AI Damage2001 Saturn S-Series Sedan: common problems
Owners of the 2001 Saturn S-Series Sedan filed 4 complaints with NHTSA, most often about engine and cooling and child seat. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 4
What fails most often
- 1 Engine and cooling 50% of all complaints
- 2 Child seat 25% of all complaints
- 3 Powertrain 25% of all complaints
- Engine and cooling: 2 complaints (50% of all).
- Child seat: 1 complaints (25% of all).
- Powertrain: 1 complaints (25% of all).
Components owners complain about
| Component | Owner complaints | involving a crash | Technical service bulletins (TSB) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Engine and cooling | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Child seat | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Powertrain | 1 | 0 | 0 |
What owners report
Short excerpts of NHTSA complaints in the original wording. These are owner statements not verified by NHTSA; personal data removed.
2001 saturn sl2 sedan timing chain failure. It is currently at an automotive repair shop, so I do not have the vin handy (but if you need it, contact me). They do not want to replace the timing chain because they say they have had experiences where they do this and it fails again in a few months.
Brushing on my 2001 saturn broke while I was driving, leaving me stuck in 3rd gear. I have searched online, and found that is a very common problem, and saturn refuses to sell the defective part, opting to charge their customers over $200 for a $0.30 part.
Dt*: the contact stated while attempting to remove the harness buckle assembly that latches between the child's legs, the harness buckle would not unlock. After several attempts, the buckle assembly strap was cut in order to free the child. The manufacturer was not alerted.
Check engine light on diagnosed codes found 34 1,300 and 507 vvb present. Diagnosed further found intake manifold gasket leak. Replaced take manifold gasket. Did a goodwill split on cost. On march 14 2005 the same problem came up had to replace manifold gasket. The repair this time had to pay $100 for repair.
When owners complained
NHTSA complaints by filing year. The peak shows at what age the problems show up most.
Comparison
By complaint count this model year ranks 15,521 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 42% most complained about).
On average one model year of the S-Series Sedan has 3 complaints (6 years in the data). This year has 4, above average.
What to check before buying
- Engine and cooling. Radiator and fan after a frontal hit, coolant level and condition, overheating.
- Powertrain. Shift quality under load, harsh shifts, transmission codes, CV joints.
Other years of this model
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 2001 Saturn S-Series Sedan?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: engine and cooling, child seat, powertrain. Total complaints: 4.
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2001 Saturn S-Series Sedan?
NHTSA lists 0 manufacturer service bulletins for this year. A bulletin tells dealers how to diagnose or fix a known issue; it is not a recall.
Should I buy a 2001 Saturn S-Series Sedan from a US auction?
Owner complaints describe defects, not crash damage. Before bidding, check the components listed above and review the lot photos: VinWind builds a report of visible and hidden damage by VIN.
Other 2001 models
Read also
Sources: public NHTSA data (USA): service bulletins and owner complaints; YouTube: links to videos credited to their authors. Complaints are owner statements not verified by NHTSA, and describe defects rather than crash damage. Data updated 2026-11-05.