IllustrationWHILE DRIVING AT 30 MPH THE ALTERNATOR FAILSEDWITHOUT WARNING. AS A RESULT THE VEHICLE DID NOT ACCELERATE. THE PART HAS BEEN REPLACED THREE TIMES WITHIN TWO YEARS. PLEASE PROVIDE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. *JB
1996 Saturn Sl
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 1996 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: 49 of 287 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.
- Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 63 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Service Brakes, Hydraulic. Review the 41 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Electrical System. Review the 40 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
50 crash reports2 fire reports34 injury reports
Electrical System complaints
40 reportsI REPLACED MY BRAKES AND ROTORS TODAY. THE MECHANIC WANTED TO SHOW ME THE MESS THAT THEY WERE. I LOOKED AT THEM AND HE POINTED OUT HOW UNUSUALLY DESTROYED THE INSIDE PADS ARE. HE SAID HE RARELY SEES ANYTHING THAT BAD. THE HORN WORKS WHEN IT WANTS TO. THE KEY GETS STUCK IN THE IGNITION AND SOME DAYS I REALLY HAVE TO WORK HARD T…
Read full complaint
I REPLACED MY BRAKES AND ROTORS TODAY. THE MECHANIC WANTED TO SHOW ME THE MESS THAT THEY WERE. I LOOKED AT THEM AND HE POINTED OUT HOW UNUSUALLY DESTROYED THE INSIDE PADS ARE. HE SAID HE RARELY SEES ANYTHING THAT BAD. THE HORN WORKS WHEN IT WANTS TO. THE KEY GETS STUCK IN THE IGNITION AND SOME DAYS I REALLY HAVE TO WORK HARD TO GET IT OUT OR GET THE STEERING WHEEL TO RELEASE SO I CAN TURN THE KEY. ALSO THE EXHAUST SYSTEM IS JUST HANGING ON BEFORE THE RUST OVERRUNS IT. *LA
REAR LIGHTS KEPT GOING OUT - SATURN DEALER SAID THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM HAD BEEN BUTT-SPLICED. SINCE ONLY SATURN WORKED ON THE VEHICLE, THIS WAS UNEXPLAINABLE. IT SEEMS, HOWEVER, MY CAR IS NOT THE ONLY ONE WITH THIS PROBLEM. APPARENTLY, THE BUTT-SPLICING IS BEING DONE BY SATURN AND BEING BLAMED ON THE CONSUMER -- AND CHARGED TO TH…
Read full complaint
REAR LIGHTS KEPT GOING OUT - SATURN DEALER SAID THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM HAD BEEN BUTT-SPLICED. SINCE ONLY SATURN WORKED ON THE VEHICLE, THIS WAS UNEXPLAINABLE. IT SEEMS, HOWEVER, MY CAR IS NOT THE ONLY ONE WITH THIS PROBLEM. APPARENTLY, THE BUTT-SPLICING IS BEING DONE BY SATURN AND BEING BLAMED ON THE CONSUMER -- AND CHARGED TO THE CONSUMER. I DISCOVERED THIS PROBLEM AFTER BEING STOPPED BY THE POLICE, TWICE.*AK
HORN FAILED AS IN NHTSA RECALL CAMPAIGN ID #98V307000. DEALER DENIES VIN PART OF RECALL. NHTSA WEB SITE LISTS "Z" FOR SATURN MODEL, WHICH DOES NOT EXIST. DEALER REQUIRED ME TO PAY FOR REPLACEMENT OF HORN.*AK
THE VEHICLES HORN WAS INOPERATIVE. *NLM
THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED THE SAME DEFECT AS STATED IN RECALL NUMBER 98 V 307 000, HOWEVER THE VEHICLE IDENTIFICATION NUMBER WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL.*JB
THE HORN HAD TO BE REPLACED 4 TIMES.*JB
WHILE DRIVING ENGINE QUIT, WHICH WAS CAUSED BY COMPUTER FAILURE .*AK
THE ALTERNATOR FAILED.
VEHICLE HAD BEEN SITTING ALL DAY IN A COOL DAMP SPOT. HORN STARTED TO BLOW ON AND OFF ON ITS OWN. CONSUMER HAD TO TAKE OUT FUSE TO STOP HORN FROM BLOWING. CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER, AND DEALER STATED THERE WAS A SHORT IN HORN THAT COULD POSSIBLY START A FIRE. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK
Official recalls
197V138000 · Steering:gear Box (other Than Rack And Pinion)
Aug 29, 1997
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH MANUAL STEERING. THE PINION BEARING CAGE IN THE STEERING GEAR CAN SEPARATE UNDER HIGH STEERING SYSTEM LOAD CONDITIONS, SUCH AS PARKING LOT OR SIMILAR LOW SPEED MANEUVERS.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THIS COULD RESULT IN THE PINION GEAR DISENGAGING FROM THE RACK CAUSING A LOSS OF STEERING CONTROL.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE MANUAL STEERING GEAR 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
0No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.