IllustrationBRAKES CONTINUALLY EXPERIENCE NOISE AND REQUIRE EXCESSIVE FORCE TO ENGAGE.
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
What owners actually said
227 reportsFIRST INCIDENT WAS AT 3600 MILES ON THE CAR. ON INTERSTATE TRAVELLING AT 55+ CAR LOSES POWER WILL NOT ACCELERATE. MUST PULL OFF ROAD WHERE CAR STALLS OUT. NO IDIOT LIGHTS AND AT DEALER NO COMPUTER CODES. CAR RETURNED TO ME DEALER UNABLE TO DUPLICATE.I GET 15 MILES CAR AGAIN HAS PROBLEM. FINALLY DEALER REPLACES FUEL PUMP.AT 59…
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FIRST INCIDENT WAS AT 3600 MILES ON THE CAR. ON INTERSTATE TRAVELLING AT 55+ CAR LOSES POWER WILL NOT ACCELERATE. MUST PULL OFF ROAD WHERE CAR STALLS OUT. NO IDIOT LIGHTS AND AT DEALER NO COMPUTER CODES. CAR RETURNED TO ME DEALER UNABLE TO DUPLICATE.I GET 15 MILES CAR AGAIN HAS PROBLEM. FINALLY DEALER REPLACES FUEL PUMP.AT 5900 MILES AGAIN CAR HAS SAME PROBLEM 1.5 HOURS FROM HOME 55+MPH ON INTERSTATE.DEALER AGAIN REPLACES FUEL PUMP.AT 24000 MILES ON INTERSTATE AGAIN SAME SYMPTOMS AT 70+ MPH.AFTER 3 DIFFERENT DEALERSHIPS IN TWO DIFFERENT STATES AGAIN FUEL PUMP IS REPLACED.
WE WERE HIT STOPPED IN TRAFFIC AND REAR-ENDED BY SOMEONE GOING ABOUT 45 MPH. DURING THE ACCIDENT MY FRONT SEATS COLLAPSED AND BOTH MY FIANCE AND I SUFFERED FROM SORENESS AND NECK PAIN. EACH DAY WE ARE GETTING BETTER BUT I WAS CONCERNED ABOUT THE FACT THAT THE SEATS COLLAPSED.
FOR APPROX. 7 MONTH PERIOD, CRUISE CONTROL ERRATIC. WHEN ON HIGHWAY, WITH CRUISE POWER ON, AND PRESS SET SPEED, CAR RAPIDLY ACCELERATES TO APPROX. 72+ MPH AND CRUISE WOULD DISENGAGE SPONTANEOUSLY. AFTER EACH INCIDENT LIKE THIS, CRUISE WOULD NOT FUNCTION AT ALL UNTIL CAR IS TURNED OFF AND ON AGAIN. TYPICAL BEHAVIOR: GET ON HIG…
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FOR APPROX. 7 MONTH PERIOD, CRUISE CONTROL ERRATIC. WHEN ON HIGHWAY, WITH CRUISE POWER ON, AND PRESS SET SPEED, CAR RAPIDLY ACCELERATES TO APPROX. 72+ MPH AND CRUISE WOULD DISENGAGE SPONTANEOUSLY. AFTER EACH INCIDENT LIKE THIS, CRUISE WOULD NOT FUNCTION AT ALL UNTIL CAR IS TURNED OFF AND ON AGAIN. TYPICAL BEHAVIOR: GET ON HIGHWAY, GET TO 60 - 65 MPH, TURN CRUISE CONTROL POWER ON, PRESS TO SET SPEED, AND CAR ACCELERATES RAPIDLY. ALL THIS BEHAVIOR STOPPED SPONTANEOUSLY IN DECEMBER, AND NOW CRUISE FUNCTIONS NORMALLY. I AM WORRIED THAT BEHAVIOR, WHICH LASTED 7 MONTHS, WILL RE-OCCUR IN THE FUTURE.
HORN ASSEMBLY FAILED. YH
STARTER FAILURE. *YC
BATTERY FAILED.
TRANSMISSION REQUIRED REPAIR ON THREE OCCASIONS, VALVE BODY, CONNECTOR AND GASKET, FAILURES CAUSING SLIPPING. MJS
FIRESTONE TIRE BLEW OUT. YH
SEAT BELT ASSEMBLY FAILED.MGM
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.