IllustrationFRONT BRAKE ROTORS WARPED/REPLACED.
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
Service Brakes, Hydraulic complaints
41 reportsCYLINDER HEAD COVER FAILURE.
UPON APPROACHING AN INTERSECTION AND FACING A RED LIGHT, ATTEMPTED TO SLOW DOWN, BUT FOOT SLIPPED AND STEPPED ON GAS PEDAL, VEHICLE LOST CONTROL, RESULTING IN 2 COLLISIONS/INJURIES. ALSO BRAKES FAILED TO STOP VEHICLE. *AK
IGNITION KEY STICKING.
WHILE DRIVING AT OR ABOUT 35 MPH CAR WAS INVOLVED IN A FORNTAL COLLISION ON WET PAVEMENT, BRAKES NEVER REALLY WORKED ON THE CAR, MANUFACTURER NOT CONTACTED. *AK DEALER REPLACED PADS AND ROTORS THREE TIMES IN 22 MONTHS, DUE TO PADS AND ROTORS BEING RUSTED. CONSUMER STATED PADS AND ROTORS.*JB
BRAKE PADS FAILED.
BRAKE ROTORS WARPED.
BRAKES WORK INTERMITTENTLY.
BRAKE FAILURE, WHEN APPLYING THE BRAKES THE PEDAL GOES TO THE FLOOR AND CONTINUES TO FADE, INTERMITTENTLY FAILES, IN FOR REPAIRS, FOUND NO PROBLEM. *AK
BRAKE FAILURE, DRIVING AT SPEED OF 15 MPH, FRONTAL COLLISION, IMPACT 12:00, APPLIED BRAKES, RESULTING IN EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE. *AK *SLC
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.