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Recalls are issued for a make, model and model year. Whether the repair has already been done on one specific car is known only to its manufacturer and dealers. Check your vehicle's official status at nhtsa.gov/recalls or with a dealer.
US recalls (0)
No US recalls found for the 2002 Saturn SL.
Canadian recalls (2)
Show 2 Canadian recalls
Brakes
2002-02-21 · campaign 2002-031 · 64 vehicles
Certain passenger vehicles equipped with automatic transaxles. These vehicles were assembled with an inadequate weld at the brake pedal pad to brake pedal actuator arm assembly. During braking, the brake pedal pad could separate from the brake pedal actuator arm. If this were to occur, the driver's foot could become dislodged from the pedal resulting in a loss of brake system application and a vehicle crash could occur. Correction: Dealers will inspect and if necessary replace the brake pedal assembly.
Seats and restraints
2002-01-17 · campaign 2002-009 · 90 vehicles
Certain vehicles fail to comply with Canada Motor Vehicle Safety Standards no. 210, "Seat Belt Assembly Anchorages," and no. 214, "Side Impact Protection." these vehicles were manufactured with welds between the door striker and belt-line that do not meet Saturn specifications. If the seat belt anchorage on the pillar failed in a crash, the driver could be injured more seriously. In a side impact, occupants could also be injured more seriously because of greater intrusion or reduced performance of the optional side curtain air bag. Correction: dealers will install additional structural fasteners to the driver's side door pillar.
Owner complaints (131)
Owners filed 131 complaints with NHTSA about the 2002 Saturn SL (20 crashes, 5 fires, 16 injuries reported). Among 12 model years of this model, it ranks #9 for the most complaints (median 175).
| Most-reported problem | Complaints | |
|---|
| Electrical system | 43 | |
| Power train | 22 | |
| Engine and engine cooling | 16 | |
| Seats | 9 | |
| Air bags | 9 | |
| Steering | 8 | |
| Service brakes, hydraulic | 8 | |
| Tires | 5 | |
Crash test ratings
NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings for the 2002 Saturn SL.
| Version | Overall | Frontal | Side | Rollover |
|---|
| 2002 Saturn SL 4-DR. | – | – | – | – |
Fuel economy
EPA ratings for each 2002 Saturn SL version.
| Version | City MPG | Highway MPG | Combined | Yearly fuel cost |
|---|
| SL 1.9 L Automatic 4-spd | 24 | 34 | 27 | $2,500 |
| SL 1.9 L Automatic 4-spd | 22 | 32 | 26 | $2,600 |
| SL 1.9 L Manual 5-spd | 23 | 34 | 27 | $2,500 |
| SL 1.9 L Manual 5-spd | 25 | 36 | 29 | $2,300 |
Need this data in your app?
Recalls, complaints, crash ratings and fuel economy as a JSON API. Decode up to 50 VINs per call and get a daily feed of new recalls.
Explore the API →Sources: NHTSA recalls, complaints and 5-Star Safety Ratings, US EPA fuel economy and Transport
Canada's Vehicle Recalls Database (contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada).
Recalls updated 2026-10-30.