IllustrationENGINE CUT OFF, ENGINE SURGED,TACHOMETER BOUCES,REPLACED VALVE GUIDES AT 60000 MILES, COMPRESION STILL NOT CORRECT, CK ENGINE LIGHT ALWAYS COMES ON, BURNS OIL, 2 QTS MORE THAN SPECS SAY. SEAT BELT LIGHT STAYS ON EVEN WHEN IN USE.
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
What owners actually said
287 reportsWHILE DRIVING ENGINE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THERE WAS NO LEAK OR EVIDENCE OF BURNING OIL.*AK THE CONSUMER FOUND OUT THAT THE VEHICLE STALL BECAUSE THERE WAS NO OIL IN THE ENGINE. IT WAS JUST 3000 MILES SINCE LAST OIL CHANGE. *YH
VEHICLE WAS AT STOP WHEN IT WAS REARENDED BY VEHICLE WITH 35 MPH IMPACT. AT POINT OF IMPACT DRIVER'S SEAT CLAMP BROKE, CAUSING DRIVER TO FALL INTO A RECLINING POSITION WHICH COULD HAVE CAUSED INJURIES. *AK
THIS VEHICLE HAS HAD THREE FRONT WHEEL BEARING FAILURES SINCE PURCHASED NEW
WEATHER STRIPING TO VEHICLE IS DEFECTIVE. WHEN THERE IS RAIN VEHICLE FILLS UP WITH WATER IN REAR. *AK
ONE TIME AT A STOP SIGN, PRESS THE BRAKING ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR BUT NO BRAKING EFFECT. AFTER ADJUSTING THE REAR DRUM OR DISK, PROBLEM DID NOT REPEAT. THE CAR'S ALTERNATOR WAS DEAD AFTER ONLY 36000 BUT DEALER WOULD NOT PAY FOR THE REPAIR. THE CAR START TO SHAKING FROM THE START TO END OF BRAKING PROCESS. DO NOT KNOW WHAT THE…
Read full complaint
ONE TIME AT A STOP SIGN, PRESS THE BRAKING ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR BUT NO BRAKING EFFECT. AFTER ADJUSTING THE REAR DRUM OR DISK, PROBLEM DID NOT REPEAT. THE CAR'S ALTERNATOR WAS DEAD AFTER ONLY 36000 BUT DEALER WOULD NOT PAY FOR THE REPAIR. THE CAR START TO SHAKING FROM THE START TO END OF BRAKING PROCESS. DO NOT KNOW WHAT THE PROBLEM IS.*AK
ENGINE OIL LEAKED INTO COOLANT SYSTEM CAUSE OVERHEATING AFTER ENGINE RAN OUT OF OIL. CRACKED CYLINDER HEAD WAS THE CAUSE AFTER TALKED TO DEALER. ALSO FOUND THERE WERE QUITE A FEW COMPLAINTS ABOUT EXACTLY THE SAME PROBLEM.
POWER STEERING PUMP SHAFT SEAL REPLACED DUE TO A LEAK, THE INNER AND OUTER TIE RODS ON THE RIGHT FRONT OF THE VEHICLE SEPARATED DUE TO WEAR. *SLC
AFTER DRIVING FOR A LONG PERIOD OF TIME THE VEHICLE SLAMS INTO REVERSE WHEN SHIFTED INTO REVERSE, THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE OR REPAIR THE PROBLEM. NLM
THE CYLINDER HEAD CRACKED WHILE I WAS COMMUTING HOME FROM WORK. IT COST ME 2000.00 PLUS TO REPAIR. SATURN TOLD ME THEY WOULD COVER THE REPAIR UP TO 100,000 MILES. OF COURSE I WAS ABOUT 7,000 OVER THAT. I NEVER RECEIVED ANY INFO ON ANY PROBLEMS TO LOOK OUT FOR FROM THE DEALER. PRIOR TO THIS I DID NOTICE MY COOLANT WAS DISCOLORED …
Read full complaint
THE CYLINDER HEAD CRACKED WHILE I WAS COMMUTING HOME FROM WORK. IT COST ME 2000.00 PLUS TO REPAIR. SATURN TOLD ME THEY WOULD COVER THE REPAIR UP TO 100,000 MILES. OF COURSE I WAS ABOUT 7,000 OVER THAT. I NEVER RECEIVED ANY INFO ON ANY PROBLEMS TO LOOK OUT FOR FROM THE DEALER. PRIOR TO THIS I DID NOTICE MY COOLANT WAS DISCOLORED SO I HAD THE FLUID REPLACED. I DID NOT SUSPECT ANY INTERENAL ENGINE PROBLEMS. I WANT TO KNOW WHO I CAN GET IN CONTACT WHITH TO GET A REFUND OF MY MONEY. I. *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.