Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
3 owner complaints analyzed
0 distinct recall campaigns
97,000 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 1996 to 2002 model years. Data updated: . 3 complaints include usable failure mileage. View data status.
This selection has limited data. It remains available for lookup but is excluded from search indexing.
Owner-reported patterns
Most common problems
Electrical System is the most frequently named component, appearing in 1 of 3 complaints (33.3%). A complaint can name multiple components.
Recurring terms in complaint narratives
Topic
Matching reports
Share of complaints
Transmission and shifting
1
33.3%
Engine operation
1
33.3%
Electrical and battery issues
1
33.3%
Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.
Component breakdown
Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.
Electrical System
1
Engine And Engine Cooling
1
Power Train:Automatic Transmission
1
Component breakdown data
Category
Count
Electrical System
1
Engine And Engine Cooling
1
Power Train:Automatic Transmission
1
Electrical System: 1; Engine And Engine Cooling: 1; Power Train:Automatic Transmission: 1
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
Under 25,000
0
25,000 to 49,999
0
50,000 to 74,999
0
75,000 to 99,999
2
100,000 to 149,999
1
150,000 and above
0
Reported problems by failure mileage data
Category
Count
Under 25,000
0
25,000 to 49,999
0
50,000 to 74,999
0
75,000 to 99,999
2
100,000 to 149,999
1
150,000 and above
0
Under 25,000: 0; 25,000 to 49,999: 0; 50,000 to 74,999: 0; 75,000 to 99,999: 2; 100,000 to 149,999: 1; 150,000 and above: 0
75,000 to 99,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (2). 0 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.
Complaints over time
Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.
2007
1
2008
1
2011
1
Complaints over time data
Category
Count
2007
1
2008
1
2011
1
2007: 1; 2008: 1; 2011: 1
Pattern summary
Electrical System leads the component reports. Transmission and shifting appears in 1 complaint narratives. Engine operation appears in 1 complaint narratives. Electrical and battery issues appears in 1 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.
Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.
Complaint evidence
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
THE 2002 SATURN SL2 DOES NOT SHIFT INTO REVERSE AND WHINES WHEN STARTED AND UNTIL RUN FOR AT LEAST 15 MIN. CALLED SATURN CORP. AND WAS TOLD THERE WAS NEVER ANY MENTION FROM OTHER CONSUMERS. THERE ARE MANY COMPLAINTS WITH THIS CERTAIN VEHICLE. *TR
I HAVE A 1999 SATURN. IT KEEPS STALLING WHILE IN MOTION. IT WILL WORK FINE FOR A FEW WEEKS, THEN ALL OF THE SUDDEN IT WILL "ACT UP" AND THE RPMS WILL DANCE AROUND UNTIL IT FINALLY STALLS. I HAVE HAD THIS HAPPEN MANY TIMES ALREADY. I BELIEVE IT SHOULD BE INCLUDED WITH THE TIMING CHAIN INQUIRY, BUT I AM NOT SURE IF IT WILL RUN LONG ENOUGH FOR IT TO BE COVERED. I AM UPSET THAT I CAN'T GET ANY ANSWERS FROM SATURN. THEY INSIST ON ME BRINGING THE CAR IN AND I AM QUITE SURE THAT WILL NEED TO "FIX IT" WHICH WILL COST ME PLENTY. PLEASE MAKE NOTE …
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 SATURN ION S-SERIES. THE CONTACT STATED SHE WAS UNABLE TO RELEASE THE KEY FROM THE IGNITION, UNLESS THE BATTERY WAS DISCONNECTED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A PRIVATE MECHANIC WHO INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND PERFORMED THE REPAIRS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED; HOWEVER, THEY DID NOT CORRECT THE FAILURE. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 98,000. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 97,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.
Inspect model-year patterns, reported mileage, monthly activity and the evidence behind each signal.
Data completeness
3 unique complaints in this selection. Analysis snapshot: 2026-10-01.
100.0%Usable mileage3 / 3 records
100.0%Valid incident date3 / 3 records
100.0%Valid filing date3 / 3 records
100.0%Ordered incident and filing dates3 / 3 records
Missing, zero and invalid mileage is excluded. Dates after the snapshot are excluded. Examples are limited selections, not a representative sample.
Problems by model year
Model-wide comparison of the eight most reported components across the model. Cells show counts and shares within each model year. Open a cell for source examples.
Component complaint heatmap
Component
1996
1999
2002
Electrical System
1100.0%ODI 10416827 · 97,000 mi
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 SATURN ION S-SERIES. THE CONTACT STATED SHE WAS UNABLE TO RELEASE THE KEY FROM THE IGNITION, UNLESS THE BATTERY WAS DISCONNECTED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A PRIVATE MECHANIC WHO INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND PERFORMED THE REPAIRS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED; HOWEVER, THEY DID NOT CORRECT THE FAILURE. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 98,000. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 97,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.
I HAVE A 1999 SATURN. IT KEEPS STALLING WHILE IN MOTION. IT WILL WORK FINE FOR A FEW WEEKS, THEN ALL OF THE SUDDEN IT WILL "ACT UP" AND THE RPMS WILL DANCE AROUND UNTIL IT FINALLY STALLS. I HAVE HAD THIS HAPPEN MANY TIMES ALREADY. I BELIEVE IT SHOULD BE INCLUDED WITH THE TIMING CHAIN INQUIRY, BUT I AM NOT SURE IF IT WILL RUN LONG ENOUGH FOR IT TO BE COVERED. I AM UPSET THAT I CAN'T GET ANY ANSWERS FROM SATURN. THEY INSIST ON ME BRINGING THE CAR IN AND I AM QUITE SURE THAT WILL NEED TO "FIX IT" WHICH WILL COST ME PLENTY. PLEASE MAKE NOTE …
THE 2002 SATURN SL2 DOES NOT SHIFT INTO REVERSE AND WHINES WHEN STARTED AND UNTIL RUN FOR AT LEAST 15 MIN. CALLED SATURN CORP. AND WAS TOLD THERE WAS NEVER ANY MENTION FROM OTHER CONSUMERS. THERE ARE MANY COMPLAINTS WITH THIS CERTAIN VEHICLE. *TR
Darker cells indicate a larger share of submitted complaints. Components overlap. This measures complaint composition, not failure probability.
Failure mileage by component
Median and middle 50% of usable owner-reported mileages. Ranges require at least five records.
Component failure mileage distribution
Component
Mileage range (25th–75th percentile)
Median
Usable records
Examples
Electrical System
Too few reports for a range
97,000 mi
1 (sparse)
ODI 10416827 · 97,000 mi
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 SATURN ION S-SERIES. THE CONTACT STATED SHE WAS UNABLE TO RELEASE THE KEY FROM THE IGNITION, UNLESS THE BATTERY WAS DISCONNECTED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A PRIVATE MECHANIC WHO INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND PERFORMED THE REPAIRS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED; HOWEVER, THEY DID NOT CORRECT THE FAILURE. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 98,000. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 97,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.
I HAVE A 1999 SATURN. IT KEEPS STALLING WHILE IN MOTION. IT WILL WORK FINE FOR A FEW WEEKS, THEN ALL OF THE SUDDEN IT WILL "ACT UP" AND THE RPMS WILL DANCE AROUND UNTIL IT FINALLY STALLS. I HAVE HAD THIS HAPPEN MANY TIMES ALREADY. I BELIEVE IT SHOULD BE INCLUDED WITH THE TIMING CHAIN INQUIRY, BUT I AM NOT SURE IF IT WILL RUN LONG ENOUGH FOR IT TO BE COVERED. I AM UPSET THAT I CAN'T GET ANY ANSWERS FROM SATURN. THEY INSIST ON ME BRINGING THE CAR IN AND I AM QUITE SURE THAT WILL NEED TO "FIX IT" WHICH WILL COST ME PLENTY. PLEASE MAKE NOTE …
THE 2002 SATURN SL2 DOES NOT SHIFT INTO REVERSE AND WHINES WHEN STARTED AND UNTIL RUN FOR AT LEAST 15 MIN. CALLED SATURN CORP. AND WAS TOLD THERE WAS NEVER ANY MENTION FROM OTHER CONSUMERS. THERE ARE MANY COMPLAINTS WITH THIS CERTAIN VEHICLE. *TR
Explore monthly filing activity alongside recall announcements. Up to ten years of monthly history is available.
Solid line: filed complaints. Dashed amber lines: recall announcement dates for this vehicle selection; markers include all recall components. The latest month is partial. Temporal proximity does not establish causation.
Monthly counts, recall campaigns and complaint examples
Monthly complaint and recall timeline
Month
Complaints
Campaigns announced
Examples
2024-11
0
None
No examples available for this selection.
2024-12
0
None
No examples available for this selection.
2025-01
0
None
No examples available for this selection.
2025-02
0
None
No examples available for this selection.
2025-03
0
None
No examples available for this selection.
2025-04
0
None
No examples available for this selection.
2025-05
0
None
No examples available for this selection.
2025-06
0
None
No examples available for this selection.
2025-07
0
None
No examples available for this selection.
2025-08
0
None
No examples available for this selection.
2025-09
0
None
No examples available for this selection.
2025-10
0
None
No examples available for this selection.
2025-11
0
None
No examples available for this selection.
2025-12
0
None
No examples available for this selection.
2026-01
0
None
No examples available for this selection.
2026-02
0
None
No examples available for this selection.
2026-03
0
None
No examples available for this selection.
2026-04
0
None
No examples available for this selection.
2026-05
0
None
No examples available for this selection.
2026-06
0
None
No examples available for this selection.
2026-07
0
None
No examples available for this selection.
2026-08
0
None
No examples available for this selection.
2026-09
0
None
No examples available for this selection.
2026-10 (partial)
0
None
No examples available for this selection.
Emerging complaint spikes
Complete months in the latest six months with at least 10 complaints, at least twice the preceding 12-month average, and at least three square-root deviations above that average.
This is a descriptive screening rule, not a statistical defect finding. Publicity and reporting changes can increase submissions.
No complete months meet the spike thresholds for this selection.
Equal-age model-year comparison
Model-wide cumulative reports during the first three or five calendar years, starting with the model year (age 0). Only fully elapsed windows are compared.
1999: 0 complaints · 2002: 0 complaints
Equal observation windows
Model year
Through age 0
Through age 1
Through age 2
1999
0
0
0
2002
0
0
0
Date coverage across each selected cohort
Date basis for all complaints in selected model years
Year
Incident dates used
Filing date fallbacks
Excluded dates
1999
1
0
0
2002
1
0
0
Incident date is preferred when valid and no later than filing; otherwise filing date is used. Model year approximates age. Equal observation time does not adjust for sales, distance driven or reporting delays. One complaint linked to multiple model years can appear in each cohort.
Components reported together
Each cell counts unique complaints naming both components. Open a nonzero cell for examples.
Component co-occurrence matrix
Component
Electrical System
Engine And Engine Cooling
Power Train:Automatic Transmission
Electrical System
—
0
0
Engine And Engine Cooling
0
—
0
Power Train:Automatic Transmission
0
0
—
Co-reporting does not establish that one component caused another concern.
Recurring narrative patterns
Specific keyword mentions beyond broad component labels. Matching includes negations and comparisons and does not confirm a diagnosis.
1 patterns with matching reports.
Stalling or loss of power
1 mentions · 33.3% of complaints
Median mileage: 76,000 mi (1 usable records).
ODI 10245258 · 76,000 mi
I HAVE A 1999 SATURN. IT KEEPS STALLING WHILE IN MOTION. IT WILL WORK FINE FOR A FEW WEEKS, THEN ALL OF THE SUDDEN IT WILL "ACT UP" AND THE RPMS WILL DANCE AROUND UNTIL IT FINALLY STALLS. I HAVE HAD THIS HAPPEN MANY TIMES ALREADY. I BELIEVE IT SHOULD BE INCLUDED WITH THE TIMING CHAIN INQUIRY, BUT I AM NOT SURE IF IT WILL RUN LONG ENOUGH FOR IT TO BE COVERED. I AM UPSET THAT I CAN'T GET ANY ANSWERS FROM SATURN. THEY INSIST ON ME BRINGING THE CAR IN AND I AM QUITE SURE THAT WILL NEED TO "FIX IT" WHICH WILL COST ME PLENTY. PLEASE MAKE NOTE …