Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (engine, cooling system, oil leaks, timing chain, exhaust).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2002 Saturn LS owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
The same thing is happening to my car that happened to many Saturn owners of the same year. The car is turning but only stays on for a few seconds before shutting off. This seems to be the same as the ignition module and spark plugs issue as it is the same symptoms as those people were experiencing.
Tl* the contact owned a 2002 Saturn l. The contact stated that the vehicle began to slow down without warning. The contact pulled the vehicle over to the side of the road and exited the vehicle. The vehicle began to emit smoke from the hood and suddenly caught fire. The fire department extinguished the fire. The vehicle was totaled. There were no injuries and a report was not filed. The vehicle was not diagnosed. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 110,000.
Tl* the contact owns a 2002 Saturn Saturn LS. While driving at approximately 55 MPH, the steering wheel began smoking, the headlights flickered, and the check engine light illuminated. In addition, the engine was smoking and stalled. The vehicle was towed to a dealer where the failure was undetermined. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 186,000.
Dt: the contact purchased a used vehicle two years ago, and the second day after purchasing the vehicle there was a roaring noise from the front of the vehicle. The dealer said this was a problem with the front tires ,and the dealer replaced both tires. About two weeks later the noise returned. The vehicle has been to the dealer numerous times for numerous repairs. The vehicle would jerk to the right which caused the contact to hit a curb. There were no injuries but a police report was taken. There have been multiple repairs to the wheel bearings and joints which have not corrected this problem. Also the motor mounts and axles have been replaced in hopes of correcting this problem. The dealer has never been able to accurately repair the vehicle. Currently there is a need for new rotors and more tires. …
Vehicle was in motion at 30 MPH on city street, engine completely stopped working with loss of power steering and power brakes. Coasted vehicle to a side street & stopped. Had car towed to a mechanic. We were quoted $1700 bill to repair due to broken timing chain. Researched recalls and found that NHTSA had a recall #07V519000 for 2001 Saturn l100. This seems grossly shortsighted on the part of NHTSA, as there have been dozens of duplicate complaints. This prompted the state of north carolina consumers council to issue a defect petition for 2000-2003 Saturn l series with the 2.2l engine with the NHTSA. It is surprising how little effort the NHTSA has made in light of the scope of this problem.
While driving on highway at approximately 50 MPH the car engine stalled and died. I pulled over to the side of the road and attempted to restart several times. I had 3 passengers with me and an arkansas state trooper helped us until a tow truck arrived. I had to have it towed about 10 miles. The mechanic on site told us it is going to be the timing chain as he has seen several of the same engine with this problem. He had just repaired on as well. I had the vehicle towed to my home and eventually to my mechanic. He confirmed the timing chain broke and that he had just repaired one with the same motor. The repair cost $2400.
Tl contact owns a 2002 Saturn LS. The contact stated that while driving at approximately 40 MPH, the vehicle jerked and the accelerator pedal was depressed but the vehicle did not accelerate. The vehicle was pulled over to the shoulder of the highway where it stalled. The vehicle did not restart. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the timing chain failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 106,192. Updated 6/8/15
Tl* the contact owns a 2002 Saturn LS. While driving 15 MPH, the engine stalled without warning. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the timing belt fractured and the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The local dealer was not contacted. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and did not assist. The failure mileage was approximately 161,000.
Engine stalled while driving at highway speeds around 65-70 MPH. Engine could not be restarted and had to be towed back home. Mechanic inspection revealed complete loss of compression in two cylinders and partial compression loss in other two. Engine was permanently damaged and would have to be replaced or rebuilt at high cost in the thousands. Engine had 102,057 miles at time of failure.
Tl contact owns a 2002 Saturn l200. While driving 10 MPH, the vehicle shut off and there was a total loss of power. The contact crashed into a curb. The dealer stated that the timing chain failed. As of September 4, 2007, the dealer had not repaired the vehicle. The VIN was unknown. The current and failure mileages were 100,000.
NHTSA investigations
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)…
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…
Engine complaints in other LS years
Frequently asked questions
How common are engine problems on the 2002 Saturn LS?
NHTSA has 242 complaints about the engine & cooling of the 2002 Saturn LS, 49% of the model year's 493 complaints. The component named most often is engine (73 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2002 Saturn LS engine problems?
No. NHTSA lists no engine & cooling recall for the 2002 Saturn LS, though it has 3 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 2002 Saturn LS engine problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 80,000 miles, and 3% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 2 crashes, 2 fires and 0 injuries to engine & cooling 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.