2002 Saturn LS problems
Owners have filed 631 complaints about the 2002 Saturn LS with NHTSA. Engine and engine cooling accounts for 32.3% of them, the clear leader, ahead of electrical system at 17.7%.
Complaints631
Crashes19
Fires21
Injuries10
Deaths0
What owners report breaking
Engine and engine cooling 32.3% · 204
Electrical system 17.7% · 112
Exterior lighting 11.6% · 73
Engine 6.8% · 43
Fuel system, gasoline 5.4% · 34
Power train 4.1% · 26
Suspension 3.0% · 19
Service brakes, hydraulic 1.9% · 12
Severity
Of those complaints, 19 describe a crash, 21 describe a fire and 10 report an injury.
Reading the numbers
Across the 3 model years of the Saturn LS in this data, 2002 ranks 2nd by complaint volume; 2001 draws the most.
Filings have fallen off, 6 in the last three years against 10 in the three before. That is normal as a generation leaves the road.
The median odometer reading at the time of complaint was 75,200 miles.
In owners' own words
The contact owns a 2002 Saturn l200. The contact stated that while driving at speeds of 50 mph, the vehicle stalled. The vehicle was towed to the dealer who stated that the timing chain should have been replaced at 80,000 miles, which was the cause of the failure. The dealer replaced the original engine with a used one. The vin was not available. The failure mileage was 82,000 and the current mileage was 134,000. Engine and engine cooling · reported at 82,000 miles
The contact owns a 2002 Saturn l100. While driving less than 50 mph and accelerating, the vehicle stalled. The vehicle would not restart and was towed to an independent mechanic. The mechanic stated that the timing chain was defective. The manufacturer stated that there was a recall for the same year, make, and model vehicle; however, his vin was not included. The failure and current mileages were 145,000. Engine and engine cooling · reported at 145,000 miles
My wife's car quit running suddenly. We had it towed to the dealer who reported that the timing chain had broken and repairs would cost $3200, indicating additional damage besides the broken chain. There was no accident, nor were there any injuries. We purchased the car new from the dealer and have had all recommended maintenance performed by the dealer. The car has ~97000 miles on the original engine. Engine and engine cooling · reported at 97,000 miles
Verbatim from NHTSA filings. Complaints are unverified owner reports.
Safety recalls
Checking NHTSA for open recalls…