Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (automatic and manual transmissions, CVT, axles, driveshaft, 4WD/AWD).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2002 Saturn SL owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
I have a 2002 Saturn sl2 and I've had to replace my transmission twice now. I believe that the dealership in manchester, nh knowingly sold it to me like this since I had brought up a very slight speed up effect the car had to the car sales woman, and she had told me that it was because the car had a slightly more powerful engine than the 4.0 I was used to (it had a 4.6) and the jump was just the "extra power". I haven't even owned the car for 18 months yet. It's a piece of crap and I have a pretty bitter taste in my mouth from dealing with the car dealerships in nh and in md. The dealership in salisbury, md wanted to charge me $3100 for a new transmission. …
One evening last week I noticed that when I would shift gears after being parked, it felt like something dropped under my car. The same night, I would be driving about 35-40 miles and hour in the 1-2 RPM range, all of a sudden the gauge would quickly jump to 3 rpms and then drop back down. It did this consistently every 2-3 minutes. I took my car to a local transmission shop the next morning because I felt that it was a serious problem. The body valve was damaged which was the main problem. That was replaced along with a few other parts. When I was paying ($2895) the man that had been helping me informed me that his shop had encountered many transmission problems with my model car (2002 Saturn sl1) and that they checked in to any kind of recall or bulletins. He said that he felt that GM would be issuing a bulletin relatively soon. …
I own a 2002 Saturn SL vehicle purchased in 7/2016. I'm having problems starting my vehicle. Both starter and battery have both been checked out OK. All spark plugs were replaced on 10/31/18. After these repairs, when started it still made very noisy sounds coming from the engine. Now I can't get it to start at all. I tried to get help about a recall relating to my vehicle's starting problems. I contacted Saturn company [phone] and GM recall center [phone]. Neither were willing to help. I found info on the kelley blue book website. I entered my VIN number and following was displayed: NHTSA campaign id: 03V231; report date: info unavailable; vehicles affected: 239,993; consequence: info unavailable; what you should do: 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 …
Car has been taken back to Saturn for repairs 5 times and after the max of 2 days the problems were back. The car is not safe to drive and has been parked in my garage for now two years. Saturn is not willing to buy the car back through the wisconsin lemon law and by an inspector and myself it is a pure lemon. The car vibrates, idles very rough, and has the curious tendency to stall, lose power while driving at any speed. The car does not know what first gear is, the back end tells you of any bump in the road. Car has stalled several times when turning in a major intersection just love the sight of on coming cars and getting the finger and the horn. Not to mention the fear of going to the hospital for injuries, maybe not me, but maybe my passenger at the time in this car was 6, my daughter.
Saturn is an l200 series/there was only the ls on your list.numerous occasions of engine stall while traveling at all speeds. Called Saturn/said VIN not accepted? Live in florida keys/had to go to miami & get tail lamp fixed/only lasted two weeks (this was before engine stall) & call to Saturn. Am 69yr old female/afraid to use car/paid for all sorts of repairs/modules/sensors???and more. No one in keys to repair via GM - Saturn said miami only. Roundtrip over 200 miles. Afraid to drive/can't afford another car/must junk and, ofcourse, Saturn said VIN # not under recall for engine or electrical. Is there any way to recoup dollars I paid for any repairs on this car??? So much more than I am listing here......thank you NHTSA.
I have a 2002 sl1 (auto transmission)with over 150,000 miles on it. The transmission had started clunking when engaged in reverse and also when shifting between other gears. I decided to have my transmission rebuilt. I have had my car at a transmission shop for over a month now. The mechanics replaced my valve box and still am having the same issues. My mechanics is at a loss right now. I have read alot of blogs on the internet about the Saturn transmissions and believe I am not going to get my car fixed by my current mechanic nor anyone else.
Tl contact owns a 2002 Saturn sl2. While driving between 20 and 40 MPH MPH, the vehicle became sluggish while the contact attempted to accelerate. He had to slow the vehicle down and gradually accelerate in order to switch gears. The contact spoke with the dealer and they accused him of not following the maintenance schedule. The current mileage was 33,323 and failure mileage was 33,175. Updated 04/04/08.
At approx. 71,000 miles, automatic transmission began exhibiting shifting difficulties between 2nd & 3rd gears. Reputable transmission shop diagnosed problem as hydraulic leaks within transmission. Replaced seals with trans. Rebuild, replaced mlps, total repair cost over $3650. Trans. Was not abused, this was a premature trans. Failure.
This is regarded to the valve body issue that is common in saturns. I have a 2002 sl1 with 50,000 miles on it and must need to be replaced after doing research online I have found that there is hundreds of people with the same problem. Why has Saturn not done anything to fix this problem, or offer to help pay for the cost of repairs?
Dt*: the contact stated while driving 25 MPH, a noise was heard and the vehicle stalled without warning. It was maneuvered off the road, and towed to the dealer. The dealership determined the transmission needed to be replaced. The gear went through the bottom of the transmission. Updated 01/10/07.
Transmission complaints in other SL years
Frequently asked questions
How common are transmission problems on the 2002 Saturn SL?
NHTSA has 22 complaints about the transmission & drivetrain of the 2002 Saturn SL, 17% of the model year's 131 complaints. The component named most often is automatic transmission (14 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2002 Saturn SL transmission problems?
No. NHTSA lists no transmission & drivetrain recall for the 2002 Saturn SL. 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 SL transmission problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 48,000 miles, and 33% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 0 crashes, 1 fire and 0 injuries to transmission & drivetrain 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.