IllustrationPLASTIC FRAME ON SEATBACK STICKS THROUGH THE PADDING, AND IRRITATES THE CHILD'S BACK. MAY CAUSE INJURY TO CHILD'S BACK. COSCO CARSEAT, NOT ATTACHED TO CAR, BOUGHT SEPARATELY. *AK *ML
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 AT LOW SPEED SAW WATER AND OIL COMING OUT OF THE ENGINE. A TECHNICIAN STATED THAT THIS WAS DUE TO A BLOWN ENGINE HEAD GASKET. DEALER FOUND THE PROBLEM TO BE A CRACKED CYLINDER HEAD. OWNER TOLD THAT THIS WAS A MANUFACTURE DEFECT AND SATURN WOULD PAY REPAIRS COST. *AK *ML
I NEED TO KNOW IF THERE IS OR WILL THERE BE A RECALL ON THE MOTOR MOUNT FOR THE SATURN SL COUPE 1996. *AK
REPLACING FUEL TANK @27862MI FUEL TANK SHOULD LAST THE LIFE OF THE CAR. THIS IS A DESIGN FLAW. I AM NOTIFYING YOU, BECAUSE OF A POTENTIAL LOSS OF POWER. I THINK THAT I ALSO SHOULD BE REIMBURSED MY $50 DEDUCTIBLE. *AK
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK
AIR CONDITIONER STARTED - SMELLED TAR-LIKE SMELL - TURNED A/C OFF, NO SMELL & CAR RAN BEAUTIFULLY, NO INDICATOR LIGHTS ON. TOOK ON ROAD TRIP, RAN FINE BUT NOTICED ENGINE WAS HOT WHEN STOPPED - ADDED OIL, OTHER FLUIDS FINE - IMMEDIATELY ABORTED TRIP & DROVE TO DEALER- NO PROBLEMS (SMELLS, INDICATOR LIGHTS, ETC.) ON RIDE, - NOTIC…
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AIR CONDITIONER STARTED - SMELLED TAR-LIKE SMELL - TURNED A/C OFF, NO SMELL & CAR RAN BEAUTIFULLY, NO INDICATOR LIGHTS ON. TOOK ON ROAD TRIP, RAN FINE BUT NOTICED ENGINE WAS HOT WHEN STOPPED - ADDED OIL, OTHER FLUIDS FINE - IMMEDIATELY ABORTED TRIP & DROVE TO DEALER- NO PROBLEMS (SMELLS, INDICATOR LIGHTS, ETC.) ON RIDE, - NOTICED THAT SERPENTINE DRIVE BELT THAT HAD BEEN REPLACED 1.5 MOS. AGO WAS FRAYED & LOOSE. OIL SPEWED FROM FRONT TO BACK OF CAR (ALTHOUGH CAR DROVE FINE & NO INDICATOR LIGHTS, NOISES OR INDICATION OF TROUBLE) - DEALER SAYS ENGINE MAY BE SHOT & CAR MAY NEED TO BE JUNKED. *AK
VEHICLE WAS AT A STANDSTILL AND WAS REAR ENDED BY ANOTHER VEHICLE TRAVELING ABOUT 45 MPH WHICH PUSHED CONSUMER'S VEHICLE INTO THE VEHICLE IN FRONT, CAUSING DRIVER'S SEATBACK TO BREAK, RESULTING IN SERIOUS INJURIES. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK
AT APPROOX. 25MPH APPROACHING AN INTERSECTION, PRESSED THE BRAKES WHICH TRAVELED TO THE FLOOR, REPAIRED THE PROBLEM.
UPON ATTEMPTING TO MAKE A NORMAL STOP CONSUMER NOTED THAT VEHICLE BECAME DIFFICULT TO STOP, CAUSING SOME EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE. ALSO WHEN VEHICLE IS AT A STAND STILL , IT WILL NOT ACCELERATE. CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED DEALER. DEALER NOTED THAT 1ST. THE CALIPERS. THEN , MASTER CYLINDER FAILED/NOT RELEASING, CAUSING BRAKES…
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UPON ATTEMPTING TO MAKE A NORMAL STOP CONSUMER NOTED THAT VEHICLE BECAME DIFFICULT TO STOP, CAUSING SOME EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE. ALSO WHEN VEHICLE IS AT A STAND STILL , IT WILL NOT ACCELERATE. CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED DEALER. DEALER NOTED THAT 1ST. THE CALIPERS. THEN , MASTER CYLINDER FAILED/NOT RELEASING, CAUSING BRAKES TO GRAB. *AK.ET.
REAR TIRE FAILURE CAUSED LOSS OF CONTROL OF VEHICLE. 45 MPH SPEED AT TIME OF INCIDENT. NO STEERING CONTROL ONCE REAR TIRE DEFLATED. ROAD CONDITIONS WERE DAMP ROAD, ASPHALT SURFACE WITH SOME SAND ON THE SURFACE. ON-RAMP ONTO FREEWAY WITH 45 MPH SPEED LIMIT. VEHICLE TURNED RIGHT 90 DEGREES AFTER TIRE FAILURE AND LEFT THE ROADWAY. …
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REAR TIRE FAILURE CAUSED LOSS OF CONTROL OF VEHICLE. 45 MPH SPEED AT TIME OF INCIDENT. NO STEERING CONTROL ONCE REAR TIRE DEFLATED. ROAD CONDITIONS WERE DAMP ROAD, ASPHALT SURFACE WITH SOME SAND ON THE SURFACE. ON-RAMP ONTO FREEWAY WITH 45 MPH SPEED LIMIT. VEHICLE TURNED RIGHT 90 DEGREES AFTER TIRE FAILURE AND LEFT THE ROADWAY. VEHICLE WAS A TOTAL LOSS. *AK( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: P19565T15 )
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.