IllustrationVEHICLE WAS REAR ENDED, AND UPON IMPACT DRIVER'S SEATBACK COLLAPSED. MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED.*AK
1996 Saturn Sl
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 1996 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: 49 of 287 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.
- Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 63 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Service Brakes, Hydraulic. Review the 41 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Electrical System. Review the 40 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
50 crash reports2 fire reports34 injury reports
What owners actually said
287 reportsPURCHASED THE CAR USED WITH APPROX 24000 MILES. SEEMED FISHY AT FIRST BUT DEALERSHIP INSURED ME THAT EVERYTHING WAS OKAY. OIL LIGHT CAME ON AFTER ONLY A WEEK FROM PURCHASE. DID NOT LOOK LIKE DEALERSHIP SERVICED ENGINE. I CALLED THE DEALERSHIP AND INFORMED THEM OF THE OIL LIGHT. THEY NEVER TOLD ME THAT THERE IS A PROBLEM AND…
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PURCHASED THE CAR USED WITH APPROX 24000 MILES. SEEMED FISHY AT FIRST BUT DEALERSHIP INSURED ME THAT EVERYTHING WAS OKAY. OIL LIGHT CAME ON AFTER ONLY A WEEK FROM PURCHASE. DID NOT LOOK LIKE DEALERSHIP SERVICED ENGINE. I CALLED THE DEALERSHIP AND INFORMED THEM OF THE OIL LIGHT. THEY NEVER TOLD ME THAT THERE IS A PROBLEM AND TO BRING IT IN, THEY JUST BRUSHED IT OFF AS A SHORT. WHEN QUESTIONING THE DEALERSHIP ABOUT THE SERVICING OF THE CAR, THEY REPLIED "YOU SHOULD NEVER ASSUME ANYTHING." NOW HERE I AM WITH A CAR THAT HAS ONLY (SUPPOSEDLY) 33000 MILES ON IT AND THE ENGINE IS NO GOOD. HAROLD MOTORS LAUGHS IN OUR FACE WHEN I TOLD THEM ABOUT THE ENGINE. THEY WILL NOT HELP US IN ANY WAY NOR WILL SATURN. FOR A CAR WITH ONLY 33000 MILES ON IT, I CANNOT SEE IT BREAKING, ESPECIALLY THE ENGINE WHICH SATURN BRAGS ABOUT IN EVERY COMMERCIAL. WE ARE AT A STANDSTILL TRYING TO CONTACT SATURN TO ALLEVIATE THIS PROBLEM. WITH THE ENGINE BREAKING WITH ONLY 33000 MILES ON IT, IT IS DEFECTIVE. SATURN HAS DEFECTIVE ENGINES ON THEIR SL1 MODELS IN 1996, SO THIS MATTER NEEDS TO BE LOOKED INTO. THE QUOTE FOR A NEW ENGINE IS 3400.00 WHICH WE SHOULD NOT HAVE TO PAY . THANK YOU. *AK
NO SUMMARY
AT 32,000 MILE VEHICLE WILL NOT SHIFT INTO REVERSE. DEALER NOTIFIED. FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION ON THIS MATTER. *AK
TREAD SEPERATION. *AK (DOT NUMBER: UNKN TIRESIZE: P175/70R14)
BRAKE FAILURE WHEN COMING TO A STOP.BRAKE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR CAR WAS VERY SLOW TO STOP.AFTER THE FIRST FAILURE BRAKE SHOP WAS UNABLE TO FIND A PROBLEM WITH THE BRAKE SYSTEM.THE SECOND FAILURE WAS AT THE SAME SPEED 35 M/H WITH THE BRAKE PEDAL HAVING THE SAME ACTION.SATURN WAS UNABLE TO FIND PROBLEM THE SECOND TIME AND TESTED…
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BRAKE FAILURE WHEN COMING TO A STOP.BRAKE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR CAR WAS VERY SLOW TO STOP.AFTER THE FIRST FAILURE BRAKE SHOP WAS UNABLE TO FIND A PROBLEM WITH THE BRAKE SYSTEM.THE SECOND FAILURE WAS AT THE SAME SPEED 35 M/H WITH THE BRAKE PEDAL HAVING THE SAME ACTION.SATURN WAS UNABLE TO FIND PROBLEM THE SECOND TIME AND TESTED IT TWO TIMES.*AK
AFTER DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 5 MILES, WHEN I STOP AND PUT CAR IN REVERSE, IT HESITATES THEN ABRUPTLY SHIFTS INTO REVERSE. I HAVE CHECKED TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETINS AND FOUND TSB#96-T-38A IN REGARDS TO HARSH ENGAGEMENT INTO REVERSE ON THE SATURNS. THIS SOUNDS EXACTLY LIKE MY PROBLEM. *AK
SQUEALING NOISE FROM ENGINE AREA IN RAINY WEATHER, DEALER REPLACED THE ENGINE DRIVE BELT DUE TO IT BEING DRY AND CRACKED. *SLC
TIRE TREAD PEELED OFF WHILE TRAVELING ON INTERSTATE AT 60 MPH. *AK (TIRESIZE: P75/R15)( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: P75/R15 )
COMPLETE TREAD SEPARATION ON RIGHT-REAR TIRE. TIRE IS NOT LISTED IN RECALL OR 9/1 CONSUMER ADVISORY. *AK( DOT NUMBER: W2EPBCA086 TIRE SIZE: P175/70R14 )
Official recalls
197V138000 · Steering:gear Box (other Than Rack And Pinion)
Aug 29, 1997
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH MANUAL STEERING. THE PINION BEARING CAGE IN THE STEERING GEAR CAN SEPARATE UNDER HIGH STEERING SYSTEM LOAD CONDITIONS, SUCH AS PARKING LOT OR SIMILAR LOW SPEED MANEUVERS.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THIS COULD RESULT IN THE PINION GEAR DISENGAGING FROM THE RACK CAUSING A LOSS OF STEERING CONTROL.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE MANUAL STEERING GEAR 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
0No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.