Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (service brakes, ABS, rotors and pads, parking brake).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2001 Saturn LS owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
My daughter [redacted] was the passenger and [redacted] was driver. The kids went for drive and were found the next early morning around 6 am. The car was so burned and destroyed the kids could not be identified, and all who were there questioned the straight tire tracks without any correction or over correction in the steering of tire tracks, no braking in the county road tracks, and with fracture and damage of the skull area we later were told that the air bags never deployed! The tracks were approx 150 yrds long and went at an angle of perfection gradually pointing towards a ravine that would end both of the kids lives. We sent a forensic specialist to look at car 2 months later and was told to save our money on full report because the specialist said the car was so destroyed he couldn't make heads or tails as to a case against GM. …
Driving down in congested morning traffic on highway when engine shut off. With engine off, brakes hard to push and steering very difficult. Vehicle coasted to stop. Engine would not restart. It just turned over. Shop said timing chain snapped and engine had to be replaced.
I own a 2001 Saturn l200 4 cylinder sedan. It has just over 70K miles on it. All maintenance has been done on or before schedule. Almost 2 years ago the computer had to be replaced. After that incident, the lights started doing weird things. So I took it to the dealer and that issue was resolved (a recall). I have also had to replace the brakes 3 times. On 3/30/06 I was in rush hour on a busy highway passing a car in the left lane. My car just died (no lights came on indicating the engine stopped, just no power). Thank god I got to the right Land. I sat there for an hour and finally got the car towed. The timing chain broke. I have spend $200 just to find that out. I am not sure what other damage has resulted. Saturn is acting ignorant about this problem. They say they cannot tell me anything unless I have it at a Saturn dealership. (another tow charge and diagnostics charge). …
Noticed a burning rubber smell from the rt rear of the vehicle and then from the left rear tire of the vehicle. Hubcap very warm after a short travel distance, back brakes made a grinding sound. Went to use parking brake, could not lift up brake. Parking brake inoperable. Took to get repaired, was told that the parking brake cable was bound up, due to corrosion, causing the connection cables to bind up both rear brakes, unable to be released, which caused the brake shoes to melt on both rear wheels, causing the pad to rub against the rotor and, metal to metal, heat up and cause burning smell. Need to have new back rotors, brakes shoes, brake pads, parking brake fixed, new cables, and spring clips replaced. All parts need to be new as the rotors are damaged due to brake hangup. Back rotors have had to be replace 3 times on this vehicle so far.
Driving down the highway when I notice a burning rubbery smell. Stop the car and check all tires, the left driver rear is extremely hot and smelly, the others are not. Drove immediately to the Saturn dealership and was told I needed a new brake calliper as it was disinigrating and the smell was from the brake pads getting so hot, they were melting. I also had to have the brake pads changed do to the fact the caliper binding locked onto brake slider and would not free up. Had I continued to drive it locked up, it could have gotten so hot, it would have started a fire under the wheel well.
While driving 35 mphand upon trying to stop the vehicle, the vehicle accelerated, and the brakes failed. Consumer stated that she had both feet on the brake pedal, trying to stop the vehicle. She then pulled the emergency brake. Contacted the dealer, and was told the brake would always over power the engine. Please provide any further information. Also, provide vehicle identification number, and make corrections where needed.
At approximately 50,000 miles, I got a state inspection of my car. The front rotors were severely worn, requiring replacement. In addition to being worn down, the brake pad seems to have not fit properly and a "lip" remained on the rotors such that even if the wear had not been so severe, the rotors would have had to be replaced before new brake pads would work with them.
Both front wheel rotors totally shot beyond re-surfacing at 27.565 miles on 2001 Saturn l300 auto. Back brakes still at 80%. Inferior rotors with too soft metal-a potential hazard to all owners...at this mileage it is absurd-rotors should last at least 100,000+ miles..mfg refused to pay for replacement-I had to pay...
My car is 2001 l 200 and I have had numerious problems with emer. Brake and steering. I have recently had problems with the struat mount, and brake roters. I have only 45,000 miles on the car and have already begun the high repair bills. With no help from Saturn as of yet. I still am trying.
I am the second owner of this vehicle. There have been numerous recall issues associated with this vehicle, most of these issues are safety related. This auto is my sole means of transport. I have a 2 month old grandson who lives with me, and I have no clue if any of these recall issues have been rectified, aside from the "brake lamps adapter" which has not been fixed. I have no brake lights except for the roofline anti-collision lamps. Repeated attempts to get a hard copy of recall items as being fixed, have been met with no response. I spoke to a GM rep, who told me the issues were over 10 years and to file a suit in small claims court. I have no money to do the work ordered by the fed, via NHTSA. The taillamps are damaged beyond repair (as the insert was not installed in this vehicle) the airbags, have either two times the "generant" or no generant at all. …
Brake complaints in other LS years
Frequently asked questions
How common are brake problems on the 2001 Saturn LS?
NHTSA has 22 complaints about the brakes of the 2001 Saturn LS, 4% of the model year's 582 complaints. The component named most often is foundation components › disc › rotor (5 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2001 Saturn LS brake problems?
No. NHTSA lists no brakes recall for the 2001 Saturn LS, though it has 7 recalls for other components. If the problem is widespread, a repair may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin — ask a dealer.
At what mileage do 2001 Saturn LS brake problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 46,000 miles, and 8% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 1 crash, 1 fire and 0 injuries and 2 deaths to brakes problems on this model year. If you notice symptoms, have the car checked before driving further.
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.