Saturn SL Electrical System Problems
Owners have filed 232 complaints with NHTSA about electrical system problems on the Saturn SL across 8 model years. The 2002 model year has the most (43). The words owners use most often: “ignition switch” (11% of reports).
- 232electrical system complaints
- —median miles at failure
- 5mention a crash
- 2mention an injury
- 0related recalls
- 33%of reports with a speed happened at 50+ mph
What owners describe
Phrases that appear unusually often in these complaints compared with complaints about other cars.
- Ignition switch: mentioned in 25 of 232 complaints (11%)
At what mileage do electrical system problems happen?
Based on 89 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 232 complaints, 5 mention a crash, 15 a fire, 2 an injury.
Saturn SL electrical system complaints by model year
When owners reported it
Related recalls (0)
No safety recall lists electrical system for the Saturn SL. A pattern of complaints does not always lead to a recall.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
Ignition requires key jiggle in order to start. Electrical issues such as constant shorts, major failure in supporting systems.
I just received a 1999 saturn sl 2 series a year ago from my mother for my very first car. I got it at about 100,000 miles and it is now currently at 122,446. I noticed about a month ago while i would be driving, usually after about 1-2 miles after starting up the car and driving, my gears began to…
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…
I have soo much problem with this car
Ignition cylinder is wore out, when putting in the key, you have to jiggle the key, sometimes takes up to 10 minutes for the key to turn and start. Sometimes it works fine. This is an off and on problem. This month (sept 2017) it has been real bad. I am afraid to go anywhere, fearing i will be…
Frequently asked questions
Do all Saturn SLs have electrical system problems?
No. NHTSA has 232 owner complaints about electrical system for the Saturn SL. Complaint data shows that the problem is reported, not how many of all cars sold are affected.
Was there a recall on the Saturn SL electrical system?
No recall currently lists electrical system for this vehicle.
What do owners say about electrical system problems on the Saturn SL?
The most frequent phrase is “ignition switch”, in 25 of 232 complaints.
Other Saturn SL problems
- Engine and Engine Cooling problems (309)
- Power Train problems (232)
- Service Brakes, Hydraulic problems (192)
- Seats problems (135)
- Air Bags problems (121)
See all Saturn SL problems.