2000 Saturn SL Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other SL years
- About as many complaints as other years 6th of 8 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 7 recalls: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 148 complaints with NHTSA about the 2000 Saturn SL. That ranks 6th out of 8 SL model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is power train (35 complaints, 24%), typically at around 56,000 miles. Complaints mention 10 crashes, 3 fires, 10 injuries. There are 7 safety recalls covering this model year.
- 148owner complaints
- 7safety recalls
- 0NHTSA investigations
- 10complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2000 Saturn SL problems
Complaints grouped by the part of the car owners reported, with the median mileage when the problem happened.
| Problem area | Complaints | Share | Median miles | Owners mention most | Typical repair cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Power Train | 35 | 24% | 56,000 | — | — |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 34 | 23% | 66,784 | — | — |
| Electrical System | 26 | 18% | 24,450 | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 13 | 9% | 57,000 | — | — |
| Tires | 11 | 7% | — | — | — |
| Steering | 10 | 7% | 74,284 | — | — |
| Suspension | 7 | 5% | — | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 7 | 5% | 73,568 | — | — |
| Exterior Lighting | 6 | 4% | 25,500 | — | — |
| Structure | 6 | 4% | 198,000 | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 6 | 4% | 65,000 | — | — |
| Visibility | 6 | 4% | 19,000 | — | — |
| Air Bags | 5 | 3% | 89,000 | — | — |
| Seats | 4 | 3% | — | — | — |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 3 | 2% | 77,000 | — | — |
| Wheels | 3 | 2% | 120,000 | — | — |
| Engine | 2 | 1% | 123,000 | — | — |
| Equipment | 2 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 1 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Fuel System, Other | 1 | 1% | 18,000 | — | — |
| Interior Lighting | 1 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Service Brakes | 1 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Air | 1 | 1% | — | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2000 Saturn SL recalls (7)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Fuel system, gasoline:storage:tank assembly
Problem: Vehicle description: certain passenger vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of fmvss no. 301, "fuel system integrity." these vehicles were built with an inadequate vent valve weld on the top portion of the fuel tank.
Risk: Fuel spillage could occur during refueling or if the vehicle were involved in a rollover. If an ignition source were present, a fire could occur.
Fix: Dealers will inspect the vehicle to ensure the fuel tank vent valve is properly welded. If necessary, dealers will replace the fuel tank assembly.
Power train:automatic transmission:park/neutral start interlock switch
Problem: Vehicle description: certain passenger vehicles, equipped with automatic transaxles, fail to comply with the requirements of fmvss no. 114, "theft protection." these vehicles were built with an improperly adjusted automatic transaxle park lock cable assembly. If improperly adjusted, it is possible to shift from the "park" position with the ignition key removed.
Risk: This condition increases the risk of a crash resulting from the unintended movement of parked vehicles.
Fix: Saturn is asking owners and retailers to perform a functional check of the automatic transaxle park lock cable assembly operation, and if necessary, to have the cable adjusted. If owners are not comfortable performing the functional check themselves, they can have their dealer perform this inspection for them.
Structure:body
Problem: Vehicle description: passenger vehicles equipped with a console armrest fail to comply with requirements of fmvss no. 201, "occupant protection in interior impacts." the armrests were produced with a latch that will not withstand the vertical force requirements of the standard.
Risk: In the event of a crash, the latch may open and the armrest or the contents of the console could injure an occupant.
Fix: Dealers will replace the console armrest latch.
Seat belts:front:anchorage
Problem: Vehicle description: passenger vehicles. These vehicles do not comply with requirements of fmvss no. 210, "seat belt assembly anchorages." some of the vehicles were produced with seat belt shoulder guide anchor bolts that were not adequately tightened at the center pillar and could fall out, making the seat belt inoperative.
Risk: In the event of a crash, the seat occupant may not be properly restrained.
Fix: Dealers will inspect these vehicles for proper installation and torque of the seat belt shoulder guide anchor bolts.
Service brakes, hydraulic:foundation components
Problem: Vehicle description: passenger vehicles. These vehicles do not comply with requirements of fmvss no. 135, "passenger car brake systems." these vehicles were produced with brake pipe attachment nuts that may not be tightened to specifications.
Risk: If the brake pipe nuts are not properly tightened, brake fluid leakage could occur, increasing the brake's stopping distance.
Fix: Dealers will inspect the brake pipe nuts for leakage, verify they are tightened to specifications, and replace the brake pipes if needed.
Unknown or other
Problem: Vehicle description: passenger vehicles. These vehicles do not comply with requirements of fmvss no. 208, "occupant crash protection." some of these vehicles were manufactured with welds in the instrument panel carrier assembly that do not meet saturn quality standards.
Risk: A front seat occupant, particularly an unbelted occupant, may have an increased risk of injury in a frontal crash.
Fix: Dealers will repair the vehicle's instrument panel carrier assembly.
Structure:body:bumpers
Problem: Vehicle description: passenger vehicles. These vehicles do not comply with requirements of fmvss no. 581, "bumper standard." these vehicles were produced with rear bumper fasteners that may be loose or missing.
Risk: If the fasteners are loose or missing, the rear bumper may not absorb energy as it was designed to do in the event of a rear end collision.
Fix: Dealers will verify that the rear bumper beam fasteners are present and properly tightened and, if missing, install new fasteners.
To see whether a specific car still has an open recall, enter its VIN on NHTSA's official recall lookup. You can also decode a VIN here.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
Hit mountain head on and car rolled and air bags did not deploy. Rear tire and drum broke off car while doing 50 mile per hour
There is no issue with my brake light bulb it is not burnt out. All the fuses have been checked over by qualified salesperson who had shown me that my that my brake light was still working, and yet my brake light does not work. I am afraid of driving at night, and worry constantly that i will be…
The timing chain went out and needs replaced. The engine cranks but will not turn over. Our mechanic told us we're looking at a $1000 plus repair. *tr
Soon after purchasing the vehicle we started having problems with the ignition switch. Sometimes it was very difficult to even start the car as the switch would be frozen in place. After some play with the steering wheel it would work. Then there were times you could not turn the vehicle off…
I turned my car into a parking lot, and the engine suddenly just quit working. After several minutes i was able to restart the car, it also happened again while i was stopped at a red light, and again when i made a left turn into another park lot,all on the same day in less than 1 1/2 hours total…
Other Saturn SL years
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2002 SL | 131 | 0 |
| 2001 SL | 111 | 2 |
| 2000 | 148 | 7 |
| 1999 SL | 178 | 1 |
| 1998 SL | 168 | 0 |
| 1997 SL | 227 | 2 |
| 1996 SL | 287 | 1 |
| 1995 SL | 355 | 3 |
See all Saturn SL problems by year, every Saturn model, or the VIN decoder.
Similar Saturn models
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Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 2000 Saturn SL?
Owners most often report power train, engine and engine cooling, electrical system problems. The top one, power train, accounts for 35 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2000 Saturn SL?
Yes, 7 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 2000 Saturn SL a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other SL model years, the 2000 has about as many complaints as a typical year. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.