Your vehicle report

2002 Saturn LS

The problems owners report. The recalls to check. The evidence behind each.

NHTSA data through October 2026View original NHTSA data Change vehicle

Your vehicle at a glance

Complaint patterns and official recall records, kept distinct.

Owner complaints
493
Received Dec 2001 to May 2023
Official recalls listed
3
Naming this model year; check your VIN for applicability
BrakeNews flagged problems
0
Statistical signals, not official defect findings or recalls

Owner reports

Most reported problems

  1. 1
    Timing chain fails and destroys engine96 complaints · 19% of this vehicle’s complaints
  2. 2
    Headlights dim or fail at night49 complaints · 9.9% of this vehicle’s complaints
  3. 3
    Fuel tank or line leaks gasoline31 complaints · 6.3% of this vehicle’s complaints
See all reported problems

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.
View recall details

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 identified

Complaint counts reflect reports submitted to NHTSA, not failure rates or a reliability ranking. Reported in these complaints: 12 crashes, 12 fires, 8 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.

Schematic car with five system shortcutsGeneric side view, with the front on the left. Numbered links explore engine, brakes, steering, electrical, and body complaints. Text controls below provide the same choices.12345FRONTSCHEMATIC VIEW

Illustrative only; not this vehicle’s exact design. Areas represent complaint categories, not confirmed defective parts.

View selected problems

Showing all 20 listed problems by system.

Engine & powertrain

5 more problems

Brakes

Electrical & lights

3 more problems

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.

Complaints received about the 2002 Saturn LS
54
Show as a table
YearComplaints
20011
200215
200336
200429
200536
200654
200748
200853
200948
201043
201128
201229
201310
201435
201512
20163
20175
20182
20191
20201
20211
20221
20232
20240
20250
2026 (to Oct 2026)0
Total493

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.

ProblemComplaintsShareShare ratioStatus
Timing chain fails and destroys engine9619%–
Headlights dim or fail at night499.9%–
Fuel tank or line leaks gasoline316.3%–
Unintended acceleration despite braking224.5%–
Ignition key sticks or will not turn153.0%–
Tires blow out or tread separates142.8%–
Engine stalls and loses power while driving142.8%–
Engine suddenly shuts off while driving142.8%–
Tail light sockets melt and burn112.2%–NHTSA recall #05V245000
Vehicle catches fire from wiring102.0%–
Steering wheel seizes or locks suddenly91.8%–
Brake lights fail or stay on81.6%–
Coil springs break and puncture tires51.0%–
Airbags fail to deploy in crashes51.0%–
Fuel pump fails and engine stalls51.0%–
Vehicle suddenly loses engine power at speed51.0%–NHTSA recall #03V231000
Brake pedal sinks due to leaking lines40.8%–
Battery drains and dies when parked40.8%–
Horn fails with airbag warning light30.6%–
Check engine light comes on repeatedly30.6%–NHTSA recall #03V231000

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.

  • NHTSA recall #03V231000June 23, 2003239,993 vehicles affected

    electrical system: ignition: module

    On certain passenger vehicles equipped with 2.2L L4 (L61) engines, a failure of the ignition control module may cause deterioration in idle quality, reduction in overall engine power, and the vehicle may be hard to start. Continued operation of the vehicle after such an ignition module failure will result in the "service engine soon" light flashing, and may lead to secondary failures of the catalytic converter, oxygen sensor, and exhaust resonator.

    Failure of the resonator will cause increased exhaust noise. Prolonged operation of the vehicle following a resonator failure may lead to a fire.

    Remedy

    Dealers will (1) replace the ignition control module, (2) replace the ignition control module and spark plugs, or (3) replace the ignition control module, spark plugs, and update the powertrain control module calibration. Owner notification began on august 4, 2003. Owners should contact Saturn at 1-800-553-6000, prompt 3.

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 2002 Saturn LS.

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