2002 Saturn SL Problems

What owners report

Owners of this model year most often describe ignition switch trouble — keys that will not turn, keys that come out while driving, and stalling tied to the switch — along with automatic transmission shifting problems that frequently appear well before 100,000 miles. Cooling and brake complaints follow, with brakes often noted at low mileage. Sample mileages range widely, from under 10,000 to over 200,000, so most concerns are not limited to high-mileage cars.

1. 1
   Electrical system

   Ignition switch: key won't turn, or key comes out while

   • 34 complaints (26%)
   • median 93,707 mi at 11.1 yrs old (24 state mileage)
   • 2 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2005–2020

   Owners describe keys that jam and will not rotate to start the car, sometimes after many attempts, and in other cases a key that slides out of the lock while the engine is running or that lets the engine keep running after removal. Several complaints tie stalling to the ignition switch, and some report the switch or lock cylinder was replaced, with the problem returning afterward. A few mention a mechanic identified the ignition switch or housing as the source after the car would not start. Reported from roughly 45,000 to over 200,000 miles, with many mentions in the 60,000-105,000 mile range.

   2 related service bulletins

   What to check: Start the car several times cold and warm and confirm the key turns smoothly and cannot be pulled out in any position with the engine running. Ask whether the ignition switch or lock cylinder has ever been replaced.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “When I removed the keys from my car it kept running. They keys have only fallen out twice, but I have since removed all the extras from the key fob. But the car should not continue to run after it has been placed in park and the key removed from the ignition. I know it is an older car and currently has 135,000 miles on it. I have had diligent maintenance performed on it since I purchased it new in 2002. The problem occurred when it had 45,000 miles on it and should have been replaced by GM, but I was advised it was a costly expense for me. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10594855, filed 2014-05, 45,000 miles

   “The starter motor energized without a key in the ignition or anyone in/near the car. It was in gear with the emergency brake engaged, and it ran over a 12 inch stop and into a freezer where it continued to run for sometime until it burned up. The freezer prevented it from going through the garage wall and into the house.”

   NHTSA complaint #10285018, filed 2009-09, 100,414 miles
2. 2
   Transmission and drivetrain

   Automatic transmission harsh or delayed shifting

   • 19 complaints (14%)
   • median 48,000 mi at 3.8 yrs old (15 state mileage)
   • 1 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2002–2013

   Complaints describe delayed or hard engagement, especially going into reverse, banging between gears, and hunting or slipping during light acceleration. Shops often found internal hydraulic or valve body problems, and repairs ranged from seal and solenoid replacement to full rebuilds or replacement. Some owners say the dealer found no stored codes or attributed the behavior to maintenance. Most mentions fall between roughly 10,000 and 90,000 miles, with several under 40,000.

   1 related service bulletin

   What to check: Drive the car from cold and check for delayed or clunking engagement into reverse and between second and third. Ask for transmission service records and whether the fluid has been changed.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “I came to a complete stop at a stop sign,went to put it first (5speed) and the shifter bushing broke. The shifter was just flopping around.I could have been in serious situation if I was in the city or traveling.or picking up a senior customer.”

   NHTSA complaint #10538203, filed 2013-08, 89,000 miles

   “One evening last week I noticed that when I would shift gears after being parked, it felt like something dropped under my car. The same night, I would be driving about 35-40 miles and hour in the 1-2 RPM range, all of a sudden the gauge would quickly jump to 3 rpms and then drop back down. It did this consistently every 2-3 minutes. I took my car to a local transmission shop the next morning because I felt that it was a serious problem. The body valve was damaged which was the main problem. That was replaced along with a few other parts. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10246332, filed 2008-10, 86,500 miles
3. 3
   Brakes

   Brake pedal low and warped rotors

   Mentioned in 8 of 60 sampled complaints

   Complaints describe a pedal that went to the floor, steering wheel shake under braking, and repeated rotor replacement — sometimes several times in a short period. Some owners were told by the dealer that the brakes were normal for the car or that the rotor wear was due to driving conditions. One owner reported needing brakes again within about 15,000 miles of a previous replacement. Mostly reported between about 5,000 and 30,000 miles, plus a few later mentions near 110,000.

   What to check: Check brake fluid level and ask when pads and rotors were last replaced. Brake firmly from highway speed during the test drive and feel for pedal pulsation or vibration through the wheel.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “The brakes on my 2002 sl1 Saturn had to be replaced at 15,000 mi; now, at 30,000 mi, the Saturn dealership is telling me they need to be replaced again. I previously had a 1991 Saturn sl1, for 11 years and with more than 100,000 mi, and did not have any problems with the brakes, so it's not my style of driving - it's apparently the equipment on the car itself (and the replacement parts as well.)”

   NHTSA complaint #10171892, filed 2006-10, 15,000 miles

   “The brake pedal travelled to the floor board. The owner took the vehicle to the dealer and had the dealer inspect the vehicle. The service manager stated after the vehicle was evaluated they could not find any defects in the brakes. However, they did have to add fluid to the brakes. Later they contacted the owners spouse and said the vehicles brake response was normal for this type vehicle. Provide further details.”

   NHTSA complaint #10091493, filed 2004-09, 28,600 miles
4. 4
   Engine cooling

   Stalling while driving

   • 17 complaints (13%)
   • median 66,000 mi at 6.9 yrs old (10 state mileage)
   • 1 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2002–2018

   Owners report the engine quitting at low speed in parking lots and at highway speeds, sometimes with the key found out of the ignition or with the ignition switch identified as the cause. Restarting is sometimes possible and sometimes not, and in some cases the car had to be towed. Complaints describe loss of power steering and braking assist once the engine stopped. Scattered from about 45,000 to over 200,000 miles, with no single mileage window standing out.

   4 related service bulletins

   What to check: Test drive at steady low and highway speeds and note any stumble or drop in RPM. Ask whether stalling has ever been diagnosed and whether ignition or fuel-system parts were replaced.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Rpms go up to 5 and then drop to 0 - engine stalls and will start but will continue at high rpms and keep stalling. As I was traveling at 50 MPH, the rpms went up to 5, and then quickly dropped to 0. The engine stalled and I coasted to the side of the road. The vehicle would start but when reaching 35 MPH, would do same thing (high rpms and then drop and stall). I had to keep sitting and re starting to get the remainder of 6 miles to my home. Garage ran diagnostic and found nothing wrong. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11097012, filed 2018-05, 40,400 miles

   “My son had an accident involving 3 other vehicles. The motor of the 2002 Saturn sl1 in which he was driving stalled as he exited the highway onto a service road. Once the engine stalled,he did not have the ability to steer or stop the vehicle. As a result, he struck 2 vehicles that were stopped at a red light causing a chain reaction. The second vehicle that he struck hit the vehicle in front of it. The airbags deployed in the vehicle my son drove. The right side of vehicle 1 sustained damage. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10186683, filed 2007-04, 95,000 miles

Buying note. Check the ignition switch and key behavior closely on any test drive, since that is the most frequently described problem, and confirm the transmission shifts cleanly when cold. Ask for service records on brakes and the cooling system, and treat a car with no history as one worth a pre-purchase inspection.

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.