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 reports

24,000 miles · Jan 13, 2004

Power Train

AFTER TURNING THE VEHICLE ON AND WHEN PLACING THE GEAR IN PARK OR NEUTRAL,VEHICLE JUMPED FORWARD. DEALER EXAMINED THE VEHICLE, AND FOUND THAT THE VALVE BODY ASSEMBLY HASDBEEN REPLACED. *AK

NHTSA ODI #10053885

100,015 miles · Dec 10, 2003

Vehicle Speed Control

WHEN TRYING TO RESET THE CRUISE CONTROL ACCELERATOR PEDAL WENT DOWN TO THE FLOOR, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO ACCELERATE UP TO 70 MPH. AFTER A COUPLE OF SECONDS ACCELERATOR PEDAL POPPED UP, AND THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO SLOW DOWN. *AK *PH

NHTSA ODI #10047924

97,770 miles · Oct 9, 2003

Electrical SystemEngine And Engine CoolingService Brakes, Hydraulic

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I REPLACED MY BRAKES AND ROTORS TODAY. THE MECHANIC WANTED TO SHOW ME THE MESS THAT THEY WERE. I LOOKED AT THEM AND HE POINTED OUT HOW UNUSUALLY DESTROYED THE INSIDE PADS ARE. HE SAID HE RARELY SEES ANYTHING THAT BAD. THE HORN WORKS WHEN IT WANTS TO. THE KEY GETS STUCK IN THE IGNITION AND SOME DAYS I REALLY HAVE TO WORK HARD TO GET IT OUT OR GET THE STEERING WHEEL TO RELEASE SO I CAN TURN THE KEY. ALSO THE EXHAUST SYSTEM IS JUST HANGING ON BEFORE THE RUST OVERRUNS IT. *LA

NHTSA ODI #10041569

75,508 miles · Oct 7, 2003

Engine And Engine Cooling

CRACKED CYLINDER HEAD. *JB

NHTSA ODI #10041420

Mileage unknown · Aug 20, 2003

Electrical System

REAR LIGHTS KEPT GOING OUT - SATURN DEALER SAID THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM HAD BEEN BUTT-SPLICED. SINCE ONLY SATURN WORKED ON THE VEHICLE, THIS WAS UNEXPLAINABLE. IT SEEMS, HOWEVER, MY CAR IS NOT THE ONLY ONE WITH THIS PROBLEM. APPARENTLY, THE BUTT-SPLICING IS BEING DONE BY SATURN AND BEING BLAMED ON THE CONSUMER -- AND CHARGED TO TH…

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NHTSA ODI #10033192

Mileage unknown · Jul 28, 2003

Engine And Engine Cooling

CONSUMER STATED THAT SHE HAD HER AUTOMOBILE INSSPECTED ,AND WAS TOLD THAT HEAD GASKETS WERE LEAKING. SHE DID SOME RESEARCH AND FOUND THAT OTHER SATURN OWNER WERE HAVING THE SAME KIND OF PROBLEM. WHAT COULD SHE DO ABOUT IT?*AK

NHTSA ODI #10031308

73,185 miles · Jul 16, 2003

Engine And Engine Cooling

ABOUT THREE WEEKS AGO THE ENGINE OVERHEATED. THE ENGINE OIL AND COOLANT MIXED TOGETHER BECAUSE THE HEAD GASKET WAS CRACKED. *AK *TS *JB

NHTSA ODI #10024714

115,374 miles · Jul 15, 2003

Electrical System

HORN FAILED AS IN NHTSA RECALL CAMPAIGN ID #98V307000. DEALER DENIES VIN PART OF RECALL. NHTSA WEB SITE LISTS "Z" FOR SATURN MODEL, WHICH DOES NOT EXIST. DEALER REQUIRED ME TO PAY FOR REPLACEMENT OF HORN.*AK

NHTSA ODI #10026121

Mileage unknown · Jul 14, 2003

Engine And Engine Cooling

THE ENGINE OIL AND THE ANTIFREEZE IS MIXING TOGETHER IN THE VEHICLE. THIS CAUSES THE ENGINE TO OVERHEAT WHILE DRIVING. HAD TAKEN VEHICLE TO DEALERSHIP AND WAS INFORMED BY THE MECHANIC THE ENGINE CYCLINDER BEAD WAS CRACKED AND NEEDED TO BE REPAIRED OR REPLACED.*AK

NHTSA ODI #10027163

46,500 miles · Jul 6, 2003

Power TrainSeatsCrashInjury

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UNSATISFACTORY RESPONSES FROM SATURN CUSTOMER SERVICE; REPAIRS THAT SHOULD BE COVERED PER CALIFORNIAS LEMON LAW FOR OUR 1996 SATURN SL1 WITH ONLY 46K MILES. ROTE TO GM & SATURN CEO'S. THEY LIE AND DO NOT STAND BEHIND THEIR CRAPPY PRODUCT. WE WILL NEVER BUY AMERICAN AGAIN!PER MY RECENT CONVERSATIONS WITH SATURN CUSTOMER SERVICE, THERE HAS BEEN ABSOLUTELY NO EFFORT OF GOODWILL TO REIMBURSE AND FIX THE BELOW AFOREMENTIONED MECHANICAL PROBLEMS FROM THE INFERIOR MATERIALS USED IN BUILDING OUR SATURN VEHICLE. THE FAILURES WE NEED REIMBURSEMENT FOR ARE: 1.STARTER REPLACEMENT: $211.08 + 45.17 = $256.25; WE WERE BROKEN DOWN AND HAD TO GET FIXED IMMEDIATELY AT A PEP BOYS SHOP, 2.NEW INTERSTATE BATTERY: $108.15; WE WERE BROKEN DOWN AND HAD TO GET FIXED IMMEDIATELY AT A CHEVRON SHOP, 3.TRANSMISSION GASKET PARTS AND LABOR: $ ~150. (TBD); ALREADY PAID AND IN SATURN DATABASE; TRANS. SEIZED UP NOW AND NEEDS $3000 WORK; SATURN WON'T PAY FOR REPAIRS, 4.ALTERNATOR PARTS AND LABOR: $176.61; WE WERE BROKEN DOWN AND HAD TO GET FIXED IMMEDIATELY AT A PEP BOYS SHOP, THE WORK THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE AT SATURN NOW IS: 5.RADIATOR PARTS AND LABOR (SATURN WORK ORDER ESTIMATE SO# 123412): $417.16 6.OIL GASKET PARTS AND LABOR (SATURN WORK ORDER ESTIMATE SO# 126859): $ TBD 7.REPEAT TRANSMISSION SERVICE AND GASKET PARTS AND LABOR (SATURN WORK ORDER ESTIMATE SO# 126859): $ TBD, THIS HAS ALREADY BEEN DONE 18 MONTHS AGO AND IS LEAKING AGAIN! ALSO COMPLETE REBUILD/ $3000.8.FRONT PASSENGER SEAT RECLINING MECHANISM NEEDS REPAIR. *AK

NHTSA ODI #10025482

Official recalls

97V138000 · 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

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.