IllustrationWHILE AT A STOP WAS REARENDED BY ANOTHER VEHICLE. THEN, PUSHED INTO VEHICLE IN FRONT. SEATBELT DID NOT RESTRAIN CONSUMER. SHE SUFFERED NECK AND BACK INJURIES. DAMAGE TO VEHICLE WAS $ 3700.00. *AK
1995 Saturn Sl
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
More warning signs than most Sl years
Owner complaints for the 1995 Saturn Sl are substantially higher than 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: 40 of 355 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.
- Seats. Review the 69 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 67 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Service Brakes, Hydraulic. Review the 51 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
75 crash reports6 fire reports46 injury reports
Seat Belts complaints
11 reportsTHE 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…
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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
VERY DIFFICULT TO REACH LAP BELT WITH BROKEN STOP. SON-IN-LAWS SATURN SL1 HAS SAME PROBLEM.HIGH PROBABILTY MOST SATURNS HAVE SAME PROBLEM.*AK
DURING HYDROPLANE, FRONT PASSENGER SEAT RECLINED AND COULD NOT BE RETURNED TO UPRIGHT POSITION. FRONT PASSENGER SEAT BELT ALSO BECAME DISCONNECTED. WHIP LASH AND BRUISES WERE SUSTAINED DURING ACCIDENT.*AK
ON FEB. 24, I WAS REAR-ENDED WHILE STOPPED AT A RED LIGHT. THE IMPACT PUSHED MY CAR INTO THE INTERSECTION AHEAD OF ME. FORTUNATELY, THERE WERE NO INJURIES. HOWEVER, MY DRIVER'S SEAT WAS FORCED INTO THE FULLY RECLINING POSITION AS A RESULT OF THE IMPACT. THERE WAS NO OTHER DAMAGE - NOT EVEN A SCRATCH. MY 2-YEAR DAUGHTER WAS …
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ON FEB. 24, I WAS REAR-ENDED WHILE STOPPED AT A RED LIGHT. THE IMPACT PUSHED MY CAR INTO THE INTERSECTION AHEAD OF ME. FORTUNATELY, THERE WERE NO INJURIES. HOWEVER, MY DRIVER'S SEAT WAS FORCED INTO THE FULLY RECLINING POSITION AS A RESULT OF THE IMPACT. THERE WAS NO OTHER DAMAGE - NOT EVEN A SCRATCH. MY 2-YEAR DAUGHTER WAS SEATED IN HER CAR SEAT, LOCATED IN THE REAR PASSENGER SIDE. IF THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT WAS OCCUPIED, OR IF THE CHILD CAR SEAT WAS POSITIONED BEHIND THE DRIVERS SEAT, SHE COULD HAVE BEEN SERIOUSLY INJURED BY THE FORCE OF THE FRONT SEAT SUDDENLY AND FORCEFULLY RECLINING ONTO HER LEGS. I AM DEEPLY CONCERNED ABOUT THE SAFETY OF TRANSPORTING MY DAUGHTER IN MY SATURN. AS A RESULT OF THIS EXPERIENCE, I HAVE MOVED THE CAR SEAT TO THE CENTER POSITION. BUT THE SEAT DOES NOT FIT TIGHTLY THERE - IT MOVES FROM SIDE TO SIDE. EVEN IN THE CENTER POSITION, BOTH FRONT SEAT BACKS HIT THE EDGES OF THE CAR SEAT WHEN THEY ARE RECLINED. *AK
THE COST TO HAVE THE SEATBELT REMOVED AND REPLACED $119.27
NO DEPLOYMENT OF AIR BAG DURING HEAD ON COLLISION, SEAT BELTS DID NOT RESTRAIN PROPERLY CAUSING CONSUMER TO HIT HEAD.
CONSUMER HIT THE LEFT PART OF VEHICLE THAT RAN A RED LIGHT. SHOULDER STRAP FROM LEFT BENCH SEAT BECAME UNLATCHED, CAUSING CHILD IN CAR SEAT TO BE THROWN AGAINST FRONT DRIVER'S SEAT. DEALER CANNOT FIND SEAT BELT PROBLEM.
WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE AT 40MPH HIT TREE HEAD-ON AND THERE WAS NO DEPLOYMENT OF DRIVER'S SIDE OR PASSENGER'S SIDE AIRBAGS. OWNER NOTES THAT IN HUMID WEATHER WINDOWS CANNOT BE CLEARED. *AK
BRAKING SYSTEM FAILURE, BRAKE PADS DEFECTIVE. TT
Official recalls
399V045000 · 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.
94V217000 · Power Train:clutch Assembly:pedal/hand Lever(motorcycle)
Nov 8, 1994
THE AUTOMATIC TRANSAXLE PARK LOCK CABLE ASSEMBLY WAS IMPROPERLY ADJUSTED MAKING IT POSSIBLE TO SHIFT FROM THE "PARK" POSITION WITH THE IGNITION KEY REMOVED, OR REMOVE THE IGNITION KEY WITH THE SHIFT LEVER IN A POSITION OTHER THAN "PARK." THIS DOES NOT MEET THE REQUIREMENTS OF FMVSS 114, "THEFT PROTECTION."
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: CONSEQUENCE OF NON-COMPLIANCE: UNINTENDED VEHICLE MOVEMENT CAN OCCUR WHICH COULD RESULT IN AN ACCIDENT.
Remedy: CONSUMERS ARE BEING ASKED TO INSPECT THE PARK LOCK CABLE. IF IT DOES NOT PERFORM CORRECTLY, DEALERS WILL MAKE THE NECESSARY ADJUSTMENTS.
94V170000 · Steering:gear Box (other Than Rack And Pinion)
Sep 14, 1994
THE STEERING GEAR PINION SHAFT WAS IMPROPERLY HEAT TREATED CAUSING THE SHAFT TO FRACTURE DURING VEHICLE OPERATION.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: FRACTURE OF THE STEERING GEAR PINION SHAFT CAUSES COMPLETE LOSS OF STEERING CONTROL WHICH CAN RESULT IN AN ACCIDENT.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE MANUAL STEERING ASSEMBLY.
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
3RQ00005 · 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.
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