The 2000 Saturn LS carries 6 open NHTSA recalls — most recently covering brake lights and storage. Owners report 5 recurring issue clusters, led by “Rusted front subframe and engine cradle.” GM wound Saturn down in 2009, so parts now come through the GM catalog rather than a Saturn dealer. Which Saturn you own changes the maintenance picture completely. The S-series cars, meaning the SL, SC, and SW, use a 1.9 liter four with a timing chain, and the twin-cam version is known to burn oil as it ages, so checking the dipstick between changes matters more than the interval does. The L-series and Astra are Opel designs and want European-spec parts. The later Vue, Ion, Aura, Outlook, and Sky are mainstream GM under the badge. One item deserves a direct warning: 2002 to 2005 Vue models fitted with the VTi continuously variable transmission had a poor reliability record, and GM stopped building it. If you are buying one, confirm which transmission it has first.
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:BRAKE LIGHTS
Campaign #05V245000 · Feb 6, 2005
Issue: ON CERTAIN SEDANS AND WAGONS, THE PLASTIC HOUSING IN THE REAR TAIL LAMP ASSEMBLY CAN BECOME DISTORTED IF THE BRAKE LAMPS REMAIN ON FOR AN EXTENDED TIME.
Risk: THIS CAN CAUSE (1) AN INTERMITTENTLY INOPERATIVE BRAKE/TAIL LAMP BULB OR (2) A SHORT CIRCUIT THAT OPENS A FUSE CAUSING INOPERATIVE BRAKE LAMPS (INCLUDING THE CENTER HIGH-MOUNTED STOP LAMP) OR TAIL LAMPS. A FOLLOWING DRIVER MAY NOT KNOW WHEN THE BRAKES HAVE BEEN APPLIED, AND A REAR-END CRASH COULD OCCUR WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING.
Fix: DEALERS WILL INSTALL TWO NEW TAIL LAMP REINFORCING SOCKET ADAPTERS AND SOCKETS FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON OCTOBER 17, 2005. OWNERS MAY CONTACT SATURN AT 1-800-972-8876.
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE
Campaign #99V345000 · Feb 12, 1999
Issue: VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. FUEL TANK ASSEMBLIES IN THESE VEHICLES HAVE AN OVER PRESSURE RELIEF (OPR) VALVE THAT CAN BECOME STUCK OPEN IN A FRONTAL COLLISION. IF THE VEHICLE ROLLS OVER, FUEL SPILLAGE COULD OCCUR.
Risk: IF AN IGNITION SOURCE IS PRESENT, A FIRE COULD RESULT.
Fix: DEALERS WILL PERMANENTLY SEAL THE OUTLET PORT OF THE OPR VALVE.
SEAT BELTS
Campaign #00V228003 · Jul 8, 2000
Issue: VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES, LIGHT DUTY TRUCKS, SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES, AND MINI VANS EQUIPPED WITH TRW SEAT BELT BUCKLE ASSEMBLIES. THE BUCKLE BASE OF THESE SEAT BELT ASSEMBLIES WERE NOT PROPERLY HEAT TREATED AND THEREFORE DO NOT PASS THE LOAD BEARING REQUIREMENT OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 209, "SEAT BELT ASSEMBLIES."
Risk: IN THE EVENT OF A VEHICLE CRASH, THE OCCUPANT MAY NOT BE PROPERLY RESTRAINED.
Fix: DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE VEHICLE'S SAFETY BELT BUCKLE ASSEMBLY DATE CODES AND, IF NECESSARY, WILL REPLACE ANY SAFETY BELT BUCKLE ASSEMBLY.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:MODULE
Campaign #03V231000 · Jun 23, 2003
Issue: ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH 2.2L L4 (L61) ENGINES, A FAILURE OF THE IGNITION CONTROL MODULE MAY CAUSE DETERIORATION IN IDLE QUALITY, REDUCTION IN OVERALL ENGINE POWER, AND THE VEHICLE MAY BE HARD TO START. CONTINUED OPERATION OF THE VEHICLE AFTER SUCH AN IGNITION MODULE FAILURE WILL RESULT IN THE "SERVICE ENGINE SOON" LIGHT FLASHING, AND MAY LEAD TO SECONDARY FAILURES OF THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER, OXYGEN SENSOR, AND EXHAUST RESONATOR.
Risk: FAILURE OF THE RESONATOR WILL CAUSE INCREASED EXHAUST NOISE. PROLONGED OPERATION OF THE VEHICLE FOLLOWING A RESONATOR FAILURE MAY LEAD TO A FIRE.
Fix: DEALERS WILL (1) REPLACE THE IGNITION CONTROL MODULE, (2) REPLACE THE IGNITION CONTROL MODULE AND SPARK PLUGS, OR (3) REPLACE THE IGNITION CONTROL MODULE, SPARK PLUGS, AND UPDATE THE POWERTRAIN CONTROL MODULE CALIBRATION. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN ON AUGUST 4, 2003. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT SATURN AT 1-800-553-6000, PROMPT 3.
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:TURN SIGNAL:SWITCH
Campaign #99V199000 · Jul 26, 1999
Issue: VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. THESE VEHICLES DO NOT COMPLY WITH REQUIREMENTS OF FMVSS NO. 108, "LAMPS, REFLECTIVE DEVICES, AND ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT." BECAUSE OF A PROBLEM IN THE HAZARD WARNING SWITCH ASSEMBLY, THE TURN SIGNAL LAMPS MAY NOT WORK OR MAY WORK INTERMITTENTLY WHEN THE DRIVER USES THE TURN SIGNAL LEVER OR HAZARD WARNING SWITCH. IF THE VEHICLE TURN SIGNAL INDICATORS ARE NOT FLASHING, THEN THE TURN SIGNAL LAMPS MAY NOT BE FLASHING.
Risk: OTHER DRIVERS MAY NOT BE ALERTED THAT THE VEHICLE IS TURNING AND A CRASH COULD OCCUR.
Fix: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE HAZARD WARNING SWITCH ASSEMBLY.
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY
Campaign #99V197000 · Jul 26, 1999
Issue: VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. THESE VEHICLES DO NOT COMPLY WITH REQUIREMENTS OF FMVSS NO. 301, "FUEL SYSTEM INTEGRITY." THESE VEHICLES MAY HAVE BEEN PRODUCED WITH AN INOPERATIVE VALVE WITHIN THE FUEL TANK ASSEMBLY.
Risk: IF A VEHICLE WITH AN INOPERATIVE VALVE WERE INVOLVED IN A ROLLOVER, FUEL SPILLAGE COULD OCCUR.
Fix: DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE VEHICLES TO ENSURE THAT THE FUEL TANK ASSEMBLY VALVE IS OPERATING AS INTENDED. THEY WILL REPLACE THE FUEL TANK ASSEMBLY IF NECESSARY.
What drivers and federal regulators have officially reported about the 2000 Saturn LS.
STRUCTURE
11 NHTSA complaints · 2009-02 → 2020-06
“CLOSER INSPECTION REVEALED THE FRONT SUBFRAME/ENGINE CRADLE WAS COMPLETELY RUSTED THROUGH IN MULTIPLE SPOTS, VERY DANGEROUS!!!”
“SUBFRAME ON SATURN TOTALLY RUSTED AWAY ONLY THING HOLDING PASSENGER WHEEL ON WAS STRUT BRACKET”
“THE PROBLEM IS THE MOTOR CRADLE OR FRAME IS RUSTING OUT, THE FRONT WHERE THE MOTOR SETS HAD WHOLES RUSTED IN IT, THE WHOLE THING IS RUSTING AWAY”
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
14 NHTSA complaints · 2006-03 → 2014-12
“THE ANTI THEFT SYSTEM IN THE VEHICLE SOMETIMES PREVENTS THE VEHICLE FROM STARTING”
“PASSLOCK SECURITY SYSTEM IS THE PROBLEM”
“PLEASE NOTE THAT OUR SATURN 2000 LS "KEY CAN BE REMOVED FROM THE IGNITION WHEN THE IGNITION IS NOT IN THE "OFF" POSITION”
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
108 NHTSA complaints · 2005-09 → 2017-03
“WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED AND FAILED TO RESTART”
“TIMING CHAIN ON MY 2000 SATURN LS1 BROKE WHILE TRAVELING AT 50 MPH”
“I AM TOLD BY THE DEALERSHIP THAT THE TIMING CHAIN WAS BROKEN”
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
12 NHTSA complaints · 2005-09 → 2015-02
“BRAKE LIGHTS FAIL WHEN YOU PUSH ON THE BRAKES WHEN THE HEADLIGHTS ARE ON”
“THE PLASTIC WELDS HOLDING THE REAR HOUSING TO THE TAILLIGHT REFLECTOR MELT AND THE REAR HOUSING SHORTS OUT THE BRAKE LIGHT..*NM”
“THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THERE WAS AN ELECTRICAL MALFUNCTION THAT BURNED THE SOCKETS AND WIRES CAUSING THE BULBS TO SHORT”
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
7 NHTSA complaints · 2005-09 → 2016-05
“WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED, THE TURN SIGNAL DID NOT AUTOMATICALLY DISENGAGE”
“WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH, THERE WAS SMOKE COMING FROM THE STEERING WHEEL INTO THE VEHICLE AND THE HIGH BEAMS ACTIVATED WITHOUT BEING PROMPTED”
Note: NHTSA also opened 7 defect investigation(s) on this vehicle that closed without action.
Issues on other model years
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI). Complaint data refreshed Sep 20, 2026. Investigation data refreshed Sep 1, 2026.
We display NHTSA's record with attribution; we don't editorialize on what these complaints mean for any specific vehicle.
Critical for safety and preventing major damage
Models from about 2003 on use the GM Oil Life System. Change when it asks and at least once a year. On S-series cars with the twin-cam 1.9, check the level every other fuel stop. Oil consumption on a worn one can empty the sump well before the next service is due.
Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges
Dealer
~$120–$160
Shop
~$85–$115
DIY
~$25–$55
Full synthetic costs more than conventional. 5-quart 0W-20 + filter is the typical bill.
Rotate every 7,500 miles. Check the sidewall date codes too. On cars this age, tires usually time out before they wear out.
Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges
Dealer
~$85
Shop
~$60
DIY
Free
Often free at the shop where you bought the tires — worth asking before paying.
Inspect pads, rotors, hoses, and hard lines at every service. Rear drums on S-series cars and rear calipers on the Vue and Ion both stick on vehicles that sit for long stretches.
Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges
Dealer
~$85
Shop
~$60
DIY
Free
Most shops do this free as a courtesy with any service. Don't pay separately if you can avoid it.
Replace every 2 years. This is the single cheapest thing you can do to keep an aging ABS pump and calipers alive.
Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges
Dealer
~$180–$200
Shop
~$125–$140
DIY
~$10–$25
DOT 3 or 4 — match the cap. Vacuum bleeders make this a one-person DIY.
Keeps your vehicle running smoothly and efficiently
Drain and fill every 45,000 miles. Fluid depends on the car: Dexron VI for most conventional automatics, a specific CVT fluid for 2002 to 2005 Vue models with the VTi, and Saturn-spec manual gear oil for the S-series manuals. Confirm the spec before anyone pours anything in.
Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges
Dealer
~$330–$500
Shop
~$235–$355
DIY
~$60–$180
Some sealed transmissions have no dipstick — fill is precise and best left to a shop. Many drivers can still DIY drain-and-fill.
100,000 miles on platinum or iridium plugs. On the S-series 1.9 and the Ecotec fours, replace the coil pack boots at the same time. Brittle boots misfire and mimic a failing coil.
Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges
Dealer
~$285–$390
Shop
~$200–$275
DIY
~$25–$100
Iridium plugs cost more but last 100k+ miles. V6/V8 access varies wildly — some are tough.
Replace the belt and the tensioner as a set once either one is cracked, glazed, or noisy. A tired tensioner will destroy a new belt.
Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges
Dealer
~$195–$235
Shop
~$135–$165
DIY
~$20–$50
DIY-friendly if you can reach the tensioner. Inspect for cracks rather than swap on a strict mileage interval.
Replace every 30,000 miles. Easy access on the S-series and the Ecotec engines.
Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges
Dealer
~$60–$95
Shop
~$45–$70
DIY
~$15–$40
5-minute job on most cars; the airbox lid usually has clips, no tools needed.
Extends the life of your vehicle and improves comfort
Every 5 years on a car this old. Most Saturns use orange Dex-Cool, which must never be mixed with green coolant. Ask the shop to check for seepage at the water pump and the intake gasket while the system is open.
Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges
Dealer
~$285–$330
Shop
~$200–$235
DIY
~$25–$60
Use the manufacturer-specified coolant — wrong color/chemistry can damage the cooling system.
Most of the lineup uses conventional hydraulic steering, so check the fluid level and the hoses. The Ion and some Vue models use an electric power steering unit instead, which has no fluid but was the subject of GM recall activity. Worth confirming yours was addressed.
Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges
Dealer
~$185–$220
Shop
~$130–$155
DIY
~$15–$40
Most cars built after ~2012 use electric power steering and have no fluid to service.
Test the battery and alternator once a year. A weak battery on this generation of GM electronics produces warning lights that look like much more expensive problems.
Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges
Dealer
~$225–$390
Shop
~$160–$280
DIY
~$130–$250
Most auto-parts stores test and install batteries free with purchase. Skip the dealer markup.
Occupant deaths in fatal crashes (FARS)
130 crashes 1990–2024
How the 130 occupant deaths break down
92
driver deaths
38
passenger deaths
130
occupant deaths
Crash years covered: 1990–2024 This model year first appears in 2000 crashes. Older models have had more years on the road to appear in these crashes, so a higher count here does not by itself mean a vehicle is less safe.
FARS counts every occupant death in a fatal crash, whatever the cause — it does not mean the vehicle was at fault or defective. Counts are not adjusted for how many of each vehicle are on the road. How to read this number
FARS 2024 data is an annual report file. NHTSA revises these records when the final file is published, so this count can change.
Every vehicle has exactly one driver seat, so driver deaths line up fairly when you compare one model to another. Occupant deaths include passengers, so a three row SUV can show a higher number than a two seat car simply because it carries more people.
Both figures are plain counts, not rates. A rate would need to know how many of each vehicle are on the road, and that registration data is not public, so we do not publish rates or scores of any kind.
IIHS publishes driver death rates using this same driver only idea, paired with a registered vehicle years denominator we do not have. Their rates and these counts answer different questions, so do not read either number here as a safety rating.
Owner-reported problem signals
Separate from the federal fatality data above: complaints owners filed with NHTSA about this year and model. These are reports of problems, unverified, and are counted here only as signals.
10
complaints mentioning a crash
6
complaints mentioning a fire
Reviewed known issues for this vehicle·Open recalls for this vehicle
Typical U.S. ranges. Actual quotes vary by shop, parts choice, and vehicle condition.
How we estimate: Dealer = OEM parts × 1.4 + labor × $165/hr. Shop = parts + labor × $115/hr. DIY = parts only.
This maintenance schedule for the 2000 Saturn LS reflects Saturn's published service intervals and the GM Oil Life System system. Your actual service needs may vary based on driving conditions, climate, and vehicle usage. Always consult your owner's manual for model-specific recommendations.