IllustrationVEHICLE WAS PARKED ABOUT 20 MINUTES WHEN IT SUDDENLY CAUGHT ON FIRE. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS CALLED. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT DETERMINED IT WAS AN ELECTRICAL FIRE. *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
Electrical System complaints
16 reportsRAN 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
SINCE 1993 THE ALTERNATOR HAS BEEN REPLACED 4 TIMES DUE TO HEAT RELATED ISSUES. CJ
WHILE DRIVING ABOUT 55 MPH HEARD NOISE COMING FROM ENGINE AND LOST POWER. PULLED OFF TO SIDE OF ROAD, THEN SAW THAT ALTENATOR HAD FALLEN OFF VEHICLE. *AK
ALTERNATOR FAILED TWO MONTHS PRIOR TO RECALL ANNOUNCED ON POSSIBLE FIRE HAZARD ON VEHICLE. DUE TO MILEAGE, VEHICLE WAS OUTSIDE OF WARRENTY, HAD TO PAY OUT OF POCKET FOR REPLACEMENT. MANUFACTURER CONTACTED REGARDS TO POSSIBLE FAILURE DUE TO SAME REASON AS RECALL. MANUFATURER STATED THERE WAS NO CHANCE. (RECALL WAS FOR ALTERNATOR…
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ALTERNATOR FAILED TWO MONTHS PRIOR TO RECALL ANNOUNCED ON POSSIBLE FIRE HAZARD ON VEHICLE. DUE TO MILEAGE, VEHICLE WAS OUTSIDE OF WARRENTY, HAD TO PAY OUT OF POCKET FOR REPLACEMENT. MANUFACTURER CONTACTED REGARDS TO POSSIBLE FAILURE DUE TO SAME REASON AS RECALL. MANUFATURER STATED THERE WAS NO CHANCE. (RECALL WAS FOR ALTERNATOR/ALTERNATOR FAILED) MECHANIC STATED IF DIODES DID NOT BURNOUT, MAY HAVE CAUSE A FIRE. RECALL WAS BASED ON POSSIBLE FIRE HAZARD IN ALTERNATOR SYSTEM.
PASSIVE RESTRAINT SYSTEM ON PASSENGER SIDE FAILED WITHOUT TRAUMA, ENGINE MOUNT FAILED CAUSING STEERING DIFFICULTY AND LOUD NOISE, GAS GAUGE BEGAN BOUNCING RANDOMLY, O-RINGS IN A/C FAILED TWICE, DESPITE RETROFIT, A/C AGAIN INOPERATIVE DUE TO "O-RINGS" WATER PUMP LEAKED AT 40,000 MILES, BATTERY DEAD IN ONE YEAR IN ARIZONA. *AK
WHILE DRIVING AT 55 MPH NOTICED SMOKE COMING FROM THE STEERING COLUMN AND PULLED OVER. THE CONSUMER GOT OUT THE VEHICLE AND LEFT THE KEY IN THE INGITION AND THE VEHICLE LOST ALL POWER. THE WHOLE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM DIED OUT. THE VEHICLE WAS IN THE SHOP AND WAS REPAIED. THE SHOP REPAIRED THE HARNESS AND NOW THE ELECTRICAL ITEM'S …
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WHILE DRIVING AT 55 MPH NOTICED SMOKE COMING FROM THE STEERING COLUMN AND PULLED OVER. THE CONSUMER GOT OUT THE VEHICLE AND LEFT THE KEY IN THE INGITION AND THE VEHICLE LOST ALL POWER. THE WHOLE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM DIED OUT. THE VEHICLE WAS IN THE SHOP AND WAS REPAIED. THE SHOP REPAIRED THE HARNESS AND NOW THE ELECTRICAL ITEM'S DON'T WORK. *AK
ALTERNATOR HAS BEEN REPLACED THREE TIMES WITHIN ONE MONTH, VEHICLE AUTOMATICALLY CUTS OFF WHILE DRIVING. DEALER CONTACTED AND IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. MANUFACTURER CONTACTED AND CANNOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. *AK
ALTERNATOR FAILED, REPLACED AND CONTINUED TO FAIL.
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