Saturn SL problems and owner complaints
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
1,590 owner complaints analyzed
15 distinct recall campaigns
75,000 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 1991 to 2002 model years. Data snapshot: . 475 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine is the most frequently named component, appearing in 143 of 1,590 complaints (9.0%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Braking behavior | 246 | 15.5% |
| Transmission and shifting | 151 | 9.5% |
| Steering behavior | 124 | 7.8% |
| Electrical and battery issues | 86 | 5.4% |
| Engine operation | 71 | 4.5% |
| Fuel system concerns | 19 | 1.2% |
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 |
|---|---|
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine | 143 |
| Power Train:Automatic Transmission | 110 |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 81 |
| Seats:Front Assembly:Recliner | 75 |
| Air Bags:Frontal | 66 |
| Electrical System | 66 |
| Seats | 64 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Gasoline | 60 |
Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine: 143; Power Train:Automatic Transmission: 110; Vehicle Speed Control: 81; Seats:Front Assembly:Recliner: 75; Air Bags:Frontal: 66; Electrical System: 66; Seats: 64; Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Gasoline: 60
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 49 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 84 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 100 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 85 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 112 |
| 150,000 and above | 45 |
Under 25,000: 49; 25,000 to 49,999: 84; 50,000 to 74,999: 100; 75,000 to 99,999: 85; 100,000 to 149,999: 112; 150,000 and above: 45
100,000 to 149,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (112). 1,115 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 | 184 |
| 1996 | 100 |
| 2000 | 240 |
| 2001 | 202 |
| 2002 | 172 |
| 2003 | 166 |
| 2004 | 143 |
| 2005 | 78 |
| 2006 | 58 |
| 2007 | 36 |
| 2008 | 57 |
| 2009 | 23 |
| 2010 | 10 |
| 2011 | 12 |
| 2012 | 9 |
| 2013 | 5 |
| 2014 | 63 |
| 2015 | 11 |
| 2016 | 7 |
| 2017 | 3 |
| 2018 | 7 |
| 2020 | 2 |
| 2023 | 1 |
| 2024 | 1 |
1995: 184; 1996: 100; 2000: 240; 2001: 202; 2002: 172; 2003: 166; 2004: 143; 2005: 78; 2006: 58; 2007: 36; 2008: 57; 2009: 23; 2010: 10; 2011: 12; 2012: 9; 2013: 5; 2014: 63; 2015: 11; 2016: 7; 2017: 3; 2018: 7; 2020: 2; 2023: 1; 2024: 1
Pattern summary
Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine leads the component reports. Braking behavior appears in 246 complaint narratives. Transmission and shifting appears in 151 complaint narratives. Steering behavior appears in 124 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 10139159 · 2005-10-09 (October 9, 2005)
THE BRAKE PEDAL IS ALWAYS LOW AND SOME TIMES BOTTOMS OUT WHEN YOU FIRST START DRIVING THE CAR. YOU CAN'T STOP. RECORD OF COMPLAINT IS ON FILE WITH SATURN, BUT THEY JUST BLEW ME OFF BECAUSE THEY CHECK OUT THE CAR, BUT SAID IT WAS OK. I SHOWED THEM THAT BY PUMPING THE BREAKS A FEW TIMES THAT THE PEDAL WOULD BOTTOM AND BREAKING WAS LOST. THEY DUPLICATED IT BUT REFUSED TO ADMIT IT WAS A PROBLEM. NOW MY SONS ARE DRIVING AND I CAN'T LET THEM DRIVE THE CAR BECAUSE THEY ARE NOT EXPERIENCED ENOUGH DRIVERS AND IF THEY EVERY GET INTO A PANIC STOP SI…
Owner-reported narrative. 85,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10139159 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10139160 · 2005-10-09 (October 9, 2005)
THE BRAKE PEDAL IS ALWAYS LOW AND SOME TIMES BOTTOMS OUT WHEN YOU FIRST START DRIVING THE CAR. YOU CAN'T STOP. RECORD OF COMPLAINT IS ON FILE WITH SATURN, BUT THEY JUST BLEW ME OFF BECAUSE THEY CHECK OUT THE CAR, BUT SAID IT WAS OK. I SHOWED THEM THAT BY PUMPING THE BREAKS A FEW TIMES THAT THE PEDAL WOULD BOTTOM AND BREAKING WAS LOST. THEY DUPLICATED IT BUT REFUSED TO ADMIT IT WAS A PROBLEM. NOW MY SONS ARE DRIVING AND I CAN'T LET THEM DRIVE THE CAR BECAUSE THEY ARE NOT EXPERIENCED ENOUGH DRIVERS AND IF THEY EVERY GET INTO A PANIC STOP SI…
Owner-reported narrative. 85,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10139160 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 728379 · 2000-08-18 (August 18, 2000)
MANUAL TRANSMISSION GEAR SHIFT ARM SUDDENLY WAS LOOSE. SATURN OF ASUTIN REPORTED SHIFTER CABLE BROKE AND REPLACED SAME. IF BREAK HAD OCCURRED WHILE MOVING IT LIKELY WOULD HAVE CAUSED ACCIDENT AND INJURY.
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 728379 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10238598 · 2008-08-17 (August 17, 2008)
SHIFT CABLE LINKAGE BROKE AT SHIFTER WHILE SHIFTING DURING ACCELERATION ,MOMENTARY LOSS OF CONTROL DUE TO NO POWER AT WHEELS NEAR MISS OF BIG RIG. HAD TO DRIVE ON SIDEWALK-AND LAWN. *TR
Owner-reported narrative. 148,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10238598 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10124940 · 2005-06-10 (June 10, 2005)
DT: CONTACT STATES THE VEHICLE IS CONTINUOUSLY SHAKING, AFFECTING THE STEERING. THE SOLENOIDS HAVE BEEN REPLACED, 6 MONTHS LATER THE PROBLEM RECURRED. *AK
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10124940 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 489290 · 1995-04-17 (April 17, 1995)
STEERING GEAR BOX LEAKED. *TW
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 489290 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 855821 · 2000-01-31 (January 31, 2000)
CONSUMER EXPERENCING PROBLEMS WITH REPLACING THE BATTERY. BATTERY HAS BEEN REPLACED ON FIVE DIFFERENT OCCASIONS. DEALER UNABLE TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 855821 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10066764 · 2004-04-07 (April 7, 2004)
VEHICLE WAS PARKED ABOUT 20 MINUTES WHEN IT SUDDENLY CAUGHT ON FIRE. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS CALLED. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT DETERMINED IT WAS AN ELECTRICAL FIRE. *AK
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10066764 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 958671 · 1995-01-13 (January 13, 1995)
VEHICLE STALLS OUT AT ANY SPEED, DEALER SAID STALLING OCCURS WHEN CRUISE IS ON AND VEHICLE RPM IS OVER 70. TT
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 958671 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 747891 · 2001-07-05 (July 5, 2001)
ALTERNATOR HAS BEEN REPLACED THREE TIMES AND BATTERY REPLACED 5 TIMES. NOW EXPERIENCING SURGING, HESITATION AND STALLING, AND THE DEALER CANNOT FIND THE CAUSE AFTER FOUR TRIPS. *AK
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 747891 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 959883 · 1995-02-10 (February 10, 1995)
REPLACED FUEL INJECTOR. TT
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 959883 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 479829 · 1995-08-13 (August 13, 1995)
FUEL PUMP FAILURE. *AK
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 479829 at NHTSA ↗
Recalls by model year
All campaigns in the snapshot affecting each model year, including recalls announced years later.
Recall campaigns
Shared campaigns appear once in each affected model year.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 1991 | 1 |
| 1992 | 2 |
| 1993 | 2 |
| 1994 | 1 |
| 1995 | 3 |
| 1996 | 1 |
| 1997 | 2 |
| 1998 | 0 |
| 1999 | 1 |
| 2000 | 7 |
| 2001 | 2 |
| 2002 | 0 |
1991: 1; 1992: 2; 1993: 2; 1994: 1; 1995: 3; 1996: 1; 1997: 2; 1998: 0; 1999: 1; 2000: 7; 2001: 2; 2002: 0