IllustrationTHE BACK OF THE DRIVER'S SEAT FAILED AND COLLAPSED DURING A MINOR FENDER BENDER. *MR THE SEAT COLLAPSED. DUE TO POOR INADEQUATE WELDS. *SC
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
Seats complaints
18 reportsCONSUMER WAS REAR ENDED BY ANOTHER DRIVER, THE VEHICLES DRIVERS SEAT BACK COLLAPSED ON TO THE REAR BENCH SEAT. CONSUMER IS VERY CONCERNED WITH REAR PASSENGERS BEING INJURED BY SEAT BACK. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.
CONSUMER WAS REAR ENDED AND THE DRIVERSIDE SEAT BACK COLLASPED. THE BACK OF THE SEAT SLAMMED DOWN SO HARD THAT IF A PASSENGER WAS SITTING THERE THERE LEGS WOULD HAVE BEEN CRUSHED. "POOR DESIGN", STATES CONSUMER. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.
CONSUMER WAS AT A STOP WHEN ANOTHER VEHICLE REAR ENDED HER VEHICLE. THE CONSUMER STATED THE DRIVER'S SEAT BACK COLLAPSED AND WHEN THE SEAT RECLINED, THE SEAT BELT DID NOT RESTRAIN HER. *JB
FRAME OF DRIVER'S SEATBACK BROKE DURING NORMAL DRIVING. THIS WAS A BREAK THROUGH THE STEEL U-CHANNEL ON THE LEFT SIDE OF THE SEAT JUST BELOW WHERE IT IS WELDED TO THE TUBULAR STEEL TOP PIECE. THIS COMPONENT SHOULD NEVER FAIL EVEN UNDER THE STRESS OF A REAR END COLLISION LET ALONE DURING NORMAL DRIVING. DEFECT COULD HAVE LED TO …
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FRAME OF DRIVER'S SEATBACK BROKE DURING NORMAL DRIVING. THIS WAS A BREAK THROUGH THE STEEL U-CHANNEL ON THE LEFT SIDE OF THE SEAT JUST BELOW WHERE IT IS WELDED TO THE TUBULAR STEEL TOP PIECE. THIS COMPONENT SHOULD NEVER FAIL EVEN UNDER THE STRESS OF A REAR END COLLISION LET ALONE DURING NORMAL DRIVING. DEFECT COULD HAVE LED TO AN ACCIDENT AND IF IT OCCURED DURING A REAR END COLLISION AN UNECESSARY INJURY WOULD LIKELY HAVE RESULTED.*AK
WE MOVED FROM LOUISIANA TO ARIZONA AT THAT TIME WE NOTICED OIL IN COOLANT-REPLACED HEAD GASKET NO NOTICEABLE CRACKS IN HEAD, VEHICLE NEVER OVER HEATED WHILE DRIVING PRIOR TO THIS INCIDENT. LEFT FRONT SEAT IN A PERMANENT SLANT BACKWARD.*AK
OUR 11 YEAR OLD DAUGHTER DIED BECAUSE SHE HAD THE PASSENGER FRONT SEAT FULLY RECLINED. SHE WAS TAKING A NAP COMING HOME FROM SCHOOL. HER SEAT BELT WAS BUCKLED, BUT AT IMPACT HER UPPER TORSO WAS WHIPPED FORWARD, THEN THE FRONT SEAT RECLINING MECHANISM GAVE OUT AND THE FRONT SEAT POPPED UP TO ITS UPRIGHT POSITION, THEN WHEN HER …
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OUR 11 YEAR OLD DAUGHTER DIED BECAUSE SHE HAD THE PASSENGER FRONT SEAT FULLY RECLINED. SHE WAS TAKING A NAP COMING HOME FROM SCHOOL. HER SEAT BELT WAS BUCKLED, BUT AT IMPACT HER UPPER TORSO WAS WHIPPED FORWARD, THEN THE FRONT SEAT RECLINING MECHANISM GAVE OUT AND THE FRONT SEAT POPPED UP TO ITS UPRIGHT POSITION, THEN WHEN HER SHOULDER BELT CAUGHT SHE WAS THROWN BACK INTO THE SEAT. SHE DIED OF SEVERE BRAIN TRAUMA, BUT THERE WERE NO MARKS ON HER. THE NEUROLOGIST SAID IT WAS AKIN TO SHAKEN BABY SYNDROME BECAUSE HER HEAD WAS SHAKEN TOO FAST AND TOO HARD, CAUSING THE BRAIN STEM TO SWELL AND CUT OXYGEN FLOW TO THE BRAIN. THE WINDSHIELD DIDN'T EVEN CRACK. WHY ARE FRONT SEATS MADE TO RECLINE WHEN SAFETY BELTS AND AIRBAGS WILL NOT PROTECT YOU IF YOU ARE RECLINED?*AK
CONSUMER WAS INVOLVED IN A REAR END COLLISION IN WHICH DRIVER'S SEATBACK RELEASED AND COLLAPSED INTO A RECLINING POSITION. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS.*AK
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK
SEAT FRAME STARTED TO BREAK THROUGH THE CLOTH COVERING. THE FRAME EVENTUALLY BENT BACKWARDS NEAR THE TOP OF THE SEAT. SOON THE FRAME BROKE ON THE LEFT HAND SIDE AND THERE IS A SHARP POINT STICKING OUT AND THE CLOTH COVERING IS RUINED. I CALLED THE DEALER TO FIND OUT WHAT NEEDED TO BE DONE AND THEY TOLD ME I WOULD HAVE TO REPL…
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SEAT FRAME STARTED TO BREAK THROUGH THE CLOTH COVERING. THE FRAME EVENTUALLY BENT BACKWARDS NEAR THE TOP OF THE SEAT. SOON THE FRAME BROKE ON THE LEFT HAND SIDE AND THERE IS A SHARP POINT STICKING OUT AND THE CLOTH COVERING IS RUINED. I CALLED THE DEALER TO FIND OUT WHAT NEEDED TO BE DONE AND THEY TOLD ME I WOULD HAVE TO REPLACE THE WHOLE SEAT WHICH WOULD COST ME OVER 500 DOLLARS. *AK
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