2001 Saturn LS Recalls, Complaints & Specs
7 safety recalls list the 2001 Saturn LS, and owners have filed 582 complaints with NHTSA. Check your own VIN below.
7 safety recalls for the 2001 Saturn LS
Most recent first. Recall repairs are free at any authorised dealer. Click a recall for the full defect, consequence and remedy text.
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Engine and engine cooling
On certain passenger vehicles equipped with a 2.2l 4-cylinder engine, links in the engine's timing chain can separate.
Remedy: 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.
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Brake lights (exterior lighting)
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.
Remedy: 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.
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Electrical system: module
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"…
Remedy: 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…
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Air bags: frontal
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.
Remedy: 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…
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Air bags: frontal
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.
Remedy: 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…
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Gear position indication (prndl) (power train)
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…
Remedy: 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.
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Air bags: side/window
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.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the inflatable restraint sensing and diagnostic module assembly.
582 owner complaints filed with NHTSA
Owners of the 2001 Saturn LS have filed 582 complaints with NHTSA; 14 describe a crash and 14 describe a fire. Reports cite 19 injuries and 3 deaths. The average mileage at failure in those reports is 84,533 miles. Complaints peaked in 2008 with 70 filed that year.
Most-reported components
What owners are reporting
“The contact owns a 2001 Saturn LS1. The contact stated that the front driver’s seat failed to operate as intended. The contact stated that the power adjust switch was inoperable. The vehicle was towed”
Owner complaint to NHTSA, January 14, 2025 · Seats
“Recall bulletin #06074a ,timing chain engine stall. I called gm,and gm arbitration and they said I have no recallcs. This car only has 28,700 miles on it!! My Vin fits the criteria of the recall,and I”
Owner complaint to NHTSA, March 2, 2022 · Engine
Compare Saturn LS model years
Recall and complaint counts for every Saturn LS model year in NHTSA's database.
| Model year | Recalls | Complaints |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 Saturn LS | 6 | 382 |
| 2001 Saturn LS | 7 | 582 |
| 2002 Saturn LS | 3 | 493 |
| 2004 Saturn LS | 0 | 1 |
Checking a specific 2001 Saturn LS
How do I know if my 2001 Saturn LS has an open recall?
Enter your 17-character VIN above. The VIN is on the driver's side dashboard (visible through the windshield), the driver's door jamb sticker, and your registration or insurance card. The check runs against NHTSA's live database and tells you which campaigns list your vehicle. 7 campaigns currently list the 2001 Saturn LS; your car may already have been repaired under some of them.
Is the recall repair free?
Yes. Under federal law, manufacturers must fix safety recalls at no charge for vehicles up to 15 years old from the date of sale to the first owner. Contact any authorised Saturn dealer with your VIN and the NHTSA campaign number (for example 00V235000).
What is the difference between a recall and a complaint?
A recall is a safety campaign filed by the manufacturer or ordered by NHTSA, with a defined defect and remedy. A complaint is a report an owner sent to NHTSA; it is not verified, but patterns of complaints are what trigger NHTSA investigations and, eventually, recalls.
Other Saturn models
- Ion4,343 complaints
- Vue2,351 complaints
- SL2,218 complaints
- Aura1,439 complaints
- Outlook1,352 complaints
- Sky516 complaints
- SC1413 complaints
- Sc296 complaints
Source: NHTSA recall and complaint databases and EPA fuel economy data, October 2026. Complaint counts are owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects. Recall counts are safety campaigns that list this model year; whether a particular car was already repaired depends on its VIN. How this data is compiled.