Total Complaints
3 filings
SATURN SATURN L SERIES · model year
2002 SATURN SATURN L SERIES
3 NHTSA complaints for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 2002SATURNSATURN L SERIES carries 3 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 2002 SATURN L SERIES is engine and engine cooling:engine with 1 filings, followed by exterior lighting:tail lights (1) and electrical system:ignition:module (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 2002 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.
3
Complaints
0
Crashes
0
Fires
0
Injuries
0
Deaths
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
| Component | Count |
|---|---|
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE | 1 |
| EXTERIOR LIGHTING:TAIL LIGHTS | 1 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:MODULE | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20080118ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:MODULE
VEHICLE ENGINE STALLED WHILE TRAVELING IN A HIGH TRAFFIC INTERSECTION A LOW IDLE SPEED. PRIVATE MECHANIC DIAGNOSED PROBLEM AS IGNITION CONTROL MODULE FAILURE. THERE WAS ALREADY A RECALL ISSUED (03V2310000)A.K.A.03-C-06, HOWEVER IT DOES NOT COVER THIS VEHICLE. THIS IS 2002 SATURN L100 WITH 23,000 MILES. THE MFG HAS TO BE AWARE THAT THIS PROBLEM EXISTS. THE COST OF THIS REPAIR WAS $497.00. THERE WAS NO ACCIDENT OR INJURIES IN THIS INCIDENT FORTUNATELY. I HAVE RETAINED THE DEFECTIVE PART FOR INSPECTION IF NEEDED. *TR
Mileage: 23,000
20061011EXTERIOR LIGHTING:TAIL LIGHTS
SINCE DATE OF PURCHASE I HAVE HAD PROBLEMS W/THE TAIL LAMP BRACKET HOUSING ASSEMBLY. THIS PROBLEM WAS CORRECTED, I THOUGHT WHEN I BROUGHT BACK THE VEHICLE ON DATE OF PURCHASE, SUCH WAS NOT THE CASE, THE TAIL LAMP BRACKET HOUSING CONTINUED TO BURN OUT. I STRESSED TO THE REPAIR FACILITY AT SATURN THAT THERE IS A PROBLEM. FINALLY I RECEIVED A RECALL LETTER IN 2005 FOR THIS DEFECT (TAIL LIGHT HOUSING BRACKET). I HAVE ALREADY HAD THE VESICLE FOR 2 YEARS PRIOR TO THE RECALL, IN 2005, IT STILL BURNS OUT 3 BULBS AT A TIME USUALLY A WEEK OR MONTH AFTER REPAIR. IT IS NOW 2006 AND I STILL HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED AT NO COST TO ME ONLY BECAUSE I HAVE ADDRESSED THE PROBLEM WITH THE MANAGER OF THE DEALERSHIP (REPAIR DEPARTMENT), BUT THEY HAVE ONLY NOTED THE REPAIR TWICE; SO EVERY TIME THE ASSEMBLY UNIT GOES OUT THEY TRY AND CHARGE ME FOR THE REPAIR!...NOW THE CAR IS NEARLY PAID OFF AND I STILL HAVE THIS PROBLEM. OBVIOUSLY THIS IS A DEFECT THAT CAN'T BE REPAIRED. MY R
20060816ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
MY 2002 SATURN L200 WITH 66,000 STARTED AND RAN FINE UNTIL I TURNED A CORNER WAS GOING ABOUT 10 TO 20 MPH AND THE CAR JUST STOPPED RUNNING APPOX 100 YARDS FROM A BUSY INTERSECTION. CAR WAS TOWED TO LOCAL DEALERSHIP THEY WOULD BE UNABLE TO LOOK AT IT TILL THE NEXT DAY. THEY FOUND THAT THE TIMING CHAIN AND CYLINDER HEAD WOULD COST $2200 TO FIX BECAUSE OF THIS FAILURE. NO INJURIES OR CRASHES OCCURRED ASK DEALER IF THIS WAS COMMON HE SAID NO THAT THIS OCCURS EVERY COUPLE OF MONTHS. *NM
Mileage: 66,400
Compare 2002SATURNSATURN L SERIES 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 2002 SATURN SATURN L SERIES have?▼
The 2002 SATURN SATURN L SERIES has 3 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 2002 SATURN SATURN L SERIES?▼
The most-complained component for the 2002 SATURN SATURN L SERIES is ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE with 1 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include EXTERIOR LIGHTING:TAIL LIGHTS and ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:MODULE.
Is the 2002 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.
Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.