The Saturn LS has 12 NHTSA recall campaigns on record covering 2000–2002. On average a defect was admitted 2.55 years after the car was built, the slowest took 6 years. The most recalled system is Air Bags (3 campaigns). Owners also filed 303 complaints on this model — see what breaks.
What was recalled on the Saturn LS
Grouped by system. Open any row for the campaigns themselves — what failed, what it risks and how the dealer fixes it, straight from the NHTSA filing.
Air Bags 3 Read
What's wrong. Vehicle description: passenger, sport utility vehicles and minivans. The passenger air bag inflator modules were built without the correct amount of generant, which produces the gas that fills the air bag. Some were built with a double load of generant and some were built without generant
Risk. In the event of a crash that would trigger a passenger air bag deployment, a double load of generant can cause the inflator module to explode. If the air bag module explodes, metal and plastic debris could cause severe injury to vehicle occupant. A module with no generant would not inflate the air bag, and the…
Fix. Dealers will replace the passenger air bag module. Telephone calls were made to owners on january 29, 2001. Follow up owner mailing began on april 17, 2001. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact…
What's wrong. Vehicle description: passenger vehicles equipped with a side impact air bag system. The air bag system has a lower side impact safing sensor threshold than specified. Because of this reduced threshold, there could be an inadvertent deployment of the side head curtain air bag with severe slamming of the door
Risk. This could cause injury to an occupant
Fix. Dealers will replace the inflatable restraint sensing and diagnostic module assembly
What's wrong. On certain passenger, sport utility vehicles and mini vans, some of these vehicles have a passenger air bag that was manufactured without a check valve pin. An air bag without the check valve pin could produce increased pressure at the onset of the air bag deployment and reduced pressure afterward
Risk. This could increase the severity of injury to a person who was not properly restrained and who was close to the passenger air bag at the time of deployment. It could also reduce the ab8ility of the air bag to protect a restrained front seat passenger
Fix. Dealers will inspect and, if necessary, replace the passenger air bag. Owner notification began december 16, 2002. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact chevrolet at 1-800-222-1020, pontiac at…
Exterior Lighting 2 Read
What's wrong. On certain sedans and wagons, the plastic housing in the rear tail lamp assembly can become distorted if the brake lamps remain on for an extended time
Risk. This can cause (1) an intermittently inoperative brake/tail lamp bulb or (2) a short circuit that opens a fuse causing inoperative brake lamps (including the center high-mounted stop lamp) or tail lamps. A following driver may not know when the brakes have been applied, and a rear-end crash could occur without prior…
Fix. Dealers will install two new tail lamp reinforcing socket adapters and sockets free of charge. The recall began on october 17, 2005. Owners may contact saturn at 1-800-972-8876
What's wrong. On certain sedans and wagons, the plastic housing in the rear tail lamp assembly can become distorted if the brake lamps remain on for an extended time
Risk. This can cause (1) an intermittently inoperative brake/tail lamp bulb or (2) a short circuit that opens a fuse causing inoperative brake lamps (including the center high-mounted stop lamp) or tail lamps. A following driver may not know when the brakes have been applied, and a rear-end crash could occur without prior…
Fix. Dealers will install two new tail lamp reinforcing socket adapters and sockets free of charge. The recall began on october 17, 2005. Owners may contact saturn at 1-800-972-8876
What's wrong. On certain sedans and wagons, the plastic housing in the rear tail lamp assembly can become distorted if the brake lamps remain on for an extended time
Risk. This can cause (1) an intermittently inoperative brake/tail lamp bulb or (2) a short circuit that opens a fuse causing inoperative brake lamps (including the center high-mounted stop lamp) or tail lamps. A following driver may not know when the brakes have been applied, and a rear-end crash could occur without prior…
Fix. Dealers will install two new tail lamp reinforcing socket adapters and sockets free of charge. The recall began on october 17, 2005. Owners may contact saturn at 1-800-972-8876
Seat Belts 2 Read
What's wrong. Certain wagons fail to comply with the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 210, "seat belt assembly anchorages." the seat belt anchor may separate from the floor of the vehicle before holding the required test load for the required time
Risk. If a separation occurred in crash, the right and center rear seat occupants may not be properly restrained, increasing the risk of personal injury
Fix. Dealers will install a rear seat center belt anchor reinforcement plate to the floor pan of the vehicle free of charge. The recall began on april 25, 2005. Owners may contact saturn at 1-800-972-8876
What's wrong. Vehicle description: passenger vehicles, light duty trucks, sport utility vehicles, and mini vans equipped with trw seat belt buckle assemblies. The buckle base of these seat belt assemblies were not properly heat treated and therefore do not pass the load bearing requirement of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 209, "seat belt assemblies."
Risk. In the event of a vehicle crash, the occupant may not be properly restrained
Fix. Dealers will inspect the vehicle's safety belt buckle assembly date codes and, if necessary, will replace any safety belt buckle assembly
Fuel System, Gasoline 2 Read
What's wrong. Vehicle description: passenger vehicles. Fuel tank assemblies in these vehicles have an over pressure relief (opr) valve that can become stuck open in a frontal collision. If the vehicle rolls over, fuel spillage could occur
Risk. If an ignition source is present, a fire could result
Fix. Dealers will permanently seal the outlet port of the opr valve
What's wrong. Vehicle description: passenger vehicles. These vehicles do not comply with requirements of fmvss no. 301, "fuel system integrity." these vehicles may have been produced with an inoperative valve within the fuel tank assembly
Risk. If a vehicle with an inoperative valve were involved in a rollover, fuel spillage could occur
Fix. Dealers will inspect the vehicles to ensure that the fuel tank assembly valve is operating as intended. They will replace the fuel tank assembly if necessary
Electrical System 1 Read
What's wrong. On certain passenger vehicles equipped with 2.2l l4 (l61) engines, a failure of the ignition control module may cause deterioration in idle quality, reduction in overall engine power, and the vehicle may be hard to start. Continued operation of the vehicle after such an ignition module failure will result in the "service engine soon" light flashing, and may lead to secondary failures of the catalytic converter, oxygen sensor, and exhaust resonator
Risk. Failure of the resonator will cause increased exhaust noise. Prolonged operation of the vehicle following a resonator failure may lead to a fire
Fix. 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 update the powertrain control module calibration. Owner notification began on august 4, 2003. Owners should contact saturn at 1-800-553-6000,…
What's wrong. On certain passenger vehicles equipped with 2.2l l4 (l61) engines, a failure of the ignition control module may cause deterioration in idle quality, reduction in overall engine power, and the vehicle may be hard to start. Continued operation of the vehicle after such an ignition module failure will result in the "service engine soon" light flashing, and may lead to secondary failures of the catalytic converter, oxygen sensor, and exhaust resonator
Risk. Failure of the resonator will cause increased exhaust noise. Prolonged operation of the vehicle following a resonator failure may lead to a fire
Fix. 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 update the powertrain control module calibration. Owner notification began on august 4, 2003. Owners should contact saturn at 1-800-553-6000,…
What's wrong. On certain passenger vehicles equipped with 2.2l l4 (l61) engines, a failure of the ignition control module may cause deterioration in idle quality, reduction in overall engine power, and the vehicle may be hard to start. Continued operation of the vehicle after such an ignition module failure will result in the "service engine soon" light flashing, and may lead to secondary failures of the catalytic converter, oxygen sensor, and exhaust resonator
Risk. Failure of the resonator will cause increased exhaust noise. Prolonged operation of the vehicle following a resonator failure may lead to a fire
Fix. 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 update the powertrain control module calibration. Owner notification began on august 4, 2003. Owners should contact saturn at 1-800-553-6000,…
Engine And Engine Cooling 1 Read
What's wrong. On certain passenger vehicles equipped with a 2.2l 4-cylinder engine, links in the engine's timing chain can separate
Risk. If a timing chain link separates while the engine is running, the engine will stall and will not restart increasing the risk of a crash
Fix. Dealers will replace the timing chain free of charge. The recall began on january 15, 2008. Owners may contact saturn at 1-800-972-8876
Power Train 1 Read
What's wrong. Vehicle description: passenger vehicles equipped with automatic transaxles. Some of these vehicles were assembled with the transaxle shift cable clip missing or improperly seated. Without the clip, the cable can slip out of its bracket and the transaxle lever would not move along with the shift lever. The driver may put the shift lever in park, but the transaxle may be in reverse or neutral
Risk. Unexpected movement of the vehicle could cause a crash without prior warning
Fix. Dealers will inspect the transaxle shift cable retainer clip to verify proper installation and, if necessary, replace the clip and adjust the cable to specifications
How long a defect stays unadmitted
Campaign numbers encode the year of the announcement, so each recall on this model can be dated against the car it applies to.
| Measure | Value |
|---|---|
| Average gap before admission | 2.55 years |
| Slowest campaign | 6 years |
| Admitted 5+ years later | 18.2% |
| Campaigns on record | 12 |
Which LS years were recalled most
Campaigns per model year. A year with more campaigns is not automatically worse — it may simply have sold in far greater numbers.
| Model year | Campaigns | Most recalled system |
|---|---|---|
| 2002 | Electrical System | |
| 2001 | Air Bags | |
| 2000 | Seat Belts |
Check your own car
A campaign applies to a range of production, not to every car of the model. The only way to know whether yours is affected — and whether the repair was already done — is by VIN.
| Step | What you get |
|---|---|
| Enter the VIN above | Open campaigns for that exact vehicle, straight from NHTSA |
| Check the repair status | Whether the free fix has already been carried out on this car |
| Book at any franchised dealer | Recall work is free regardless of age, mileage or owner |
Go deeper
A campaign covers a production range. Yours is one car.
- Check whether this exact VIN is affected — and whether the fix was done
- Alerts if a new campaign lands on a car in your garage
- Full research report as a PDF you can hand to a mechanic
- Decode a whole list of VINs at once
- No ads, on every page
- No ads, no tracking — and much more
Frequently asked questions
How many recalls does the Saturn LS have?
12 NHTSA campaigns on record, covering 2000–2002. Not every campaign applies to every car — coverage is by production range, so check your VIN.
Is recall work free?
Yes. Safety recall repairs are free at any franchised dealer regardless of the car's age, mileage or how many owners it has had. That is a federal requirement, not a courtesy.
How do I know if my LS still has an open recall?
Enter its VIN above. We show campaigns that apply to that exact vehicle and whether the repair has already been recorded as done.
Why did a defect take years to be recalled?
On this model the average gap between the car being built and the defect being admitted is 2.55 years, and the slowest campaign came 6 years later. Defects usually surface as they accumulate in the field: complaints pile up, an investigation opens, and only then is a campaign issued.