SATURN SATURN L SERIES · model year

2001 SATURN SATURN L SERIES

12 NHTSA complaints for this specific cohort.

NHTSA overall rating

Not crash-tested

New Car Assessment Program

The 2001SATURNSATURN L SERIES carries 12 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, 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 L SERIES is engine and engine cooling with 5 filings, followed by fuel system, gasoline (2) and visibility:defroster/defogger/hvac system:heater core (1). 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 L SERIES. 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.

12
Complaints
0
Crashes
0
Fires
0
Injuries
0
Deaths

Total Complaints

12 filings

Crashes Reported

0 reports

Source

NHTSA ODI

Federal complaints database

Complaints vs. fleet median (215)

At or below the fleet median complaint volume.

Complaints by Component

ComponentCount
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING5
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE2
VISIBILITY:DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER/HVAC SYSTEM:HEATER CORE1
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE:BELTS AND ASSOCIATED PULLEYS1
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE1
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE1
AIR BAGS1

Recent Complaints

20110126ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

I HAVE A 2001 SATURN L200 AND THE TIMING CHAIN BROKE AT ONLY 77,352 MILES. *TR

Mileage: 77,352

20090811FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE

FUEL SYSTEM/FUEL TANK VENT VALVE IN 2001 SATURN L200. I KEPT SMELLING GAS FROM THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE. COULD NOT FIND THE SOURCE OF THE SMELL. WAS AFRAID OF FIRE/ASPHYXIATION. FINALLY TOOK TO MECHANIC AND HAD A FUEL DIAGNOSTICS PERFORMED. THE FUEL TANK VENTLINE AND THE FUEL PUMP HAD TO BE REPLACED. HAD I CONTINUED TO DRIVE IT THIS WAY IT COULD HAVE RESULTED IN FIRE. *TR

20090518ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 SATURN L SERIES. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 10 MPH ON NORMAL ROAD CONDITIONS, THE VEHICLE BACKFIRED WHILE MAKING A LEFT TURN. THE ENGINE STALLED AND FAILED TO RESTART AND THE VEHICLE COASTED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE WAS CALLED AND THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE TECHNICIAN STATED THAT THE TIMING CHAIN FAILED. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 07V519000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING), ALTHOUGH THE FAILURES WERE IDENTICAL. THE VIN WAS NOT ACCEPTED BY THE SYSTEM. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 102,000.

Mileage: 102,000

20090414ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

THERE IS NO ONE THING WRONG WITH MY 2001 SATURN L300 V6. JUST EVERYTHING. I TAKE IT IN FOR ONE REPAIR AND SOMETHING ELSE IS WRONG LESS THAN A WEEK LATER. LESS THAN 3 MONTHS AFTER I BOUGHT IT USED, I HAD TO REPLACE THE RADIATOR. THEN MY TIRES WERE BAD BECAUSE THE SUSPENSION SUCKS, AND YOU HAVE TO BUY AN AFTER-MARKET KIT JUST TO FIX THAT ISSUE. THEN MY WATER PUMP BLEW UP. THEN MY FUEL PUMP BLEW. THESE CARS ARE HORRIBLE & SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE ABOUT IT! *TR

20090414AIR BAGS

THERE IS NO ONE THING WRONG WITH MY 2001 SATURN L300 V6. JUST EVERYTHING. I TAKE IT IN FOR ONE REPAIR AND SOMETHING ELSE IS WRONG LESS THAN A WEEK LATER. LESS THAN 3 MONTHS AFTER I BOUGHT IT USED, I HAD TO REPLACE THE RADIATOR. THEN MY TIRES WERE BAD BECAUSE THE SUSPENSION SUCKS, AND YOU HAVE TO BUY AN AFTER-MARKET KIT JUST TO FIX THAT ISSUE. THEN MY WATER PUMP BLEW UP. THEN MY FUEL PUMP BLEW. THESE CARS ARE HORRIBLE & SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE ABOUT IT! *TR

20090414FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE

THERE IS NO ONE THING WRONG WITH MY 2001 SATURN L300 V6. JUST EVERYTHING. I TAKE IT IN FOR ONE REPAIR AND SOMETHING ELSE IS WRONG LESS THAN A WEEK LATER. LESS THAN 3 MONTHS AFTER I BOUGHT IT USED, I HAD TO REPLACE THE RADIATOR. THEN MY TIRES WERE BAD BECAUSE THE SUSPENSION SUCKS, AND YOU HAVE TO BUY AN AFTER-MARKET KIT JUST TO FIX THAT ISSUE. THEN MY WATER PUMP BLEW UP. THEN MY FUEL PUMP BLEW. THESE CARS ARE HORRIBLE & SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE ABOUT IT! *TR

20081009ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 SATURN L SERIES. WHILE DRIVING 5 MPH, THE TIMING BELT CAME APART AND THE VEHICLE STALLED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A SHOP TO BE REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 93,750.

Mileage: 93,750

20080929ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

TIMING CHAIN BROKE ON A 2 LANE HIGHWAY GOING ABOUT 65 MPH. LUCKY TO GET TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD IN ONE PIECE. ENGINE STALLED AND WOULD NOT START. *TR

Mileage: 79,000

20080123ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE

TIMING CHAIN LINKS SEPARATED ON MY 2001 SATURN L SERIES. *TR

Mileage: 94,525

20070227ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE:BELTS AND ASSOCIATED PULLEYS

TL*- THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE 2001 SATURN L STATION WAGON'S TIMING CHAIN BROKE WHILE DRIVING AT 5-10 MPH AND TURNING A CORNER. THE CONTACT HAD THE VEHICLE SERVICED AT 99,000 MILES BACK IN 07/04, AND ASKED THE SERVICE MANAGER IF THE TIMING CHAIN SHOULD BE SERVICED AND WAS TOLD THAT TIMING CHAINS DID NOT USUALLY BREAK. THE CONTACT ASKED ABOUT THIS AT THAT TIME BECAUSE SHE DID RESEARCH ON THE VEHICLE DUE TO OTHER PROBLEMS SHE WAS HAVING WITH IT, AND FOUND A BULLETIN REGARDING THE TIMING CHAIN. SHE GAVE SERVICE BULLETIN ACTION # EA6009 WITH THE INVESTIGATION STILL OPEN. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLEWAS OUT OF WARRANTY, AND DUE TO THE TIMING CHAIN BREAKING, IT ALSO RUINED THE ENGINE. SHE STATED THAT THE DEALERSHIP INFORMED HER THAT SHE WOULD HAVE TO REPLACE THE TIMING CHAIN AND HAVE THE ENGINE REBUILT OR PURCHASE A NEW ENGINE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE HAD 150,000 MILES WITH ROUTINE OIL CHANGES. THE CONTACT FELT THAT THE SERVICE BULLETIN SHOULD HAVE BEEN SE

Mileage: 15,000

20061201ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

IN OCTOBER 2006, MY ENGINE COOLANT LIGHT CAME ON. I WAS TOLD IT WAS A BAD CAP THAT WAS NOT HOLDING THE PRESSURE. WITHIN TWO WEEKS, THE SAME LIGHT CAME ON. I WENT BACK AND THEY SAID CAP WAS FINE AND COULD NOT FIND A PROBLEM. STATED THAT THEY HAD ADDED A DYE TO THE ENGINE COOLANT TO LOOK FOR THE PROBLEM AND COME BACK IN TWO WEEKS. ALMOST EXACTLY TWO WEEKS LATER, DEC. 1, I RETURNED BECAUSE I HAD FOUND THE PROBLEM. THE COOLANT - INCLUDING THE BRIGHT, FLUORESCENT GREENISH, YELLOWISH DYED - LEAKED ALL IN THE PASSENGER FLOORBOARD AND WAS BEING SOAKED INTO THE MAT AND UPHOLSTERY. MY HEATER CORE HAD FAILED. WHEN I QUESTIONED THE WISDOM OF USING THE DYE, SATURN SAID THERE WAS NO WAY FOR THEM TO KNOW THIS WOULD HAPPEN, IE LEAK INTO MY CAR - YET I HAVE FOUND ONLINE MANY COMPLAINTS OF THE SAME HEATER CORE PROBLEM. *JB

20061201VISIBILITY:DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER/HVAC SYSTEM:HEATER CORE

IN OCTOBER 2006, MY ENGINE COOLANT LIGHT CAME ON. I WAS TOLD IT WAS A BAD CAP THAT WAS NOT HOLDING THE PRESSURE. WITHIN TWO WEEKS, THE SAME LIGHT CAME ON. I WENT BACK AND THEY SAID CAP WAS FINE AND COULD NOT FIND A PROBLEM. STATED THAT THEY HAD ADDED A DYE TO THE ENGINE COOLANT TO LOOK FOR THE PROBLEM AND COME BACK IN TWO WEEKS. ALMOST EXACTLY TWO WEEKS LATER, DEC. 1, I RETURNED BECAUSE I HAD FOUND THE PROBLEM. THE COOLANT - INCLUDING THE BRIGHT, FLUORESCENT GREENISH, YELLOWISH DYED - LEAKED ALL IN THE PASSENGER FLOORBOARD AND WAS BEING SOAKED INTO THE MAT AND UPHOLSTERY. MY HEATER CORE HAD FAILED. WHEN I QUESTIONED THE WISDOM OF USING THE DYE, SATURN SAID THERE WAS NO WAY FOR THEM TO KNOW THIS WOULD HAPPEN, IE LEAK INTO MY CAR - YET I HAVE FOUND ONLINE MANY COMPLAINTS OF THE SAME HEATER CORE PROBLEM. *JB

Compare 2001SATURNSATURN L SERIES to Similar Vehicles

NHTSA Investigations

View all investigations

Frequently Asked Questions

How many complaints does the 2001 SATURN SATURN L SERIES have?
The 2001 SATURN SATURN L SERIES has 12 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 2001 SATURN SATURN L SERIES?
The most-complained component for the 2001 SATURN SATURN L SERIES is ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING with 5 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE and VISIBILITY:DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER/HVAC SYSTEM:HEATER CORE.
Is the 2001 SATURN SATURN L SERIES 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.