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#BS-2000-SATSL-5A542000 Saturn Sl
Based on reports from 202 owners and 8 recalls for this exact model.
Preliminary Verdict
Red Flag
Based on 202 complaints, 12 crashes, 6 fires, and 8 recalls.
Top reported problems
engines turns over but wont start after shut off
1 complaints • Severity 8/10
transmission is not shifting correctly
1 complaints • Severity 8/10
transmission rattles
1 complaints • Severity 4/10
Preview: What's in your full report
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Mechanic Inspection Checklist
22 owners reported power train:automatic transmission issues — failures commonly reported around 60K miles.
Failure Timeline by Mileage
Peak failure range: 30–60K miles (19 reports) • Median: 60K miles
30,000-Mile Cost Projection
Best Case
Most Likely
Worst Case
Top cost driver: Power Train:automatic Transmission (22 reports).
Also in your report
Owner Intelligence
AI-synthesized themes from real complaints
Buyer Lot Checklist
Questions, test drive checks, walk-away triggers
Negotiation Talking Points
Data-backed dollar deductions
Buy / Skip Verdict
Final recommendation with conditions
Where the complaints fall
2000 Saturn Sl: Known Issues & Problem Areas
Power Train:automatic Transmission Issues
Power Train:automatic Transmission complaints account for 11% of all reports filed for the 2000 Saturn Sl, with 22 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. The median mileage at time of complaint is 60,000 miles, suggesting issues tend to surface around the 60K-mile mark.
Wheels & Tires Issues
Wheels & Tires complaints account for 6% of all reports filed for the 2000 Saturn Sl, with 13 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. Owners should pay attention to wheels & tires-related symptoms during test drives and pre-purchase inspections.
Engine Issues
Engine complaints account for 6% of all reports filed for the 2000 Saturn Sl, with 13 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. Owners should pay attention to engine-related symptoms during test drives and pre-purchase inspections.
Engine And Engine Cooling:engine Issues
Engine And Engine Cooling:engine complaints account for 5% of all reports filed for the 2000 Saturn Sl, with 10 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. Owners should pay attention to engine and engine cooling:engine-related symptoms during test drives and pre-purchase inspections.
Data sourced from NHTSA owner complaints and community reports. The full report analyzes severity, repair costs, and failure patterns for each category.
Complaint trend by year
Complaints filed with NHTSA by year for the 2000 Saturn Sl. Recent trend: increasing.
Don't negotiate blind — know what this car costs to own
Repair costs • Negotiation scripts • Mechanic checklist • Buy/skip verdict
Recall History (8 recalls)
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES FAIL TO COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FMVSS NO. 301, "FUEL SYSTEM INTEGRITY." THESE VEHICLES WERE BUILT WITH AN INADEQUATE VENT VALVE WELD ON THE TOP PORTION OF THE FUEL TANK.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:PARK/NEUTRAL START INTERLOCK SWITCH
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES, EQUIPPED WITH AUTOMATIC TRANSAXLES, FAIL TO COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FMVSS NO. 114, "THEFT PROTECTION." THESE VEHICLES WERE BUILT WITH AN IMPROPERLY ADJUSTED AUTOMATIC TRANSAXLE PARK LOCK CABLE ASSEMBLY. IF IMPROPERLY ADJUSTED, IT IS POSSIBLE TO SHIFT FROM THE "PARK" POSITION WITH THE IGNITION KEY REMOVED.
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
SABERSPORT IS RECALLING 16,270 COMBINATION CORNER AND BUMPER LAMP ASSEMBLIES OF VARIOUS PART NUMBERS SOLD FOR USE AS AFTERMARKET EQUIPMENT FOR VARIOUS PASSENGER VEHICLES. THESE HEADLAMPS FAIL TO CONFORM TO THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 108, "LAMPS, REFLECTIVE DEVICES, AND ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT." THESE LAMPS DO NOT CONTAIN THE REQUIRED AMBER SIDE REFLECTORS.
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. THESE VEHICLES DO NOT COMPLY WITH REQUIREMENTS OF FMVSS NO. 208, "OCCUPANT CRASH PROTECTION." SOME OF THESE VEHICLES WERE MANUFACTURED WITH WELDS IN THE INSTRUMENT PANEL CARRIER ASSEMBLY THAT DO NOT MEET SATURN QUALITY STANDARDS.
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. THESE VEHICLES DO NOT COMPLY WITH REQUIREMENTS OF FMVSS NO. 135, "PASSENGER CAR BRAKE SYSTEMS." THESE VEHICLES WERE PRODUCED WITH BRAKE PIPE ATTACHMENT NUTS THAT MAY NOT BE TIGHTENED TO SPECIFICATIONS.
+ 3 more recalls in the full report
Recall severity analysis & seller scripts
The full report rates each recall's severity and gives you scripts for asking the seller about recall completion.
The worst model year for the Saturn Sl is the 1997 — worth knowing if you're cross-shopping years. The biggest problem area is engine.
2000 Saturn Sl vs. Class Average (Compact Cars)
This vehicle
202
Class avg
313
Below the class average — fewer complaints than typical compact cars vehicles. A good sign.
Complaint counts correlate with sales volume — popular vehicles naturally generate more reports. The full report normalizes for this.
About this data
NHTSA Complaints
Federal database of owner-filed safety complaints. 202 records for this vehicle.
NHTSA Recalls
Manufacturer-issued safety recalls. 8 recalls found for this vehicle.
Repair Cost Data
Real-world repair costs from owner reports and independent databases.
Other Saturn Sl Model Years
View all Saturn Sl years →2000 Saturn Sl: Frequently Asked Questions
What is the most common problem with the 2000 Saturn Sl?
Is the 2000 Saturn Sl reliable?
How much does it cost to fix 2000 Saturn Sl problems?
Does the 2000 Saturn Sl have any recalls?
What mileage do Saturn Sl problems start?
What’s in the full report?
How is this different from free NHTSA data?
How is this different from Carfax?
What if the report isn’t useful?
Get the Full 2000 Saturn Sl Report
10 sections of AI analysis based on 202 owner reports. Know before you buy.