

Mileage

120,000 mi

2002 SATURN SL2 TIMING CHAIN BROKE AND DAMAGED ENGINE VALVES. *TR

NHTSA ID

10255543

Incident

Jan 13, 2008

Mileage

87,000 mi

WHILE THE CAR WAS STILL UNDER WARRANT, I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER WITH A COMPLAINT THAT THE ENGINE WOULD NOT ACCELERATE WELL AND DESCRIBED IT AS "SLUGGISH". AFTER CHECKING IT, IT WAS DETERMINED THAT IT WAS NOT THE ENGINE. WHEN I KEPT NOTICING THAT THE OIL IN THE CAR WAS EXTREMELY LOW BETWEEN OIL CHANGES, BUT IT WAS NOT LEAKING OUT OF THE CAR NOR WAS THE CAR BURNING OIL FROM THE EXHAUST, I CONTACTED THE DEALER VIA TELEPHONE AND WAS TOLD THAT THEY HAD JUST FIXED A CAR WITH THE SAME PROBLEM AND THE ENGINE NEEDED TO BE REBUILT TO THE TUNE OF $1400. AT THIS POINT, THE CAR WAS OUT OF WARRANTY. I WAS ADVISED THAT THE OIL WAS LEAKING INTO THE ENGINE ITSELF. *TR

NHTSA ID

10216992

Incident

Feb 1, 2006

AT AROUND 60K THE SATURN SL1 2002 SHOWED A TROUBLE CODE WITH THE INTAKE GASKET LEAKING FUEL MILEAGE SUFFERED. THIS CAR CAN NOT PASS SMOG AND NOW THE CAR IS CONSUMING 1 QT OF OIL IN 300 MILES, AS WELL AS GETTING TERRIBLE GAS MILEAGE. NO REPAIRS HAVE BEEN MADE AS I WOULD THINK THAT SINCE THE NET IS LITTERED WITH THIS PROBLEM ON THE SL1 1.9 IT SHOULD BE COVERED BY SATURN. IF THERE IS NOT A COMMON FAILURE WITH THE INTAKE GASKET WHY HAS SATURN MADE A UPGRADED GASKET?? RECALL THIS POS! *TR

NHTSA ID

10209870

Incident

Nov 24, 2007

Mileage

60,000 mi

MY SON HAD AN ACCIDENT INVOLVING 3 OTHER VEHICLES. THE MOTOR OF THE 2002 SATURN SL1 IN WHICH HE WAS DRIVING STALLED AS HE EXITED THE HIGHWAY ONTO A SERVICE ROAD. ONCE THE ENGINE STALLED,HE DID NOT HAVE THE ABILITY TO STEER OR STOP THE VEHICLE. AS A RESULT, HE STRUCK 2 VEHICLES THAT WERE STOPPED AT A RED LIGHT CAUSING A CHAIN REACTION. THE SECOND VEHICLE THAT HE STRUCK HIT THE VEHICLE IN FRONT OF IT. THE AIRBAGS DEPLOYED IN THE VEHICLE MY SON DROVE. THE RIGHT SIDE OF VEHICLE 1 SUSTAINED DAMAGE. THE REAR AND FRONT BUMPERS WERE DAMAGED ON VEHICLE 2. THE REAR OF VEHICLE 3 IS DAMAGED. THE SATURN IN WHICH MY SON WAS DRIVING HAD FRONT BUMPER DAMAGE, HOOD CRUMPLED, AIRBAG DEPLOYMENT, LEFT REAR VIEW MIRROR SEPARATED FROM THE CAR, LEFT HEAD LIGHT AND BRACKETS DESTROYED, AND DAMAGE ALONG THE LEFT FRONT QUARTER PANEL. *JB MY SON RECEIVED A SUPERFICIAL CUT IN WHICH THE EMERGENCY PARAMEDICS BANDAGED WHILE ON SITE. THE SATURN WAS TOWED TO SATURN OF ARLINGTON FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTS. THE TECHNICIAN EXPLAINED THAT THE COMPUTER CONTAINS VEHICLE SYSTEMS INFORMATION THAT OCCURED IMMEDIATELY PRIOR TO THE COLLISION, HOWEVER HE DID NOT HAVE THE CAPABILITY TO EXTRACT THE INFORMATION.

NHTSA ID

10186683

Incident

Mar 26, 2007

Mileage

95,000 mi

HEAD GASKET FAILURE IN A RELATIVELY YOUNG VEHICLE WITH 52,000 MILES. NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY AND COST $600.00 TO FIX. *NM

NHTSA ID

10171131

Incident

Oct 16, 2006

Mileage

52,068 mi

INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET. *JB

NHTSA ID

10147336

Incident

Nov 1, 2005

Mileage

59,736 mi

2002 SATURN SL2 STALLED THEN VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE. *MR THE VEHICLE BEGUN TO SMOKE THEN IGNITED. *SC

NHTSA ID

10117588

Incident

Apr 1, 2005

UPON STARTING THE VEHICLE IT OVERHEATED. ONCE TURNING IT OFF, AND UPON TRYING TO START IT AGAIN, IDLE DROPPED TO ZERO, AND VEHICLE STALLED INTERMITTENTLY. ALSO, DASH LIGHTS ILLUMINATED. CONSUMER CONTACTED THE DEALER MORE THAN FOUR TIMES FOR THIS PROBLEM. DEALER STATED THAT THERE WAS A BAD SENSOR. HOWEVER, PROBLEM RECURRED. *AK

NHTSA ID

10091565

Incident

Aug 1, 2003

VEHICLE REPEATEDLY LOSES POWER AND SHUTS OFF AT HIGHWAY SPEED. DRIVER IS NOT ABLE TO RESTART VEHICLE FOR A FEW MINUTES. *AK

NHTSA ID

10072073

Incident

Feb 13, 2004

WHILE PULLING INTO GARAGE CONSUMER REMOVED FOOT FROM GAS PEDAL AND VEHICLE DRIFTED ON A SLIGHT INCLINE. CONSUMER APPLIED THE BRAKES TO STOP VEHICLE FROM ROLLING BACKWARDS. CONSUMER DROVE THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION, AND MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT ENGINE DID NOT HAVE TORQUE POWER IN ORDER TO PULL THE VEHICLE, AND VEHICLE WAS WORKING PROPERLY AS DESIGNED. *AK

NHTSA ID

10071817

Incident

Apr 29, 2004

WHILE TRAVELING ON THE HIGHWAY AND WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING VEHICLE SHUTDOWN. *AK

NHTSA ID

10027256

Incident

Jul 14, 2003

2002 SATURN SL HAS 3 LEAKING SEALS. VERY DANGEROUS FOR A FIRE. REAR SEAL, OIL PAN GASKET AND CRANK CASE GASKET ALL LEAKING. DANGEROUS FOR SINGLE WOMEN ON THE ROAD. *JB

NHTSA ID

10013802

Incident

Jan 30, 2003

THE CAR IDLES ROUGH, HAS LOUSY GAS MILEAGE, AND NO POWER. I WAS TOLD ON THE 5TH TIME TO THE SATURN REPAIR SHOP, THAT THE SL1S HAVE AN ENGINEERING DEFECT AND SATURN DOES NOT KNOW HOW TO FIX IT. DT

NHTSA ID

768798

Incident

Jul 15, 2002

WHILE DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS VEHICLE STALLS WITHOUT ANY INDICATION. DEALER WAS CONTACTED AND COULD NOT DUPLICATE PROBLEM, BUT REPLACED BATTERY .PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

NHTSA ID

8002129

AFTER A LONG DISTANCE DRIVE AND STOPPING AT LOCAL STORE FOR A MOMENT VEHICLE WOULD HESITATE WHILE CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING AT ABOUT 45MPH. THEN, WHEN PULLING INTO A PARKING LOT VEHICLE STARTED SMOKING, RELEASING VERY THICK VAPOR. ALSO, SMOKE WAS COMING FROM EXHAUST, AND VAPORS WAS FROM INSIDE OF VEHICLE. CONTACTED DEALER, AND THE DEALER WAS NOT WILLING TO DO ANYTHING. *AK

NHTSA ID

899189

Incident

Nov 15, 2001