IllustrationWHEN APPLYING ABS BRAKES PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR, CAUSING EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE. CAUSE UNKNOWN. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS.*AK
1994 Saturn Sl
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 1994 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: 16 of 286 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 49 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Seats. Review the 48 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Service Brakes, Hydraulic. Review the 44 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
51 crash reports4 fire reports32 injury reports
What owners actually said
286 reportsVEHICLE REAR-ENDED AT STOPLIGHT BY ANOTHER VEHICLE TRAVELING APPROXIMATELY 35MPH. DRIVER SEATBACK FAILED, THROWING DRIVER ONTO HER BACK, CAUSING EXTENSIVE BACK AND NECK INJURIES. DRIVER WAS WEARING FULL LAP AND SHOULDER BELTS. AIRBAG DID NOT DEPLOY.*AK
DRIVER'S SIDE RESTRAINT WILL NOT RETRACT BACK INTO POSITION. DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED.*AK
ALTERNATOR SEIZED UP AND BELT CONTINUED TO TURN, RESULTING IN A FIRE. DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. *AK
WHILE AT A STOP ANOTHR VEHICLE STRUCK CONSUMER'S VEHICLE ON THE REAR, AND CONSUMER'S VEHICLE, IN TURN, HIT VEHICLE IN FRONT. UPON IMPACT, DRIVER'S SEAT COLLAPSED, LEAVING CONSUMER FLAT ON THE SEAT. *AK
SATURN RELUCTANT TO COMMENT ON IF PROBLEMS WERE OF FACTORY DEFECTS, THEREFORE EVERYTHING WAS PAID FOR IN FULL (EXTREME AMOUNTS) BY MYSELF. ALSO, THE PRODUCTS, AFTER REPLACED FAILED WITHIN ONE MONTH AFTER THE "WARRANTY" EXPIRED. SATURN REFUSED TO COMPENSATE . NOS AFETY DEFECT LISTED IN SUMMARY. *AK
WITH NO INDICATION, ENGINE WAS SHORT 3 OR MORE QUARTS OF OIL CAUSING A POSSIBLE FAILURE OF LIFTERS AND/OR VALVES. OIL WARNING LIGHT FUNCTIONS WHEN STARTING THE CAR. VEHICLE IS NOT USABLE AND MAY REQUIRE ENGINE REPLACEMENT. WE HAVE HEARD THIS SAME PROBLEM FROM TWO OTHER SOURCES WHO HAVE SATURNS. OIL HAS BEEN CHANGED AT 3,000 …
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WITH NO INDICATION, ENGINE WAS SHORT 3 OR MORE QUARTS OF OIL CAUSING A POSSIBLE FAILURE OF LIFTERS AND/OR VALVES. OIL WARNING LIGHT FUNCTIONS WHEN STARTING THE CAR. VEHICLE IS NOT USABLE AND MAY REQUIRE ENGINE REPLACEMENT. WE HAVE HEARD THIS SAME PROBLEM FROM TWO OTHER SOURCES WHO HAVE SATURNS. OIL HAS BEEN CHANGED AT 3,000 MILE INTERVALS SINCE WE PURCHASED. DISCOVERED THE PROBLEM WHEN TAKEN FOR OIL CHANGE.
WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH CONSUMER'S VEHICLE WAS REARENDED, AND THEN PUSHED INTO THE VEHICLE IN FRONT. UPON IMPACT, DRIVER'S AIRBAG DID NOT DEPLOY, CAUSING INJURIES. *AK
HEAD GASKET FAILED PREMATURELY. NLM
MY CAR'S TIMING CHAIN AND ASSEMBLY EXPLODED KILLING THE ENGINE OF THE SATURN SL1 I HAVE OWNED FOR LESS THAN ONE YEAR. THE EXTENDED SERVICE PLAN WAS 12 MONTHS OR 12,000 MILES AND I HAVE DRIVEN ABOUT 15,000 MILES. THE CAR HAD ABOUT 65,000 MILES WHEN I BOUGHT IT FROM SATURN OF LEWISVILLE. THE CAR IS CURRENTLY AT A SATURN DEALER …
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MY CAR'S TIMING CHAIN AND ASSEMBLY EXPLODED KILLING THE ENGINE OF THE SATURN SL1 I HAVE OWNED FOR LESS THAN ONE YEAR. THE EXTENDED SERVICE PLAN WAS 12 MONTHS OR 12,000 MILES AND I HAVE DRIVEN ABOUT 15,000 MILES. THE CAR HAD ABOUT 65,000 MILES WHEN I BOUGHT IT FROM SATURN OF LEWISVILLE. THE CAR IS CURRENTLY AT A SATURN DEALER CALLED SATURN OF IRVING IN TEXAS. I FEEL THAT SATURN HAS A MEASURE OF RESPONSIBILITY FOR THIS. I CAN NOT FIND ALL MY RECEIPTS BUT DO HAVE SOME SHOWING MAINTENANCE I HAVE DONE AND THE EMMISSIONS TEST RESULTS FROM 12/29/99. I HAVE BEEN TALKING WITH SATURN SINCE 2/24/00. SATURN SENT A SAMPLE OF THE OIL FOR TESTING ON 2/25/00 WITH A PROMISE OF RESULTS WITHIN A WEEK. I AM STILL WAITING! I HAVE A WRITTEN STATEMENT FROM A FIRESTONE ON THE INITIAL CONDITION OF THE CAR AFTER THE FAILURE AS THEY WERE THE FIRST TO SEE THE CAR. *AK
Official recalls
199V045000 · Seats
Mar 12, 1999
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. SOME FRONT SEAT BACK RECLINER GEAR TEETH MAY WEAR EXCESSIVELY THROUGH REPEATED USE, AND COULD CAUSE THE SEAT BACK TO SLIP PARTIALLY REARWARD WHEN FORCE IS APPLIED.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: IF THIS HAPPENS WHILE THE VEHICLE IS BEING DRIVEN, IT COULD CAUSE A LOSS OF CONTROL, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE FRONT SEAT RECLINER MECHANISMS.
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
4RQ00005 · Front Seat Back Can Recline Or Collapse
Opened Feb 16, 2000 · Closed Aug 19, 2000
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Seats:front Assembly:recliner
No summary supplied.
EA98017 · Seat Back Failures
Opened Jul 31, 1998 · Closed Mar 16, 1999
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Seats
IN ITS LETTER DATED MARCH 5, 1999, GENERAL MOTORS STATED THAT IT WILL RECALL 136,300 MODEL YEAR 1994 AND 1995 SATURN VEHICLE (ALL MODELS) BUILT BETWEEN JANUARY 1994 AND AUGUST 1994.DURING THIS PERIOD, SATURN'S SEAT SUPPLIER MANUFACTURED RECLINER ASSEMBLIES WHICH WERE OUT OF DESIGN SPECIFICATION, ALLOWING THE FRONT SEAT BACKS TO RECLINE OR COLLAPSE INADVERTENTLY.TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM, SATURN DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE DRIVER AND FRONT PASSENGER SEAT BACK RECLINER ASSEMBLIES.SEE NHTSA'S SAFETY RECALL FILL 99V-045 FOR DETAILS.
EA95003 · Cruise Control Failures
Opened Feb 24, 1995 · Closed May 31, 1996
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Equipment
THIS INVESTIGATION DOCUMENTED HTE FUNCTIONAL ABERATIONS THAT HAVE OCCURRED IN THE PERFORMANCE OF THE SUBJECT CRUISE CONTROL SYSTEM.MOST OF THE MALFUNCTIONS INVOLVED FAILURE OF THE SYSTEM TO PROPERLY REGULATE VEHICLE SPEED WHEN ENGAGED, FAILURE OF THE SYSTEM TO ENGAGE, OR SELF-DISENGAGEMENT OF THE SYSTEM. THESE PROBLEMS WERE INVESTIGATED AND STEPS TAKEN BY THE MANUFACTURER TO REMEDY THEIR OCCURRENCES.SERVICE PROCEDURES WERE ISSUED FOR VEHICLES IN USE, AND A DESIGN MODIFICATION MADE FOR NEW VEHICLES.NO CONFIRMED ALLEGATIONS OF FAILURE OF THE SYSTEM TO DISENGAGE UPON COMMAND WERE IDENTIFIED.IMPROVED QUALITY CONTROL PROCEDURES AND DESIGN MODIFICATIONSIN THE SYSTEM WERE UNDERTAKEN TO ENSURE A MORE CONSISTENT LEVEL OF SYSTEM PERFORMANCE.THE DETAILS OF THESE FINDINGS AND THE RESULTING CONCLUSIONS ARE CONTAINED INTHE SUBJECT ENGINEERING ANALYSIS CLOSING REPORT.A SAFETY-RELATED DEFECT TREND WAS NOT IDENTIFIED AT EHIS TIME AND FURTHER USE OF AGENCY RESOURCES DOES NOT CONSTITUTE A FINDING BY NHTSA THAT A SAFETY-RELATED DEFECT DOES NOT EXIST.THE AGENCY WILL TAKE FURTHER ACTION IF WARRANTED BY THE CIRCUMSTANCES.
PE94079 · Cruise Control Failure
Opened Nov 7, 1994 · Closed Feb 24, 1995
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Equipment
There is no summary currently available