2002 Saturn LS Engine And Engine Cooling Problems

NHTSA component category: ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING · data through 07/12/2026

93Engine And Engine Cooling complaints

18.9%Of all 493 complaints

#1Most-reported category

Source: U.S. NHTSA complaint data. Complaints are unverified reports from vehicle owners — a complaint is not a confirmed defect.

How engine and engine cooling ranks on this vehicle

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING93 · 18.9%

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE73 · 14.8%

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM62 · 12.6%

ENGINE43 · 8.7%

EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS27 · 5.5%

Share of the 493 complaints citing each category; one complaint can cite several. Full breakdown on the 2002 Saturn LS overview page.

What owners report

“THIS CAR HAS BEEN NOTHING BUT TROUBLE. I HAVE HAD TO HAVE THE DRIVE SHAFT REPLACED, THE MOTOR MOUNTS REPLACED, THE TAIL LIGHT ASSEMBLY REPLACED…”NHTSA complaint 10126779 — filed 06/27/2005

“WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED VEHICLE STALLED. CONSUMER RESTARTED VEHICLE, AND IT WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION. HOWEVER, MECHANIC COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE…”NHTSA complaint 10071497 — filed 04/23/2004

Excerpts are shortened and scrubbed of personal details; they are individual, unverified reports.

Engine And Engine Cooling complaints by year filed

Frequently asked questions

Does the 2002 Saturn LS have engine and engine cooling problems?

Engine And Engine Cooling is the most-reported problem area on the 2002 Saturn LS: 93 of 493 complaints on file (18.9%). Complaints are unverified owner reports, not confirmed defects.

How many complaints does the 2002 Saturn LS have in total?

493 complaints were on file with NHTSA as of 07/12/2026. Across all categories, 12 involved a crash, 12 involved a fire, 8 reported injuries, and none reported deaths.

What does NHTSA's engine and engine cooling category include?

NHTSA assigns each complaint to standard component categories; this page reports the ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING category exactly as NHTSA defines and records it.

About this data — Complaint figures on this page are consumer reports submitted to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), a U.S. government agency. NHTSA does not verify individual complaints; a complaint is not proof that a defect exists, and counts reflect what owners chose to report, not confirmed failure rates. Recall information comes from official NHTSA safety recall campaigns; recall repairs are free at authorized dealers. Always check your specific vehicle by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. CarModelProblems.com is an independent site and is not affiliated with NHTSA or any vehicle manufacturer. Data through 07/12/2026.