2002 Saturn SL Recalls, Complaints & Specs
No safety recalls list the 2002 Saturn SL, and owners have filed 131 complaints with NHTSA. Check your own VIN below.
No safety recalls on record
NHTSA's recall database lists no safety campaigns that include the 2002 Saturn SL. That is good news, with two caveats: recalls can be issued at any time (this page refreshes daily), and a recall filed under a related model name may not appear here. The VIN check above queries NHTSA directly for your exact vehicle.
131 owner complaints filed with NHTSA
Owners of the 2002 Saturn SL have filed 131 complaints with NHTSA; 20 describe a crash and 5 describe a fire. Reports cite 16 injuries and 0 deaths. The average mileage at failure in those reports is 70,359 miles. Complaints peaked in 2014 with 23 filed that year.
Most-reported components
What owners are reporting
“A car hit me it the front passenger side the hood of my car bent up the passenger side of my windshield cracked and my car went spinning not one air bag came out”
Owner complaint to NHTSA, July 4, 2023 · Air bags
“Ignition requires key jiggle in order to start. Electrical issues such as constant shorts, major failure in supporting systems.”
Owner complaint to NHTSA, September 25, 2020 · Electrical system
Fuel economy and specs
EPA ratings for the 2002 Saturn SL. Ranges cover every tested configuration.
| Combined | 26–29 mpg |
|---|---|
| City / Highway | 22–25 / 32–36 |
| Fuel | Regular |
| EPA class | Compact Cars |
| Engine | 4 cyl, 1.9 L |
| Transmission | Automatic 4-spd; Manual 5-spd |
Compare Saturn SL model years
Recall and complaint counts for every Saturn SL model year in NHTSA's database.
| Model year | Recalls | Complaints |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 Saturn SL | 1 | 29 |
| 1992 Saturn SL | 2 | 123 |
| 1993 Saturn SL | 2 | 175 |
| 1994 Saturn SL | 1 | 286 |
| 1995 Saturn SL | 3 | 355 |
| 1996 Saturn SL | 1 | 287 |
| 1997 Saturn SL | 2 | 227 |
| 1998 Saturn SL | 0 | 168 |
| 1999 Saturn SL | 1 | 178 |
| 2000 Saturn SL | 7 | 148 |
| 2001 Saturn SL | 2 | 111 |
| 2002 Saturn SL | 0 | 131 |
Checking a specific 2002 Saturn SL
How do I know if my 2002 Saturn SL 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.
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.
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
- LS1,458 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.