IllustrationWHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE LOST POWER AND THAN BACKFIRED, FINALLY THE VEHICLE SHUT OFF. THE VEHICLE WILL NOT START UP WHEN IT SHUTS DOWN, THE VEHICLE SHUTS DOWN WITHOUT ANY NOTICE AND ANYWHERE. *AK
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 ATTEMPTING TO PARK VEHICLE IN GARAGE, BRAKES FAILED/WOULD NOT STOP VEHICLE, VEHICLE WENT THROUGH GARAGE DOOR AND HIT DOOR DIVIDING GARAGE AND HOUSE. *AK
FAILURE OF THE ABS BRAKES, CONSUMER WAS DRIVING 60 MPH AND THE CRUISIE CONTROL WAS ON, THE CONSUMER APPLIED FORCE TO THE BRAKE PEDAL AND THE VEHICLE CONTINUED TO MOVE, CAUSING THE CONSUMER TO HAVE A COLLISION. *AK
DOOR CHECK LINKS BROKE SIX TIMES. *AK
AFTER HITTING THE CURB, BOTH AIR BAG DEPLOYED AT 2-3 MPH.
CONSUMER STATES THAT VEHICLE VIBRATED BEFORE THE BRAKES FAILED, CAUSING AN ACCIDENT TO OCCUR. *AK
ENGINE MALFUNCTION NOT CORRECTED DESPITE BEING SERVICED 7 TIMES AND REPLACING: SPARK PLUGS AND WIRES, FUEL INJECTORS, AND VALVES. FRONT DRIVER'S WINDOW EXPLODED BECAUSE OF MALFUNCTIONING ELECTRONIC SWITCH--CAUSED INJURY TO DRIVER. OWNERS WISH TO HAVE MONEY BACK OR REPLACEMENT.
SOMETIMES WHEN APPLYING THE BRAKES THERE IS A GRINDING NOISE, ON ONE OCCASION WENT TO APPLY THE BRAKES AND THERE WERE NO BRAKES, HAS ABS ANTI-LOCK BRAKES . PLEASE DESCRIBE . *AK
ABS BRAKE FAILURE , WHEN APPLYING ABS BRAKES THEY MAKE A GRINDING NOISE, AND THERE IS COMPLETE LOSS OF EFFECTIVENESS. *AK
ANTILOCK BRAKES FAILED, CAUSING ACCIDENT/INJURY.
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.