IllustrationENGINE WOULD ACCELERATE WHEN BRAKES WERE APPLIED. THE VEHICLE WAS DIAGNOSED AS IT BEING THE BRAKE BOOSTER DIAPHRAM THAT IS WORN AND LEAKING. THE BOOSTER VACUUM HOSE CHECK VALVE GROMMET IS TORN. *JG *AK
1992 Saturn Sl
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 1992 Saturn Sl do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 171.5.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Sl years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
Limited mileage data: 5 of 123 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.
NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.
What to inspect
Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.
- Seat Belts. Review the 29 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 24 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Service Brakes, Hydraulic. Review the 19 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
18 crash reports2 fire reports19 injury reports
What owners actually said
123 reportsFRAME OF DRIVER'S SEATBACK BROKE DURING NORMAL DRIVING. THIS WAS A BREAK THROUGH THE STEEL U-CHANNEL ON THE LEFT SIDE OF THE SEAT JUST BELOW WHERE IT IS WELDED TO THE TUBULAR STEEL TOP PIECE. THIS COMPONENT SHOULD NEVER FAIL EVEN UNDER THE STRESS OF A REAR END COLLISION LET ALONE DURING NORMAL DRIVING. DEFECT COULD HAVE LED TO …
Read full complaint
FRAME OF DRIVER'S SEATBACK BROKE DURING NORMAL DRIVING. THIS WAS A BREAK THROUGH THE STEEL U-CHANNEL ON THE LEFT SIDE OF THE SEAT JUST BELOW WHERE IT IS WELDED TO THE TUBULAR STEEL TOP PIECE. THIS COMPONENT SHOULD NEVER FAIL EVEN UNDER THE STRESS OF A REAR END COLLISION LET ALONE DURING NORMAL DRIVING. DEFECT COULD HAVE LED TO AN ACCIDENT AND IF IT OCCURED DURING A REAR END COLLISION AN UNECESSARY INJURY WOULD LIKELY HAVE RESULTED.*AK
BRAKES FAILED AND BUMPER IS 36 INCHES LONG AND SIDES HAVE NO BUMPER PROTECTION.
SEAT BELT ON DRIVERS SIDE IS NOT ABLE TO LOCK INTO BUCKLE. CONTACTED DEALER, AND DEALER WAS NOT WILLING TO DO ANYTHING.*AK STITCHING ON SEAT BELT ON DRIVERS SIDE CAME APART. *YD
PASSENGER'S SEAT BELT WILL ONLY WORK INTERMITTENTLY, IT GETS STUCK IN ANY POSITION.ALSO, SINCE JULY 2001 DRIVER'S SEAT BELT ONLY WORKS INTERMITTENTLY.
SEAT BELT RETRACTOR GETS IN OPEN POSITION CLOSE TO WINDSHIELD. PROBLEM IS INTERMITTENT AT THIS TIME, BUT WAS REPAIRED 1 YEAR AGO, COSTING $800. COMPUTER CONTROLS DOME LIGHTS/ CHIMES/ LOCKS AND SEAT BELT. SATURN HASN'T HEARD OF THIS BEFORE. *AK
WE MOVED FROM LOUISIANA TO ARIZONA AT THAT TIME WE NOTICED OIL IN COOLANT-REPLACED HEAD GASKET NO NOTICEABLE CRACKS IN HEAD, VEHICLE NEVER OVER HEATED WHILE DRIVING PRIOR TO THIS INCIDENT. LEFT FRONT SEAT IN A PERMANENT SLANT BACKWARD.*AK
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK
RAN OFF ROAD AND HIT STUMP< BURST INTO FIRE WITHIN SECONDS>AIRBAG FAILED. *AK
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
Official recalls
293V132000 · Electrical System:alternator/generator/regulator
Aug 10, 1993
THE GENERATOR ELECTRICAL WIRING IS NOT PROTECTED AGAINST EXCESSIVE CURRENT FLOW WHICH MAY BE CAUSED BY AN ELECTRICAL SHORT CIRCUIT IN THE GENERATOR.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: SHOULD AN ELECTRICAL SHORT CIRCUIT OCCUR IN THEGENERATOR, THE GENERATOR WIRING HARNESS WOULD EXPERIENCE EXCESSIVE CURRENT FLOW.UNDER CERTAIN CONDITIONS, ENOUGH HEAT COULD BE GENERATED TO IGNITE SURROUNDINGMATERIALS. IF THIS OCCURS, AN UNDERHOOD FIRE COULD RESULT WITH OR WITHOUT THEENGINE RUNNING AND WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING.
Remedy: THE GENERATOR WIRING HARNESS WILL BE REPLACED WITH ONE THAT WILL OPEN AS A FUSE WOULD UNDER CERTAIN EXCESSIVE CURRENT FLOW CONDITIONS.
92V098000 · Power Train
Jul 8, 1992
THE TRANSAXLE VALVE ASSEMBLIES WERE IMPROPERLY MACHINED. VEHICLES MAY NOT PROPERLY ENGAGE IN NEUTRAL OR PARK, EVEN THOUGH THE GEAR SELECTOR INDICATES THE VEHICLE IS IN NEUTRAL OR PARK.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: IF THE GEAR SELECTOR INDICATES THE VEHICLE IS IN PARK ORNEUTRAL, IT COULD BE IN REVERSE OR DRIVE. IF THIS HAPPENS, THE CAR COULD STARTIN REVERSE OR DRIVE, OR MIGHT MOVE UNEXPECTEDLY, WHICH MAY RESULT IN A VEHICLECRASH OR INJURY TO PERSONS OUTSIDE THE VEHICLE, WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING.
Remedy: REPLACE THE DEFECTIVE VALVE BODIES.
Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗
NHTSA investigations
3EA93016 · Fr Seatback Recliner Fails
Opened Jun 8, 1993 · Closed Jul 26, 1994
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Seats:front Assembly:recliner
There is no summary currently available
PE93022 · Steering System Lockup
Opened Apr 5, 1993 · Closed Sep 30, 1993
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Steering
There is no summary currently available
PE93004 · Seatback Failure
Opened Feb 5, 1993 · Closed Jun 8, 1993
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Seats
There is no summary currently available