IllustrationWHILE DRIVING ENGINE QUIT, WHICH WAS CAUSED BY COMPUTER FAILURE .*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 reportsMY TIRE BLEW OUT WHILE DRIVING FROM LONG BEACH, CA. TO PHOENIX, AZ. WHICH IS ABOUT SIX HOURS AWAY. ABOUT AN HOUR OUTSIDE OF PHOENIX MY TIRE BLEW OUT. I LOST CONTROL OF THE CAR AND IT WENT OFF THE ROAD AND ROLLED 2 - 3 TIMES. I EXPERIENCED MINOR INJURIES TO MY HEAD AND OTHER PLACES ON MY BODY. I ALSO EXPERIENCED WHIPLASH THAT AFF…
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MY TIRE BLEW OUT WHILE DRIVING FROM LONG BEACH, CA. TO PHOENIX, AZ. WHICH IS ABOUT SIX HOURS AWAY. ABOUT AN HOUR OUTSIDE OF PHOENIX MY TIRE BLEW OUT. I LOST CONTROL OF THE CAR AND IT WENT OFF THE ROAD AND ROLLED 2 - 3 TIMES. I EXPERIENCED MINOR INJURIES TO MY HEAD AND OTHER PLACES ON MY BODY. I ALSO EXPERIENCED WHIPLASH THAT AFFECTED MY MEMORY AND CONCENTRATION.*AK
CONSUMER HAS A COMPLAINT ON THE SLANTED WINDSHIELDS CAUSING A BLINDING REFLECTION ON THE COMPONENTS ON THE DASH. *JG
THE ALTERNATOR FAILED.
CONSUMER STATED THE BENCH SEATS COLLAPSED DURING A FRONT END COLLISION, THE COLLAPSED SEAT PUSHED CONSUMERS CHILD INTO BACK OF THE FRONT SEAT, DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. NLM *YH
WHILE DRIVING 65MPH VEHICLE STARTED ACCELERATING BY ITSELF, CAUSING CONSUMER TO LOSE CONTROL OF VEHICLE.*AK
WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH STEERING MALFUNCTIONED, CAUSING CONSUMER TO LOSE CONTROL. *AK
ACCELERATOR ENGAGED & WOULD NOT DISENGAGE & STEERING CONTROLS FAILED. VEHICLE CONTINUED TO ACCELERATE UNTIL APPROXIMATELY 75-80 MPH CAUSING VEHICLE TO GO OUT OF CONTROL AND TO CRASH INTO CONCRETE WALL.
SPINDLE BROKE OFF WHILE SWITCHING LANES ON THE FREEWAY. WE SPUN ACROSS ALL LANES AND CRASHED INTO MIDDLE DIVIDER WALL.*AK
THIS VEHICLE WAS PREVIOUSLY REPAIRED APPROX. 1 1/2 YEARS AGO. THE ENGINE WAS REBUILT BECAUSE OF A CRACKED CYLINDER WHICH ALLOWED THE OIL AND COOLANT TO MIX. THIS NOVEMBER 2001 THE SAME PROBLEM OCCURRED ONCE MORE. A CRACKED CYCLINDER HEAD, OIL AND COOLANT MIXED. SATURN CORP. PAID FOR 1/2 ($720) THE COST OF THE REPAIR BUT THE DEA…
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THIS VEHICLE WAS PREVIOUSLY REPAIRED APPROX. 1 1/2 YEARS AGO. THE ENGINE WAS REBUILT BECAUSE OF A CRACKED CYLINDER WHICH ALLOWED THE OIL AND COOLANT TO MIX. THIS NOVEMBER 2001 THE SAME PROBLEM OCCURRED ONCE MORE. A CRACKED CYCLINDER HEAD, OIL AND COOLANT MIXED. SATURN CORP. PAID FOR 1/2 ($720) THE COST OF THE REPAIR BUT THE DEALERSHIP REFUSED TO PAY THE OTHER HALF. HAS THIS PROBLEM BEEN REPORTED WITH OTHER SAME OR SIMILAR MODELS?*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.