2001 Saturn SL Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other SL years
- Fewer complaints than other years 8th of 8 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 2 recalls: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 111 complaints with NHTSA about the 2001 Saturn SL. That ranks 8th out of 8 SL model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is electrical system (29 complaints, 26%), typically at around 64,500 miles. Complaints mention 14 crashes, 10 injuries. There are 2 safety recalls covering this model year.
- 111owner complaints
- 2safety recalls
- 0NHTSA investigations
- 14complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2001 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Electrical System | 29 | 26% | 64,500 | — | — |
| Power Train | 20 | 18% | 60,500 | — | — |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 18 | 16% | 63,400 | — | — |
| Air Bags | 13 | 12% | 73,000 | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 12 | 11% | 43,577 | — | — |
| Seats | 6 | 5% | — | — | — |
| Structure | 4 | 4% | 127 | — | — |
| Tires | 4 | 4% | 10,000 | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 4 | 4% | 65,000 | — | — |
| Exterior Lighting | 3 | 3% | 190,000 | — | — |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 3 | 3% | 27,291 | — | — |
| Steering | 3 | 3% | 43,900 | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 3 | 3% | 23,175 | — | — |
| Visibility | 3 | 3% | 59,450 | — | — |
| Engine | 2 | 2% | 108,646 | — | — |
| Equipment | 2 | 2% | 31,934 | — | — |
| Suspension | 2 | 2% | 82,845 | — | — |
| Parking Brake | 1 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Service Brakes | 1 | 1% | 94,000 | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2001 Saturn SL recalls (2)
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.
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.
The problem is with the Firestone Tempa Spare T115/70 R14 spare tire. This tire came with the car when new, and has never been used. Tire date of manufacture is 42 2000. I periodically check its air pressure, but it has never been out of the spare tire well. I checked the pressure 1 week ago, and…
I have soo much problem with this car
My saturn that i've been driving for about a year and a half now, completely cut off in the middle of me driving it. Luckily i was at a drive they so so serious damage to me or anyone else. Could not get it to start back up for a good 5-10 mins. Also the transmission is going out in it and i'm…
My key comes out the ignition in the run position, when the car is running. I am original owner since new. This started about the year of 2009 at about 65,000 miles. I have 165,000 miles on the car now.
I have trouble turning the ignition switch. Once started the keys can fall out of the switch. Please add this to the ignition recall because i don't want to die!!!
Other Saturn SL years
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2002 SL | 131 | 0 |
| 2001 | 111 | 2 |
| 2000 SL | 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
Embed this 2001 Saturn SL badge on your site
Copy this code into your blog or forum post. It shows live complaint and recall counts and links back here.
Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 2001 Saturn SL?
Owners most often report electrical system, power train, engine and engine cooling problems. The top one, electrical system, accounts for 29 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2001 Saturn SL?
Yes, 2 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 2001 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 2001 has fewer complaints than most years. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.