2001 Saturn L300 from North America - Comments

I am having a problem with my 02 L300 turning over, but not cranking. When it does, the Service Engine Soon light comes on and it shifts so hard I'm sure the transmission will jump right out. My mechanic can't identify the problem, but is afraid it is the computer and warily recommends the dealer. This comes right after eating the second battery in 15 months. I really loved the car, but it is starting to scare me.

To the previous poster: sounds like the MAF sensor is bad. When it gives false readings, it tends to make it run poorly and confuse the transmission into shifting very firmly (the MAF gives a signal to the trans that you are under full-throttle acceleration, even when you're not).

It's about $150 installed, or you can do it yourself. This is a common problem on the L81 V6.

If they determine it's not the MAF sensor, check the CPS (crankshaft position sensor), but my money's on the MAF.

Suddenly I no longer feel alone. My V6 2001 L300, is the textbook for most all the proceeding situations.

It all began with a service light and a trip to the dealer. I was informed its the OXY sensor and some decayed wiring. I paid my tribute to the dealer and went on about my day. Next afternoon same symptoms.."sensation of a hard shift, rough idling, reduced power light, service engine light and then the dreaded service wrench light: followed by the car stalling, just dying, barely allowing me to coast off the freeway to safety.

Another visit to the dealer "Ooohhh Miss you need a new fuel filter, another oxy sensor {other must have been faulty} and a fuel pump". This after the dealer had it for 3 days and numerous calls to the Engineers in Spring Hill. Who ultimately diagnosed the vehicle. Not so surprisingly at first they could not replicate the symptoms I described. The Tecs even drove it home and no lights and no stalling occurred. I was advised they drove it for over 30 miles in normal comute traffic. But the situation never arose for them..{funny the mileage only went up 1 mile} hmmm... they must of levitated the car or something. Anyway over $400 later they proclaim...fixed! I take it home, hoping the drama is behind me.

The next day while commuting to work the car again stalls. This time graciously allowing me to coast off at my offramp. Oh yeah, this "Miss" is livid.

So at the advice of others I take my car to a "Transmission shop". Within hours and only $45 dollars later they tell me "tranny good"..THROTTLE BODY bad!!.

I return back to the scene to the crime "the dealer," who retains my vehicle for 3 days. I provided them information on the codes, and diagnosis of the "Tranny Shop." Their diagnosis its the "THROTTLE BODY." But to my dismay I'm advised I must pay for the wiring harness and a MAF sensor. My scenario must sound familiar to other L300 series owners. Anyways, I pick up my wonder of American craftsmanship tomorrow. Wish me luck! All I need to do is buy time, till I trade it in Feb. Crossing my fingers, saying a prayer to the auto gods and proclaiming:

"No more Saturns for me!"

In this case (last comment) The problem is the dealer, not the vehicle. I rest my case.

I agree, this is a clear case of an incompetent service department. It's not like the MAF sensor is unheard of--this is common and easy to diagnose. Also, it shouldn't cost more than $150 to replace. Let's place the blame where it belongs.

By the way, just so you are aware, your V6 engine is a wonder of BRITISH craftsmanship, not American. Although the car was assemble in Delaware, the engine is made by Vauxhall in Ellesmere, England.

I have a '02 L300 that has shakes for the first 10 miles if it sits for too long. Most recently I parked it at the airport for a week and when I tried to start it, it stalled the first time (the battery light came on) and then finally cranked the second time, but my check engine light started flashing and the car continued to shake for the next 10 miles. Does anyone have any advice before I spend a fortune at the dealer? I haven't noticed any hard shifting so I don't think this is the same problem as the previous posters.

It's interesting finding these comments about "problems" with the L300. I have a 2001 and have had nothing, but problems with it over the past 2 years or so.

1. The suspension is just outright flawed. It goes through tires like a baby goes through diapers. Saturn KNOWS about it. My parents also bought a 2001 L300 but, because my father doesn't take crap from anyone and complained (with proof) about the extremely poor suspension, they ended up taking the L300 back from him at a great trade-in price and gave him a huge discount on a 2004 Saturn ION. (this happened a couple years ago) Basically, get 60,000 mile rated tires and have them rotated every time you get your oil changed (or at the max, every 5K miles) and you'll be lucky to get 30,000 miles out of the 60K mile tires. I know several others with "L300 tire problems" too.

2. The coolant system is also just flawed. If there are recalls for something like that it should have been put into effect for the L300. Over the past 10 months we've had to get something with the coolant system fixed FOUR times at a total cost of almost $2,000. First it was a seal that was no good. Then it was a water pump. Then it was the "heater core" that caused coolant to leak INTO THE CAR. As in, it was being soaked up by the foot mat/upholstery of the footwell inside the car. Ridiculous. The heater core problem happened less than a month after we spent over $1,700 on the $100K service from a Saturn dealership, too.

I will never be buying another Saturn as long as I live. Saturn has lost a lot of potential business too because I bought the L300 brand new when I was 20 and have at least 30 more years of car buying ahead of me.

The problems with the '01 and '02 L300s eating tires are well-known, and there is actually an after-market kit they install so the tires can be aligned properly. Apparently they CANNOT be aligned properly straight from the factory. I have an '03 and it ate up the tires too. The dealership told me that the problem was fixed on the '03 model before any shipped, so it couldn't be that. They said if I could prove I'd rotated my tires on the proper schedule, they might be able to discuss prorating the cost of a new set based on the mileage used (about 27,000 miles). Once I told them that I rotate my own tires, and therefore there is no record, the service manager said that if the tires were worn evenly, he might be able to work with me. Unfortunately, I'd already replaced the front set, as I had picked up a sidewall gash on the road some months earlier. He told me I was SOL. I paid Tire Discounters $600 for a new set of tires.

My 2002 L300 rips through tires too. At first I thought it was the Firestone brand that came with the car. Dealer replaced them free at 18000 miles. Next set lasted slightly longer. Replaced them with Continentals. They really sing as did the Firestone's. Saturn alignment did not help.

The high pressure power steering line split open and was replaced at 45000 miles. The two 'rods' that hold the front torsion bar were replaced. They are permanently lubricated and sealed and are not maintenance items. Both these problems occurred before my first brake job was needed.

Now my brake lights don't work. The socket shows signs of burning. The running light indicator on the dash does not work.

GM has a record of poor performance since the '70s when it converted the 350cid to diesel and cross matched parts on small cars into large cars.

I am buying Japanese from now on. No longer supporting American manufacturers.

I purchased my 2001 L300 when it had 28,000 miles. It had been a one owner car, sold originally from the dealer I was purchasing it from. The car had been "maintained religiously" by the first owner, through this dealership. I bought the car in July of 2002. I then began a "religious maintenance" of this car. Every time I brought it in for an oil change, I ended up spending $300-$600 on everything and anything you could imagine. Oxygen sensors...awww..I can't even remember it all. I began to have anxiety attacks about getting an oil change. The last time I was at this dealership they told me I need a new fuel pump. That was over a year ago. I have since had oil changes at local garages, still running with my "old fuel pump", without incidence. The car goes through tires like crazy... it seems to have no insulation, as I can hear road noise like all my windows were down...I've had more repairs on this 'almost new' piece of crap, than I did on a 10 year old Ford Thunderbird. It's a lousy car. I'm going to have a real guilty conscience trying to get rid of it. Maybe my worst enemy would like a deal on a Crapturn.

I to have spent numerous dollars on my 2001 saturn l300 I have had the same problems as the comment on september 5 2006...I have tried to trade in, but I cannot get what I owe... I will be upside down on payments.. and the reason I bought this car was because I'm in college and I work full time and I was told saturns are great cars anything for a sell right?... yea okay then why am I breaking down on the side of the road... and it shifting hard... I was leaveing class one night and I started this thing up and it was still in park and idled up to 5000 rpms my foot was not even on the brake or gas or anything... I work at a ford dealership and they tried fixing it for me... I took it to a saturn dealership and the fixed the throttle body I spent nearly 2000 dollars on just that 1 day ago and ummm today I am having the SAME problems... STILL and they say bring it in well check it for ya... umm no I'm tired of people checking it I have bought 2 thottle bodies and have a trans flush and I get it service all the time when it needs when are these problems going to start... I'm prolly going to just say screw it and buy a new car anyway and oh well i'll just be upside down and I do not recommend saturns to anyone oh and by the way now the say its my alternator... yeah okay same problens different thing no I think not.

I am happy to hear that I'm not alone with my problems with my 2001 Saturn L300. It was somewhat problematic up until this year, when it was paid off. But this year has been one thing after another. I spent $1500 in two trips in October (spertine (sp?) belt and fuel pump) then another $716 today on the ignition module.

I also have a 2001 L300 and have had trouble with it from the day I drove it off the lot. Most of the troubles have been with the tires. With the first set the car shook badly around 45 mph and I was told they were not appropriate tires for the car, even though it was a brand new car with seven miles on it. They changed those tires to a different set.

Problems continued. At 18,000 miles they replaced all four tires because they were almost bald. At 36,000 miles they replaced all four tires because they were cupping and installed a shim kit for alignment problems. At 51,000 miles I was told the back two tires needed to be replaced "soon". Now at 54,000 now three of the four tires need to be replaced "soon", which means there is 18,000 miles on these tires.

I have faithfully had my maintenance work completed and my tires rotated. They are not willing to put different tires on because they "have assisted me before". They claim it is not an alignment nor a suspension problem. I cannot believe that, but they won't move on it.

I also had many other problems with this car, the latest being a fuel pump leak. I have had the car not start many times. It has been a constant problem.

I will never purchase another Saturn. This was my second Saturn. I never had any problem with my other one.

I have a 2002 Saturn L300 that has exhibited many of the same problems people have posted.

At 55,000 miles, I'm on my third set of tires. I just paid $500+ to have the rear shim kit installed and everything realigned, which is supposed to stop the car from eating tires.

The transmission has started to intermittently shift hard. When it starts to shift hard, the service light comes on. The transmission upshifts fine, but downshifts (e.g. from first to second gear) are very hard, as is going from reverse to drive or vice versa. Turning the car off, waiting about 30 seconds, then starting it again temporarily solves the problem. The dealer tells me it's a solenoid in the transmission that will cost nearly $1,000 to fix.

The car also has also acquired a nasty habit of pulling to the right when accelerating, whether it's light or hard acceleration. The dealer chalks it up to torque steer, though it hasn't always done this.

I drove a 1991 Saturn SL for 11 years before my L300, and it was a great car. I wish I could say the same for the L300.

After reading these comment I no longer feel alone and depressed. I have a 2001 L300 V6. In December 2006 on my way home from work at 2am I noticed the overheating light on and before I could get off the road I heard a poping sound under the hood followed by a sound of running water. I towed it to the Saturn dealer and they informed me of a blown head gasket, oil cooler, oil cooler rings, etc. The total cost was $2100.00. After about 3 weeks the car starts to make a terrible noise and the service engine wrench light comes on. I take it back and the timing and drive belt both are cracking and the tensioner and pulleys need to be replaced. Total cost $1200.00. When I pick it up yesterday is sounded great. Could not even hear it running when cranked. On the way home I stopped at a red light and when I accelerated it shifted hard and the service light with the wrench came on?? I've already spent $3300.00 in 2 months on this car, what could possibly be wrong now? After I got home and started the car again the light was off. It will come on occasionally when accelerating and jerking a little. Is there any way to be heard or get the word out about these cars They have way too many issues.