IllustrationTHE IGNITION CYLINDER LOCK ON MY SATURN SL2 2002 WILL NOT BUDGE. DOING AN INTERNET SEARCH IT IS EVIDENT THAT SCORES OF PEOPLE HAVE HAD THIS PROBLEM WITH ALL MODELS OF SATURNS. HAS THERE BEEN A RECALL? IF NOT HOW DOES ONE START THAT PROCESS.
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 reports2002 SATURN SL2 STALLED THEN VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE. *MR THE VEHICLE BEGUN TO SMOKE THEN IGNITED. *SC
UPON SITTING AT A STOP LIGHT CONSUMER'S VEHICLE WAS REAR-ENDED. THE DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT BACK RECLINED COMPLETELY. UPON IMPACT, THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. *AK *NM
WHEN BRAKES APPLIED THE BRAKE LIGHT FAILED TO COME ON, THE BRAKE LIGHT DID NOT ILLUMINATED. THE CONSUMER DROVE TO THE DEALER AND THE MECHANIC INFORMED THE CONSUMER THAT THERE WAS AN ELECTRICAL SHORTAGE CONNECTING FROM THE STEERING HARNESS. PLEASE PROVIDE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. *JB
TRANSMISSION WAS DEFECTIVE, WHEN SHIFTING IT DOWN SHIFTED AND CHANGED GEARS ON ITS OWN. MANUFACTURER TO DATE HAS OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE.*AK
AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION. DRIVING ON STRAIGHTAWAY ~ 20-30 MPH. BANGING INTO GEAR AS SHIFTS. HARDER BANG WHEN GOING INTO "R". BROUGHT TO DEALERSHIP IMMEDIATELY. PROBLEM: FAULTY SOLENOID. REPLACED VALVE BODY. EXPENSIVE REPAIR! THIS IS A VERY PREMATURE, FAILURE. CAR ONLY 3 YEARS WITH ~50K. *JB
THIS IS REGARDED TO THE VALVE BODY ISSUE THAT IS COMMON IN SATURNS. I HAVE A 2002 SL1 WITH 50,000 MILES ON IT AND MUST NEED TO BE REPLACED AFTER DOING RESEARCH ONLINE I HAVE FOUND THAT THERE IS HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE WITH THE SAME PROBLEM. WHY HAS SATURN NOT DONE ANYTHING TO FIX THIS PROBLEM, OR OFFER TO HELP PAY FOR THE COST OF REP…
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THIS IS REGARDED TO THE VALVE BODY ISSUE THAT IS COMMON IN SATURNS. I HAVE A 2002 SL1 WITH 50,000 MILES ON IT AND MUST NEED TO BE REPLACED AFTER DOING RESEARCH ONLINE I HAVE FOUND THAT THERE IS HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE WITH THE SAME PROBLEM. WHY HAS SATURN NOT DONE ANYTHING TO FIX THIS PROBLEM, OR OFFER TO HELP PAY FOR THE COST OF REPAIRS?*AK
WHILE APPLYING THE BRAKE PEDAL BRAKES FAILED. CONSUMER WAS ABLE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE, AND PULLED OVER. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO DEALER FOR INSPECTION, AND MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT ROTORS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED, AND REPLACED THEM FOUR TIMES. HOWEVER, THE PROBLEM RECURRED. *AK
WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED VEHICLE JERK AND VIBRATED UNCONTROLLABLY. CONSUMER WAS ABLE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE, AND DROVE IT TO DEALER FOR INSPECTION NUMEROUS TIMES. HOWEVER, MECHANIC COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. *AK
UPON STARTING THE VEHICLE IT OVERHEATED. ONCE TURNING IT OFF, AND UPON TRYING TO START IT AGAIN, IDLE DROPPED TO ZERO, AND VEHICLE STALLED INTERMITTENTLY. ALSO, DASH LIGHTS ILLUMINATED. CONSUMER CONTACTED THE DEALER MORE THAN FOUR TIMES FOR THIS PROBLEM. DEALER STATED THAT THERE WAS A BAD SENSOR. HOWEVER, PROBLEM RECURRED. *A…
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UPON STARTING THE VEHICLE IT OVERHEATED. ONCE TURNING IT OFF, AND UPON TRYING TO START IT AGAIN, IDLE DROPPED TO ZERO, AND VEHICLE STALLED INTERMITTENTLY. ALSO, DASH LIGHTS ILLUMINATED. CONSUMER CONTACTED THE DEALER MORE THAN FOUR TIMES FOR THIS PROBLEM. DEALER STATED THAT THERE WAS A BAD SENSOR. HOWEVER, PROBLEM RECURRED. *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.