IllustrationWHEN CAR IS IDLING IT GOES TO 2RPM'S THEN BACK TO 1RPM, THEN SERVICE ENGINE CHECK LIGHT COMES ON. *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
What owners actually said
123 reportsSECOND FAILURE IN THIS SEAT WITHIN ONE MONTH. NO INCIDENT. I THINK THAT CRASH PROTECTION IS LOST WHEN THE SEAT FRAME FAILS.
AFTER PURCHASING THE CAR HAD AN OIL CHANGE AND NOTICIED ENGINE WAS BURNING TWO QUARTS OF OIL FROM THE EXHAUST EVERY 2000 MILES. CONTACTED DEALER ,AND WAS TOLD THAT WARRANTY EXPIRED. THEY THINK IT COULD BE A LEAKING VALVE STEM OR VALVE GUIDES, BUT THEY NEEDED TO DO A COMPRESSION TEST, AND IT WOULD COST ABOUT A 1,000. *AK
SATURNED REFUSED TO HELP WITH THE COSTS
SEAT RECLINED UNEXPECTEDLY WHILE DRIVING AT 70 MPH, MOMENTARILY LOST CONTROL,
65 DIFFERENT MAJOR REPAIRS ON THIS CAR. SEVERAL WERE REPAIRED WHILE UNDERWARRENTY AND NOW DEFECTIVE AGAIN. DEALER AND COMPANY IS NO HELP.
DURING A RAINSTORM WINDSHIELD WIPERS FAILED. CONTACTED LOCAL MECHANIC. DID AN INSPECTION AND TOLD HER WIPER ASSEMBLY LINKAGE APPEARED TO BE BROKEN AND POSSIBLE THE WIPER MOTOR. CONTACTED DEALER. *AK
DEFECTIVE STEERING RACK IS CAUSING STEERING TO BECOME STUCK IN EITHER LEFT OR RIGHT POSITION. *AK
CONSUMER WAS DRIVING. UPON COMING TO A STOP, DRIVER'S SEAT JUST BROKE LIKE A RECLINER, AND A PIECE OF MEDAL CAME THROUGH THE SEAT. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. *AK
BACK OF FRONT SEAT BROKEN, DEFECTED OTHERS IN 1993. *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