2002 Saturn SL Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other SL years
- Fewer complaints than other years 7th of 8 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- None on file
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 131 complaints with NHTSA about the 2002 Saturn SL. That ranks 7th out of 8 SL model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is electrical system (43 complaints, 33%), typically at around 90,000 miles. Complaints mention 20 crashes, 5 fires, 16 injuries. There are no safety recalls on file for this model year.
- 131owner complaints
- 0safety recalls
- 0NHTSA investigations
- 20complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2002 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 | 43 | 33% | 90,000 | — | — |
| Power Train | 22 | 17% | 46,165 | — | — |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 16 | 12% | 73,500 | — | — |
| Air Bags | 9 | 7% | 39,000 | — | — |
| Seats | 9 | 7% | 64,000 | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 8 | 6% | 28,600 | — | — |
| Steering | 8 | 6% | 75,000 | — | — |
| Engine | 5 | 4% | 141,244 | — | — |
| Exterior Lighting | 5 | 4% | 35,000 | — | — |
| Tires | 5 | 4% | 20,250 | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 4 | 3% | 42,000 | — | — |
| Structure | 3 | 2% | 142,000 | — | — |
| Suspension | 3 | 2% | 42,524 | — | — |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 2 | 2% | 48,668 | — | — |
| Fuel System, Other | 2 | 2% | — | — | — |
| Visibility | 2 | 2% | 20,000 | — | — |
| Latches/locks/linkages | 1 | 1% | 49,000 | — | — |
| Seat Belts | 1 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Service Brakes | 1 | 1% | 110,000 | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Air | 1 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 1 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Visibility/wiper | 1 | 1% | 57,000 | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2002 Saturn SL recalls (0)
No safety recalls are on file for the 2002 Saturn SL.
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.
A car hit me it the front passenger side the hood of my car bent up the passenger side of my windshield cracked and my car went spinning not one air bag came out
Ignition requires key jiggle in order to start. Electrical issues such as constant shorts, major failure in supporting systems.
I OWN A 2002 SATURN SL VEHICLE PURCHASED IN 7/2016. I'M HAVING PROBLEMS STARTING MY VEHICLE. BOTH STARTER AND BATTERY HAVE BOTH BEEN CHECKED OUT OK. ALL SPARK PLUGS WERE REPLACED ON 10/31/18. AFTER THESE REPAIRS, WHEN STARTED IT STILL MADE VERY NOISY SOUNDS COMING FROM THE ENGINE. NOW I CAN'T GET…
The vehicle was stopped, was involved in a 3 car collision. The vehicle was hit from behind by a 1985 cadillac fleetwood traveling at at least a moderate rate of speed. The vehicle was pushed into a 2002 audi (i believe it was) suv. During the collision the drivers seat back failed and collapsed…
Rpms go up to 5 and then drop to 0 - engine stalls and will start but will continue at high rpms and keep stalling. As i was traveling at 50 mph, the rpms went up to 5, and then quickly dropped to 0. The engine stalled and i coasted to the side of the road. The vehicle would start but when reaching…
Other Saturn SL years
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2002 | 131 | 0 |
| 2001 SL | 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.
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Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 2002 Saturn SL?
Owners most often report electrical system, power train, engine and engine cooling problems. The top one, electrical system, accounts for 43 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2002 Saturn SL?
No safety recalls are on file for this model year.
Was the 2002 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 2002 has fewer complaints than most years. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.