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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.

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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

Unknown Or Other complaints

2 reports
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Mileage unknown · Oct 28, 2000
Unknown Or Other

PURCHASED THE CAR USED WITH APPROX 24000 MILES. SEEMED FISHY AT FIRST BUT DEALERSHIP INSURED ME THAT EVERYTHING WAS OKAY. OIL LIGHT CAME ON AFTER ONLY A WEEK FROM PURCHASE. DID NOT LOOK LIKE DEALERSHIP SERVICED ENGINE. I CALLED THE DEALERSHIP AND INFORMED THEM OF THE OIL LIGHT. THEY NEVER TOLD ME THAT THERE IS A PROBLEM AND…

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PURCHASED THE CAR USED WITH APPROX 24000 MILES. SEEMED FISHY AT FIRST BUT DEALERSHIP INSURED ME THAT EVERYTHING WAS OKAY. OIL LIGHT CAME ON AFTER ONLY A WEEK FROM PURCHASE. DID NOT LOOK LIKE DEALERSHIP SERVICED ENGINE. I CALLED THE DEALERSHIP AND INFORMED THEM OF THE OIL LIGHT. THEY NEVER TOLD ME THAT THERE IS A PROBLEM AND TO BRING IT IN, THEY JUST BRUSHED IT OFF AS A SHORT. WHEN QUESTIONING THE DEALERSHIP ABOUT THE SERVICING OF THE CAR, THEY REPLIED "YOU SHOULD NEVER ASSUME ANYTHING." NOW HERE I AM WITH A CAR THAT HAS ONLY (SUPPOSEDLY) 33000 MILES ON IT AND THE ENGINE IS NO GOOD. HAROLD MOTORS LAUGHS IN OUR FACE WHEN I TOLD THEM ABOUT THE ENGINE. THEY WILL NOT HELP US IN ANY WAY NOR WILL SATURN. FOR A CAR WITH ONLY 33000 MILES ON IT, I CANNOT SEE IT BREAKING, ESPECIALLY THE ENGINE WHICH SATURN BRAGS ABOUT IN EVERY COMMERCIAL. WE ARE AT A STANDSTILL TRYING TO CONTACT SATURN TO ALLEVIATE THIS PROBLEM. WITH THE ENGINE BREAKING WITH ONLY 33000 MILES ON IT, IT IS DEFECTIVE. SATURN HAS DEFECTIVE ENGINES ON THEIR SL1 MODELS IN 1996, SO THIS MATTER NEEDS TO BE LOOKED INTO. THE QUOTE FOR A NEW ENGINE IS 3400.00 WHICH WE SHOULD NOT HAVE TO PAY . THANK YOU. *AK

NHTSA ODI #735314

Mileage unknown · Feb 12, 1997
Unknown Or OtherVisibility

DEFROSTER INADEQUATE, CAUSING POOR VISIBILITY.

NHTSA ODI #602859

Official recalls

1

97V138000 · 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

0

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.