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Saturn SLModel year report

2001 Saturn SL Problems

Complaints
111filed with NHTSA
Median mileage
64,000miles, 61 complaints with mileage
Recalls
2campaigns on record
Trend
RisingComplaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are at least 25% higher than in the 3 years before.
NHTSA crash rating
—overall rating starts with 2011 models
EPA fuel economy
27 mpgcombined, 1.9L 4-cyl FWD · 24 city / 34 hwy

Sources: NHTSA records for the 2001 Saturn SL (complaints, recalls, investigations), NHTSA crash tests, EPA fuel economy. Report an error

What owners report

Owners of the 2001 Saturn SL report a fairly even split between electrical trouble — most often an ignition lock that will not turn or releases the key while running — and automatic transmission complaints about harsh or delayed shifting. Engine-related reports center on high oil consumption and timing chain failures, and several owners describe brake or airbag concerns that came up during repair visits or collisions.

  1. Transmission and drivetrain

    Harsh or delayed automatic transmission shifting

    • 16 complaints (14%)
    • median 63,472 mi at 7.5 yrs old (12 state mileage)
    • filed 2001–2011

    Complaints describe hard shifts between gears, especially the 2-3 shift and into reverse, with the car hesitating and then slamming into gear. Several owners say the valve body was the diagnosed cause and some had the transmission replaced or rebuilt; in other cases shops changed fluid or a motor mount and the symptom came back. A few also note the shift cable or its plastic bushing breaking, leaving the car stuck in gear. Reported from low mileage up to about 135,000 miles, often noticed during normal driving.

    Recall 00V310000

    What to check: Drive the car long enough to go through all gears warm, include a firm reverse engagement, and check the transmission fluid level and condition. Ask whether the valve body or shift cable has been serviced.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “I was driving going about 55 when the car started to loose power I pushed on the gas and it went up to 5 RPM before kicking in the transmission then it kept doing that where the rmp had to go way up before kicking. I took it to the service department to have it look at but they could not find anything wrong. However it took them three times to find out about my brake problems.”

    NHTSA complaint #10140843, filed 2005-10, 65,945 miles

    “The transmission started going out on my 2001 Saturn sl1 (automatic), which only has 53,000 miles on it. A Saturn service agent accidentally (I think) told me that the valve body tends to go out in that model. A local transmission specialist has verified that, and is repeatedly repairing transmissions on this model.”

    NHTSA complaint #10134678, filed 2005-08, 53,000 miles
  2. Electrical system

    Ignition lock won't turn or key comes out while running

    • 18 complaints (16%)
    • median 100,000 mi at 11.6 yrs old (11 state mileage)
    • filed 2001–2015

    Owners describe the key being hard to turn to the start position, sometimes taking repeated attempts, and in some cases the key can be pulled out while the engine is running. Some report the security/anti-theft light coming on at the same time, leaving the car unable to start until it clears; one owner said locking the doors and waiting was the only workaround. Dealers have replaced ignition cylinders or secured the steering column, and some owners say the trouble returned afterward. Mostly reported between about 60,000 and 185,000 miles, with a few examples much earlier.

    What to check: Try starting the car several times from cold and warm, and check whether the key can be removed with the engine running. Ask whether the ignition cylinder or column has been replaced.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “My 2001 Saturn sl2 has had many complaints about ignition lock on discussion boards. I have had problems with it for about a year, but have been able to jiggle it to start. I've been lucky. If this has been such a problem why hasn't there been a recall rather than all the false charges and repairs people have had to pay?”

    NHTSA complaint #10239160, filed 2008-08, 96,000 miles

    “Sometimes my security light goes on-when that happens, in order to start car up I have to lock all of the doors, wait 20 minutes then start up the car. It now has 117000 miles on it and it makes a loud noise and shakes at anything over 60 miles an hour”

    NHTSA complaint #10453448, filed 2012-03, 13,000 miles
  3. Brakes

    Brake hydraulic and rotor problems

    • 8 complaints (7%)
    • median 55,153 mi at 3.6 yrs old (5 state mileage, few)
    • 1 mention a crash, fire or injury
    • filed 2002–2014

    Owners report premature brake pad and rotor wear, with rotors needing replacement repeatedly and vibration while braking. Others describe hydraulic failures: a rear wheel cylinder breaking, a leaking brake line, a master cylinder failing, and in one case the pedal going to the floor with no response. Dealers replaced rotors and related parts in some cases. Reported from very low mileage up to about 95,000 miles, sometimes within the first years of ownership.

    What to check: Check brake pedal feel and fluid level, look at rotor condition and pad thickness, and ask about any prior brake line or wheel cylinder repairs.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “The vehicle brake rotor warp several times which caused vibration while braking. The dealer replaced the rotors. When the vehicle was moved from a stop the vehicle jerked forward. The vehicle also acts as if it want to stall when sitting idle. The dealer was unable to duplicate either concern. The radio light was inoperative therefore the dealer replaced the radio.”

    NHTSA complaint #10025025, filed 2003-07, 55,153 miles

    “Driving down a two house dead end street traveling about 20 miles per hour, when the drivers side rear wheel cilinder broke and all ability to stop was lost. After replacing the wheel cilinder, it was also realized that the passenger side brake line to the rear brake was missing several washers and then caused the brake line to leak. Two weeks later the master cilinder for the brakes also failed all before I ever hadto replace any of the brake pads or shoes.”

    NHTSA complaint #10075129, filed 2004-06, 32,000 miles
  4. Engine cooling

    Timing chain failure

    Mentioned in 5 of 60 sampled complaints

    Complaints describe the engine losing power or quitting while driving, sometimes with a sudden noise, after which the car will not restart. Shops and dealers diagnosed a broken timing chain, and in one report the chain snapped and bent valves; other owners were told the engine needed replacement. Mileage at failure varies widely, from about 57,000 up to 160,000 miles. Spread from about 57,000 to 160,000 miles, often with no warning beforehand.

    2 related service bulletins

    What to check: Ask for service records on timing chain work, listen for rattling on cold start, and have a pre-purchase inspection check for chain noise and oil condition.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “I was pulling out of a parking lot onto the main highway when the car made a pffff sound and I lost all power to the car the motor just stopped. I had no power steering and no power brakes. The dealer stated the timing chain just snapped and then 12 out of the 16 valves in the car bent. I found this incredible on a vehicle with such low mileage.”

    NHTSA complaint #10197989, filed 2007-07, 57,777 miles

    “The contact owns a 2001 Saturn sl2. The contact stated that the vehicle would not start. The vehicle was towed to an independent repair shop and the contact was informed that the timing chain needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and offered no assistance. The failure mileage was 110,000.”

    NHTSA complaint #10439385, filed 2011-12, 110,000 miles

Buying note. An inspection that covers the ignition lock, a full warm test drive of the automatic transmission, oil consumption, and the brake hydraulics checks the areas owners write about most on this model year. Service records showing recent timing chain and brake work are worth asking for.

Summary written with AI from a sample of 60 NHTSA complaints for this model year (picked at random, with complaints that state a mileage and recent ones taken first), then checked automatically against the source records. Where a problem shows a complaint count, every complaint for this model year was matched with fixed keyword rules (written with AI and tested against the sample), and the mileage, age and repair figures are calculated from those complaints; owners' figures are as stated, not verified. Other counts refer to the sample. The excerpts come from NHTSA's public complaint records and are unverified; capitalisation is normalised, NHTSA staff notes are removed, and shortened text ends with “…”. Something wrong? Request a correction.

NHTSA recorded 111 consumer complaints for the 2001 Saturn SL. 61 of the complaints include a mileage, and 34% of those were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the median is 64,000 miles. Of all complaints, 14 involved a crash, 10 an injury, according to the filers. NHTSA lists 2 recall campaigns and 206 technical service bulletins for this model year.

Not compared (before 2008). Model years 2008–2023 of the same vehicle that have at least 25 complaints are compared, and a model needs at least 3 of them.

Which parts are reported most

Complaints can name more than one part, so the counts add up to more than the total. Select a part to see its complaints, recalls and bulletins.

Also reported: Fuel system (3), Steering (3), Vehicle speed control (3), Visibility (wipers, defrost, mirrors) (3), Engine (2), Equipment (2), Suspension (2).

Example complaints

Electrical system: “My Saturn that I've been driving for about a year and a half now, completely cut off in the middle of me driving it. Luckily I was at a drive they so so serious damage to me or anyone else. Could not get it to start back up for a good 5-10 mins. Also the transmission is going out in it and I'm constantly having to add fluid so it doesnt skip. The rear tail lights keep having to be replaced because they keep blowing out.”

NHTSA complaint #10826037, filed 2016-02, 190,000 miles

Transmission and drivetrain: “Saturn 2001 sl1, my girlfriend was driving the car and called me saying that it was knocking she only drove it around the block due to her being scared of the sounds. I then drove the car around to ensure that it was a transmission problem. The car has 97,000 miles on it and I just had the o2 sensor changed for an idle high issue. I also had to clean out the idle air control valve due to build up and faulty operation. I brought my car to aamco to ensure the transmission is taken care of properly. They have to rebuild the transmission replacing every part inside the casing. …”

NHTSA complaint #10401150, filed 2011-05, 97,000 miles

Engine cooling: “I purchased a 2001 Saturn SL from a small car dealership at the end of june 2006. The car was purchased with a 30 day warranty. In the middle of august, many components of the electrical system began to fail - alternator, battery, starter. All were replaced. In addition, the engine failed. Just today (12/27/06) the car started to act up again. Worst car I've ever owned.”

NHTSA complaint #10177132, filed 2006-12, 64,000 miles

Air bags: “Our daughter was involved in a motor vehicle accident on 10/9/2014. A vehicle pulled out in front of her. Our daughter was not able to stop in time and hit the vehicle with the front end of the Saturn to the drivers door of the other vehicle. Air bags did not deploy but we believe they should have. Our daughter sustained injuries.”

NHTSA complaint #10644252, filed 2014-10, 66,000 miles

Mileage when problems were reported

34% of the 61 complaints with a mileage were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the middle half falls between 39,040 and 97,000 miles.

7%0–108%10–2520%25–5025%50–7516%75–10018%100–1507%150+
Share of complaints by mileage when the problem was reported, in thousands of miles (61 complaints with mileage). Red bars: under 50,000 miles. Bucket widths differ. Median: 64,000 miles.

Complaints by year filed

Trend: rising. Complaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are at least 25% higher than in the 3 years before.

’0220’04’06’08’11’14’16’24
Complaints by year the complaint was filed with NHTSA. Red bars: the last 3 full calendar years used for the trend. The current year (2026) is partial.

Crash test ratings

NHTSA's 5-Star Safety Ratings for the 2001 Saturn SL. Frontal results are shown driver / passenger; rollover shows the star rating and NHTSA's estimated risk of rolling over in a single-vehicle crash.

VersionOverallFrontalSideSide poleRollover
SL · sedan not rated5 / 5———

Ratings before the 2011 model year come from an older, less demanding test and are not comparable with ratings for 2011 and later.

Source: NHTSA New Car Assessment Program (5-Star Safety Ratings), nhtsa.gov/ratings.

Fuel economy and running cost

EPA ratings for each 2001 Saturn SL version. Annual fuel cost is the EPA's estimate at its current fuel prices for 15,000 miles a year (55% city driving).

VersionEngineTransmissionCityHwyComb.Fuel / yr
SL FWD1.9L 4-cyl5-speed manual253629$2,300
SL FWD1.9L 4-cyl4-speed automatic243427$2,500
SL FWD1.9L 4-cyl5-speed manual233427$2,500
SL FWD1.9L 4-cyl4-speed automatic223226$2,600

Source: U.S. EPA and Department of Energy, fueleconomy.gov. Ratings are for comparing vehicles; real-world mileage varies with driving and conditions.

Recalls and investigations

Recall details for the 2001 Saturn SL → · Check a VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls

Technical service bulletins

TSBs are manufacturer notes to dealers about known repair procedures. They are not recalls and do not by themselves mean a vehicle has a fault. 206 on record; the latest 10 are shown.

See all 206 bulletins →

Other model years of the Saturn SL

YearComplaintsMedian miRecallsCrash ★MPGScore (50 = typical)Trend
200213159,8680—27Not compared (before 2008)Stable
200111164,0002—27Not compared (before 2008)Rising
200014857,7147—27Not compared (before 2008)Stable
199917864,0001—27Not compared (before 2008)Falling
199816866,2500—27Not compared (before 2008)Stable
199722786,3002—27Not compared (before 2008)Stable
199628795,0001—27Not compared (before 2008)Stable
1995355100,4003—27Not compared (before 2008)Stable
1994286118,5001—26Not compared (before 2008)Stable
1993175113,4502—26Not compared (before 2008)Stable
1992123140,0002—26Not compared (before 2008)Stable
19912985,0001—26Not compared (before 2008)Stable

All Saturn SL model years · Best and worst years by complaints

Frequently asked questions

What are the most common problems with the 2001 Saturn SL?

Owners of the 2001 Saturn SL report a fairly even split between electrical trouble — most often an ignition lock that will not turn or releases the key while running — and automatic transmission complaints about harsh or delayed shifting. The issues reported most often: Harsh or delayed automatic transmission shifting; Ignition lock won't turn or key comes out while running; Brake hydraulic and rotor problems.

How many NHTSA complaints does the 2001 Saturn SL have?

NHTSA recorded 111 consumer complaints for the 2001 Saturn SL as of Oct 27, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.

What part of the 2001 Saturn SL is reported most often?

Electrical system is named most often, in 29 complaints (26% of the total), followed by transmission and drivetrain with 20.

Has the 2001 Saturn SL been recalled?

NHTSA lists 2 recall campaigns for this model year. To check a specific vehicle, enter its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

What gas mileage does the 2001 Saturn SL get?

The EPA rates the 2001 Saturn SL (SL, 1.9L 4-cyl) at 27 mpg combined, 24 city and 34 highway, with an estimated annual fuel cost of $2,500 at 15,000 miles a year. Other engine and drive versions are rated differently.

At what mileage are problems with the 2001 Saturn SL reported?

Among the 61 complaints that include a mileage, the median is 64,000 miles and the middle half falls between 39,040 and 97,000 miles; 34% were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles.

About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 27, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate. Crash ratings are from NHTSA’s New Car Assessment Program. Fuel economy is from the EPA and DOE (fueleconomy.gov).

Complaint counts come from NHTSA’s public complaint database; we count each complaint once. The source records for this vehicle are on nhtsa.gov. Scores and trends are our own summaries of that data, described in the methodology. This page is not legal, safety or repair advice: for a specific vehicle, check its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls and ask a qualified mechanic. See an error? Tell us.