Your vehicle report
2004 Saturn L300
The problems owners report. The recalls to check. The evidence behind each.
Your vehicle at a glance
Complaint patterns and official recall records, kept distinct.
- Owner complaints
- 61
- Received Nov 2003 to Apr 2023
Owner reports
Most reported problems
- 1Headlights dim or fail at night12 complaints · 20% of this vehicle’s complaints
- 2Fuel tank or line leaks gasoline4 complaints · 6.6% of this vehicle’s complaints
- 3Engine suddenly shuts off while driving4 complaints · 6.6% of this vehicle’s complaints
Official NHTSA records
Recalls to check
- Recall #05V245000On certain sedans and wagons, the plastic housing in the rear tail lamp assembly can become distorted if the brake lamps remain on for an extended time.
- Recall #05V158000Certain wagons fail to comply with the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 210, "seat belt assembly anchorages." the seat belt anchor may separate from the floor of the vehicle before holding the required test load for the required time.
BrakeNews signals
Flagged complaint patterns
Unusual complaint patterns with no matched recall yet. A flag does not mean a recall will happen.
No problems currently meet BrakeNews’s flagging criteria. This is not a safety rating.
How flags are identifiedComplaint counts reflect reports submitted to NHTSA, not failure rates or a reliability ranking. Reported in these complaints: 3 crashes, 1 fire, 4 people injured, 0 deaths.
Explore by system
Where do owners report problems?
Choose an area on the car or a system below to explore the reported problems.
Illustrative only; not this vehicle’s exact design. Areas represent complaint categories, not confirmed defective parts.
Showing all 6 listed problems by system.
Engine & powertrain
Brakes
No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.
Electrical & lights
Airbags, belts & seats
Steering, suspension & tires
Body, doors & glass
No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.
Driver assistance
No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.
Other
No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.
Complaint history
When NHTSA received these reports. Changes in reporting alone do not establish a change in failure rates.
Show as a table
| Year | Complaints |
|---|---|
| 2003 | 1 |
| 2004 | 14 |
| 2005 | 4 |
| 2006 | 2 |
| 2007 | 7 |
| 2008 | 8 |
| 2009 | 2 |
| 2010 | 5 |
| 2011 | 1 |
| 2012 | 1 |
| 2013 | 1 |
| 2014 | 4 |
| 2015 | 3 |
| 2016 | 1 |
| 2017 | 0 |
| 2018 | 1 |
| 2019 | 3 |
| 2020 | 1 |
| 2021 | 0 |
| 2022 | 1 |
| 2023 | 1 |
| 2024 | 0 |
| 2025 | 0 |
| 2026 (to Oct 2026) | 0 |
| Total | 61 |
Problems owners report
Listed groups have at least 3 complaints. The page includes the 20 largest groups plus any additional flagged groups; some complaints are not assigned to a group.
| Problem | Complaints | Share | Share ratio | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Headlights dim or fail at night | 12 | 20% | – | |
| Fuel tank or line leaks gasoline | 4 | 6.6% | – | |
| Engine suddenly shuts off while driving | 4 | 6.6% | – | |
| Engine won't start or cranks intermittently | 4 | 6.6% | – | |
| Airbags fail to deploy in crashes | 3 | 4.9% | – | |
| Tires blow out or tread separates | 3 | 4.9% | – |
AI groups complaints by meaning; the groups are approximate. Share ratio compares the problem’s share of this vehicle’s complaints with its share on other vehicles over the last 24 months (shown from 3 recent complaints). A 2× ratio means twice the complaint share, not twice the failure risk. Flags mark unusual shares or recent surges after an AI review of the complaint content. “First signal” does not mean the pattern has persisted continuously.How recall estimates are calculated.
Recalls
NHTSA recall #05V245000June 2, 2005291,652 vehicles affected
exterior lighting: brake lights
On certain sedans and wagons, the plastic housing in the rear tail lamp assembly Can become distorted if the brake lamps remain on for an extended time.
This Can cause (1) an intermittently inoperative brake/tail lamp bulb or (2) a short circuit that opens a fuse causing inoperative brake lamps (including the center high-mounted stop lamp) or tail lamps. A following driver may not know when the brakes have been applied, and a rear-end crash could occur without prior warning.
Remedy
Dealers will install two new tail lamp reinforcing socket adapters and sockets free of charge. The recall began on october 17, 2005. Owners may contact Saturn at 1-800-972-8876.
NHTSA recall #05V158000April 20, 200520,701 vehicles affected
seat belts
Certain wagons fail to comply with the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 210, "seat belt assembly anchorages." the seat belt anchor may separate from the floor of the vehicle before holding the required test load for the required time.
If a separation occurred in crash, the right and center rear seat occupants may not be properly restrained, increasing the risk of personal injury.
Remedy
Dealers will install a rear seat center belt anchor reinforcement plate to the floor pan of the vehicle free of charge. The recall began on april 25, 2005. Owners may contact Saturn at 1-800-972-8876.
Other model years
About this data
NHTSA complaints and recalls through October 2026. Complaints are counted once each, however many components they name. Original complaints are on NHTSA's page for the 2004 Saturn L300.
Problem groups are formed by AI and may be approximate. BrakeNews flags unusual complaint patterns; they are not official defect findings. Investigation reports are written and checked by AI, with no human review. Owner reports do not establish that a defect exists.
Read the methodology and track record · Check current recalls by VIN