IllustrationVEHICLE ROTORS ARE WARPED.*MR THE CONSUMER STATED THE ROTORS WARPED SO BAD IN 10,000 MILES THAT THE VEHICLE SHOOK AND VIBRATED. WHEN MANEUVERING AROUND A CURVE THE VEHICLE WAS DIFFICULT TO CONTROL. *PH *NM
2002 Saturn Sl
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 2002 Saturn Sl do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 171.5.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Sl years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
130–25K
2325–50K
1550–75K
1075–100K
11100–150K
9150K+
81 reports with mileage · 50 unknown
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.
- Electrical System. Review the 43 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Power Train. Review the 22 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 16 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
20 crash reports5 fire reports15 injury reports
What owners actually said
131 reportsCONSUMER COMPLAINED ABOUT FRONT BRAKE ROTORS. FRONT BRAKE ROTORS WERE REPLACED ON TWO SEPARATE OCCASIONS, BUT THE PROBLEM RECURRED. *AK
SATURN SL1 WAS NOT SHIFTING PROPERLY. TOOK IT IN FOR REPAIRS ON MONDAY, 6/23/03. SUPOSSEDLY COMPUTER WAS REPROGRAMMED. FOUR DAYS LATER (06/27/03) TRANSMISSION FAILED TOTALY. HAD TO HAVE CAR TOWED. WHOLE TRANSMISSION WAS REPLACED BUT I DO NOT FEEL SAFE DRIVING IT.
WHILE DRIVING 15 MPH THE VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED A REAR END COLLISION. UPON IMPACT THE DRIVER SEAT COLLAPSED WITHOUT WARNING. THE DRIVER SUSTAINED NECK AND BACK INJURIES. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. *NLM
WHILE DRIVING CONSUMER HEARD A LOUD NOISE. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER, WHO DETERMINED THAT THE GEARS BROKE AND WENT THROUGH THE TRANSMISSION. MANUAL TRANSMISSION WAS REPLACED. *AK
GEAR SHIFT STARTED SMOKING THEN CAUGHT ON FIRE.*MR THERE WAS A RECALL FOR 2000-2003 SATURNS OF THE SAME MODEL. THE DEALER STATED THEY WEREN'T RESPONSIBLE FOR THE FIRE AND WASN'T GOING TO PAY FOR THE DAMAGES. *PH *NLM
VEHICLE EXPERIENCED BRAKE FAILURE.*MR WHILE DRIVING THE CONSUMER BRAKE PEDAL WENT ALL THE WAY DOWN TO THE FLOOR, AS SHE WAS ATTEMPTING TO STOP THE VEHICLE AT A TRAFFIC SIGNAL. IT HAD RESULTED IN A COLLISION WITH THE VEHICLE IN FRONT OF HER. ABOUT $600 WORTH OF DAMAGES OCCURRED NOT INCLUDING THE CAUSE OF REPAIRS FOR THE CONS…
Read full complaint
VEHICLE EXPERIENCED BRAKE FAILURE.*MR WHILE DRIVING THE CONSUMER BRAKE PEDAL WENT ALL THE WAY DOWN TO THE FLOOR, AS SHE WAS ATTEMPTING TO STOP THE VEHICLE AT A TRAFFIC SIGNAL. IT HAD RESULTED IN A COLLISION WITH THE VEHICLE IN FRONT OF HER. ABOUT $600 WORTH OF DAMAGES OCCURRED NOT INCLUDING THE CAUSE OF REPAIRS FOR THE CONSUMERS VEHICLE.*CB
WHILE DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEED, CONSUMER LOST CONTROL AND COULDN'T STEER THE VEHICLE. PASSENGER'SIR BAG DEPLOYED.DEALER AND MANUFACTURER NOTIFIED. *AK
WHEN DRIVING AT NIGHT WITH THE HIGH BEAMS ON OR OFF, THE HEADLIGHTS, FLICKERED. THE CONSUMER FELT IT WAS VERY DISTRACTING AND ANNOYING. *AK *SCC *JB
WHILE TRAVELING ON THE HIGHWAY AND WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING VEHICLE SHUTDOWN. *AK
Official recalls
0No 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
0No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.