1995 Saturn SL problems and owner complaints
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
247 owner complaints analyzed
3 distinct recall campaigns
100,400 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 1995 model year. Data snapshot: . 40 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Seats:Front Assembly:Recliner is the most frequently named component, appearing in 27 of 247 complaints (10.9%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Braking behavior | 32 | 13.0% |
| Steering behavior | 31 | 12.6% |
| Transmission and shifting | 16 | 6.5% |
| Engine operation | 7 | 2.8% |
| Electrical and battery issues | 6 | 2.4% |
| Fuel system concerns | 1 | 0.4% |
Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.
Component breakdown
Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Seats:Front Assembly:Recliner | 27 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine | 26 |
| Seats | 23 |
| Air Bags:Frontal | 14 |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Foundation Components | 13 |
| Power Train:Automatic Transmission | 12 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Gasoline | 11 |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 11 |
Seats:Front Assembly:Recliner: 27; Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine: 26; Seats: 23; Air Bags:Frontal: 14; Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Foundation Components: 13; Power Train:Automatic Transmission: 12; Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Gasoline: 11; Vehicle Speed Control: 11
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 1 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 3 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 7 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 7 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 15 |
| 150,000 and above | 7 |
Under 25,000: 1; 25,000 to 49,999: 3; 50,000 to 74,999: 7; 75,000 to 99,999: 7; 100,000 to 149,999: 15; 150,000 and above: 7
100,000 to 149,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (15). 207 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.
Complaints over time
Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 1995 | 53 |
| 1996 | 31 |
| 2000 | 43 |
| 2001 | 35 |
| 2002 | 24 |
| 2003 | 19 |
| 2004 | 14 |
| 2005 | 6 |
| 2006 | 6 |
| 2007 | 3 |
| 2008 | 6 |
| 2011 | 2 |
| 2012 | 3 |
| 2014 | 1 |
| 2016 | 1 |
1995: 53; 1996: 31; 2000: 43; 2001: 35; 2002: 24; 2003: 19; 2004: 14; 2005: 6; 2006: 6; 2007: 3; 2008: 6; 2011: 2; 2012: 3; 2014: 1; 2016: 1
Pattern summary
Seats:Front Assembly:Recliner leads the component reports. Braking behavior appears in 32 complaint narratives. Steering behavior appears in 31 complaint narratives. Transmission and shifting appears in 16 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.
Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.
Complaint evidence
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
Owner report 10043135 · 2003-10-17 (October 17, 2003)
BRAKES PULSATE WHEN STOPPING AND ALSO CAUSING STEERING WHEEL TO SHAKE. BRAKES CAUSED CAR NOT TO STOP ON TIME WHEN TRAVELING ABOUT 35MPH. I HAD JUST RECENTLY TAKEN THE CAR TO A SATURN DEALERSHIP AND THE BRAKES WERE INSPECTED AND I WAS NOT ADVISED ANYTHING ABOUT THE BRAKES. THEN JUST RECENTLY, WHEN I NOTICED MY CAR WAS EXPERIENCING EXTENDED STOPPING I TOOK THE CAR TO A DEALER BESIDES SATURN; I WAS TOLD THAT WHEEL CYLINDERS WERE LEAKING AND ROTORS WERE WARPED AND CALIPERS HAD TO BE REPLACED. BASICALLY, THE ENTIRE BRAKING SYSTEM WAS GONE. THIS HAS…
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10043135 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10139509 · 2005-10-12 (October 12, 2005)
DT: 1995 SATURN SL1 4 DOOR. CONSUMER'S VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT ON SEPTEMBER 29, 2005 . UPON IMPACT, THE AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE CONSUMER TOOK PICTURES . HOWEVER, HAD NOT CONTACTED DEALERSHIP OR MANUFACTURER BECAUSE HE THOUGHT VEHICLE WAS TOO OLD, AND DEALERSHIP INFORMATION WAS UNKNOWN. THE CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING 30-35 MPH, HIT THE BRAKES, AND THEY DID NOT STOP THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE HAS TWO FRONT AIRBAGS . CONSUMER'S VEHICLE WAS HIT ON FRONT AND DRIVER SIDE OF VEHICLE AND THE AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE C…
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10139509 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10001364 · 2002-12-23 (December 23, 2002)
THE TURN SIGNAL HAD BROKEN WHILE DRIVING, AND CAUSED THE SIGNALS TO BECOME INOPERATIVE. TS THE STEERING WHEEL HAD TO BE MOVED IN ORDER TO REPLACE THE SWITCH, BUT SEIZED ONTO THE COLUMN. THE COLUMN WHEEL HAD TO BE REPLACED. SCC
Owner-reported narrative. 103,500 miles reported. Look up ODI 10001364 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10006456 · 2001-04-21 (April 21, 2001)
THE VEHICLE HAS CAUSED ME NOTHING BUT PROBLEMS, IT EATS OIL WITHOUT ANY SIGN OF WHERE IT IS GOING. THE AUTO BELT TIGHTENER IS NOT WORKING AND COST AN ARM AND A LEG TO FIX. SUNROOF BROKE WITHOUT ANY NOTICE OR CAUSE, THE FAN SWITCH NEVER DID OPERATE CORRECTLY, NOW IT IS SHIFTING REAL HARD ALL THE TIME WHILE YOUR DRIVING, ONCE IT IS WARMED UP. THIS VEHICLE IS DEFINITELY A LEMON. AK SCC ***DIMSII IVOQ POSTED AFTER 12/12/02 CUT-OVER TO ARTEMIS****744336
Owner-reported narrative. 45,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10006456 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10048129 · 2003-11-18 (November 18, 2003)
WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE SMOKED AND LEAKED TRANSMISSION FLUID. A TECHNICIAN SERVICED THE VEHICLE, AND INDICATED THAT TRANSMISSION CASE CRACKED. *AK
Owner-reported narrative. 37,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10048129 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10154341 · 2006-04-01 (April 1, 2006)
1995 SATURN SL2 MANUAL TRANSMISSION SHIFTER CABLE BUSHING FAILURE WHILE BACKING OUT OF DRIVEWAY, PUSHED IN CLUTCH TO SHIFT FROM REVERSE TO FIRST GEAR AND HEARD A "POP". TRANSMISSION WENT INTO SOME GEAR (NOT FIRST), ENGINE STALLED AND GEAR SHIFT LEVER WAS LOOSE AND FLOPPY. COASTED AROUND CORNER AND PARKED NEXT TO CURB. REPAIR NOT YET MADE. DISASSEMBLED CENTER CONSOLE TO EXPOSE SHIFTER MECHANISM AND FOUND BUSHING ON LOWER SHIFT CABLE HAD FAILED AND WAS IN 3 PIECES. CONTACTED DEALERSHIP FOR AVAILABILITY AND PRICE OF BUSHING AND WAS TOLD BUSH…
Owner-reported narrative. 172,171 miles reported. Look up ODI 10154341 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 738976 · 2001-01-08 (January 8, 2001)
WHEN EGR VLALVE FAILS, CAR STALLS AND TAKES A MINUTE TO RESTART. THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH SATURNS. IT TOOK 2 WEEKS TO GET A REPLACEMENT PART SINCE THEY ARE ON NATIONAL BACKORDER. PLEASE HELP!*AK
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 738976 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10065452 · 2004-05-11 (May 11, 2004)
WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH DRIVER NOTICED THAT SMOKE WAS COMING FROM THE HOOD. THE DRIVER WAS ABLE TO PULL OVER TO A GAS STATION. OPENED THE HOOD, AND VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE. *AK WHILE DRIVING AT 60 MPH, CONSUMER NOTICED AN ORANGE GLARE FROM THE SUNROOF. IT WAS FOUND THAT THE ELECTRICAL WIRES IN THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE WERE NOT INSULATED. *LA
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10065452 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10083911 · 2004-07-30 (July 30, 2004)
PROBLEMS WITH 1995 SATURN SL1. *MR SMOKE HAD COME FROM THE DRIVER'S SIDE DASH IMMEDIATELY AFTER STARTING THE VEHICLE, THE CABLE HARNESS FROM THE IGNITION SWITCH MODULE THAT CONNECTED TO THE KEY/LOCK ASSEMBLY BURNED, THE BLACK WIRE HAD NO INSULATION WHICH BURNED OFF ALL THE WAY TO THE GROUNDING POINT AT THE FIREWALL, THE BLACK WIRE WAS NOT CONNECTED TO THE CHASSIS AND ALSO BURNED OFF. (THE IGNITION SWITCH FAILED AND SHORTED THE BATTERY AND THE BLACK WIRE/CHASSIS) *SC *JB
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10083911 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 479829 · 1995-08-13 (August 13, 1995)
FUEL PUMP FAILURE. *AK
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 479829 at NHTSA ↗