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#BS-2002-SATSL-5A54

2002 Saturn Sl

Based on reports from 154 owners and 1 recall for this exact model.

Complaints
154
Crashes
24
Fires
5
Recalls
1
TSBs
244
🟡

Preliminary Verdict

Think Twice

Based on 154 complaints, 24 crashes, 5 fires, and 1 recalls.

See full verdict with buy/skip conditions

Top reported problems

1

overheating

1 complaints • Severity 8/10

$X,XXX
2

wheel bearings failed

1 complaints • Severity 4/10

$X,XXX

Preview: What's in your full report

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Mechanic Inspection Checklist

!Check the ElectricalHIGH

21 owners reported electrical issues — failures commonly reported around 60K miles.

!Inspect the Power Train:automatic TransmissionMED
Look for symptoms of wear and premature failure
+ 6 more items in full checklistUnlock

Failure Timeline by Mileage

19
0–30K
27
30–60K
22
60–90K
9
90–120K
8
120–150K
10
150K+

Peak failure range: 30–60K miles (27 reports) • Median: 60K miles

Full report: which components fail at each mileageUnlock

30,000-Mile Cost Projection

Best Case

$X,XXX

Most Likely

$X,XXX

Worst Case

$X,XXX

Top cost driver: Electrical (21 reports).

Includes fuel costs, common repairs, and recall riskUnlock

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

10 sections total in the full reportUnlock all

Where the complaints fall

Electrical21 (14%)
Power Train:automatic Transmission14 (9%)
Engine12 (8%)
Electrical System:ignition11 (7%)
Airbags6 (4%)
Steering6 (4%)
Seats:front Assembly:recliner5 (3%)
Engine And Engine Cooling:engine5 (3%)

2002 Saturn Sl: Known Issues & Problem Areas

Electrical Issues

Electrical complaints account for 14% of all reports filed for the 2002 Saturn Sl, with 21 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.

Power Train:automatic Transmission Issues

Power Train:automatic Transmission complaints account for 9% of all reports filed for the 2002 Saturn Sl, with 14 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. Owners should pay attention to power train:automatic transmission-related symptoms during test drives and pre-purchase inspections.

Engine Issues

Engine complaints account for 8% of all reports filed for the 2002 Saturn Sl, with 12 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. Owners should pay attention to engine-related symptoms during test drives and pre-purchase inspections.

Electrical System:ignition Issues

Electrical System:ignition complaints account for 7% of all reports filed for the 2002 Saturn Sl, with 11 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. Owners should pay attention to electrical system:ignition-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

2
01
17
02
14
03
19
04
10
05
18
06
6
07
10
08
7
09
2
10
2
13
30
14
5
15
1
16
2
17
6
18
2
20
1
23

Complaints filed with NHTSA by year for the 2002 Saturn Sl. Recent trend: decreasing.

Don't negotiate blind — know what this car costs to own

Repair costs • Negotiation scripts • Mechanic checklist • Buy/skip verdict

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Recall History (1 recall)

09E012000May 2009

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.

Recall severity analysis & seller scripts

The full report rates each recall's severity and gives you scripts for asking the seller about recall completion.

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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.

2002 Saturn Sl vs. Class Average (Compact Cars)

This vehicle

154

Class avg

176

Complaint volume is roughly in line with other compact cars vehicles from 2002.

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. 154 records for this vehicle.

NHTSA Recalls

Manufacturer-issued safety recalls. 1 recall found for this vehicle.

Repair Cost Data

Real-world repair costs from owner reports and independent databases.

Other Saturn Sl Model Years

200220012000199919981997199619951994199319921991
View all Saturn Sl years →

2002 Saturn Sl: Frequently Asked Questions

What is the most common problem with the 2002 Saturn Sl?
The most commonly reported issue with the 2002 Saturn Sl is related to the electrical, with 21 complaints filed with NHTSA.
Is the 2002 Saturn Sl reliable?
The 2002 Saturn Sl has 154 complaints, 24 crash reports, and 5 fire reports filed with NHTSA. The full report analyzes whether these numbers indicate real risk or are proportional to the vehicle’s popularity.
How much does it cost to fix 2002 Saturn Sl problems?
Repair costs vary by issue. The full BumperScan report includes detailed repair cost estimates (low/median/high) for every major issue, plus a 30,000-mile total cost of ownership projection.
Does the 2002 Saturn Sl have any recalls?
Yes, the 2002 Saturn Sl has 1 recall on record. The full report includes recall severity analysis and scripts for asking the seller about recall completion.
What mileage do Saturn Sl problems start?
Based on 95 complaints with mileage data, the median mileage at time of complaint is 60,000 miles. The highest concentration of reported issues occurs in the 30–60K mile range. The full report breaks down exactly which components fail at each mileage bracket.
What’s in the full report?
10 sections of AI analysis: severity-ranked issues, component scores (0-100), 30K-mile cost projection, failure timeline by mileage, recall details with seller scripts, owner sentiment analysis, mechanic checklist, buyer lot checklist, negotiation ammo with dollar figures, and a buy/skip verdict.
How is this different from free NHTSA data?
NHTSA gives you raw complaint text. BumperScan cross-references 2.1M+ complaints with community repair cost data, EPA fuel data, and recall records — then uses AI to synthesize it into actionable advice with dollar figures.
How is this different from Carfax?
Carfax is VIN-specific history ($45/report). BumperScan is model-level reliability intelligence — what problems this car is known for, what they cost, and whether you should buy it. Complementary, not competing.
What if the report isn’t useful?
100% money-back guarantee. If the report doesn’t help you make a more informed decision, we’ll refund you — no questions asked.
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10 sections of AI analysis based on 154 owner reports. Know before you buy.

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