1991 Saturn SL

Fatalities reported

Owners filed 29 complaints about this vehicle with federal regulators, most often about the seat belts. It has been recalled 1 time.

What fails
ComponentReportsCrashesFiresInjuries
Seat Belts6
102
Seat Belts › Front › Webbing3
000
Vehicle Speed Control2
000
Service Brakes, Hydraulic2
000
Seats2
001
Wheels › Lugs/Nuts/Bolts/Studs1
000
Visibility › Sun/Moon Roof Assembly1
000
Suspension1
000
Steering › Gear Box (other Than Rack and Pinion)1
000
Seats › Front Assembly › Recliner1
000

1 safety recall

Part 573 reports
Electrical System › Alternator/Generator/Regulator93V132000
Filed Aug 10, 1993352,833 vehiclesGeneral Motors Corp.

Defect. THE GENERATOR ELECTRICAL WIRING IS NOT PROTECTED AGAINST EXCESSIVE CURRENT FLOW WHICH MAY BE CAUSED BY AN ELECTRICAL SHORT CIRCUIT IN THE GENERATOR.

Risk. SHOULD AN ELECTRICAL SHORT CIRCUIT OCCUR IN THEGENERATOR, THE GENERATOR WIRING HARNESS WOULD EXPERIENCE EXCESSIVE CURRENT FLOW.UNDER CERTAIN CONDITIONS, ENOUGH HEAT COULD BE GENERATED TO IGNITE SURROUNDINGMATERIALS. IF THIS OCCURS, AN UNDERHOOD FIRE COULD RESULT WITH OR WITHOUT THEENGINE RUNNING AND WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING.

Remedy. THE GENERATOR WIRING HARNESS WILL BE REPLACED WITH ONE THAT WILL OPEN AS A FUSE WOULD UNDER CERTAIN EXCESSIVE CURRENT FLOW CONDITIONS.

What owners reported

Newest filings
Service Brakes, Hydraulic
Filed Oct 9, 200585,000 milesPA

THE BRAKE PEDAL IS ALWAYS LOW AND SOME TIMES BOTTOMS OUT WHEN YOU FIRST START DRIVING THE CAR. YOU CAN'T STOP. RECORD OF COMPLAINT IS ON FILE WITH SATURN, BUT THEY JUST BLEW ME OFF BECAUSE THEY CHECK OUT THE CAR, BUT SAID IT WAS OK. I SHOWED THEM THAT BY PUMPING THE BREAKS A FEW TIMES THAT THE PEDAL WOULD BOTTOM AND BREAKING WAS LOST. THEY DUPLICATED IT BUT REFUSED TO ADMIT IT WAS A PROBLEM. NOW MY SONS ARE DRIVING AND I CAN'T LET THEM DRIVE THE CAR BECAUSE THEY ARE NOT EXPERIENCED ENOUGH DRIVERS AND IF THEY EVERY GET INTO A PANIC STOP SITUATION THEY NEED TO HAVE EXTRA ROOM FOR GLIDING AS THE WHEELS WON'T LOCK UP. I MADE SATURN REPLACE THE MASTER BREAK CYLINDER AND THE PROBLEM BECAME WORSE. I HAVE THE OLD MASTER BREAK CYLINDER. *NM

Service Brakes, Hydraulic
Filed Oct 9, 200585,000 milesPA

THE BRAKE PEDAL IS ALWAYS LOW AND SOME TIMES BOTTOMS OUT WHEN YOU FIRST START DRIVING THE CAR. YOU CAN'T STOP. RECORD OF COMPLAINT IS ON FILE WITH SATURN, BUT THEY JUST BLEW ME OFF BECAUSE THEY CHECK OUT THE CAR, BUT SAID IT WAS OK. I SHOWED THEM THAT BY PUMPING THE BREAKS A FEW TIMES THAT THE PEDAL WOULD BOTTOM AND BREAKING WAS LOST. THEY DUPLICATED IT BUT REFUSED TO ADMIT IT WAS A PROBLEM. NOW MY SONS ARE DRIVING AND I CAN'T LET THEM DRIVE THE CAR BECAUSE THEY ARE NOT EXPERIENCED ENOUGH DRIVERS AND IF THEY EVERY GET INTO A PANIC STOP SITUATION THEY NEED TO HAVE EXTRA ROOM FOR GLIDING AS THE WHEELS WON'T LOCK UP. I MADE SATURN REPLACE THE MASTER BREAK CYLINDER AND THE PROBLEM BECAME WORSE. I HAVE THE OLD MASTER BREAK CYLINDER. *NM

Suspension
Filed Jun 10, 2005IL

DT: CONTACT STATES THE VEHICLE IS CONTINUOUSLY SHAKING, AFFECTING THE STEERING. THE SOLENOIDS HAVE BEEN REPLACED, 6 MONTHS LATER THE PROBLEM RECURRED. *AK

Seat Belts
Filed May 28, 2004IL

THE PASSENGER AND DRIVER PASSIVE RESTRAIN SEAT BELT LOCKS DOWN. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION, AND THE MECHANIC INFORMED THE DRIVER THAT SEAT BELTS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *LA

Visibility › Sun/Moon Roof Assembly
Filed Oct 3, 2003137,245 milesMN

WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH THE SUNROOF DETACHED FROM THE VEHICLE. UPON INSPECTION THE MOUNTS WERE COMPLETELY RUSTED THROUGH. AT NO TIME THE SUNROOF HAS BEEN IMMERSED AND THE VEHICLE HAS NEVER BEEN TO A ROLL OVER. I DO NOT BELIEVE THIS TO BE A RESULT OF NEGLECT ON MY PART, RATHER POOR QUALITY MATERIALS USED IN MANUFACTURE. *LA

Seat Belts
Filed Jun 26, 2001CA

FRONT PASSENGER PASSIVE RESTRAINT BELT IS LOCKED IN FORWARD POSITION, LEAVING OCCUPANT UNRESTRAINED.*AK

Seat Belts
Filed Apr 8, 2001MN

DRIVERS SEATBACK BROKEN AND MOTORIZED SHOULDER BELTS BIND IN TRACK AND BLOW FUSE. *AK

Seat BeltsCrash2 injured1 killed
Filed Nov 3, 2000CA

RESTRAINT SYSTEM ANALYSIS WAS PERFORMED BY CHP-CENTRAL DIVISION MAIT. THE ANALYSIS INDICATED THE RESTRAINT FAILED AT THE LATCH PLATE CONNECTION TO THE MOTORIZED GUIDE PLATE. THIS REPORT IS BEING FILED FOR THE VEHICLE OWNER BY THE CHP PER OUR DEPARTMENTAL POLICY. *AK

Power Train › Manual Transmission
Filed Aug 18, 2000TX

MANUAL TRANSMISSION GEAR SHIFT ARM SUDDENLY WAS LOOSE. SATURN OF ASUTIN REPORTED SHIFTER CABLE BROKE AND REPLACED SAME. IF BREAK HAD OCCURRED WHILE MOVING IT LIKELY WOULD HAVE CAUSED ACCIDENT AND INJURY.

Engine and Engine Cooling › Engine › Gasoline
Filed Apr 25, 2000OH

HAVE HAD CAR SERVICED NUMEROUS TIMES, ENGINE ALWAYS REMAINED ROUGH, CAR DIES ON US, HAS LOW UPTAKE SPEED, MECHANIC SAID ITS A SATURN ENGINE DEFECT, WILL EVENTUALLY DIE ALTOGETHER. *AK

Electrical System › 12v/24v/48v Battery
Filed Jan 31, 2000CT

CONSUMER EXPERENCING PROBLEMS WITH REPLACING THE BATTERY. BATTERY HAS BEEN REPLACED ON FIVE DIFFERENT OCCASIONS. DEALER UNABLE TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

Electrical System › Wiring › Front Underhood
Filed Nov 29, 1999CA

I INQUIRED THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT AT SATURN OF MONROVIA (MONROVIA,CA, 91016) IF THEY WERE AWARE OF THE AFOREMENTIONED PROBLEMS. THEY DENIED ANY KNOWLEDGE OF ANY PROBLEMS ASSOCIATED WITH ELECTRICAL WIRING UNDER THE HOOD. *AK

Electrical System › Alternator/Generator/RegulatorFire
Filed Nov 29, 1999WA

NONE

Seat Belts › Front › Anchorage
Filed Sep 15, 1999CA

THE SEAT BELTS ARE ELECTRIC AND ARE SUPPOSE TO SLIDE ALONG THE INTERIOR SURFACE. THE PASSENGER SIDE WENT OUT FIRST, AND A PERMANENT LATCH WAS PUT IN SO THAT ANY ONE SITTING ON THE PASSENGER SIDE HAVE TO CLAMP THE SEAT BELT EVERY TIME THE ENTER AND EXIT THE CAR. SOMETIME LATER THE DRIVER SIDE SEAT BELT WENT OUT. THE SEAT CABLE WOULD PULL THE LATCH BUT WOULD NOT SECURE THE LATCH TO LOCK. WITH THE LATCH NOT LOCKING I COULD STILL CLAMP THE SEAT BELT ON TO THE LATCH. I WOULD CLAMP THE SEAT BELT ON THE LATCH EVEN THOUGH IT WOULD NOT LOCK, TO AVOID GETTING A CITATION FOR NOT HAVING A SEAT BELT. MY MAIN CONCERN IS IF I WAS TO GET INTO AN ACCIDENT WITH THE SIT BELT NOT SECURED, I AM AFRAID THAT MY SEAT BELT WILL NOT PROTECT ME.

Seats
Filed Nov 24, 1998NY

NO SUMMARY PROVIDER BY CONSUMER.

Vehicle Speed Control
Filed Mar 18, 1998CA

WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE 60 MPH ON THE FREEWAY VEHICLE STARTED ACCELERATING BY ITSELF. DRIVER STEPPED ON THE BRAKES TO STOP. BUT VEHICLE DID NOT STOP, AND DRIVING OVER CURVES WITHOUT STOPPING, SHE FINALLY STOPPED IT BY PULLING THE IGNITION KEY ON A MALL PARKING LOT. *AK

Seat Belts › Front › Webbing
Filed Jan 22, 1998WI

DRIVER'S SIDE AUTOMATIC SHOULDER BELT FAILURE.

Seat Belts › Front › Webbing
Filed Jan 22, 1998OR

DRIVER SIDE AUTOMATIC SEAT BELT FAILED.

Seat Belts › Front › Webbing
Filed Jan 20, 1998OR

THE DRIVER'S SIDE AUTOMATIC SEAT BELT FAILURE.

Wheels › Lugs/Nuts/Bolts/Studs
Filed Jun 18, 1997IL

WHILE COMING TO A STOP THE RIGHT FRONT WHEEL FOUR LUG: NUTS BROKE OFF, CAUSING THE WHEEL TO FALL OFF. PLEASE PROVIDE DETAILS. *AK

20 of 29 complaints, reproduced as filed.

Across model years

Worst on record: 1995
YearComplaintsRecallsFiresDeathsAssessment
2002131150Routine
2001111300Routine
2000148832Fatalities reported
1999178210Routine
1998168121Fatalities reported
1997227390Above average
1996287221Fatalities reported
1995355360High concern
1994286140High concern
1993175280Routine
1992123222Fatalities reported
1991 — this page29111Fatalities reported

Compare every SL year →

Reading this record

1 death reported in complaints filed with NHTSA.

Complaint counts track how many cars were sold and how long they have been on the road as much as they track quality. A common model from 2013 has had a decade to accumulate reports; a rare one from last year has not. The signal worth weighing is in the severity columns, in whether the same component keeps appearing, and in whether the manufacturer eventually opened a recall for it.

Recall repairs are free for as long as the recall stands. Check whether a specific car still has open work at NHTSA's VIN lookup.

Most recent recall on file: Aug 10, 1993. Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation.