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2001 Saturn S-SERIES Sedan

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Limited comparison data

There is not enough comparable history to draw a useful model-year comparison.

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How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

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Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.

What owners reported most

Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.

When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

Limited mileage data: 3 of 4 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.

NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.

What to inspect

Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.

  • Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 2 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Child Seat. Review the 1 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Power Train. Review the 1 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

0 crash reports0 fire reports0 injury reports

What owners actually said

4 reports
157,000 miles · Sep 28, 2010
Engine And Engine Cooling

2001 SATURN SL2 SEDAN TIMING CHAIN FAILURE. IT IS CURRENTLY AT AN AUTOMOTIVE REPAIR SHOP, SO I DO NOT HAVE THE VIN HANDY (BUT IF YOU NEED IT, CONTACT ME). THEY DO NOT WANT TO REPLACE THE TIMING CHAIN BECAUSE THEY SAY THEY HAVE HAD EXPERIENCES WHERE THEY DO THIS AND IT FAILS AGAIN IN A FEW MONTHS. THEY SAY THEY DO NOT WANT TO LOO…

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2001 SATURN SL2 SEDAN TIMING CHAIN FAILURE. IT IS CURRENTLY AT AN AUTOMOTIVE REPAIR SHOP, SO I DO NOT HAVE THE VIN HANDY (BUT IF YOU NEED IT, CONTACT ME). THEY DO NOT WANT TO REPLACE THE TIMING CHAIN BECAUSE THEY SAY THEY HAVE HAD EXPERIENCES WHERE THEY DO THIS AND IT FAILS AGAIN IN A FEW MONTHS. THEY SAY THEY DO NOT WANT TO LOOK FOR ANOTHER ENGINE BECAUSE IT WOULD HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM. I SPECIFICALLY BOUGHT THE SATURN BECAUSE IT HAD A TIMING CHAIN INSTEAD OF A TIMING BELT (BECAUSE I OWNED A FIAT ON WHICH THE TIMING BELT BROKE AND I NEVER WANTED TO GO THROUGH THAT AGAIN). YET, HERE I HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM WITH A TIMING CHAIN. I HAVE HEARD THAT THERE IS A LUBRICATION ISSUE WITH THE TIMING CHAIN THAT CAUSES IT TO FAIL. I HOPE THIS CAN BE INVESTIGATED. SATURN MADE A BIG DEAL OF THEIR "300,000 MILES CLUB" AND HOW ROBUST AND LONG-LASTING THEIR CARS WERE, AND NOW THIS. TO MAKE THINGS WORSE, OUR FAMILY HAS TWO 2001 SATURN SL2 SEDANS! *TR

NHTSA ODI #10358159

Mileage unknown · Sep 10, 2008
Power Train

BRUSHING ON MY 2001 SATURN BROKE WHILE I WAS DRIVING, LEAVING ME STUCK IN 3RD GEAR. I HAVE SEARCHED ONLINE, AND FOUND THAT IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM, AND SATURN REFUSES TO SELL THE DEFECTIVE PART, OPTING TO CHARGE THEIR CUSTOMERS OVER $200 FOR A $0.30 PART. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10241692

40,000 miles · May 15, 2006
Child Seat

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE ATTEMPTING TO REMOVE THE HARNESS BUCKLE ASSEMBLY THAT LATCHES BETWEEN THE CHILD'S LEGS, THE HARNESS BUCKLE WOULD NOT UNLOCK. AFTER SEVERAL ATTEMPTS, THE BUCKLE ASSEMBLY STRAP WAS CUT IN ORDER TO FREE THE CHILD. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT ALERTED. THE SEAT IS AN EVENFLO MODEL # 3252245P1, DATE OF …

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DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE ATTEMPTING TO REMOVE THE HARNESS BUCKLE ASSEMBLY THAT LATCHES BETWEEN THE CHILD'S LEGS, THE HARNESS BUCKLE WOULD NOT UNLOCK. AFTER SEVERAL ATTEMPTS, THE BUCKLE ASSEMBLY STRAP WAS CUT IN ORDER TO FREE THE CHILD. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT ALERTED. THE SEAT IS AN EVENFLO MODEL # 3252245P1, DATE OF MANUFACTURE IS MARCH 15, 2005.

NHTSA ODI #10157555

56,482 miles · Mar 14, 2005
Engine And Engine Cooling

CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ON DIAGNOSED CODES FOUND 34 1,300 AND 507 VVB PRESENT. DIAGNOSED FURTHER FOUND INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET LEAK. REPLACED TAKE MANIFOLD GASKET. DID A GOODWILL SPLIT ON COST. ON MARCH 14 2005 THE SAME PROBLEM CAME UP HAD TO REPLACE MANIFOLD GASKET. THE REPAIR THIS TIME HAD TO PAY $100 F…

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CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ON DIAGNOSED CODES FOUND 34 1,300 AND 507 VVB PRESENT. DIAGNOSED FURTHER FOUND INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET LEAK. REPLACED TAKE MANIFOLD GASKET. DID A GOODWILL SPLIT ON COST. ON MARCH 14 2005 THE SAME PROBLEM CAME UP HAD TO REPLACE MANIFOLD GASKET. THE REPAIR THIS TIME HAD TO PAY $100 FOR REPAIR. SATURN PAID FOR THE REST OF THE REPAIRS. I FEEL I SHOULD BE REIMBURSED IN FULL FOR BOTH REPAIRS, AND THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL ON THE 2001 SATURN SLI *AK

NHTSA ODI #10114090

Official recalls

0

No recalls in this snapshot.

Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗

NHTSA investigations

0

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.