IllustrationBRAKES WORK INTERMITTENTLY.
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 reportsFIRESTONE TIRE SIZE P175/70R14 BLOWOUT TWICE, ONCE CAUSING ACCIDENT.
WHEN THE DRIVER'S SIDE AIR BAG DEPLOYED, THE AIRBAG NEVER TOUCHED THE DRIVER. ALSO THE PRESSURE FROM THE AIRBAG CAUSE DMORE HARM THAN THE AIR BAG ITSELF. THE PRESSURE MADE THE SUNROOF ASSEMBLY BEND. *AK
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
COMPUTER GENERATES A STRONG SIGNAL ON THE INTERNATIONAL CALLING FREQUENCY ON THE 2 METER AMTEUR BAND, MAKING ANY EMERGENCY CALL ON THAT FREQUENCY UNWORKABLE IN/NEAR THE VEHICLE. *AK
RACK AND PINION GEAR FAILURE.
IN AN ACCIDENT AT 10:45 POSITION AT 30MPH CAR HIT FIRE HYDRANT AND PASSENGER'S AIRBAG DEPLOYED BUT NOT THE DRIVERS SIDE. *AK
VEHICLE WAS STROKE FROM THE PASSENGER SIDE HEAD-ON AND THE AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY. THE VEHICLE STROKE AN GUARD POLE WHEN ANOTHER VEHICLE SWERVED IN FRONT OF HIS VEHICLE. *AK
ALL OF THE WINDOWS FOG UP AND THE DEFROSTER DOES NOT HELP, HAS TO CONTINUE TO WIPE OFF WINDOWS WHILE DRIVING, SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE SAID THAT THE DEFROSTER IS PERFORMING AS DESIGNED. PLEASE DESCRIBE DETAILS. *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.