2002 Saturn Sl: Reliability Data

Source: NHTSA — 154 complaints
154
Total Complaints
60,000mi
Median Mileage
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Top Issue
24
Crash Reports

When Do Complaints Happen?

Distribution of NHTSA complaints by vehicle mileage at time of report.

35,650 25th Percentile
60,000 Median Mileage
95,000 75th Percentile

What Fails?

Most reported component issues from NHTSA complaints.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
21
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
14
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION
11
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
7
AIR BAGS
6
STEERING
6
SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:RECLINER
5
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
5
ENGINE
5
TIRES
4

Severity Assessment

24
Crashes
5
Fires
20
Injuries
0
Deaths

Sample Complaint Reports

"AFTER A LONG DISTANCE DRIVE AND STOPPING AT LOCAL STORE FOR A MOMENT VEHICLE WOULD HESITATE WHILE CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING AT ABOUT 45MPH. THEN, WHEN PULLING INTO A PARKING LOT VEHICLE STARTED SMOKING, RELEASING VERY THICK VAPOR. ALSO, SMOKE WAS COMING FROM EXHAUST, AND VAPORS WAS FROM INSIDE O..."
"AFTER A LONG DISTANCE DRIVE AND STOPPING AT LOCAL STORE FOR A MOMENT VEHICLE WOULD HESITATE WHILE CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING AT ABOUT 45MPH. THEN, WHEN PULLING INTO A PARKING LOT VEHICLE STARTED SMOKING, RELEASING VERY THICK VAPOR. ALSO, SMOKE WAS COMING FROM EXHAUST, AND VAPORS WAS FROM INSIDE O..."
"WHILE DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS VEHICLE STALLS WITHOUT ANY INDICATION. DEALER WAS CONTACTED AND COULD NOT DUPLICATE PROBLEM, BUT REPLACED BATTERY .PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK"

Source: NHTSA ODI Complaints Database. Names and identifying details omitted.

Data source: View this vehicle on NHTSA.gov | NHTSA ODI Complaints Database. Public domain.

Methodology: Complaint counts and mileage distributions are computed directly from consumer-reported NHTSA complaints. This data represents reported issues, not failure rates — vehicles without complaints are not represented. Full methodology.

Data through: 2026-03-28