IllustrationTHE TRANSMISSION BROKE AND THE DEALER CAN OFFER NO CAUSE, SEALED TRANSMISSION
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
Power Train complaints
40 reportsMANUAL TRANSMISSION FAILED CAUSING PIN OR ROD TO BREAK OFF RESULTING IN HOLE IN TRANSMISSION CASING.
THE CAR STARTED TO MAKE A RATTLING NOISE SUDDENLY, OVER A DISTANCE OF A FEW BLOCKS. THE NOISE STARTED TO GET LOUDER, TURNING INTO A GRINDING METAL NOISE. THE CAR THEN TOTALLY STALLED OUT, LOSING ALL POWER, AND LUCKILY WAS ABLE TO COAST OFF OF THE ROAD DUE TO A DOWNHILL SLOPE. WE HAD THE CAR TOWED TO HOUSER'S AUTOMOTIVE, INC.…
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THE CAR STARTED TO MAKE A RATTLING NOISE SUDDENLY, OVER A DISTANCE OF A FEW BLOCKS. THE NOISE STARTED TO GET LOUDER, TURNING INTO A GRINDING METAL NOISE. THE CAR THEN TOTALLY STALLED OUT, LOSING ALL POWER, AND LUCKILY WAS ABLE TO COAST OFF OF THE ROAD DUE TO A DOWNHILL SLOPE. WE HAD THE CAR TOWED TO HOUSER'S AUTOMOTIVE, INC., OF BROOKHAVEN, PA (610) 874-9285. THE TRANSMISSION HAD A HOLE IN ITS CASING ABOUT SIX INCHES IN DIAMETER AND THE INTERNAL TRANSMISSION PARTS COULD LITERALLY BE SEEN. WHEN THE MECHANICS PUT THE SATURN ON THE HOIST, THEY EXAMINED THE TRANSMISSION AND SAW THAT A PIN, OR ROD, ABOUT 3/4 INCH THICK, HAD BROKEN AND MOST OF IT WAS MISSING. THE ONE END OF THE ROD WAS GONE, AND THE HOLE ON ONE END OF THIS INTERNAL COMPONENT WAS EMPTY, BUT THE OTHER END OF THE ROD WAS STILL IN PLACE ON THE OPPOSITE END OF THE ROD IN THIS MIDDLE INTERNAL COMPONENT. THE TRANSMISSION FLUID HAD TOTALLY LEAKED OUT. THE ENTIRE TRANSMISSION HAD TO BE REPLACED. I SAVED THE TRANSMISSION AND I ALSO TOOK PICTURES THAT CLEARLY SHOW THE MISSING CASING OF THE TRANSMISSION. IF THE CASING HAD BROKEN ON ITS UPPER SIDE AGAINST THE UNDERBODY OF THE CAR, IT COULD HAVE PENETRATED THE INTERIOR OF THE CAR CAUSING SERIOUS OR FATAL INJURY TO MY FAMILY. LUCKILY IT BROKE THROUGH THE DOWNSIDE OF THE TRANSMISSION CASING, FACING THE ROAD AND DID NOT CAUSE ANY BODILY HARM TO ANYONE. THE MECHANICS SAID IT WAS DEFINITELY A DEFECT IN THE TRANSMISSION. IT WAS SOMETHING THEY HAD NEVER SEEN HAPPEN BEFORE. SATURN HAS TOTALLY DENIED ANY REIMBURSEMENT FOR THE REPAIR COSTS, EVEN DENYING ANY REIMBURSEMENT FOR THE NEW SATURN TRANSMISSION THAT WAS INSTALLED, SINCE NO REMANUFACTURED TRANSMISSIONS WERE AVAILABLE FOR THE SATURN.
LOCATOR SWITCH ON SUNROOF FAILED CAUSING CABLES TO FAIL AND GUIDES TO BREAK. SUNROODF IS RARELY USED THIS FAILURE SHOULD NOT OCCUR. COST OF PARTS IS WAY OVERPRICED. SUNROOF REPAIR IS ESTIMATED AT $650.00 PLUS TAX. VALVE BODY ASSEMBLY ON TRANSMISSION IS FAILLING AS TRANSMISSION DELAYS AND SHIFTS HARD THROUGH THE GEARS. PA…
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LOCATOR SWITCH ON SUNROOF FAILED CAUSING CABLES TO FAIL AND GUIDES TO BREAK. SUNROODF IS RARELY USED THIS FAILURE SHOULD NOT OCCUR. COST OF PARTS IS WAY OVERPRICED. SUNROOF REPAIR IS ESTIMATED AT $650.00 PLUS TAX. VALVE BODY ASSEMBLY ON TRANSMISSION IS FAILLING AS TRANSMISSION DELAYS AND SHIFTS HARD THROUGH THE GEARS. PART CONTROLS THE FLOW OF TRANSMISSION FLUID TO THE GEARS.
CONSUMER EXPERIENCING CONTINUOUS PROBLEM WITH TRANSMISSION SLAMMING INTO GEAR WHEN ENGAGED. THIS CONDITION BELIEVED TO CAUSE THE MOTOR MOUNTS TO COLLAPSE. DEALER NOTIFIED. *AK
WHILE VEHICLE WAS PARKED IN CARPORT, NOTICED FLUID ON THE GROUND UNDERNEATH. IT HAD STARTED TO LEAK TRANSMISSION FLUID. TOOK TO DEALERSHIP & THE MECHANIC SAID THAT IT WAS A GASKET & IT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *AK
TRANSMISSION JUMPS OUT OF THIRD/FOURTH GEARS. *AK
VALVE BODY IN THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION FAILED, CAUSING HESITATION AND LOUD NOISE.
REAR EXLE DISCONNECTED, CAUSING REAR TIRE TO FALL OFF, RESULTING IN A CRASH. *AK
NOISY SPEEDOMETER.
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