U.S. public vehicle records

1997 Saturn SL problems and owner complaints

Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.

Key facts

148 owner complaints analyzed

2 distinct recall campaigns

86,300 mi median reported failure mileage

Scope: 1997 model year. Data snapshot: 2026-09-12 (September 12, 2026). 38 complaints include usable failure mileage.

Owner-reported patterns

Most common problems

Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine is the most frequently named component, appearing in 17 of 148 complaints (11.5%). A complaint can name multiple components.

Recurring terms in complaint narratives
Topic	Matching reports	Share of complaints
Braking behavior	17	11.5%
Electrical and battery issues	15	10.1%
Steering behavior	15	10.1%
Transmission and shifting	12	8.1%
Fuel system concerns	7	4.7%
Engine operation	6	4.1%

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.

Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine

Tires

Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Gasoline

Electrical System:Wiring:Interior/Under Dash

Seat Belts:Front:Retractor

Seats

Air Bags:Frontal

Power Train:Manual Transmission

Component breakdown data
Category	Count
Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine	17
Tires	11
Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Gasoline	10
Electrical System:Wiring:Interior/Under Dash	7
Seat Belts:Front:Retractor	7
Seats	7
Air Bags:Frontal	6
Power Train:Manual Transmission	6

Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine: 17; Tires: 11; Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Gasoline: 10; Electrical System:Wiring:Interior/Under Dash: 7; Seat Belts:Front:Retractor: 7; Seats: 7; Air Bags:Frontal: 6; Power Train:Manual Transmission: 6

Reported problems by failure mileage

Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.

Under 25,000

25,000 to 49,999

50,000 to 74,999

75,000 to 99,999

100,000 to 149,999

150,000 and above

Under 25,000: 2; 25,000 to 49,999: 6; 50,000 to 74,999: 7; 75,000 to 99,999: 6; 100,000 to 149,999: 15; 150,000 and above: 2

100,000 to 149,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (15). 110 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.

2000

2001

2002

2003

2004

2005

2006

2007

2008

2009

2012

2014

2016

2000: 41; 2001: 31; 2002: 18; 2003: 14; 2004: 12; 2005: 8; 2006: 6; 2007: 3; 2008: 3; 2009: 4; 2012: 2; 2014: 5; 2016: 1

Pattern summary

Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine leads the component reports. Braking behavior appears in 17 complaint narratives. Electrical and battery issues appears in 15 complaint narratives. Steering behavior appears in 15 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 10054856 · 2004-01-25 (January 25, 2004)

WHILE DRIVING AT APP. 45 MPH ON A CITY ROAD THERE WAS A LOUD CLUNKING SOUND IN THE ENGINE FOLLOWED BY A CONTINUOUS RATTLE. I PULLED OFF THE ROAD AND TURNED OFF THE VEHICLE. THE SERPENTINE BELT HAD COME OFF THE PULLEY BY 3/4 INCH. I PROCEEDED TO GET THE BELT SO THAT IT WOULD NOT WORK ITSELF OFF. I PROMPTLY WENT TO THE LOCAL EXXON AND PULLED OFF THE BELT AND PUT THE CAR ON A LIFT. AFTER INSPECTION IT WAS NOTED THAT THE ALTERNATOR BRACKET..AN EXTENSION OF THE ENGINE BLOCK, HAD BROKEN OFF CLEANLY. AFTER CONSULTING WITH THE MECHANICS THERE, AN…

Owner-reported narrative. 135,039 miles reported. Look up ODI 10054856 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10082762 · 2004-07-27 (July 27, 2004)

I BOUGHT A NEW 1997 SATURN , PAID CASH AND 2 MONTHS AFTER PURCHASE, I HAD BRAKE PROBLEMS. PUT BRAKES ON, COULD NOT STOP THE CAR (6/7/97). SATURN DID NOTHING REGARDING THIS. THEY SAID I WAS NOT USE TO THE BRAKES. TAPPED THE BACK OF A VAN. 2.) HAD GRAND CHILD IN CAR, BACKING INTO GARAGE BRAKES DID NOT HOLD AGAIN. HIT SAND BAGS HUSBAND HAD IN GARAGE THAT STOPPED CAR. SOME NUT CAME FROM ANOTHER STATE, SISN'T DRIVE EVEN 2 MILES AND SAIDM THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE BRAKES!!!!! I WORKED IN A VOCATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL (C.V.S.) IN CHICAGO, I…

Owner-reported narrative. 10 miles reported. Look up ODI 10082762 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10038848 · 2003-09-14 (September 14, 2003)

1997 SL2 SATURN WOULD NOT START. BATTERY WOULD NOT HOLD CHARGE. HAD EARLY ELECTRICAL SYSTEM PROBLEMS (ACCESSORIES WOULD NOT FUNCTION, NO DASH LIGHTS). *PH

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10038848 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10056916 · 2004-02-10 (February 10, 2004)

WE EXPERIENCED A DASHBOARD FIRE IN OUR 1997 SATURN SL1 IN THE FALL OF 2003. MY WIFE TURNED THE KEY, STARTED THE CAR, SHIFTED TO REVERSE, AND BEGAN BACKING UP WHEN THE ENGINE QUIT, THE CAR JOLTED TO A STOP, AND THE INTERIOR IMMEDIATELY FILLED WITH ACRID SMOKE. THE KNOXVILLE SATURN DEALER REPLACED THE IGNITION SWITCH AND WIRING--NOT CHEAP. THIS IS OBVIOUSLY A SAFETY-RELATED EVENT.*AK

Owner-reported narrative. 54,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10056916 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10018432 · 2003-05-08 (May 8, 2003)

WE BROUGHT OUR SATURN INTO THE OAKLAND, CA DEALER FOR A TRANSMISSION DIAGNOSIS. AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION HAS DEVELOPED SOME LEAKS AND CLUTCH / GEAR ASSEMBLY PROBLEMS. INITIAL QUOTE FROM THE DEALER SERVICE MANAGER FOR REPAIR IS $2600.00+. EXTENDED WARRANTY EXPIRED 12/31/02, AND THE CAR IS CURRENTLY AT THE 94,904 MILE MARK. AT THE 91,328 MILEAGE MARK, THE DEALER PERFORMED AN "87,000 MILE" SERVICE, NOT A "90,000 MILE" SERVICE. WHY DIDN'T THE SERVICE ADVISOR INFORM MY DAUGHTER THAT THE "90,000 MILE" SERVICE WAS DUE, WHICH INCLUDED A TRANSMISSION…

Owner-reported narrative. 91,328 miles reported. Look up ODI 10018432 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10105021 · 2004-12-17 (December 17, 2004)

WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH, THE CONSUMER LOST STEERING CONTROL. THIS CAUSED THE CONSUMER TO HIT A TREE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED. PLEASE PROVIDE MORE INFORMATION. *JB. DRIVER SUSTAINED INJURIES. *AK

Owner-reported narrative. 72,844 miles reported. Look up ODI 10105021 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10050158 · 2004-02-19 (February 19, 2004)

WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH IN FIRST GEAR TRANSMISSION SHIFTED TO FOURTH GEAR WITHOUT WARNING, AND CONSUMER TEMPORARILY LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. CONSUMER SHIFTED VEHICLE TO NEUTRAL, THEN BACK TO FIRST GEAR TO REGAIN CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. DEALERSHIP MECHANIC TRIED TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE, BUT WAS UNABLE TO RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. *AK THE OCCUPANTS SUSTAINED MUSCLES PULLS, BUMPS, AND BRUISES. *NM

Owner-reported narrative. 44,409 miles reported. Look up ODI 10050158 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10086383 · 2004-08-08 (August 8, 2004)

EVERY FEW MONTHS SINCE I'VE HAD MY CAR, FOR NO APPARENT REASON, IT WILL START, BUT WILL IDLE LOW. IF I TRY TO PUT IT IN GEAR, IT WILL STALL. IF I TRY TO RESTART IT AND GIVE IT GAS IT WILL IMEDIATELY CUT OFF. I'VE HAD IT TO THE DEALERSHIP AND TO A PRIVATE MECHANIC NUMEROUS TIMES AND NO ONE CAN DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. I'VE HAD THE FUEL PUMP, FUEL FILTER, OXYGEN SENSOR (TWICE), WIRES, SPARK PLUGS, ETC. REPLACED COSTING THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS. ONE MECHANIC TOLD ME THAT IT WAS "THE WAY I WAS DRIVING THE CAR!" THE MOST RECENT TIME I HAD MY 2 MONTH OLD I…

Owner-reported narrative. 32,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10086383 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10019532 · 2003-05-08 (May 8, 2003)

THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. *JB

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10019532 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10031052 · 2003-08-08 (August 8, 2003)

RANDOMLY, USUALLY ABOUT EVERY FEW MONTHS, I WILL START MY CAR. IT WILL START, BUT IT STARTS "FUNNY." IT DOESN'T HIT THE USUAL HIGH RPMS AND WILL IDLE LOW. IF I ATTEMPT TO DRIVE THE CAR, IT WILL USUALLY RUN WITH LOW RPMS. WHEN THE CAR COMES TO A STOP, IT WILL IDLE LOW AND SOMETIMES STALL. THE PROBLEM OCCURS IN ALL WEATHER CONDITIONS AND TEMPERATURES. IT ALSO OCCURS WHEN THE ENGINE IS HOT OR COLD. SOMETIMES IT TAKES 5-10 TRIES TO START THE CAR AT ALL. OF COURSE, MECHANICS ARE UNABLE TO REPRODUCE THE PROBLEM AND SAY NOTHING IS WRONG W…

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10031052 at NHTSA ↗