IllustrationMASTER CYLINDER FAILED CAUSING VEHICLE COLLISION.
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 reportsDURING FRONTAL IMPACT AT 35MPH, THE DRIVER'S SIDE AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY. *AK
TRANSMISSION WOULD NOT SHIFT INTO GEAR. *AK
BRAKE PADS FAILED SEVERAL TIMES.
LIGHTER FELL OUT OF SOCKET, THE VEHICLE HESITATES WHEN ACCELERATING FROM A STOP, THE VEHICLE SHIFTS HARD INTO GEAR AND HAS NO REVERSE GEAR THE DEALER REMOVED ANF RECONDITIONED THE TRANSMISSION, THE SEATBELT PULLED BACK WHILE THE DOOR WAS OPED AND THE SEATBELT FAILED TO PROPERLY RESTRAIN THE DRIVER DURING AN ACCIDENT CAUSING HIM …
Read full complaint
LIGHTER FELL OUT OF SOCKET, THE VEHICLE HESITATES WHEN ACCELERATING FROM A STOP, THE VEHICLE SHIFTS HARD INTO GEAR AND HAS NO REVERSE GEAR THE DEALER REMOVED ANF RECONDITIONED THE TRANSMISSION, THE SEATBELT PULLED BACK WHILE THE DOOR WAS OPED AND THE SEATBELT FAILED TO PROPERLY RESTRAIN THE DRIVER DURING AN ACCIDENT CAUSING HIM TO HIT THE STEERING WHEEL, THE BRAKE PEDAL FEELS LOW DEALER RESURFACED THE FRONT BRAKE ROTORS, THE BRAKES ALSO MAKE NOISE, THE EMERGENCY PARKING BRAKE DOES NOT PREVENT THE VEHICLE FROM BEING MOVED, HORN FAILED. *NLM
WHILE DRIVING AT SPEEDS OF 45-50 MPH VHEICLE WAS INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT. PASSENGER'S SIDE SEAT BLET DID NOT HOLD UPON IMPACT, RESULTING IN OWNER BEING EJECTED FROM PASSENGER SEAT.CAUSE HAS NOT BEEN DETERMINED. *AK
VEHICLE ENGINE OVERHEATED BECAUSE THE OIL EVAPORATED QUICKLY.DEALER REBUILT ENGINE. *AK
DRIVER LOSS CONTROL OF VEHICLE WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 40 MHP WHEN THE REAR AXLE BROKE AT THE BRAKE DRUM AREA.
THE GAS PEDAL FELL OFF AND THE DRIVER COULD NO LONGER ACCELERATE OR OPERATE THE VEHICLE SAFELY. *AK
DRIVING ABOUT 25 MPH, WENT TO APPLY (ABS) BRAKES & THEY FAILED TO WORK; REARENDED ANOTHER VEHICLE; AIR BAG DIDN'T DEPLOY; VEHICLE TOWED TO BODY SHOP; INSURANCE INSPECTOR LOOKED AT VEHICLE & FOUND NOTHING WRONG; SATURN REPRESENTATIVE SAID ABS NEEDED CHANGING & SAID OTHER BRAKES WERE WORKING FINE. *AK
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