Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (headlights, tail lights, turn signals, interior lights).
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).
A short circuit of some sort in the the headlight/turn signal switch caused a small electrical fire. While driving, the dashboard indicators showed that the daytime running lights and high beams were turning on and off on their own. When the car was turned off, the daytime running lights remained on. After a few moments, I began to smell the odor of something burning and smoke began to come out of the steering column. The smoke subsided only after I pulled the fuses on the two headlamps. The fuses did not break the circuit on their own -- the headlights did not go out until I pulled the fuses. I then called the Saturn roadside assistance hotline and asked them how to completely turn off the electrical power to the entire car (to prevent anything else from catching fire) but they were of little help. …
Brake lights ceased to function. Car rear ended during early morning pile up on I-85 due to tire failure on car two positions in advance. Investigate cause of light failure and found melted/burned light socket area. Tried to repair then called Saturn for parts availability. Informed that there would be a recall in oct 05 but that I could purchase the new light assemblies myself and might be able to get reimbursement later. Cost over $350.00 per assembly! Unable to spend this amount immediately so I parked the car until the recall letter comes!
I'm having the exact problem as recall 05V245000. Examining my car confirms this was not replaced. It has shorted out multiple times having me drive at night time with no lights! This is dangerous and has almost caused me an accident several times.
I was driving late at night and my headlights started to dimm almost to the point of going out and coming back on. It did it every 2 or 3 minutes for the entire time I was driving. I never had this problem before and I do alot of nite driving cause of the late hours I work.I took the car in for service and was told that they have had at least 100complaints of cars doing the same thing. They have a service bullitin about the lights "flickering". I advised that they don`t flicker , they go out and come back on. I was told by the service manager that they all flicker, the 100 of us are the unlucky ones that go out and come back on and Saturn is ignoring the problem.the car was checked and no problems found. I was advised by the service manager to call Saturn and complain. I did. …
My daytime lights began flickering. This eventually LED to flickering of my night lights, then my bright lights. It took my local repair shop 6 hours to diagnose the cause. They contacted the local dealership for the part, which the repair shop did not expect them to have. Surprisingly they did. The comment from the dealership was they found it to be a common problem on this vehicle. Apparently there is a short in the relay; the replacement fixed the flickering of the night lights. In order to fix the daytime & bright lights, more work needs to be done and a re-setting of the computer, costing over $700. This can only be done by the dealership due to the specialized computer they have for the saturns. My lights will continue to flicker as I refuse to pay $700 for a "common problem" that Saturn has not recalled.
For the past several months I have noticed an electrical (burning) odor while operating my vehicle. The multi-function turn signal switch is very hot all the time and when I remove the key from the ignition, it too is very hot, to the point of it burning my leg through my pants pocket. I took the vehicle to the Saturn dealership that I purchase it from for its annual inspection and advised the service tech of this. He later called to advised me that the turn signals had malfunctioned and the switch was smoking during their test. He advised me that the switch need replaced to the tune of $117. The vehicle is only 5 years old with 59,000 miles on it. I feel that this presents a safety/fire hazard and that these multi-function switches are defective and wear prematurely.
My left rear brake light bulb had burned out and caused the tail-light assembly around the bulb opening to melt and prevent the bulb from being pulled out. I checked the right side and the assembly was not melted but there was black burn marks on the wire harness that the brake light bulb plugs into. Five of the six center-high mounted brake lights had also burned out but no melting or charred marks were noted. I also have a crack in the center part of the vanity trunk assembly that allows water to enter, however, there are no lights in the assembly so it is not a big concern for me.
Rear tail lights on my 2001 Saturn l100 have had problems. GM recalled other products for similar problems. The bulb holders have been replaced 2 months ago and now the dealer has stated that the assemblies are in need of replacement. These assemblies are failing sooner than what is to be expected. I have been trying to fix the problem of lightbulbs intermittently working for about 1 and half years now. It seems apparent that the system used is inferior in quality.
The headlights, dashboard instrumentation, and dome light of this autobile are constantly dimming and brightening (flickering). This is making night time driving extremely dangerous. Saturn has issued technical information bulletin 04-08-42-001 in February 2004 stating that this is a "normal operating characteristic". I believe it is a present danger and could also be a sign of a complete failure of the electrical system.
Rear brake light (left) going out yearly. Housing warped/melted--extreme difficulty removing bulbs. Service dealer r. Confirmed changing bulbs and harness but not the plastic housing while under warranty (03-11-2006: paperwork avail.) {googled problem:found a site that states NHTSA complaint (#05V245000) already filed (but not found at NHTSA) with mfg campaign #05052 for 2001 l200 sedans, but no VIN #'s ranges avail.}
Related recalls
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.
NHTSA investigations
Headlamps flicker off and on
This pe was opened based on six odi complaints that headlamps flicker off and on, and two odi complaints that the switch is hot to the touch.the investigation has found no occurrences of headlamps going out.the complaints are due to sporadic dimming (flickering) of the headlamps as a result of variation of the voltage to the headlamps.GM has shown that a 1.5 -2.0 voltage drop occurs when other electrical devices are…
Headlight complaints in other LS years
Frequently asked questions
How common are headlight problems on the 2001 Saturn LS?
NHTSA has 52 complaints about the lights of the 2001 Saturn LS, 9% of the model year's 582 complaints. The component named most often is brake lights (13 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2001 Saturn LS headlight problems?
Yes — NHTSA recall 05V-245 (brake lights, Jun 2, 2005). Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.
At what mileage do 2001 Saturn LS headlight problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 60,000 miles, and 14% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 1 crash, 2 fires and 4 injuries to lights 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.