Total Complaints
9 filings
SATURN SATURN · model year
2001 SATURN SATURN
9 NHTSA complaints, 2 crash reports for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 2001SATURNSATURN carries 9 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 2 crashes, 1 fire, 1 injury, and 0 fatalities. No NCAP 5-star crash-test rating is available for this model year in the federal database.
Component-level analysis is where model-year complaints become actionable: the top complaint category for the 2001 SATURN is unknown or other with 2 filings, followed by air bags:frontal (2) and electrical system (2). Concentration in one or two component groups is the classic signature of a systemic defect; a flat distribution usually reflects normal aging, warranty complaints, or isolated build-plant variability.
NHTSA currently has 14 investigation files overlapping the 2001 SATURN. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should pair the counters above with the complaint-by-year trend on the parent model page — a spike in a single year often tracks to a platform refresh, a new transmission supplier, or an updated ECU calibration. Use the related-complaint feed below to read raw owner narratives before deciding whether any pattern here affects your specific use case.
9
Complaints
2
Crashes
1
Fires
1
Injuries
0
Deaths
Crashes Reported
2 reports
Source
NHTSA ODI
Federal complaints database
Complaints vs. fleet median (215)
At or below the fleet median complaint volume.
Complaints by Component
| Component | Count |
|---|---|
| UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 2 |
| AIR BAGS:FRONTAL | 2 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 2 |
| POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION | 1 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE | 1 |
| EXTERIOR LIGHTING:TAIL LIGHTS | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20050203ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
THE TAIL LIGHTS DO NO WORK WHEN THE HEADLIGHTS ARE ON. THE POLICE PULLED THE CONSUMER OVER FOR NOT HAVING TAIL LIGHTS. THERE WAS INTERNAL FAILURE IN THE TAIL LIGHT ASSEMBLY. THE MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. *JB THE TAIL LIGHT ASSEMBLY WAS REPLACED AT NO CHARGE. *TC
Mileage: 47,136
20050203EXTERIOR LIGHTING:TAIL LIGHTS
THE TAIL LIGHTS DO NO WORK WHEN THE HEADLIGHTS ARE ON. THE POLICE PULLED THE CONSUMER OVER FOR NOT HAVING TAIL LIGHTS. THERE WAS INTERNAL FAILURE IN THE TAIL LIGHT ASSEMBLY. THE MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. *JB THE TAIL LIGHT ASSEMBLY WAS REPLACED AT NO CHARGE. *TC
Mileage: 47,136
20041222FireELECTRICAL SYSTEM
ON DECEMBER 3, 2004, THE CONSUMERS VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE. AN INVESTIGATION WAS DONE BUT THE CAUSE WAS STILL UNDETERMINED. *JB *TC
20030728ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
CONSUMER STATES THAT VEHICLE STALLS AT 65 MPH, NO WARNING. DEALER STATES THAT CYLINDER HEAD IS DEFECTIVE. *AK
Mileage: 51,000
20030520POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
THE VEHICLE LEAKED TRANSMISSION FLUID. *JB
20030311CrashAIR BAGS:FRONTAL
THE VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A FRONTAL COLLISION AND THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY.*JB
20021015CrashAIR BAGS:FRONTAL
CONSUMER STATES WHILE DRIVING AT 50 MPH HAD HEAD ON COLLISION AND AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY. MR
20010425UNKNOWN OR OTHER
REACHING FOR A COUGH DROP (I HAD A BAD COLD) MY HAND BECAME LODGED BETWEEN THE DRIVER'S SEAT AND CONSOL. 4 FIREMEN HAD TO COME TO MY RESCUE, IT WAS STUCK FOR OVER 20 MINUTES AND WAS BLUE AND SWOLLEN WHEN FINALLY REMOVED. I NOW HAVE NEARLY OVER $1000 WORTH OF BILLS FROM THE EMERGENCY ROOM AND CHRONIC OCCASIONAL PAIN.
20010424UNKNOWN OR OTHER
THE CAR WAS BOUGHT NEW. IT HAD 600 MILES ON IT THAT THE DEALER (FINANCIAL OFFICER) SAID HE DID NOT KNOW HOW THEY GOT THERE. MY WARNING LIGHT CAME ON (SES LIGHT) AND I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER. MY CAR NEEDED A NEW SOLENOID(?)
Compare 2001SATURNSATURN to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations
EA11014Engineering AnalysisClosed
Electric Power Steering Failure
RQ10004Recall QueryClosed
Electric Power Steering Failure
PE09016Preliminary EvaluationClosed
OUTSIDE DOOR HANDLES STICK UNLATCHED
PE08061Preliminary EvaluationClosed
TIMING CHAIN BREAKS, ENGINE STALL
DP08002Defect PetitionClosed
TIMING CHAIN FAILURE-STALL
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 2001 SATURN SATURN have?▼
The 2001 SATURN SATURN has 9 NHTSA complaints, 2 crashes, 1 fires, 1 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 2001 SATURN SATURN?▼
The most-complained component for the 2001 SATURN SATURN is UNKNOWN OR OTHER with 2 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include AIR BAGS:FRONTAL and ELECTRICAL SYSTEM.
Is the 2001 SATURN SATURN safe to buy?▼
Review the complaint history, crash and fire reports, safety ratings, and recall status on this page to make an informed decision. No NHTSA crash test rating is available for this model year. Compare with other model years using the links above.
Where does this data come from?▼
All complaint, recall, and safety rating data is sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Complaints are filed by vehicle owners through NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation.
Vehicle Safety Guides
Data as of 2025. Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) complaints database, NHTSA recall campaign API, NHTSA NCAP crash-test ratings, and NHTSA FARS for fatality cross-reference.
Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.