Saturn S-SERIES SEDAN problems and owner complaints
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
17 owner complaints analyzed
1 distinct recall campaigns
80,467 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 1997 to 2002 model years. Data snapshot: . 16 complaints include usable failure mileage.
This selection has limited data. It remains available for lookup but is excluded from search indexing.
Most common problems
Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine is the most frequently named component, appearing in 4 of 17 complaints (23.5%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Engine operation | 4 | 23.5% |
| Braking behavior | 2 | 11.8% |
| Electrical and battery issues | 2 | 11.8% |
| Steering behavior | 2 | 11.8% |
| Transmission and shifting | 1 | 5.9% |
| Fuel system concerns | 1 | 5.9% |
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:Engine | 4 |
| Power Train:Manual Transmission | 2 |
| Air Bags | 1 |
| Air Bags:Frontal | 1 |
| Child Seat:Harness/Crotch Buckle | 1 |
| Electrical System | 1 |
| Electrical System:Ignition | 1 |
| Electrical System:Wiring | 1 |
Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine: 4; Power Train:Manual Transmission: 2; Air Bags: 1; Air Bags:Frontal: 1; Child Seat:Harness/Crotch Buckle: 1; Electrical System: 1; Electrical System:Ignition: 1; Electrical System:Wiring: 1
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 2 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 2 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 2 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 4 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 3 |
| 150,000 and above | 3 |
Under 25,000: 2; 25,000 to 49,999: 2; 50,000 to 74,999: 2; 75,000 to 99,999: 4; 100,000 to 149,999: 3; 150,000 and above: 3
75,000 to 99,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (4). 1 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 |
|---|---|
| 2002 | 1 |
| 2003 | 2 |
| 2004 | 5 |
| 2005 | 1 |
| 2006 | 2 |
| 2007 | 1 |
| 2008 | 1 |
| 2009 | 1 |
| 2010 | 3 |
2002: 1; 2003: 2; 2004: 5; 2005: 1; 2006: 2; 2007: 1; 2008: 1; 2009: 1; 2010: 3
Pattern summary
Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine leads the component reports. Engine operation appears in 4 complaint narratives. Braking behavior appears in 2 complaint narratives. Electrical and battery issues appears in 2 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 10058512 · 2004-02-19 (February 19, 2004)
A WIRE MELTED IN MY WIRING HARNESS BEHIND THE DASH BOARD. THIS STOPPED THE CAR FROM RUNNING. IF IT HAPPENED WHILE DRIVING, IT COULD CAUSE A CRASH DUE TO THE SUDDEN LOSS OF POWER OR COULD HAVE STARTED A FIRE.
Owner-reported narrative. 80,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10058512 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10100380 · 2004-11-23 (November 23, 2004)
IN JANUARY, FEBRUARY AND MARCH OF 2003 I EXPERIENCED REPEATED STALLING ON THE HIGHWAY WITH MY 1999 SATURN. NO ONE, INCLUDING A SATURN DEALER, KNEW WHAT WAS WRONG. BY TRIAL AND ERROR, IT SEEMED THAT IF I KEPT THE GAS TANK AT LEAST HALF FULL I COULD AVOID THE PROBLEM. IT WASN'T THE BEST SOLUTION, BUT IT SEEMED TO WORK. BUT THIS PAST SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 2004, IT STALLED AGAIN ON THE HIGHWAY. ON SUNDAY I DROVE IT AROUND TOWN AND IT WAS FINE. THEN TODAY IT STALLED AGAIN IN ALMOST EXACTLY THE SAME SPOT AS TWO DAYS AGO. THE WORST PART IS THA…
Owner-reported narrative. 117,330 miles reported. Look up ODI 10100380 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10000148 · 2002-12-16 (December 16, 2002)
BRAKES FAILED ON MY 2002 SATURN S SERIES SEDAN (15,000 MILES) WHILE DECELLERATING AT A YIELD MERGE AND REARENDED A CAR AT LOW SPEED WITH MINIMAL DAMAGE. POLICE OFFICER NOTED BRAKE PEDAL HAD TO BE FLOORED TO GET ONLY SLIGHT BRAKING OFFICER ADVISED VEHICLE MUST BE TOWED. VEHICLE TOWED TO SATURN DEALERSHIP. AFTER MUCH RESISTANCE SATURN HOME OFFICE IN TENNESSEE SENT INSPECTOR. CONVERSATION THIS DATE WITH TENNESSEE OFFICE SAID VERBAL PRELIM. REPORT- NOTHING REALLY SEEN WRONG. I DON'T BELIVE IT AND FEAR DRIVING THE CAR.CAR STILL AT SATURN OF FREEHOLD…
Owner-reported narrative. 15,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10000148 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10365060 · 2010-11-08 (November 8, 2010)
A CAR WAS GOING 55 MPH, DIDN'T BRAKE AND HIT THE PERSON BEHIND ME WHO WAS PUSHED INTO MY CAR AND I WAS PUSHED INTO A TRUCK. THE FORCE OF THE IMPACT MOVED ALL OUR CARS 65 FEET. THE AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY, ALTHOUGH ACCORDING TO SOME COMMENTS BY POLICE AND FIRE, THEY SHOULD HAVE. I JUST WANTED TO REPORT THIS JUST IN CASE THERE WERE OTHER OWNERS WITH THE SAME ISSUES. CAR WAS TOTALED, NO REPAIR DONE. *TR
Owner-reported narrative. 78,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10365060 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10164989 · 2006-08-08 (August 8, 2006)
THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH THE WIRING THE CAR IS A 1997 SATURN AND I HAVE PROBLEMS WITH THE HEATER BLOWER MOTOR WORKING SOMETIMES AND THEN NOT YOU HAVE TO PLAY WITH THE WIRING TO GET IT TO WORK AND THE SAME FOR THE BLINKERS THE BLOWER WORKS NOW AND THE BLINKERS DON'T? *NM
Owner-reported narrative. 180,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10164989 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10102371 · 2004-12-08 (December 8, 2004)
OIL FOUND IN COOLANT IN MY 1997 SATURN SL IN SUMMER 2004 AFTER MINOR FRONT-END COLLISION. IN THE 2-3 MONTHS PRIOR TO COLLISION, I HAD TO ADD COOLANT EVERY 3-4 WEEKS, AS COOLANT LOW WARNING LIGHT WOULD COME ON. COOLANT HAD NORMAL APPEARANCE PRIOR TO ACCIDENT. CAR RAN FINE, TEMP GAUGE NEVER WENT ABOVE NORMAL. CAR HAD @ 78,000 MILES WHEN THIS BEGAN TO HAPPEN. ADVISED BY MECHANIC FRIEND THAT I HAD PROBABLY BEGUN TO DEVELOP A CRACKED HEAD BEFORE ACCIDENT, THIS WAS A COMMON OCCURRENCE IN SATURNS BUILT IN 90'S. THE COLLISION POSSIBLY WORSENED CONDITI…
Owner-reported narrative. 82,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10102371 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10339436 · 2010-06-22 (June 22, 2010)
KEY FIT IN IGNITION BUT WOULD NOT TURN, TRIED TURNING STEERING WHEEL BACK AND FORTH IN LOCKED POSITION WHILE TURNING KEY BUT TO NO AVAIL. AFTER APPROXIMATELY 5-10 MINUTES KEY WOULD FINALLY TURN AND ALLOW ME TO START VEHICLE BUT THE SAME THING HAPPENED THE NEXT TIME I TRIED TO START THE CAR. *TR
Owner-reported narrative. 180,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10339436 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10098667 · 2004-11-11 (November 11, 2004)
CAR ENGINE STALLS AND DIES. CAR IDLES VERY ROUGH. THE MANUAL TRANSMISSION POPS OUT OF GEAR BETWEEN 2ND AND 3RD OCCASIONALLY. CAR DOES NOT HAVE A 1ST GEAR IF YOU USE 1ST THE CAR BUCKS LIKE CRAZY. BUT ACCORDING TO SATURN DEALER SERVICE CENTERS VISITED 5 TIMES THE VEHICLE IS RUNNING WITHIN FACTORY SPECS AND THERE ARE NO FAIL CODES. HAVE BEEN SEVERAL TIMES ON THE EXPRESSWAY GOING 65 M.P.H AND THE ENGINE HAS DIED WHAT FUN. THE CAR HAS BEEN INSPECTED AND THE REPORT STATES THE CAR SINCE DAY ONE I DROVE IT OFF THE DEALERSHIP LOT WAS WORTH LESS TH…
Owner-reported narrative. 12,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10098667 at NHTSA ↗
Recalls by model year
All campaigns in the snapshot affecting each model year, including recalls announced years later.
Recall campaigns
Shared campaigns appear once in each affected model year.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 1997 | 0 |
| 1998 | 0 |
| 1999 | 0 |
| 2000 | 0 |
| 2001 | 0 |
| 2002 | 1 |
1997: 0; 1998: 0; 1999: 0; 2000: 0; 2001: 0; 2002: 1