IllustrationDRIVERS SEAT FAILED IN REAR IMPACT. THIS CAR HAD BEEN PREVIOUSLY RECALLED TO REPLACE SOME PART OF THE SEAT BACK.
1994 Saturn Sw
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 1994 Saturn Sw do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 20.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Sw 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: 3 of 30 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.
- Service Brakes, Hydraulic. Review the 9 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Seats. Review the 6 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Vehicle Speed Control. Review the 5 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
11 crash reports1 fire reports10 injury reports
What owners actually said
30 reportsREFERENCE RECALL 99V045000. PARTS USED IN 94 MODEL IDENTICAL TO LATER YEAR, CONFIRMED BY DEALER PARTS COUNTER. DEALER MECHANIC INDICATED HIS BELIEF THAT THIS SHOULD BE COVERED BY RECALL. FAILURE MODE IDENTICAL TO THAT DESCRIBED IN RECALL. SEAT BACK SLIPPED OUT OF POSITION WHEN VEHICLE STATIONARY, I HAD PLACED MY HAND ON THE TOP …
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REFERENCE RECALL 99V045000. PARTS USED IN 94 MODEL IDENTICAL TO LATER YEAR, CONFIRMED BY DEALER PARTS COUNTER. DEALER MECHANIC INDICATED HIS BELIEF THAT THIS SHOULD BE COVERED BY RECALL. FAILURE MODE IDENTICAL TO THAT DESCRIBED IN RECALL. SEAT BACK SLIPPED OUT OF POSITION WHEN VEHICLE STATIONARY, I HAD PLACED MY HAND ON THE TOP OF THE SEATBACK TO BRACE MYSELF TO PUT AN ITEM ON THE DASH WHEN THE SEATBACK RECLINED WITH A LOUD "POP". SEATBACK HAS RECLINED ADDITIONAL 2 TO 3 TEETH SINCE INITIAL MOVEMENT.
WHILE AT REST, MY CAR WAS STRUCK FROM BEHIND AND FORCED INTO THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME. MY CAR WAS EXTENSIVELTY DAMAGED. ACTUAL VALUE YET TO BE DETERMINED. THE AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY ALTHOUGH IT SEEMED APPROPRIATE FOR IT TO DO SO. OUR INSURANCE ADJUSTOR (STATE FARM) WILL NOT COMMENT ON THE AIR BAG'S FAILURE. THE DRIVER'S SIDE …
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WHILE AT REST, MY CAR WAS STRUCK FROM BEHIND AND FORCED INTO THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME. MY CAR WAS EXTENSIVELTY DAMAGED. ACTUAL VALUE YET TO BE DETERMINED. THE AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY ALTHOUGH IT SEEMED APPROPRIATE FOR IT TO DO SO. OUR INSURANCE ADJUSTOR (STATE FARM) WILL NOT COMMENT ON THE AIR BAG'S FAILURE. THE DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT WAS ALSO FORCED INTO A FULL RECLINE POSITION AND REMAINED LOCKED IN PLACE THERE. THIS WOULD HAVE SERIOUSLY INJURED MY CHILD IN THE BACK SEAT IF HE HAD BEEN PRESENT. OUR INSURANCE ADJUSTOR LIKEWISE DOWNPLAY'S THIS FAILURE. WHEN QUESTIONED ABOUT THE RECALL INFO AT YOUR WEBSITE ((NHTSA ID # 99V045000 INTERIOR SYSTEM SEATS) OUR SATURN DEALER DENIES ANY RECALL INVOLVING OUR VEHICLE AND SUGGESTS YOUR WEBSITE IS PROVIDING ERRONEOUS INFORMATION. PLEASE CONTACT ME FOR ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.
I HAD CALLED SATURN OF MELBOURNE, FL AND WAS TOLD MY CAR WAS NOT PART OF THE RECALL FOR SEAT HINGES. I WAS REAR ENDED ON JUNE 24, 1999 AND THE SEAT HINGE FAILED. *AK
THIS IS A RECURRING PROBLEM WITH THE VEHICLE. OCCASIONALLY THE CRUSE CONTROL WHILE ACTIVATED WILL ACCELERATE THE VEHICLE TO SPEEDS IN EXCESS OF 100 MPH (IF ALLOWED TO DO SO). THE CRUISE CONTROL DOES IMMEDIATELY DISENGAGE WHEN IT SHOULD, HOWEVER IF THE DRIVER IS NOT WATCHING THE SPEEDOMETER THE VEHICLE WILL OCCASIONALLY SPEED UP …
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THIS IS A RECURRING PROBLEM WITH THE VEHICLE. OCCASIONALLY THE CRUSE CONTROL WHILE ACTIVATED WILL ACCELERATE THE VEHICLE TO SPEEDS IN EXCESS OF 100 MPH (IF ALLOWED TO DO SO). THE CRUISE CONTROL DOES IMMEDIATELY DISENGAGE WHEN IT SHOULD, HOWEVER IF THE DRIVER IS NOT WATCHING THE SPEEDOMETER THE VEHICLE WILL OCCASIONALLY SPEED UP ON ITS OWN. I HAVE SPOKEN TO TWO PEOPLE AT SATURN OF BRANFORD (BRANFORD CT) AND THEY SAID THAT IT IS A COMPONENT FAILURE AND I WILL HAVE TO PAY THE ESTIMATED $200.00 TO HAVE IT REPAIRED. I FEEL IT IS A SAFETY ISSUE AND SATURN SHOULD PAY FOR THE PART AND I PAY FOR LABOR, ETC. IT IS MY UNDERSTANDING, HAVING TALKED TO SEVERAL OTHER PEOPLE IN THE AUTOMOTIVE FIELD THAT THESE SYSTEMS ARE SUPPOSED TO FAIL IN DECELERATION OR NO RESPONSE MODE ONLY. I BELIEVE THAT HAVING THE CRUISE CONTROL SYSTEM FAIL IN A WIDE OPEN ACCELERATION MODE COULD BE A DANGEROUS CONDITION TO INEXPERIENCED DRIVERS. THANK YOU FOR TAKING A REPORT ON THIS MATTER.
THE SEATBACK LATCH BROKE, CAUSING THE SEAT BACK TO FALL BACKWARDS AND CAUSED INJURIES. DEALER REPLACED THE LATCH. *AK
FRONT SEATS MOVED BACK AND INJURED REAR PASSENGERS DURING COLLISION, DUE TO SEATS MOVING, FRONT PASSENGERS RECEIVED INJURIES ALSO.
VEHICLE HAD STOPPED TO MAKE A TURN AND WAS HIT IN THE REAR BY ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE DRIVER'S SIDE SEATBACK, THAT'S ATTACHED TO THE BOTTOM OF THE SEAT BROKE, AND THE DRIVER WAS THROWN OUT THE BACK OF THE CAR. *AK
OWNER HAS ABS BRAKES, OWNER STATES THAT THE PROBLEM IS NOT WITH THE ABS BRAKES BUT WITH THE REAR BRAKE CALIPER. THE PISTON FREEZES UP AND STICKS. OWNER NOTES THAT HE HEARD NOISES PRIOR TO BRINGING VEHICLE TO DEALER TO HAVE PROBLEM CHECKED OUT. *AK
BRAKE ROTORS RUSTED/OUT OF ROUND.
Official recalls
199V045000 · Seats
Mar 12, 1999
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. SOME FRONT SEAT BACK RECLINER GEAR TEETH MAY WEAR EXCESSIVELY THROUGH REPEATED USE, AND COULD CAUSE THE SEAT BACK TO SLIP PARTIALLY REARWARD WHEN FORCE IS APPLIED.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: IF THIS HAPPENS WHILE THE VEHICLE IS BEING DRIVEN, IT COULD CAUSE A LOSS OF CONTROL, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE FRONT SEAT RECLINER MECHANISMS.
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
4RQ00005 · Front Seat Back Can Recline Or Collapse
Opened Feb 16, 2000 · Closed Aug 19, 2000
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Seats:front Assembly:recliner
No summary supplied.
EA98017 · Seat Back Failures
Opened Jul 31, 1998 · Closed Mar 16, 1999
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Seats
IN ITS LETTER DATED MARCH 5, 1999, GENERAL MOTORS STATED THAT IT WILL RECALL 136,300 MODEL YEAR 1994 AND 1995 SATURN VEHICLE (ALL MODELS) BUILT BETWEEN JANUARY 1994 AND AUGUST 1994.DURING THIS PERIOD, SATURN'S SEAT SUPPLIER MANUFACTURED RECLINER ASSEMBLIES WHICH WERE OUT OF DESIGN SPECIFICATION, ALLOWING THE FRONT SEAT BACKS TO RECLINE OR COLLAPSE INADVERTENTLY.TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM, SATURN DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE DRIVER AND FRONT PASSENGER SEAT BACK RECLINER ASSEMBLIES.SEE NHTSA'S SAFETY RECALL FILL 99V-045 FOR DETAILS.
EA95003 · Cruise Control Failures
Opened Feb 24, 1995 · Closed May 31, 1996
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Equipment
THIS INVESTIGATION DOCUMENTED HTE FUNCTIONAL ABERATIONS THAT HAVE OCCURRED IN THE PERFORMANCE OF THE SUBJECT CRUISE CONTROL SYSTEM.MOST OF THE MALFUNCTIONS INVOLVED FAILURE OF THE SYSTEM TO PROPERLY REGULATE VEHICLE SPEED WHEN ENGAGED, FAILURE OF THE SYSTEM TO ENGAGE, OR SELF-DISENGAGEMENT OF THE SYSTEM. THESE PROBLEMS WERE INVESTIGATED AND STEPS TAKEN BY THE MANUFACTURER TO REMEDY THEIR OCCURRENCES.SERVICE PROCEDURES WERE ISSUED FOR VEHICLES IN USE, AND A DESIGN MODIFICATION MADE FOR NEW VEHICLES.NO CONFIRMED ALLEGATIONS OF FAILURE OF THE SYSTEM TO DISENGAGE UPON COMMAND WERE IDENTIFIED.IMPROVED QUALITY CONTROL PROCEDURES AND DESIGN MODIFICATIONSIN THE SYSTEM WERE UNDERTAKEN TO ENSURE A MORE CONSISTENT LEVEL OF SYSTEM PERFORMANCE.THE DETAILS OF THESE FINDINGS AND THE RESULTING CONCLUSIONS ARE CONTAINED INTHE SUBJECT ENGINEERING ANALYSIS CLOSING REPORT.A SAFETY-RELATED DEFECT TREND WAS NOT IDENTIFIED AT EHIS TIME AND FURTHER USE OF AGENCY RESOURCES DOES NOT CONSTITUTE A FINDING BY NHTSA THAT A SAFETY-RELATED DEFECT DOES NOT EXIST.THE AGENCY WILL TAKE FURTHER ACTION IF WARRANTED BY THE CIRCUMSTANCES.
PE94079 · Cruise Control Failure
Opened Nov 7, 1994 · Closed Feb 24, 1995
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Equipment
There is no summary currently available