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Worst years for a Saturn LS

Owners have filed 1,885 complaints about the Saturn LS with NHTSA across model years 2000 to 2004. More of them are about the engine & cooling than anything else.

Avoid

2001 Saturn LS

708 complaints — the highest FaultScore of any year, mostly engine & cooling.

Cleanest on record

2000 Saturn LS

544 complaints — the lowest FaultScore of the graded years.

Every Saturn LS year, graded

The grade compares each year against the rest of this model's own run — never against another car. Click any bar or row to open that year's report.

Complaints filed with NHTSA, by model year. Bar colour is the FaultScore grade: A B C D F ungraded
Year Grade Complaints Crashes Fires Median miles Most reported
2004 — 2 0 2 — Steering
2002 C 631 19 21 75,200 Engine & Cooling
2001 C 708 18 21 80,000 Engine & Cooling
2000 B 544 12 5 78,022 Engine & Cooling

What breaks on a Saturn LS

Across every model year on file. Follow a row for that part's complaints and the year it was worst.

Engine & Cooling 745 39.5%

Worst in 2001

Electrical System 258 13.7%

Worst in 2002

Lights 213 11.3%

Worst in 2002

Steering 86 4.6%

Worst in 2000

Transmission & Drivetrain 83 4.4%

Worst in 2001

Fuel & Propulsion 80 4.2%

Worst in 2002

Suspension 78 4.1%

Worst in 2001

Brakes 70 3.7%

Worst in 2000

Tires 45 2.4%

Worst in 2000

Body & Structure 40 2.1%

Worst in 2000

Other & Unspecified 32 1.7%

Worst in 2000

Airbags 30 1.6%

Worst in 2001

Acceleration & Cruise Control 30 1.6%

Worst in 2001

Windows, Mirrors & Wipers 30 1.6%

Worst in 2000

Exactly what failed on a Saturn LS

The named sub-assemblies behind those complaints, across every model year.

Engine 200 38.8%
Belts AND Associated Pulleys 87 16.9%
Brake Lights 54 10.5%
Headlights 36 7.0%
Tail Lights 35 6.8%
Gasoline 23 4.5%
Module 22 4.3%
Automatic Transmission 21 4.1%
Rear 19 3.7%
Ignition 18 3.5%

Complaints filed over time

Every complaint about every Saturn LS, by the month it reached NHTSA.

Dec 1999 peak 31 Jan 2025

Saturn LS problems by state

Where owners filed from. Heavier states are usually just bigger markets, but a part that fails in heat or salt shows up here first.

Saturn LS in California 159 Saturn LS in New York 127 Saturn LS in Florida 112 Saturn LS in Ohio 109 Saturn LS in Michigan 99 Saturn LS in Texas 96 Saturn LS in Pennsylvania 88 Saturn LS in North Carolina 87 Saturn LS in Maryland 79 Saturn LS in Illinois 73 Saturn LS in Virginia 67 Saturn LS in New Jersey 67

Compare the Saturn LS

Side by side on complaint history. Remember that raw totals track how many were sold as much as how good they were.

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