The Saturn LS has 6 NHTSA recall campaigns on record covering 2000–2000. On average a defect was admitted 2.67 years after the car was built, the slowest took 5 years. The most recalled system is Fuel System, Gasoline (2 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.
Fuel System, Gasoline 2 Read
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
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
Exterior Lighting 2 Read
What's wrong. Vehicle description: passenger vehicles. These vehicles do not comply with requirements of fmvss no. 108, "lamps, reflective devices, and associated equipment." because of a problem in the hazard warning switch assembly, the turn signal lamps may not work or may work intermittently when the driver uses the turn signal lever or hazard warning switch. If the vehicle turn signal indicators are not flashing, then the turn signal lamps may not be flashing
Risk. Other drivers may not be alerted that the vehicle is turning and a crash could occur
Fix. Dealers will replace the hazard warning switch assembly
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
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,…
Seat Belts 1 Read
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
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 | 2.67 years |
| Slowest campaign | 5 years |
| Admitted 5+ years later | 33.3% |
| Campaigns on record | 6 |
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 |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | Seat Belts |
Check your own car
Each of these 6 campaigns covers a range of production, not every Saturn LS ever built — two cars of the same year can differ by a single week at the plant. Whether yours is among them, and whether the free repair was already carried out, is answered only by the number on its windscreen: check this LS 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 |
A campaign on one model says little about the brand as a whole — see how the Saturn LS compares in the full recall check by make and model →
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?
6 NHTSA campaigns on record, covering 2000–2000. 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 2.67 years, and the slowest campaign came 5 years later. Defects usually surface as they accumulate in the field: complaints pile up, an investigation opens, and only then is a campaign issued.
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