2002 Saturn SL Electrical System Problems
NHTSA component category: ELECTRICAL SYSTEM · data through 07/14/2026
Source: U.S. NHTSA complaint data. Complaints are unverified reports from vehicle owners — a complaint is not a confirmed defect.
How electrical system ranks on this vehicle
Share of the 131 complaints citing each category; one complaint can cite several. Full breakdown on the 2002 Saturn SL overview page.
What owners report
“IGNITION REQUIRES KEY JIGGLE IN ORDER TO START. ELECTRICAL ISSUES SUCH AS CONSTANT SHORTS, MAJOR FAILURE IN SUPPORTING SYSTEMS.”NHTSA complaint 11361173 — filed 09/25/2020
“I OWN A 2002 SATURN SL VEHICLE PURCHASED IN 7/2016. I'M HAVING PROBLEMS STARTING MY VEHICLE. BOTH STARTER AND BATTERY HAVE BOTH BEEN CHECKED OUT…”NHTSA complaint 11162608 — filed 12/19/2018
“IGNITION CYLINDER IS WORE OUT, WHEN PUTTING IN THE KEY, YOU HAVE TO JIGGLE THE KEY, SOMETIMES TAKES UP TO 10 MINUTES FOR THE KEY…”NHTSA complaint 11023642 — filed 09/15/2017
Excerpts are shortened and scrubbed of personal details; they are individual, unverified reports.
Electrical System complaints by year filed
Frequently asked questions
Does the 2002 Saturn SL have electrical system problems?
Electrical System is the most-reported problem area on the 2002 Saturn SL: 21 of 131 complaints on file (16%). Complaints are unverified owner reports, not confirmed defects.
How many complaints does the 2002 Saturn SL have in total?
131 complaints were on file with NHTSA as of 07/14/2026. Across all categories, 20 involved a crash, 5 involved a fire, 16 reported injuries, and none reported deaths.
What does NHTSA's electrical system category include?
NHTSA assigns each complaint to standard component categories; this page reports the ELECTRICAL SYSTEM category exactly as NHTSA defines and records it.
