2002 Saturn LS problems and owner complaints
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
493 owner complaints analyzed
3 distinct recall campaigns
75,755 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2002 model year. Data snapshot: . 389 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Engine And Engine Cooling is the most frequently named component, appearing in 93 of 493 complaints (18.9%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Engine operation | 81 | 16.4% |
| Braking behavior | 53 | 10.8% |
| Electrical and battery issues | 47 | 9.5% |
| Steering behavior | 39 | 7.9% |
| Fuel system concerns | 35 | 7.1% |
| Transmission and shifting | 8 | 1.6% |
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.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Engine And Engine Cooling | 93 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine | 73 |
| Electrical System | 62 |
| Engine | 43 |
| Exterior Lighting:Headlights | 27 |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 24 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Gasoline:Belts And Associated Pulleys | 22 |
| Exterior Lighting | 22 |
Engine And Engine Cooling: 93; Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine: 73; Electrical System: 62; Engine: 43; Exterior Lighting:Headlights: 27; Fuel System, Gasoline: 24; Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Gasoline:Belts And Associated Pulleys: 22; Exterior Lighting: 22
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 30 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 54 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 98 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 98 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 83 |
| 150,000 and above | 26 |
Under 25,000: 30; 25,000 to 49,999: 54; 50,000 to 74,999: 98; 75,000 to 99,999: 98; 100,000 to 149,999: 83; 150,000 and above: 26
50,000 to 74,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (98). 104 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.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 2001 | 1 |
| 2002 | 15 |
| 2003 | 36 |
| 2004 | 29 |
| 2005 | 36 |
| 2006 | 54 |
| 2007 | 48 |
| 2008 | 53 |
| 2009 | 48 |
| 2010 | 43 |
| 2011 | 28 |
| 2012 | 29 |
| 2013 | 10 |
| 2014 | 35 |
| 2015 | 12 |
| 2016 | 3 |
| 2017 | 5 |
| 2018 | 2 |
| 2019 | 1 |
| 2020 | 1 |
| 2021 | 1 |
| 2022 | 1 |
| 2023 | 2 |
2001: 1; 2002: 15; 2003: 36; 2004: 29; 2005: 36; 2006: 54; 2007: 48; 2008: 53; 2009: 48; 2010: 43; 2011: 28; 2012: 29; 2013: 10; 2014: 35; 2015: 12; 2016: 3; 2017: 5; 2018: 2; 2019: 1; 2020: 1; 2021: 1; 2022: 1; 2023: 2
Pattern summary
Engine And Engine Cooling leads the component reports. Engine operation appears in 81 complaint narratives. Braking behavior appears in 53 complaint narratives. Electrical and battery issues appears in 47 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 10025465 · 2003-07-05 (July 5, 2003)
ODI NUMBER IS 10025456 ALREADY SUBMITTED COMPLAINT FORM. I WANT TO CLARIFY DATES: FAULTY IGNITION MODULE ON 11/29/02 AND 3/10/03. ON 4/15/03 AND 5/10/03 TOLD BY SATURN OF TREVOSE THAT THE ROUGH IDLE THAT I FEEL AND THE LOSS OF POWER THAT I FEEL CANNOT BE DUPLICATED. THESE WERE THE EXACT SYMPTOMS THAT I FELT BEFORE THE IGNITION MODULES FAILED BOTH TIMES.TOLD THAT THIS PROBLEM CAN REOCCUR AT ANYTIME, IN PARTICULAR IN COLD OR DAMP WEATHER. PLEASE REFER TO FIRST COMPLAINT FORM SUBMITTED EARLIER ON 6/5/03.*AK
Owner-reported narrative. 22,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10025465 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10071497 · 2004-04-23 (April 23, 2004)
WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED VEHICLE STALLED. CONSUMER RESTARTED VEHICLE, AND IT WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION. HOWEVER, MECHANIC COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. *AK
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10071497 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10010867 · 2003-03-22 (March 22, 2003)
MY HEADLIGHTS BLINK WHILE DRIVING...ONLY WHEN CRUISING OR BRAKING. THIS HAS CAUSED PEOPLE TO BE PULLED OVER FOR FLASHING THEIR HEADLIGHTS OR DRIVERS GETTING ANGRY BELIEVING THAT YOU ARE FLASHING THEM TO MOVE OVER. I UNDERSTAND FROM SATURN THERE IS NO REPAIR AT THIS TIME. THIS CONDITION CONCERNS ME VERY MUCH AND I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW IF SATURN IS CLOSE TO A REPAIR. *JB
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10010867 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10016509 · 2003-04-25 (April 25, 2003)
MY CAR HAS A SPORADIC PROBLEM THAT CAUSES THE HEADLIGHTS AND INSTRUMENT PANEL LIGHTS TO DIM UP TO SEVEN TIMES IN ONE SECOND INTERVALS. THIS CONDITION ONLY HAPPENS IN OVER DRIVE WHILE COASTING OR BRAKING. THIS DIMMING COULD BE MISUNDERSTOOD BY OTHER DRIVERS AS FLASHING AND COULD CAUSE A DISTRACTION. IT ALSO COULD LEAD TO A PREOCCUPATION AS TO WHY AS THIS GUY KEEPS FLASHING ME. DURING BRAKING IN TRAFFIC CONDITION THIS COULD CAUSE A DISTRACTION FOR THE CAR AHEAD BEING FLASHED CAUSING HIM TO LOOK IN THE REAR VIEW MIRROR INSTEAD OF A HEAD. AS FOR T…
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10016509 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10044742 · 2003-10-27 (October 27, 2003)
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM FAILED WITHOUT WARNING, CAUSING THE IGNITION RELAY TO IGNITE THE VEHICLE. AS A RESULT, THE VEHICLE WAS CONSUMED TOTALLY BY FIRE. *AK
Owner-reported narrative. 78,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10044742 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10046544 · 2003-11-07 (November 7, 2003)
THE BRAKE LIGHTS FAILED TO ILLUMINATE SIMULTANEOUSLY. DEALERSHIP HAD TO REPLACE THE BRAKE LIGHTS CONSTANTLY. THE PROBLEM WAS TRACED TO THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM. *AK
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10046544 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10030433 · 2003-07-30 (July 30, 2003)
THE TIRES ON MY 2002 SATURN LW300 WORE OUT AT AN EXCESSIVE RATE, REQUIRING REPLACEMENT AT 22,000 MILES. I BROUGHT MY CAR INTO THE DEALERSHIP DESCRIBING STEERING WHEEL VIBRATION AT HIGH SPEED AND EXCESSIVELY WORN TIRES. ALTHOUGH THE SYMPTOMS I DESCRIBED MET THE SYMPTOMS IN EXISTING TSBS FOR MY VEHICLE, THE SATURN DEALER IGNORED THESE AND UNTIL I DID RESEARCH TO FIND THE TSBS, WAS NOT GOING TO COVER THIS UNDER WARRANTY. FROM MY RESEARCH, THE EXCESSIVE WEAR ON THE TIRES IS FAR FROM AN ISOLATED INCIDENT AND ADVERSELY AFFECTS THE PERFORMANCE, AND…
Owner-reported narrative. 22,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10030433 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10038015 · 2003-10-01 (October 1, 2003)
THE HEADLIGHTS AND DASHBOARD LIGHTS FLICKERED INTERMITTENTLY WHILE DRIVING AT NIGHT. DEALER KEPT THE VEHICLE FOR TWO WEEKS, HOWEVER THE PROBLEM CONTINUED. *AK THERE WAS A SQUEAKING NOISE ONLY WHEN THE STEERING WHEEL WAS TURNED TO THE LEFT. THE SUSPENSION LINK WAS REPLACED. THE SERVICE ENGINE SOON LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON THE VEHICLE AND THE IGNITION CONTROL MODULE WAS REPLACED. THE DRIVER SIDE WINDOW SKIPPED WHEN BEING ROLLED DOWN. THE RIGHT REAR BRAKE LIGHT BULB HAD BURNED OUT, THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS WENT ACROSS THE WINDOW HALF WAY BEFORE IT SQUI…
Owner-reported narrative. 6,068 miles reported. Look up ODI 10038015 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10053427 · 2004-01-06 (January 6, 2004)
WHEN PARKING ON AN UPWARD ANGLE AND THE TANK IS A QUARTER FULL ENGINE BECOMES INOPERATIVE. DEALER STATES IF THE OWNER KEEPS A FUEL TANK THAT WILL FIX THE PROBLEM. *AK
Owner-reported narrative. 18,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10053427 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10072238 · 2004-05-06 (May 6, 2004)
INTERMITTENTLY WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE AND APPLYING THE BRAKES TO STOP THE VEHICLE VEHICLE SURGED UP THE 2000 RPMS. ALSO, HAS PROBLEM WITH THE FUEL TANK. DEALER HAD BEEN NOTIFIED. *AK
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10072238 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10052675 · 2004-01-08 (January 8, 2004)
TRANSMISSION - 2002 SATURN L SERIES. TOOK IT IN FOR SERVICE TO THE SATURN DEALER AND THE SERVICE WRENCH LIGHT CAME ON. WAS TOLD THAT MY TRANSMISSION NEEDS APPROXIMATELY $700 IN REPAIRS. CAR HAS 65000 MILES ON IT. TALKED TO REPUTABLE TRANSMISSION REPAIR GARAGE AND THEY SAID THEY HAVE REPLACED MANY SATURN TRANSMISSIONS. *LA
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10052675 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10153491 · 2006-03-23 (March 23, 2006)
ON 3/9/06 MY SATURN L200 2002 WOULD NOT START, I SPOKE TO VARIOUS PEOPLE AT SATURN AND RECEIVED 4 DIFFERENT PROBLEMS, (TRANSMISSION, TIMING CHAIN BROKE,NEED A NEW ENGINE AND NOW THE TIMING CHAIN IS STRETCHED) I HAVE NOT RECEIVED ANY SERVICE WHAT SO EVER, THEY ARE NOW SAYING IT IS LACK OF MAINTENANCE, WHEN I ASKED FOR A EXPLANATION THE REGIONAL AREA MANAGER HUNG THE PHONE UP ON ME!!! HE SAID HE HAD NO IDEA THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITH THE OILER VALVE WHICH NOW I KNOW THERE IS. I HAVE BEEN PROMISE CALL BACKS AND HAVE NOT RECEIVED ONE. I ALSO EXPLAIN…
Owner-reported narrative. 59,414 miles reported. Look up ODI 10153491 at NHTSA ↗