U.S. public vehicle records

2000 Saturn SL problems and owner complaints

Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.

Key facts

147 owner complaints analyzed

7 distinct recall campaigns

57,714 mi median reported failure mileage

Scope: 2000 model year. Data snapshot: 2026-09-12 (September 12, 2026). 59 complaints include usable failure mileage.

Owner-reported patterns

Most common problems

Power Train:Automatic Transmission is the most frequently named component, appearing in 22 of 147 complaints (15.0%). A complaint can name multiple components.

Recurring terms in complaint narratives
Topic	Matching reports	Share of complaints
Transmission and shifting	24	16.3%
Braking behavior	19	12.9%
Steering behavior	10	6.8%
Electrical and battery issues	8	5.4%
Engine operation	6	4.1%
Fuel system concerns	1	0.7%

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.

Power Train:Automatic Transmission

Engine And Engine Cooling

Electrical System

Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine

Tires

Electrical System:Ignition

Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Gasoline

Power Train

Component breakdown data
Category	Count
Power Train:Automatic Transmission	22
Engine And Engine Cooling	11
Electrical System	10
Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine	10
Tires	10
Electrical System:Ignition	7
Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Gasoline	6
Power Train	6

Power Train:Automatic Transmission: 22; Engine And Engine Cooling: 11; Electrical System: 10; Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine: 10; Tires: 10; Electrical System:Ignition: 7; Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Gasoline: 6; Power Train: 6

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

75,000 to 99,999

100,000 to 149,999

150,000 and above

Under 25,000: 10; 25,000 to 49,999: 14; 50,000 to 74,999: 10; 75,000 to 99,999: 17; 100,000 to 149,999: 6; 150,000 and above: 2

75,000 to 99,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (17). 88 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

2014

2016

2018

2000: 17; 2001: 18; 2002: 25; 2003: 19; 2004: 17; 2005: 14; 2006: 4; 2007: 6; 2008: 5; 2009: 4; 2010: 2; 2011: 2; 2014: 12; 2016: 1; 2018: 1

Pattern summary

Power Train:Automatic Transmission leads the component reports. Transmission and shifting appears in 24 complaint narratives. Braking behavior appears in 19 complaint narratives. Steering behavior appears in 10 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 10001122 · 2002-12-18 (December 18, 2002)

WHILE DRIVING AT 55 MPH, CONSUMER FELT THE FRONT WHEELS LOCKING UP. CONSUMER HAD VEHICLE SERVICE BY THE DEALERSHIP WHO INDICATED THAT THE PIN IN THE TRANSMISSION BROKE IN TWO. THIS RESULTED IN THE BOLT COMING LOSS AND BUSTING CASING AROUND THE TRANSMISSION. PLEASE PROVIDE MORE DETAILS. TS

Owner-reported narrative. 75,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10001122 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10033003 · 2003-08-18 (August 18, 2003)

I HAVE A 2000 SATURN SL1 (AUTO TRANS). THE OIL GALLEY PLUG COME OUT OF THE BACK OF THE ENGINE AND BROKE MY FLYWHEEL, TORQUE CONVERTER, AND THE TRANSMISSION. SATURN SAYS IT IS NOT THEIR FAULT AND THEY WILL NOT PAY FOR IT TO BE FIXED, BUT THIS PLUG CAN NOT BE TOUCH WITHOUT TAKING THE WHOLE ENGINE OUT AND TAKING THE ENGINE APART. KNOW THIS NOW THE LAST ONE TO TOUCH THIS PLUG IS SATURN WHEN THEY WERE PUTTING THE ENGINE TOGETHER NOW I HAVE TO PAY FOR THEIR MISTAKE, NOW A PLUG THAT DOES NOTHING AND CAN NOT BE TOUCH OR A REASON TO BE SERVICED, HAS CA…

Owner-reported narrative. 51,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10033003 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10014846 · 2003-04-10 (April 10, 2003)

THE RETAINING PINS WERE NOT REMOVED FROM THE REAR BRAKES WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED. THE CONSUMER DROVE THE VEHICLE TWO YEAR WITHOUT REAR BRAKES *MR *SCC *NLM

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10014846 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10027019 · 2003-08-15 (August 15, 2003)

THE CONSUMER STATED HIS WIFE WAS TRAVELING ABOUT 40-50 MPH COMING OFF A RAMP, SHE HIT THE BRAKES AND WHEN SHE RELEASED THEM, THEY LOCKED UP, WHICH CAUSED THE WHEEL TO CATCH ON FIRE. THE AUTO WAS TAKEN TO THE SHOP BY THE INSURANCE ADJUSTER AND THE MECHANIC REPAIRED THE VEHICLE, HOWEVER THE MANUFACTURE DID NOT WANT TO PAY FOR THE DAMAGES TO THE AUTO. *AK

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10027019 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10024818 · 2003-06-24 (June 24, 2003)

CONSUMER WILL ELABORATE ON A COMPLAIN ABOUT STEERING WHEEL PROBLEM. *AK

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10024818 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10042487 · 2003-10-07 (October 7, 2003)

CONSUMER NOTICED WHILE LOOKING OVER REAR BAKES STEERING WHEEL WAS IN THE WRONG POSITION. DEALER WAS CONTACTED TECHNICIAN COULD NOT REPAIR BECAUSE VEHICLE WAS NOT UNDER WARRANTY. *AK

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10042487 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10005204 · 2003-02-03 (February 3, 2003)

ELECTRICAL PROBLEM WITH CAR,

Owner-reported narrative. 18,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10005204 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10030935 · 2003-08-06 (August 6, 2003)

BRAKE LIGHT ASSEMBLY ELECTRICAL, OVERHEATING OF CONTACTS RESULTS IN FAULTY OPERATION, DELER RECOMMENDS REPLACEMENT THIS IS THE SECOND FAILURE OF THIS TYPE ON THIS VEHICLE. I CONSIDER IT A SAFETY ISSUE.*AK

Owner-reported narrative. 33,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10030935 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10053383 · 2004-01-05 (January 5, 2004)

WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED VEHICLE STALLED. DEALER COULD NOT FIX THE VEHICLE BECAUSE THEY WERE UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. *AK

Owner-reported narrative. 29,220 miles reported. Look up ODI 10053383 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10111466 · 2005-03-18 (March 18, 2005)

WHILE DRIVING TRANSMISSION FAILED WITH NO WARNING. *AK WHILE DRIVING, THE VEHICLE ALL OF A SUDDEN OVERHEATED AND STALLED. THE CONSUMERS MECHANIC TOLD HER THE INTAKE MANIFOLD WAS SEVERELY DAMAGED. *JB

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10111466 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10055293 · 2004-01-16 (January 16, 2004)

THE CONSUMER WAS ABLE TO HEAR GAS SPLASHING UP AGAINST THE GAS TANK. THE DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. PLEASE DESCRIBE FURTHER. *JB

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10055293 at NHTSA ↗