Most common 2002 Saturn S-Series problems
Share of the 11 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Saturn S-Series complaints by model year
Best S-Series years: 1997, 1999, 2000. Compare all years →
2002 Saturn S-Series recalls (1)
Seat belts › Front › Anchorage
Certain sedans fail to comply with federal motor vehicle safety standards no. 210, "seat belt assembly anchorages," and no. 214, "side impact protection." these vehicles were manufactured with welds between the door striker and belt-line that do not meet Saturn specifications.
Remedy: Dealers will install additional structural fasteners to the driver's side door pillar. Owner notification began January 22, 2002.
What 2002 Saturn S-Series owners say
Transmission & drivetrain
I own a 2002 Saturn sl purchased in June of 2002 with about 51K miles at the time of the problem in late March. The car is a standard transmission. I was driving my son to school in the morning when I suddenly lost all power to the wheels although the engine continued to operate. I was on a straight road, and was cruising at 45mph with no shifting at the time of the incident. I was able to coast to the side of the road. Upon having the car towed to the local Saturn dealer in danbury, I was told the clutch assembly had "come apart" and since the car was over 36K ,was out of warranty. The clutch was rebuilt by the service department. The parts were not returned to me. I have complained to Saturn corp to no satisfaction. In my opinion, there is no way a clutch should simply come apart after only 50K miles and less than 2 years service. …
Car engine stalls and dies. Car idles very rough. The manual transmission pops out of gear between 2nd and 3rd occasionally. Car does not have a 1st gear if you use 1st the car bucks like crazy. But according to Saturn dealer service centers visited 5 times the vehicle is running within factory specs and there are no fail codes. Have been several times on the expressway going 65 m.p.h and the engine has died what fun. The car has been inspected and the report states the car since day one I drove it off the dealership lot was worth less than 50% of purchase price and has become a safety hazard. The car has sat idle for two years now in my garage and I have lost my fight to have Saturn uphold their end of the lemon law in wisconsin. Saturn had tried to repair the car twice by putting all new fuel injectors in the car. Car was returned the following day with same problem. …
Brakes
Brakes failed on my 2002 Saturn s Series sedan (15,000 miles) while decellerating at a yield merge and rearended a car at low speed with minimal damage. Police officer noted brake pedal had to be floored to get only slight braking officer advised vehicle must be towed. Vehicle towed to Saturn dealership. After much resistance Saturn home office in tennessee sent inspector. Conversation this date with tennessee office said verbal prelim. Report- nothing really seen wrong. I don't belive it and fear driving the car.car still at Saturn of freehold.
I was driving on a highway for about 15 miles when I started to hear a high pitched grinding sound or cavitation noise which I thought May have come from the axle or brakes. Upon exiting the highway I stepped on the brakes which went to the floor before I felt them begin to stop the car. I immediately began to pump the breaks and the car did stop. I drove about a mile more on local streets but was still only able to stop by pumping the brakes. So I stopped at a pep boys store and had them check out the brakes. They said I had plenty of brake pads and brake fluid. They test drove it but could find anything wrong. So I drove the car home and it worked fine all the way.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2002 Saturn S-Series a good car?
Based on 11 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2002 S-Series rates average: 1.6× as many complaints as a typical year of the S-Series at the same age. 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 2002 Saturn S-Series?
The transmission & drivetrain — 4 complaints, 36% of all complaints for this model year, most often about automatic transmission. Next are the brakes (3) and engine & cooling (2).
How many recalls does the 2002 Saturn S-Series have?
There is 1 recall for the 2002 Saturn S-Series, the most recent from January 17, 2002 (anchorage). 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 S-Series?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 1997, 1999 and 2000. See the full Saturn S-Series years comparison.
At what mileage do 2002 Saturn S-Series problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 55,000 miles; 29% 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.