U.S. public vehicle records

2001 Saturn LS problems and owner complaints

Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.

Key facts

582 owner complaints analyzed

7 distinct recall campaigns

80,000 mi median reported failure mileage

Scope: 2001 model year. Data snapshot: 2026-09-12 (September 12, 2026). 443 complaints include usable failure mileage.

Owner-reported patterns

Most common problems

Engine And Engine Cooling is the most frequently named component, appearing in 150 of 582 complaints (25.8%). A complaint can name multiple components.

Recurring terms in complaint narratives
Topic	Matching reports	Share of complaints
Engine operation	93	16.0%
Braking behavior	79	13.6%
Steering behavior	58	10.0%
Electrical and battery issues	39	6.7%
Transmission and shifting	19	3.3%
Fuel system concerns	18	3.1%

Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.

Component breakdown

Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.

Engine And Engine Cooling

150

Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine

Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Gasoline:Belts And Associated Pulleys

Electrical System

Engine

Power Train

Suspension

Air Bags

Component breakdown data
Category	Count
Engine And Engine Cooling	150
Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine	91
Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Gasoline:Belts And Associated Pulleys	45
Electrical System	42
Engine	41
Power Train	14
Suspension	14
Air Bags	13

Engine And Engine Cooling: 150; Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine: 91; Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Gasoline:Belts And Associated Pulleys: 45; Electrical System: 42; Engine: 41; Power Train: 14; Suspension: 14; Air Bags: 13

Reported problems by failure mileage

Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.

Under 25,000

25,000 to 49,999

50,000 to 74,999

116

75,000 to 99,999

110

100,000 to 149,999

111

150,000 and above

Under 25,000: 22; 25,000 to 49,999: 54; 50,000 to 74,999: 116; 75,000 to 99,999: 110; 100,000 to 149,999: 111; 150,000 and above: 30

50,000 to 74,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (116). 139 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.

Complaints over time

Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.

2000

2001

2002

2003

2004

2005

2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

2015

2016

2017

2018

2020

2021

2022

2025

2000: 3; 2001: 12; 2002: 19; 2003: 30; 2004: 56; 2005: 53; 2006: 69; 2007: 66; 2008: 70; 2009: 49; 2010: 40; 2011: 28; 2012: 20; 2013: 16; 2014: 28; 2015: 6; 2016: 7; 2017: 4; 2018: 2; 2020: 1; 2021: 1; 2022: 1; 2025: 1

Pattern summary

Engine And Engine Cooling leads the component reports. Engine operation appears in 93 complaint narratives. Braking behavior appears in 79 complaint narratives. Steering behavior appears in 58 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.

Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.

Complaint evidence

Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.

Owner report 10047912 · 2004-01-15 (January 15, 2004)

WHILE DRIVING AT 65 MPH AND WITHOUT ANY WARNING, THE VEHICLE STOPPED STALLED THERE WAS NO INDICATION THAT ANYTHING WAS WRONG WITH THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO INFORMED THE CONSUMER THAT THE TIMING CHAIN SNAPPED AND A NEW ENGINE WAS NEEDED. *AK *JB *NM

Owner-reported narrative. 48,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10047912 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10091485 · 2004-09-07 (September 7, 2004)

THE VEHICLE STALLED WHILE DRIVING THE CONSUMER TRIED TO RESTART THE VEHICLE, BUT WAS UNSUCCESSFUL. THE CONSUMER HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO DEALER. THE MECHANIC COULD NOT DUPLICATED THE PROBLEM. THE CONSUMER INFORMED THE MECHANIC THAT THIS PROBLEM HAS OCCURRED MORE THAN ONCE AND HAS NOT BEEN RESOLVED. PLEASE FILL IN ADDITIONAL. *JB

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10091485 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10023010 · 2003-06-13 (June 13, 2003)

BOTH FRONT WHEEL ROTORS TOTALLY SHOT BEYOND RE-SURFACING AT 27.565 MILES ON 2001 SATURN L300 AUTO. BACK BRAKES STILL AT 80%. INFERIOR ROTORS WITH TOO SOFT METAL-A POTENTIAL HAZARD TO ALL OWNERS...AT THIS MILEAGE IT IS ABSURD-ROTORS SHOULD LAST AT LEAST 100,000+ MILES..MFG REFUSED TO PAY FOR REPLACEMENT-I HAD TO PAY... *NLM

Owner-reported narrative. 27,561 miles reported. Look up ODI 10023010 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10030300 · 2003-07-28 (July 28, 2003)

MY CAR HAS 58,000 MILES ON IT. I WAS INFORMED THAT IT WAS IN NEED OF FRONT BRAKES. I WAS THEN TOLD THAT DUE TO A DESIGN FLAW, I HAD TO REPLACE THE ROTORS AS WELL. I WAS TOLD THAT THESE BRAKES & THE ROTORS WEAR DOWN TOGETHER. I FEEL THAT IT SHOULD NOT BE NECESSARY TO REPLACE THE ROTORS EVERY TIME THE BRAKE PADS NEED TO BE REPLACED.*AK

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10030300 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10005340 · 2003-02-05 (February 5, 2003)

2001 SATURN L200 - STARTED HAVING INTERMITTEN "GROANS" OCCURRING WHEN MAKING LEFT TURNS (BEFORE 50,000 MILES), AND THEN OVER TIME HAD INTERMITTEN POWER STEERING FAILURES FOR SHORT PERIODS. POWER STEERING PUMP WAS REPLACED TODAY. SYMPTOMS SOUNDED LIKE THE 1.5 MILLION RECALL GM HAD FOR THE BEARING IN THEIR POWER STEERING GEAR ASSEMBLY I READ ABOUT IN NOV.

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10005340 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10006201 · 2003-02-03 (February 3, 2003)

THERE WAS AN INTERMITTENT "CLANKING" NOISE WHEN TURNING THE STEERING WHEEL LEFT OR RIGHT. THE DEALER CANNOT DUPLICATE OR DETERMINE CAUSE OF PROBLEM. MR SCC

Owner-reported narrative. 8,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10006201 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10019101 · 2003-05-22 (May 22, 2003)

THE HEADLIGHTS (AND OTHER ELECTRICAL DEVICES) DIM (LOSE POWER) FOR A MILLISECOND AT RANDOM TIMES. IN MY OPINION, THE VOLTAGE REGULATOR IS NOT REACTING QUICKLY ENOUGH TO RANDOM POWER SURGES (LIKE THE COOLING FAN KICKING ON) AND THEREFORE EVERYTHING DIMS FOR A MOMENT. THIS IS VERY ANNOYING AND UNSAFE. I NOTICE IT WHEN IT IS DARK OUTSIDE, ESPECIALLY ON COUNTRY ROADS (NO STREET LIGHTS). TWO DIFFERENT DEALERS HAVE TRIED TO CONVINCE ME THAT THIS IS NORMAL - BULL! I KNOW A SYSTEM DESIGN PROBLEM WHEN I SEE ONE. I HAVE HAD MOTORISTS ACCUSE ME OF FLA…

Owner-reported narrative. 60 miles reported. Look up ODI 10019101 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10041613 · 2003-10-10 (October 10, 2003)

I WAS ON MY WAY TO WORK, WHEN MY STEERING WHEEL STARTED SMOKING. IT LOOKED LIKE I WAS SMOKING 3 CIGARETTES. IT HAD A BLUE COLOR TO IT AND SMELLED LIKE AN ELECTRICAL PROBLEM. MY BRIGHT LIGHTS FLASHED THEN STAYED ON. IT WAS 8 AM AND I DID NOT HAVE MY LIGHTS ON. WHEN I GOT TO WORK, THE NEAREST SATURN DEALERSHIP TOWED IT TO THEIR DEALERSHIP SERVICE AREA. (SATURN OF KINGS MALL, MASON, OH). BRIAN, THE SERVICE MAN, NOTIFIED ME THAT THE TURN SIGNAL HAD BURNED OUT. BARE WIRES WERE RUBBING. HE ALSO STATED THAT HE HAS NEVER SEEN THIS PROBLEM BEFOR…

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10041613 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10096533 · 2004-10-27 (October 27, 2004)

NOTICED MY ALARM REMOTE KEY WAS BECOMING ULTRA SENSITIVE AND JUST FIGURED THE SMALL WATCH-LIKE BATTERY NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. SHORTLY AFTERWARD ON THE SAME DAY I REALIZED MY INTERIOR DOME LIGHT WAS DIMMING AND MY ENGINE MADE A LOUD WRENCHING NOISE UPON THE INITIAL START. UPON LEAVING MY PLACE OF DESTINATION THE SAME EVENING I WAS UNABLE TO START MY CAR AT ALL. I FIGURED THE BATTERY HAD DIED SO I HAD A FRIEND GIVE ME A JUMP TO NO AVAIL. MY CAR WOULD TURN OVER AND AUTOMATICALLY SHUT OFF LESS THAN TWO SECONDS LATER. THIS FURTHER VALIDATED THA…

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10096533 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10148563 · 2006-01-25 (January 25, 2006)

2001 L300 SATURN HAS BEEN TO DEALER FOR CONTINUING REPAIRS. CAR BUCKS WHEN SHIFTING FROM 2ND TO 3RD GEAR AND WRENCH LIGHT OR SES LIGHT WILL COME ON. DEALERS SERVICE PERSONNEL DOCUMENT THEY CANNOT SEE LIGHT ON DIAGNOSTICS, BUT PROBLEM CONTINUES INTERMITTENTLY. CAR FAILED COMPLETELY ON INTERSTATE IN COMMUTER TRAFFIC. STATE POLICE ASSISTED OWNER. CAR EXITED INTERSTATE. CAR FAILED AGAIN. CAR TOWED TO REPAIR SHOP FOR A BATTERY WHICH HAD JUST BEEN REPLACED BY DEALER A MONTH EARLIER. CAR DRIVEN FROM REPAIR SHOP AND FAILED FOR THIRD TIME SAME DA…

Owner-reported narrative. 57,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10148563 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10089426 · 2004-08-19 (August 19, 2004)

PROBLEMS WITH VEHICLE'S FUEL PUMP. *MR THE FUEL PUMP WAS BAD. THE MECHANIC STATED WHEN HE PULLED THE GAS TANK AND STARTED TO REMOVE THE FUEL PUMP PART OF THE FUEL PUMP FELL APART WHICH WAS NOT NORMAL. THE TWO REAR TIRES WERE REPLACED. *SC *JB

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10089426 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10132014 · 2005-08-09 (August 9, 2005)

DURING THE MONTH OF JULY 2005, WHILE DRIVING MY 2001 SATURN L300, I NOTICED STRONG GASOLINE FUMES ENTERING THE INTERIOR OF THE CAR AND ALSO ON THE EXTERIOR. THE MILEAGE HAD DROPPED DRASTICALLY AND I WAS USING HALF TANK OF FUEL TO DRIVE 120 MILES. THINKING IT COULD BE A TORN OR LOOSE FUEL LINE, I TOOK IT TO MY MECHANIC OF TRUST FOR AN INSPECTION. HE FOUND THE FUEL TANK LEAKING AND ADVISED ME TO REPLACE IT. I CONSENTED BECAUSE I NEEDED THE CAR TO COMMUTE TO WORK IN TAMPA ON A DAILY BASIS. HE REMOVED THE TANK AND FOUND THE FUEL PUMP MODULE CRACKED…

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10132014 at NHTSA ↗