IllustrationCONSUMER WAS INVOLVED IN A FRONTAL COLLISION. UPON IMPACT, DRIVER'S AND PASSENGER'S AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK
1997 Saturn Sl
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 1997 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: 38 of 227 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 38 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Electrical System. Review the 31 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Seat Belts. Review the 25 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
29 crash reports9 fire reports23 injury reports
Air Bags complaints
17 reportsDURING MINOR IMPACT THE PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG DEPLOYED VIOLENTLY CAUSING FACIAL INJURY AND JAW PAIN TO PASSENGER. NLM
VEHICLE WAS HIT FROM BEHIND, AND THE FORCE OF THE ACCIDENT HIT ANOTHER VEIHCLE IN WHICH NEITHER AIR BAG DEPLOYED. THE DEALER SAID THAT THE AIR BAG SHOULD OF DEPLOYED. *AK
CONSUMER'S WIFE WAS DRIVING AT APPROX 25 MPH HIT POTHOLE , NO DAMAGE TO VEHICLE OR WHEELS. BOTH DRIVER'S AND PASSENGER'S AIR BAGS DEPLOYED, CAUSING PASSENGER TO BREAK HIS THUMB. SEAT BELTS WERE WORN AT THE TIME. *AK
AIRBAG DEPLOYMENT CAUSED BURNS TO SEAT BELT, WHICH RESULTED IN SEAT BELT RIPPING. DUP OF 811097, ADDED ON 25-FEB-98. *AK
THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT WOULD ILLUMINATES AT INTERVALS, INDICATING THAT MALFUNCTION EXIST WITHIN THE SYSTEM. DEALER REPLACED DEFECTIVE MODULE SENSOR. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK
WHILE DRIVING APPRX. 55MPH THE VEHICLE WAS IN A HEAD-ON COLLISION, THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED, BURNED THE SHOULDER STRAP OF DRIVER'S SIDE RESTRAINT BELT. *AK
Official recalls
297V155000 · Seats
Sep 12, 1997
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSSENGER VEHICLES. THESE VEHICLES WERE BUILT WITH SUSPECT COLD WELDS ON THE RIGHT SIDE IN THE TUNNEL AREA OF THE FLOOR PAN. THIS DOES NOT COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FMVSS NO. 210, "SEAT BELT ANCHORAGE."
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: IN THE EVENT OF A VEHICLE CRASH, THE SEAT OCCUPANT MAY NOT BE PROPERLY RESTRAINED INCREASING THE RISK OF PERSONAL INJURY.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPAIR THESE VEHICLES.
97V138000 · 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.