IllustrationSPARK PLUGS FAILED AT 30000 MILES. REPLACED PISTON RINGS. NOW AT 70000 MILES, SAME PROBLEM. REPAIRED AT SATURN OF RENTON, NOT BELLEVUE. *AK
1995 Saturn Sl
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
More warning signs than most Sl years
Owner complaints for the 1995 Saturn Sl are substantially higher than 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: 40 of 355 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.
- Seats. Review the 69 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 67 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Service Brakes, Hydraulic. Review the 51 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
75 crash reports6 fire reports46 injury reports
Engine And Engine Cooling complaints
67 reportsENGINE RUNNING LOUD WHEN OIL CHECKED IT WAS VERY LOW HAD JUST GOTTEN OIL CHANGE. GOT ANOTHER OIL CHANGE TO BE ON SAFE SIDE. ABOUT 2000 MILES AFTER THAT OIL CHANGE THERE WAS ALMOST NO OIL LEFT. *AK
CONSUMER NOTICED AN OIL LEAK AT THE ENGINE CYLINDER HEAD. ALSO, ENGINE CYLINDER HEAD WAS CRACKED. A TSB WAS ISSUED ON THE SAME PROBLEM. DEALER AND MANUFACTURER REFUSED TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM. *AK *ML
WHILE DRIVING, WITHOUT WARNING, ENGINE CUTS OFF. THIS CAUSES A LOSS OF ELECTRICAL POWER IN THE VEHICLE. ALSO, VEHICLE HAS TO BE TURNED OFF AND STARTED BACK UP. DEALER HAS SEEN VEHICLE SEVERAL TIMES, AND CAN'T FIND CAUSE. *AK
WHILE DRIVING ABOUT 40 MPH CONSUMER HEARD A POPPING NOISE FROM THE ENGINE. THEN, VEHICLE STALLED. IT WAS TOWED TO DEALER WHERE TECHNICIAN TOLD CONSUMER THAT IT WAS DUE TO A ENGINE PISTON WEARING OUT. *AK
VEHICLE IS BURNING AN EXCESSIVE AMOUNT OF OIL WHICH HAS CAUSED ENGINE TO LOCK UP. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK
WHILE DRIVING ON HIGHWAY VEHICLE WOULD SHUT DOWN AFTER REACHING 65MPH. ALSO, INSTRUMENT LIGHTS WOULD COME ON PRIOR TO SHUTTING OFF. ALTERNATOR WAS REPLACED & 2 WEEKS LATER THE VEHICLE STALLED OUT AGAIN ON THE HIGHWAY. HAD THE VEHICLE SERVICED ON 27 MAY 1999 & NO PROBLEM WAS FOUND AT THAT TIME. *AK
ENGINE MOUNTS HAVE WORN OUT. DEALER REPLACED THE ENGINE MOUNTS. *AK
CAR HAS ONLY 38,000 MILES ON IT. IN THE LAST 30 DAYS, IT'S BEEN TOWED THREE TIMES. IT OVERHEATED, THE CLUTCH WENT OUT AND THEN THE ALTERNATOR WENT OUT.
ENGINE HEAD WAS FOUND TO HAVE A CRACK IN THE 5TH JOURNAL. CAR RUNNING NORMALLY, WAS DIAGNOSED BY THE PRESENCE OF OIL IN THE COOLANT. NO TRAUMA OCCURED TO THE ENGINE TO SUSTAIN CRACK. ALL SUGGESTED REGULAR MAINTENANCE PERFORMED ON VEHICLE. LIGHT DRIVING WITH NO INSULT TO VEHICLE TO STRESS ENGINE. REPAIR INCLUDED REPLACEMENT …
Read full complaint
ENGINE HEAD WAS FOUND TO HAVE A CRACK IN THE 5TH JOURNAL. CAR RUNNING NORMALLY, WAS DIAGNOSED BY THE PRESENCE OF OIL IN THE COOLANT. NO TRAUMA OCCURED TO THE ENGINE TO SUSTAIN CRACK. ALL SUGGESTED REGULAR MAINTENANCE PERFORMED ON VEHICLE. LIGHT DRIVING WITH NO INSULT TO VEHICLE TO STRESS ENGINE. REPAIR INCLUDED REPLACEMENT OF ENGINE HEAD AND ENTIRE COOLANT SYSTEM.
Official recalls
399V045000 · 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.
94V217000 · Power Train:clutch Assembly:pedal/hand Lever(motorcycle)
Nov 8, 1994
THE AUTOMATIC TRANSAXLE PARK LOCK CABLE ASSEMBLY WAS IMPROPERLY ADJUSTED MAKING IT POSSIBLE TO SHIFT FROM THE "PARK" POSITION WITH THE IGNITION KEY REMOVED, OR REMOVE THE IGNITION KEY WITH THE SHIFT LEVER IN A POSITION OTHER THAN "PARK." THIS DOES NOT MEET THE REQUIREMENTS OF FMVSS 114, "THEFT PROTECTION."
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: CONSEQUENCE OF NON-COMPLIANCE: UNINTENDED VEHICLE MOVEMENT CAN OCCUR WHICH COULD RESULT IN AN ACCIDENT.
Remedy: CONSUMERS ARE BEING ASKED TO INSPECT THE PARK LOCK CABLE. IF IT DOES NOT PERFORM CORRECTLY, DEALERS WILL MAKE THE NECESSARY ADJUSTMENTS.
94V170000 · Steering:gear Box (other Than Rack And Pinion)
Sep 14, 1994
THE STEERING GEAR PINION SHAFT WAS IMPROPERLY HEAT TREATED CAUSING THE SHAFT TO FRACTURE DURING VEHICLE OPERATION.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: FRACTURE OF THE STEERING GEAR PINION SHAFT CAUSES COMPLETE LOSS OF STEERING CONTROL WHICH CAN RESULT IN AN ACCIDENT.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE MANUAL STEERING ASSEMBLY.
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
3RQ00005 · 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.
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