2000 Saturn LS problems
The 2000 Saturn LS has 544 complaints on file with NHTSA. The largest share (27%) concerns engine. After that come lighting (14%) and electrical system (12%).
At a glance
- Complaints
- 544 filed with NHTSA
- Most reported
- Engine 27% of complaints
- Crashes and fires
- 12 and 5
- Injuries and deaths
- 22 and 0
- Typical mileage
- 78,000 miles 296 complaints with mileage
Source: NHTSA owner complaints
Where the complaints are
Share of this model year's complaints by the part of the car involved. One complaint can name more than one part, so the shares can add up to more than 100%.
When problems show up
View the numbers
| Mileage | Complaints |
|---|---|
| 0k to 20k miles | 13 |
| 20k to 40k miles | 29 |
| 40k to 60k miles | 51 |
| 60k to 80k miles | 58 |
| 80k to 100k miles | 46 |
| 100k to 120k miles | 35 |
| 120k to 140k miles | 23 |
| 140k to 160k miles | 18 |
| 160k to 180k miles | 7 |
| 180k to 200k miles | 12 |
| 200k+ miles | 4 |
What the data shows
Among the 296 complaints that report mileage, the typical (median) problem appeared at about 78,000 miles. For engine specifically, the median reported mileage is about 86,000 miles (114 complaints with mileage).
Safety-related details: 12 complaints mention a crash; 5 complaints mention a fire; 22 injuries reported.
It is also covered by 6 safety recall campaigns.
What owners wrote
A few complaints as filed, shortened and with personal details removed. The first ones are among the most serious reports for this model year; the rest are typical.
I was driving a 98 toyota tacoma on a 45 MPH highway when a pedestrian in the road caused all lanes of traffic to suddenly stop. I was unable to stop in time and went into the median to avoid an accident. I was unable to keep my vehicle in the median and struck the 2000 saturn coupe drivers side fender to drivers side fender. Upon impact the body of the saturn burst into 12 to 14 inch shards of whatever the body is made of, (perhaps fiberglass or something similar).
Dt*: the contact stated while stopped in traffic, the vehicle was hit from behind by another vehicle. Upon impact the driver's seatbelt did not hold causing the occupant to hit the steering wheel. The dash board came forward onto the occupant and the airbag did not deploy. The occupant sustained head, back, neck and right hip injuries and a police report was filed. The vehicle was taken to an independent repair shop, which repaired the vehicle body damages.
I had just gone to the gas station to fill up my 2000 saturn lw2 when I was about two blocks from the gas station. I was right around the corner from my house, and had just turned right onto a street with a hill. Suddenly, my car started sputtering so I immediately tried to pull over. I wasn't completely out of the street when I suddenly lost all power brakes and power steering going down the hill at 25 miles per hour.
Problems with brake pad wear indicators not sounding. The front rotors wore down prematurely. The brake pad wear indicators failed to produce any audible indication that the pads had worn down and the rotors had been scored to the point where the rotors needed to be grinded. The consumer was told that the linings had formed hot spots on the rotors and they did not feel the rotors could not be cut without producing a pulsation in the pedal.