FaultScore

FaultScore report

2002 Saturn LW200 problems

Owners have filed 11 complaints about the 2002 Saturn LW200 with NHTSA between 2014 and 2022. The largest single group is the engine & cooling.

Not graded

Too few complaints, or too short a model run, to compare fairly.

How this is worked out

The numbers

11

Complaints

1

Crashes reported

0

Fires reported

1

Injuries reported

90,000 mi

Median mileage at failure

Half of reported failures happened before this

0%

Failed under 36,000 miles

Inside a typical bumper-to-bumper warranty

How 2002 compares with every other Saturn LW200

Click any bar 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

What breaks on a 2002 Saturn LW200

Every complaint is filed against a part. Follow any row for the complaints about that part alone.

Fuel & Propulsion 4 36.4%

Median failure at 90,000 miles

Engine & Cooling 4 36.4%

Median failure at 105,000 miles

Other & Unspecified 1 9.1%

Median failure at 39,000 miles

Lights 1 9.1%

Median failure at 141,000 miles

Electrical System 1 9.1%

1 crashes, 0 fires

When it fails

Odometer readings owners gave when they filed. About half of all complaints include one.

25,000 – 49,999 miles 3 33.3%
75,000 – 99,999 miles 2 22.2%
100,000 – 149,999 miles 3 33.3%
150,000+ miles 1 11.1%

When owners complained

A spike years after the car went on sale usually means a part wearing out on schedule across the whole fleet — the kind of pattern no single owner can see from inside their own car.

Oct 2014 peak 3 Sep 2022

Complaints that involved harm

Reports where the owner recorded a crash, a fire, an injury or a death.

River Grove, IL Crash 1 injured

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

2002 SATURN L200. AIRBAG LIGHT CAME ON FOR NO REASON, AND WHEN THE CONSUMER WAS INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT, THE AIRBAG LIGHT DIDN'T COME ON AND THE AIRBAGS NEVER DEPLOYED. *TA THE VEHICLE WAS TOTALED.

NHTSA complaint #10659550 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

The most recent complaints

In the owners' own words, exactly as filed with NHTSA.

San Antonio, TX

ENGINE

driving at 35 mph when engine stopped running and failed to restart. inspection determined timing chain had failed due to failure to keep tension. the timing chain tensioner on Ecotech 2.2 engines from 2000-2004 had tensioners which failed to keep the chain taught which lead to GM redesigning the tensioner. this problem was never recalled and consequentially this occurred in almost all of these engines and caused severe engine damage to pistons and valves, requiring a complete engine overhaul somewhere's around 100k miles on up. GM's new tensioner design solved this and the part cost a mere $50 yet no recall ever happened. I had to put a new engine in my Saturn and spent over 8000 dollars...

NHTSA complaint #11485334 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 145,000 miles SAN Antonio, TX

FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE

VEHICLE EXHIBITS A CONSTANT, STRONG GASOLINE SMELL ORIGINATING FROM REAR OUTSIDE AREA WITH NO ENGINE CODE AND NO LACK OF DRIVABILITY.

NHTSA complaint #11325514 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 39,000 miles Willits, CA

UNKNOWN OR OTHER

RECALL 03033/03-C-06 IGNITION CONTROL MODULE WAS NEVER SERVICED. OWNED BY A 88 YEAR OLD LADY. MUST SOME KIND OF A REPAIR SCAM IN LA.

NHTSA complaint #11096799 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 39,000 miles Willits, CA

ENGINE

RECALL 03033/03-C-06 IGNITION CONTROL MODULE WAS NEVER SERVICED. OWNED BY A 88 YEAR OLD LADY. MUST SOME KIND OF A REPAIR SCAM IN LA.

NHTSA complaint #11096799 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 39,000 miles Willits, CA

FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM

RECALL 03033/03-C-06 IGNITION CONTROL MODULE WAS NEVER SERVICED. OWNED BY A 88 YEAR OLD LADY. MUST SOME KIND OF A REPAIR SCAM IN LA.

NHTSA complaint #11096799 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 90,000 miles Marrero, LA

FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 SATURN LW200. `THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT A FUEL ODOR WAS ENTERING THE VEHICLE FROM THE REAR. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER OR DIAGNOSED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 90,000. .....UPDATED 03/08/17 *BF THE CONSUMER STATED THE FUEL PUMP WAS LEAKING ON TOP OF THE GAS TANK AND RUNNING DOWN THE TANK. THE PUMP WAS REPLACED DUE TO A CRACK IN THE PUMP. UPDATED 03/13/17.

NHTSA complaint #10946331 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 90,000 miles Marrero, LA

FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 SATURN LW200. `THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT A FUEL ODOR WAS ENTERING THE VEHICLE FROM THE REAR. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER OR DIAGNOSED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 90,000. .....UPDATED 03/08/17 *BF THE CONSUMER STATED THE FUEL PUMP WAS LEAKING ON TOP OF THE GAS TANK AND RUNNING DOWN THE TANK. THE PUMP WAS REPLACED DUE TO A CRACK IN THE PUMP. UPDATED 03/13/17.

NHTSA complaint #10946331 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 105,000 miles Latham, NY

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:EMISSION CONTROL:CATALYTIC CONVERTOR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 SATURN LW200. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE SERVICE ENGINE WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT DROVE THE VEHICLE TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE SAME FAILURE OCCURRED TWO OTHER TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED AGAIN. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 105,000.

NHTSA complaint #10909808 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

River Grove, IL Crash 1 injured

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

2002 SATURN L200. AIRBAG LIGHT CAME ON FOR NO REASON, AND WHEN THE CONSUMER WAS INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT, THE AIRBAG LIGHT DIDN'T COME ON AND THE AIRBAGS NEVER DEPLOYED. *TA THE VEHICLE WAS TOTALED.

NHTSA complaint #10659550 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 141,000 miles Fenton, MO

EXTERIOR LIGHTING:BRAKE LIGHTS

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 SATURN LW200. WHILE OPERATING THE VEHICLE, THE REAR DRIVER SIDE BRAKE LIGHTS FAILED TO ILLUMINATE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 05V245000 (EXTERIOR LIGHTING). THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 141,000.

NHTSA complaint #10650623 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 160,000 miles Edwardsville, IL

ENGINE

TIMING CHAIN BREAK, CATASTROPHIC ENGINE FAILURE. VEHICLE MANUFACTURED 09/01. NOT NOTIFIED ABOUT ANY POSSIBLE RECALL.

NHTSA complaint #10650775 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.