Selling a junk Saturn SL
Any SL sells for scrap or parts, running or not. Below: what owners report most often for each model year, the recalls on file, and which of those change the offer. Enter your ZIP for a buyer near you.
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What owners report about the Saturn SL
NHTSA has 2,083 owner complaints on file for the Saturn SL, model years 1995 to 2002, the 182nd-most of the 423 models in our data. The most-reported components are engine and cooling (334, 16%), electrical system (252, 12%), transmission and drivetrain (239, 11%). 311 complaints involved a crash, 33 a fire, and 6 say the vehicle had to be towed. The median mileage when the problem was reported is 73,568 miles. The 1995 model year has the most complaints (481). Data as of 2026-10-12.
When the top complaint is engine and cooling, the question for a seller is whether a buyer will resell the car, pull the parts or scrap it. Read our guide to selling a car with a blown engine: it explains which offers assume the part works and how to describe the car so the price holds at pickup.
Saturn SL by model year
| Year | Complaints | Most reported | Crash | Fire | Recalls | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1995 | 481 | Engine and cooling | 104 | 7 | 3 | 97,000 |
| 1996 | 369 | Engine and cooling | 56 | 2 | 2 | 97,770 |
| 1997 | 286 | Engine and cooling | 38 | 10 | 3 | 86,300 |
| 1998 | 222 | Transmission and drivetrain | 26 | 2 | 1 | 66,250 |
| 1999 | 232 | Engine and cooling | 35 | 1 | 2 | 76,000 |
| 2000 | 202 | Engine and cooling | 12 | 6 | 8 | 60,000 |
| 2001 | 137 | Electrical system | 16 | 0 | 3 | 61,000 |
| 2002 | 154 | Electrical system | 24 | 5 | 1 | 60,000 |
Complaints are owner reports to NHTSA, not confirmed defects. Median miles is the odometer reading owners gave when they reported a problem, shown only where 20 or more reports include it.
Saturn SL recalls
NHTSA lists 13 recall campaigns across these model years, most often for seats (2), steering (2), transmission and drivetrain (2). Recall repairs are free at a franchised dealer. Before you sell, check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls; a buyer who plans to resell the car will.
- 1996 model year, lights (campaign 09E012000, Apr 2009): SABERSPORT IS RECALLING 16,270 COMBINATION CORNER AND BUMPER LAMP ASSEMBLIES OF VARIOUS PART NUMBERS SOLD FOR USE AS AFTERMARKET EQUIPMENT FOR VARIOUS PASSENGER VEHICLES. THESE HEADLAMPS FAIL TO CONFORM TO THE REQUIREMEN…
- 2000 model year, transmission and drivetrain (campaign 00V310000, Oct 2000): VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES, EQUIPPED WITH AUTOMATIC TRANSAXLES, FAIL TO COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FMVSS NO. 114, "THEFT PROTECTION." THESE VEHICLES WERE BUILT WITH AN IMPROPERLY ADJUSTED AUTOMA…
- 2000 model year, fuel system (campaign 00V309000, Oct 2000): VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES FAIL TO COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FMVSS NO. 301, "FUEL SYSTEM INTEGRITY." THESE VEHICLES WERE BUILT WITH AN INADEQUATE VENT VALVE WELD ON THE TOP PORTION OF THE FUEL …
- 2000 model year, body and structure (campaign 99V297000, Oct 1999): VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH A CONSOLE ARMREST FAIL TO COMPLY WITH REQUIREMENTS OF FMVSS NO. 201, "OCCUPANT PROTECTION IN INTERIOR IMPACTS." THE ARMRESTS WERE PRODUCED WITH A LATCH THAT WILL NOT …
- 1999 model year, seat belts (campaign 99V280000, Oct 1999): VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. THESE VEHICLES DO NOT COMPLY WITH REQUIREMENTS OF FMVSS NO. 210, "SEAT BELT ASSEMBLY ANCHORAGES." SOME OF THE VEHICLES WERE PRODUCED WITH SEAT BELT SHOULDER GUIDE ANCHOR BOLTS THA…
What a Saturn SL is worth as a junk car
Buyers price a junk SL on four things: its weight at today's scrap steel price (the floor), the parts still on it that can be resold, whether it starts and drives, and how far they have to tow it. None of those come from a complaint database, so use this page to describe the car accurately and our junk car value guide to work out a ceiling for the metal. Then get more than one offer.
Guides for selling this car
How to sell a car with a blown engine 
How much is my junk car worth? 
How junkyards price cars 
Catalytic converters and junk cars 
How to prepare your car for the junkyard 
Junk car scams and how to avoid them Other Saturn models
- Saturn Ion 5,471
- Saturn Vue 3,280
- Saturn Aura 2,227
Questions people ask
- What is a junk Saturn SL worth?
- What a yard can recover: the car's weight at the current scrap steel price, plus parts it can resell (the catalytic converter, engine, transmission and wheels if they're good), minus towing and processing. The same SL gets different offers from different buyers, so compare at least two. Our value guide shows the public benchmark.
- Will a junkyard buy a Saturn SL that doesn't run?
- Yes. Junkyards and junk car buyers take cars that don't start, and most arrange the tow. Tell them honestly whether it starts, whether the engine and transmission are still in it, and whether the catalytic converter is on; those are what change the price.
- Should I fix an open recall before selling a Saturn SL?
- Recall repairs are free at a franchised dealer for as long as the car exists. If the car is going for scrap, the repair won't change the scrap price. If a buyer might resell it or pull parts, a completed recall can help. Check your VIN at NHTSA's recall lookup first.
- Where do these Saturn SL numbers come from?
- From the complaint and recall data NHTSA publishes for every make and model, counted by model year on 2026-10-12. A complaint is an owner's report, not a confirmed defect, and the count rises with how many of the model were sold.