IllustrationVEHICLE MAKES A GRINDING NOISE DUE TO TRANSMISSION FAILURE.
1994 Saturn Sl
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 1994 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: 16 of 286 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 49 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Seats. Review the 48 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Service Brakes, Hydraulic. Review the 44 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
51 crash reports4 fire reports32 injury reports
What owners actually said
286 reportsWINDSHIELD WIPER FAILED DURING HEAVY RAIN.
WINDSHIELD WIPERS FAILED DURING A HEAVY RAIN STORM DUE TO PLASTIC FITTING IN THE LIKAGE PIVOT DRIVE ASSEMBLY WEARING DOWN. *AK
PARKED VEHICLE IN PARKING LOT, WITH EMERGENCY BRAKES ON. LEFT VEHICLE. ANOTHER CUSTOMER ARRIVED IN STORE & SAID BLACK SATURN ROLLED DOWN PARKING LOT. IT HIT STEEL LAMP ABOVE HIGHWAY. DAMAGED BUMPER & HEADLIGHT. HAD REPORTED PROBLEM TO SATURN PRIOR TO ACCIDENT. *AK
WHEN VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A REAR END COLLISION, THE DRIVER'S AND THE PASSENGER'S SEATS COLLAPSED INTO THE BACK SEAT. THE SEATS HAVE BEEN REPLACED. *AK
AFTER STOPPING FOR A TRAFFIC LIGHT, VEHICLE LOST POWER DUE TO ALTERNATOR MALFUNCTIONING. *AK
ABS; DRIVING AT APPROX 30-35 MPH WENT ABOUT 3 MILES, LEFT EMERGENCY PARK BRAKE ON,CAME TO A STOP , SAW LIGHT SMOKE COMING FROM REAR ,RELEASED EMEGENCY BRAKE,WENT DOWN HILL ,WENT TO BRAKE, PEDAL WENT TO FLOOR , COMPLETELY LOST BRAKES. HAD TO DOWNSHIFT TO COME TO STOP. DEALER SAID BRAKE FLUID HEATED UP, EMERGENCY BRAKE WAS APPLIE…
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ABS; DRIVING AT APPROX 30-35 MPH WENT ABOUT 3 MILES, LEFT EMERGENCY PARK BRAKE ON,CAME TO A STOP , SAW LIGHT SMOKE COMING FROM REAR ,RELEASED EMEGENCY BRAKE,WENT DOWN HILL ,WENT TO BRAKE, PEDAL WENT TO FLOOR , COMPLETELY LOST BRAKES. HAD TO DOWNSHIFT TO COME TO STOP. DEALER SAID BRAKE FLUID HEATED UP, EMERGENCY BRAKE WAS APPLIED TO REAR. SYSTEM WAS DESIGNED WITH DIAGONAL BRAKES WHICH CAUSED EMERGENCY BRAKE TO HEAT BOTH CIRCUITS. *A
DRIVING HOME & STOPPING AT REST STOP. RECLINED FRONT SEAT BACKWARDS FOR AWHILE. WAS STARTING BACK HOME WHEN RECLINING SEAT WOULD LOCK BACK IN PLACE. WAS SEATING UPRIGHT ENTIRE TIME OF DRIVING. HAS NOT TAKEN TO DEALER AS OF YET. *AK
WHILE DRIVING THE DRIVER'S SEATBACK DISENGAGED WHEN ACCELERATING. ALSO, INTERMITTENTLY THE PASSENGER'S SEAT GOES BACK WHEN THE VEHICLE ACCELERATES. THE DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. *AK
EGR VALVE FAILED RESULTING IN HESITATION.
Official recalls
199V045000 · Seats
Mar 12, 1999
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. SOME FRONT SEAT BACK RECLINER GEAR TEETH MAY WEAR EXCESSIVELY THROUGH REPEATED USE, AND COULD CAUSE THE SEAT BACK TO SLIP PARTIALLY REARWARD WHEN FORCE IS APPLIED.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: IF THIS HAPPENS WHILE THE VEHICLE IS BEING DRIVEN, IT COULD CAUSE A LOSS OF CONTROL, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE FRONT SEAT RECLINER MECHANISMS.
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
4RQ00005 · Front Seat Back Can Recline Or Collapse
Opened Feb 16, 2000 · Closed Aug 19, 2000
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Seats:front Assembly:recliner
No summary supplied.
EA98017 · Seat Back Failures
Opened Jul 31, 1998 · Closed Mar 16, 1999
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Seats
IN ITS LETTER DATED MARCH 5, 1999, GENERAL MOTORS STATED THAT IT WILL RECALL 136,300 MODEL YEAR 1994 AND 1995 SATURN VEHICLE (ALL MODELS) BUILT BETWEEN JANUARY 1994 AND AUGUST 1994.DURING THIS PERIOD, SATURN'S SEAT SUPPLIER MANUFACTURED RECLINER ASSEMBLIES WHICH WERE OUT OF DESIGN SPECIFICATION, ALLOWING THE FRONT SEAT BACKS TO RECLINE OR COLLAPSE INADVERTENTLY.TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM, SATURN DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE DRIVER AND FRONT PASSENGER SEAT BACK RECLINER ASSEMBLIES.SEE NHTSA'S SAFETY RECALL FILL 99V-045 FOR DETAILS.
EA95003 · Cruise Control Failures
Opened Feb 24, 1995 · Closed May 31, 1996
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Equipment
THIS INVESTIGATION DOCUMENTED HTE FUNCTIONAL ABERATIONS THAT HAVE OCCURRED IN THE PERFORMANCE OF THE SUBJECT CRUISE CONTROL SYSTEM.MOST OF THE MALFUNCTIONS INVOLVED FAILURE OF THE SYSTEM TO PROPERLY REGULATE VEHICLE SPEED WHEN ENGAGED, FAILURE OF THE SYSTEM TO ENGAGE, OR SELF-DISENGAGEMENT OF THE SYSTEM. THESE PROBLEMS WERE INVESTIGATED AND STEPS TAKEN BY THE MANUFACTURER TO REMEDY THEIR OCCURRENCES.SERVICE PROCEDURES WERE ISSUED FOR VEHICLES IN USE, AND A DESIGN MODIFICATION MADE FOR NEW VEHICLES.NO CONFIRMED ALLEGATIONS OF FAILURE OF THE SYSTEM TO DISENGAGE UPON COMMAND WERE IDENTIFIED.IMPROVED QUALITY CONTROL PROCEDURES AND DESIGN MODIFICATIONSIN THE SYSTEM WERE UNDERTAKEN TO ENSURE A MORE CONSISTENT LEVEL OF SYSTEM PERFORMANCE.THE DETAILS OF THESE FINDINGS AND THE RESULTING CONCLUSIONS ARE CONTAINED INTHE SUBJECT ENGINEERING ANALYSIS CLOSING REPORT.A SAFETY-RELATED DEFECT TREND WAS NOT IDENTIFIED AT EHIS TIME AND FURTHER USE OF AGENCY RESOURCES DOES NOT CONSTITUTE A FINDING BY NHTSA THAT A SAFETY-RELATED DEFECT DOES NOT EXIST.THE AGENCY WILL TAKE FURTHER ACTION IF WARRANTED BY THE CIRCUMSTANCES.
PE94079 · Cruise Control Failure
Opened Nov 7, 1994 · Closed Feb 24, 1995
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Equipment
There is no summary currently available