2001 Saturn SL: won't start

5 of the 111 complaints about the 2001 Saturn SL describe won't start.

owner complaints: 5
of this car's complaints: 5%
recalls: 0

Is there a fix? 46 service bulletins cover this area of the car. See below

Won't start by model year

2002
2
2001
5
2000
2
1999
2
1997
5
1996
1
1995
2
1993
1

What owners say

Filed Oct 4, 2014 · Electrical · 135,169 miles · MI

I took my saturn in for repair because I was having trouble with the ignition and starting my car. The dealer said that the ignition cylinder binding and column was loose. They replaced the cylinder and code cylinder and secured the steering wheel column. Now the same ignition problem is back but even worse. It takes a series of shakes of my key and moving the steering wheel to even start the car! I hope that I won't get stranded somewhere when this car won't start!!!

Filed Aug 27, 2014 · Electrical · 185,084 miles · FL

The security light on the dash board turn on and the wheel turn to the right side by it self and the car turn off and won't start again until the security light is off. This is the third time that happened wile driving with my son inside the car.

Filed Dec 12, 2011 · Engine · 110,000 miles · OH

Tl* the contact owns a 2001 saturn sl2. The contact stated that the vehicle would not start. The vehicle was towed to an independent repair shop and the contact was informed that the timing chain needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and offered no assistance. The failure mileage was 110,000.

Filed Dec 22, 2008 · Electrical, Steering · MA

Saturn 2001 ion ignition - car won't start because key won't turn this is a known problem with saturns and is a bad safety issue. People are stranded with vehicles that won't start or sometimes even turn off. This is awful, and saturn knows about it, and gm is asking for a bailout? This should be a recall. If government won't force a recall on known issues, the company winds up going extinct due to poor quality issues. Recall this!

Filed Jul 2, 2003 · Electrical · TX

Since I bought the car in february 2001, in january 2002, february 2002, january 2003 and june 2003, the car would not start. Saturn changed the battery in january 2003 and in all other occasions the car needed jump start. When I contacted saturn, they said everything is fine. Since all of them were identical problems, saturn would not treat these as repairs as jump starts do not count as repairs.