Total Complaints
1 filings
SATURN SATURN L SERIES · model year
2004 SATURN SATURN L SERIES
1 NHTSA complaints for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 2004SATURNSATURN L SERIES carries 1 consumer safety complaint in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 0 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 2004 SATURN L SERIES is seats:front assembly:seat heater/cooler with 1 filings. 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 2004 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.
1
Complaints
0
Crashes
1
Fires
1
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 |
|---|---|
| SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:SEAT HEATER/COOLER | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20061219FireSEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:SEAT HEATER/COOLER
TL* - ON DECEMBER 11, 2006, THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING HIS 2004 SATURN VIEW AT 35 MPH WITH THE SEAT WARMER ON, WHEN THE SEAT CAUGHT ON FIRE AND CONTACT WAS BURNED ON HIS LEFT LEG. THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO TURN THE SEAT WARMER OFF BUT COULD NOT. A MECHANIC UNPLUGGED THE SEAT WARMER AND PUT THE FIRE OUT. THE CONTACT DID NOT FILE A POLICE REPORT.
Mileage: 43,000
Compare 2004SATURNSATURN 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 2004 SATURN SATURN L SERIES have?▼
The 2004 SATURN SATURN L SERIES has 1 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 1 fires, 1 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 2004 SATURN SATURN L SERIES?▼
The most-complained component for the 2004 SATURN SATURN L SERIES is SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:SEAT HEATER/COOLER with 1 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include various components.
Is the 2004 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.