2003 Saturn L200 recalls and problems

The 2003 Saturn L200 has 4 recalls and 138 owner complaints on file with NHTSA; the most reported problem area is electrical system.

How the 2003 compares

Too few model years with complaints to compare.

4recalls

138complaints

7crashes

7fires

9injuries

63,000median miles

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, not verified and not adjusted for sales. Ranking compares this model's own years only.

Does your car have an open recall?
Recalls apply to specific vehicles. Only a VIN lookup on NHTSA's official site shows whether yours is affected and still unrepaired.

Check your VIN →

4 recalls

Exterior Lighting

Jun 2, 2005 · NHTSA campaign 05V245000 · 291,652 vehicles

Problem: 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.

Original NHTSA wording

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 warning.

Original NHTSA wording

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 WARNING.

Remedy & notes

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.

Gm recall no. 05052.customers May also contact the national highway traffic safety administration's vehicle safety hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (tty 1-800-424-9153), or go to http://www.safercar.gov.

Seat Belts

Apr 20, 2005 · NHTSA campaign 05V158000 · 20,701 vehicles

Problem: 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.

Original NHTSA wording

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.

Original NHTSA wording

IF A SEPARATION OCCURRED IN CRASH, THE RIGHT AND CENTER REAR SEAT OCCUPANTS MAY NOT BE PROPERLY RESTRAINED, INCREASING THE RISK OF PERSONAL INJURY.

Remedy & notes

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.

Gm recall no. 05041. Customers May also contact the national highway traffic safety administration's vehicle safety hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (tty 1-800-424-9153), or go to http://www.safercar.gov.

Electrical System

Jun 23, 2003 · NHTSA campaign 03V231000 · 239,993 vehicles

Problem: 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.

Original NHTSA wording

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.

Original NHTSA wording

FAILURE OF THE RESONATOR WILL CAUSE INCREASED EXHAUST NOISE. PROLONGED OPERATION OF THE VEHICLE FOLLOWING A RESONATOR FAILURE MAY LEAD TO A FIRE.

Remedy & notes

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, prompt 3.

Gm recall no. 03033/Saturn recall no. 03-C-06.customers can also contact the national highway traffic safety administration's auto safety hotline at 1-888-DASH-2-DOT (1-888-327-4236).

Visibility

Oct 29, 2002 · NHTSA campaign 02V283000 · 1,448 vehicles

Problem: Certain sport utility and passenger vehicles exhibit a condition in which the windshield wiper motor could fail during use because of improper manufacture.

Original NHTSA wording

CERTAIN SPORT UTILITY AND PASSENGER VEHICLES EXHIBIT A CONDITION IN WHICH THE WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR COULD FAIL DURING USE BECAUSE OF IMPROPER MANUFACTURE.

Risk: If this were to occur in severe weather, driver visibility could be reduced, which could result in a vehicle crash.

Original NHTSA wording

IF THIS WERE TO OCCUR IN SEVERE WEATHER, DRIVER VISIBILITY COULD BE REDUCED, WHICH COULD RESULT IN A VEHICLE CRASH.

Remedy & notes

Dealers will inspect and, if necessary, replace the wiper motor assembly. Owner notification began November 6, 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 Saturn at 1-800-553-6000, prompt #3 or Hummer at 1-866-486-6376.

Also, customers can contact the national highway traffic safety administration's auto safety hotline at 1-888-DASH-2-DOT (1-888-327-4236).

Recall text as published by NHTSA and the manufacturer.

What owners complain about

Engine27

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA; one complaint can name several areas. Not verified by NHTSA.

Complaints by year filed

NHTSA investigations

TIMING CHAIN FAILURE

PE06006 · opened Jan 24, 2006 · closed Jun 6, 2006

Summary

ON DECEMBER 12, 2005, ODI RECEIVED A DEFECT PETITION (DP05-008) REQUESTING THE INVESTIGATION OF TIMING CHAIN FAILURES THAT COULD CAUSE STALLING IN SATURN VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH THE 2.2L (L61) ENGINE. ODI OPENED PE06-006 ON JANUARY 24, 2006, WITH 24 VEHICLE OWNER COMPLAINTS THAT ALLEGED A BROKEN TIMING CHAIN CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO STOP OPERATING.ON APRIL 12, 2006, ODI RECEIVED INFORMATION FROM GENERAL MOTORS (GM) CONCERNING TIMING CHAIN FAILURES IN APPROXIMATELY 412,000 MODEL YEAR (MY) 2000 THROUGH 2003 SATURN L-SERIES AND ION VEHICLES WITH 2.2L ENGINES. GM'S RESPONSE INCLUDED 1,020 OWNER COMPLAINTS AND FIELD REPORTS CONCERNING TIMING CHAIN FAILURE, INCLUDING 228 THAT ALLEGED THE FAILURE CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO STALL WHILE DRIVING.GM ALSO PROVIDED WARRANTY CLAIM DATA THAT SHOWED 1,902 SUBJECT VEHICLES RECEIVING TIMING CHAIN REPAIRS, INCLUDING 261 WHICH INDICATED THAT A STALL WHILE DRIVING RESULTED FROM THE FAILURE.THE GM COMPLAINTS, FIELD REPORTS AND WARRANTY CLAIMS THAT DID NOT CONTAIN SUFFICIENT INFORMATION TO DETERMINE THAT A STALL WHILE DRIVING OCCURRED WERE PROVIDED IN THE CATEGORY OTHER.GM STATED THAT THE MAJORITY OF THESE INCIDENTS PROBABLY OCCURRED WHILE THE VEHICLES WERE PARKED SINCE THE TIMING CHAIN IS MORE LIKELY TO BREAK DURING HIGH CHAIN LOAD SITUATIONS, SUCH AS ENGINE STARTUP.GM'S DATA SHOWED ELEVATED FAILURE RATES IN APPROXIMATELY 20,500 MY 2001 L-SERIES VEHICLES PRODUCED DURING A FOUR MONTH PERIOD FROM NOVEMBER 2000 THROUGH FEBRUARY 2001.OVER ONE-THIRD OF GM'S TOT…

TIMING CHAIN FAILURE

DP05008 · opened Dec 20, 2005 · closed Feb 6, 2006

Summary

ANALYSIS UNDERTAKEN IN RESPONSE TO THE PETITION IDENTIFIED 26 COMPLAINTS ALLEGING TIMING CHAIN FAILURES IN MY 2000-2003 SATURN L-SERIES VEHICLE EQUIPPED WITH THE 2.2L L4 ENGINE.MOST COMPLAINTS OF TIMING CHAIN FAILURE REPORTEDLY RESULTED IN A SUDDEN LOSS OF ENGINE POWER AND STALLING.ODI ALSO NOTED THAT CERTAIN MY 2002-2003 SATURN VUE AND MY 2003 SATURN ION MODEL VEHICLES WITH THE 2.2L ENGINE VEHICLESCOVERED BY A TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN (03-06-01-017) THAT ADDRESSED TIMING CHAIN DESIGN AND SERVICE PROCEDURE CHANGES, EXHIBITED NO COMPLAINTS OF TIMING CHAIN FAILURE.ODI WILL GRANT THE PETITION AND OPEN A PRELIMINARY EVALUATION TO ASSESS THE FREQUENCY, TREND, SCOPE AND SAFETY CONSEQUENCES ASSOCIATED WITH THE ALLEGED DEFECT IN THE SUBJECT VEHICLES.REFER TO PE06-006.

2003 vs. other Saturn L200 years

Owner complaints by model year; the darker bar is the 2003. Click a bar to switch year.

Questions

Does the 2003 Saturn L200 have recalls?

Yes — NHTSA lists 4 recall campaigns covering the 2003 Saturn L200, the latest from Jun 2, 2005 (exterior lighting). A recall applies to specific vehicles: enter your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see whether yours is affected and still open.

What are the most common problems with the 2003 Saturn L200?

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA most often mention electrical system (50), engine (27), fuel system (18). Complaints are consumer reports and are not verified by NHTSA.