2001 Saturn SATURN L SERIES: complaints, problems and recalls
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
9 owner complaints analyzed
0 distinct recall campaigns
86,375 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2001 model year. Data snapshot: . 6 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 is the most frequently named component, appearing in 5 of 9 complaints (55.6%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Engine operation | 3 | 33.3% |
| Fuel system concerns | 2 | 22.2% |
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 | 5 |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 2 |
| Air Bags | 1 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine | 1 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Gasoline | 1 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Gasoline:Belts And Associated Pulleys | 1 |
| Visibility:Defroster/Defogger/Hvac System:Heater Core | 1 |
Engine And Engine Cooling: 5; Fuel System, Gasoline: 2; Air Bags: 1; Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine: 1; Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Gasoline: 1; Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Gasoline:Belts And Associated Pulleys: 1; Visibility:Defroster/Defogger/Hvac System:Heater Core: 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 | 1 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 0 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 0 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 4 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 1 |
| 150,000 and above | 0 |
Under 25,000: 1; 25,000 to 49,999: 0; 50,000 to 74,999: 0; 75,000 to 99,999: 4; 100,000 to 149,999: 1; 150,000 and above: 0
75,000 to 99,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (4). 3 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 |
|---|---|
| 2006 | 1 |
| 2007 | 1 |
| 2008 | 3 |
| 2009 | 3 |
| 2011 | 1 |
2006: 1; 2007: 1; 2008: 3; 2009: 3; 2011: 1
Pattern summary
Engine And Engine Cooling leads the component reports. Engine operation appears in 3 complaint narratives. Fuel system concerns 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.
Examples from the source records
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
Owner report 10174913 · 2006-12-01 (December 1, 2006)
IN OCTOBER 2006, MY ENGINE COOLANT LIGHT CAME ON. I WAS TOLD IT WAS A BAD CAP THAT WAS NOT HOLDING THE PRESSURE. WITHIN TWO WEEKS, THE SAME LIGHT CAME ON. I WENT BACK AND THEY SAID CAP WAS FINE AND COULD NOT FIND A PROBLEM. STATED THAT THEY HAD ADDED A DYE TO THE ENGINE COOLANT TO LOOK FOR THE PROBLEM AND COME BACK IN TWO WEEKS. ALMOST EXACTLY TWO WEEKS LATER, DEC. 1, I RETURNED BECAUSE I HAD FOUND THE PROBLEM. THE COOLANT - INCLUDING THE BRIGHT, FLUORESCENT GREENISH, YELLOWISH DYED - LEAKED ALL IN THE PASSENGER FLOORBOARD AND WAS BEING SOAKED …
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10174913 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10183666 · 2007-02-27 (February 27, 2007)
TL*- THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE 2001 SATURN L STATION WAGON'S TIMING CHAIN BROKE WHILE DRIVING AT 5-10 MPH AND TURNING A CORNER. THE CONTACT HAD THE VEHICLE SERVICED AT 99,000 MILES BACK IN 07/04, AND ASKED THE SERVICE MANAGER IF THE TIMING CHAIN SHOULD BE SERVICED AND WAS TOLD THAT TIMING CHAINS DID NOT USUALLY BREAK. THE CONTACT ASKED ABOUT THIS AT THAT TIME BECAUSE SHE DID RESEARCH ON THE VEHICLE DUE TO OTHER PROBLEMS SHE WAS HAVING WITH IT, AND FOUND A BULLETIN REGARDING THE TIMING CHAIN. SHE GAVE SERVICE BULLETIN ACTION # EA6009 …
Owner-reported narrative. 15,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10183666 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10215796 · 2008-01-23 (January 23, 2008)
TIMING CHAIN LINKS SEPARATED ON MY 2001 SATURN L SERIES. *TR
Owner-reported narrative. 94,525 miles reported. Look up ODI 10215796 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10243941 · 2008-09-29 (September 29, 2008)
TIMING CHAIN BROKE ON A 2 LANE HIGHWAY GOING ABOUT 65 MPH. LUCKY TO GET TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD IN ONE PIECE. ENGINE STALLED AND WOULD NOT START. *TR
Owner-reported narrative. 79,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10243941 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10244940 · 2008-10-09 (October 9, 2008)
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 SATURN L SERIES. WHILE DRIVING 5 MPH, THE TIMING BELT CAME APART AND THE VEHICLE STALLED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A SHOP TO BE REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 93,750.
Owner-reported narrative. 93,750 miles reported. Look up ODI 10244940 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10265276 · 2009-04-14 (April 14, 2009)
THERE IS NO ONE THING WRONG WITH MY 2001 SATURN L300 V6. JUST EVERYTHING. I TAKE IT IN FOR ONE REPAIR AND SOMETHING ELSE IS WRONG LESS THAN A WEEK LATER. LESS THAN 3 MONTHS AFTER I BOUGHT IT USED, I HAD TO REPLACE THE RADIATOR. THEN MY TIRES WERE BAD BECAUSE THE SUSPENSION SUCKS, AND YOU HAVE TO BUY AN AFTER-MARKET KIT JUST TO FIX THAT ISSUE. THEN MY WATER PUMP BLEW UP. THEN MY FUEL PUMP BLEW. THESE CARS ARE HORRIBLE & SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE ABOUT IT! *TR
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10265276 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10269137 · 2009-05-18 (May 18, 2009)
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 SATURN L SERIES. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 10 MPH ON NORMAL ROAD CONDITIONS, THE VEHICLE BACKFIRED WHILE MAKING A LEFT TURN. THE ENGINE STALLED AND FAILED TO RESTART AND THE VEHICLE COASTED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE WAS CALLED AND THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE TECHNICIAN STATED THAT THE TIMING CHAIN FAILED. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 07V519000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING), ALTHOUGH THE FAILURES WERE IDENTICAL…
Owner-reported narrative. 102,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10269137 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10280114 · 2009-08-11 (August 11, 2009)
FUEL SYSTEM/FUEL TANK VENT VALVE IN 2001 SATURN L200. I KEPT SMELLING GAS FROM THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE. COULD NOT FIND THE SOURCE OF THE SMELL. WAS AFRAID OF FIRE/ASPHYXIATION. FINALLY TOOK TO MECHANIC AND HAD A FUEL DIAGNOSTICS PERFORMED. THE FUEL TANK VENTLINE AND THE FUEL PUMP HAD TO BE REPLACED. HAD I CONTINUED TO DRIVE IT THIS WAY IT COULD HAVE RESULTED IN FIRE. *TR
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10280114 at NHTSA ↗
Recall history
0 distinct campaigns affect this selection. Announcement dates below are different from vehicle model years. A campaign may cover multiple years.
No recall campaigns are recorded in this snapshot.