Most common 2000 Saturn LS problems
Share of the 382 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Saturn LS complaints by model year
Best LS years: 2000. Compare all years →
2000 Saturn LS recalls (6)
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.
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.
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.
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…
Seat belts
Vehicle description: passenger vehicles, light duty trucks, sport utility vehicles, and Mini vans equipped with trw seat belt buckle assemblies. The buckle base of these seat belt assemblies were not properly heat treated and therefore do not pass the load bearing requirement of federal motor vehicle safety standard no.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect the vehicle's safety belt buckle assembly date codes and, if necessary, will replace any safety belt buckle assembly.
Fuel system, gasoline › Storage
Vehicle description: passenger vehicles. Fuel tank assemblies in these vehicles have an over pressure relief (opr) valve that can become stuck open in a frontal collision. If the vehicle rolls over, fuel spillage could occur.
Remedy: Dealers will permanently seal the outlet port of the opr valve.
Fuel system, gasoline › Storage › Tank assembly
Vehicle description: passenger vehicles. These vehicles do not comply with requirements of FMVSS no. 301, "fuel system integrity." these vehicles May have been produced with an inoperative valve within the fuel tank assembly.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect the vehicles to ensure that the fuel tank assembly valve is operating as intended. They will replace the fuel tank assembly if necessary.
Exterior lighting › Turn signal › Switch
Vehicle description: passenger vehicles. These vehicles do not comply with requirements of FMVSS no. 108, "lamps, reflective devices, and associated equipment." because of a problem in the hazard warning switch assembly, the turn signal lamps May not work or May work intermittently when the driver uses the turn signal lever or…
Remedy: Dealers will replace the hazard warning switch assembly.
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal safety investigators have looked into 7 possible defects involving the 2000 Saturn LS:
Post-collision fuel system integrity
Allege that the fuel tank over-pressure relief (opr) valve May leak fuel in excess of FMVSS 301 allowances in a crash
Timing chain breaks, engine stall
On May 22, 2008, theoffice of defects investigation (odi) was petitioned by the north carolina consumers council (nccc) to broaden the scope of safety recall 07v-519, which was conducted by general motors corporation (GM) for model year (my) 2001 Saturn l-series vehicles equipped with the l61 2.2l engine and built during a 4-month period from November 2000 through February 2001 (dp08-002).
Timing chain failure
On December 12, 2005, odi received a defect petition (dp05-008) requesting the investigation of timing chain failures that could cause stalling in Saturn vehicles equipped with the 2.2l (l61) engine. Odi opened pe06-006 on January 24, 2006, with 24 vehicle owner complaints that alleged a broken timing chain caused the vehicle to stop operating.on April 12, 2006, odi received information from general motors (GM)…
Inoperative tail lamps
General motors has decided that a safety related defect exists on certain model Saturn 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 or tail lamps (including the center high-mounted stop…
Timing chain failure-stall
On June 6, 2006, odi opened an investigation of timing chain failure resulting in engine stall while driving with no restart in approximately 20,514 model year (my) 2001 Saturn l-series vehicles equipped with 2.2l engines (l61) built from November 2000 through February 2001 (ea06-009).the vehicles built during those months exhibited higher failure rates than similarly equipped vehicles built before and after.GM…
Timing chain failure
Analysis undertaken in response to the petition identified 26 complaints alleging timing chain failures in my 2000-2003 Saturn l-series vehicle equipped with the 2.2l l4 engine.most complaints of timing chain failure reportedly resulted in a sudden loss of engine power and stalling.odi also noted that certain my 2002-2003 Saturn vue and my 2003 Saturn ion model vehicles with the 2.2l engine vehiclescovered by a…
Inoperative tail lamps
On January 25, 2005, a safety defect petition was received by the office of defects investigation (odi), requesting an investigation of inoperative tail lamps on my 2000-2002 Saturn l-series vehicles.the petitioner alleges a defect in the design and assembly of the tail lamp assembly circuit board and light socket contact.the petitioner identified 47 vehicle owner questionnaire's (voq's) associated with the alleged…
What 2000 Saturn LS owners say
Engine & cooling all 150 →
Ref: 07V519 I am filling this complaint concerning my 2000 Saturn ls1 2.2l engine. While driving on a southern california freeway in July 2008 my timing chain broke. This caused us to try and get to the side of the freeway from the left side of the freeway, a very nerve-racking situation. After talking to the dealership and several independent repair shops I elected to replace the engine instead of fixing the timing chain and the other damage that was caused in the broken timing chain. The repair was completed by claremont auto center in pomona ca on 14/July/2008. If necessary I should be able to get a copy of the repair bill.
The whole subframe on my 2000 Saturn LS is rotted so bad that I can't even drive the vehicle. It started with my car not starting and putting it up on a lift to see what the problem was. That not starting problem is a bad resonator, but in the process the subframe was found to be seriously rotted away.
Lights all 63 →
Tl* the contact owns a 2000 Saturn LS. While driving at approximately 65 MPH, there was smoke coming from the steering wheel into the vehicle and the high beams activated without being prompted. The high beams failed to turn off causing the contact to detach the headlights. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 152,680.
Tl* the contact owns a 2000 Saturn ls1. The contact stated that while sitting at a traffic stop, another vehicle rear-ended the contact's vehicle. The contact stated that the break lights failed to alert the other driver that she was braking. There was no damage to vehicle and the police were not contacted. The vehicle was not taken to a repair shop or dealer for inspection or repair. The failure occurs intermittently. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure, however provided no assistance. The current and failure mileage was 154,000.
Electrical system all 63 →
Tl contact owns a 2000 Saturn LS. The contact stated that the rear tail lights failed to illuminate. The contact mentioned that there was an electrical malfunction that burned the sockets and wires causing the bulbs to short. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic. The technician replaced the rear tail lights three times and the failure recurred. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact was not included in NHTSA campaign id number: 05V245000 (electrical system). The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was not available.
Driving home I smelled an electrical burning smell. I then noticed smoke coming from the steering column. With the car off the smoke continued and the high beams were on. I drove to Saturn and they found an internal short in the head lamp switch (p/n 22679804). At no time did any fuse blow to protect the circuit. I have the old part and can see evidence of burnt/melted wires. This is a fire hazard. 2000 Saturn ls1 VIN [redacted].
2000 Saturn LS engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2.2L 4-cyl | 5-speed manual | FWD | 21 / 30 / 24 |
| 2.2L 4-cyl | 4-speed automatic | FWD | 20 / 29 / 23 |
| 3.0L 6-cyl | 4-speed automatic | FWD | 18 / 24 / 20 |
EPA ratings. Class: Midsize car.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2000 Saturn LS a good car?
Based on 382 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2000 LS rates average: 24% fewer complaints than a typical year of the LS at the same age. It is one of the best LS years by this measure. Complaint counts don't account for sales volume or individual maintenance, so have any used car inspected before buying.
What is the most common problem with the 2000 Saturn LS?
The engine & cooling — 150 complaints, 39% of all complaints for this model year, most often about engine. Next are the lights (63) and electrical system (63).
How many recalls does the 2000 Saturn LS have?
There are 6 recalls for the 2000 Saturn LS, the most recent from June 2, 2005 (brake lights). Recall repairs are free at any authorized dealer — check whether yours has been done with the VIN recall check.
What are the best and worst years of the Saturn LS?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2000. See the full Saturn LS years comparison.
At what mileage do 2000 Saturn LS problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 77,000 miles; 26% of problems with a recorded mileage started before 50,000 miles.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.