CRACKED ENGINE HEAD. *AK
1993 Saturn SL complaints
Owner reports filed with NHTSA about this vehicle, newest first and reproduced as filed. They are unverified accounts: one proves nothing, and a pattern across many is the thing worth reading. Back to the full 1993 record →
WHILE DRIVING LOST BRAKES DUE TO BRAKE LINE/HOSE RUPTURE. THE CAR HAS POWER BRAKES. *AK
PARKING BRAKE FAILED CAUSING VEHICLE COLLISION.
BRAKES RUSTED.
THE ENGINE FLOODED WITH RAIN WATER AND STALLED.
BRAKE FAILURE, WHEN DRIVING AND BRAKES ARE APPLIED, HEARD LOUD NOISE, IN FOR REPAIRS, THE RIGHT FRONT BRAKES WORE OUT, REPLACES THE DISC PADS AND ROTORS. *AK
DRIVER'S SIDE POWER DOOR LOCK WILL NOT UNLOCK AND CANNOT GET DOOR OPEN, IN FOR REPAIRS. *AK
WAS DRIVING ALONG HIGHWAY NORTH AND HIT A VEHICLE IN THE CENTER. THE AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY, RESULTING IN AN INJURY. VEHICLE IS IN FOR REPAIRS, AND DEALER IS WAITING TO HEAR FROM GENERAL MOTORS. *AK
SEATBACK MADE IN TWO PIECES; TOP PART NOT WELDED ALL THE WAY, THE TOP OF THE SEAT COLLAPSED BACKWARDS. HAD VEHICLE REPAIRED. *AK
TIMING CHAIN REPLACED.
FOG LIGHT ASSEMBLY ALLOWS WATER TO ENTER COMPARTMENT CAUSING PREMATURE BULB FAILURE. BOTH FOG LIGHT REFLECTORS ARE NOW RUSTED OUT AND IN NEED OF REPLACEMENT.
CONSUMER WAS INVOLVED IN A 35 MPH FRONTAL CRASH IN WHICH THE DRIVER'S SIDE AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY. PLEASE GIVE FURTHER DETAILS. *AK
THE DRIVER'S DOOR LATCH BROKE AND WOULD NOT RELEASE TO OPEN THE DOOR.
WATER HEATER/DEFROSTER/ VENTILATION FAILURE, WHEN DRIVING VEHICLE THE WINDOWS IN FRONT WILL FOG UP WITHOUT WARNING CAUSING VISION PROBLEMS, TURNED THE SWITCH ON BUT IT WILL NO CLEAR WINDOWS, TURNED THE AIR CONDITIONER TO HIGHEST SPEED AND LEFT IT ON FOR A PERIOD OF TIME. *AK
WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE APPLIED THE BRAKES AND THE VEHICLE DID NOT STOP. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER AND THEY CHANGED THE BRAKE PADS AND TURNED THE ROTORS. ALSO WHILE SHIFTING GEARS VEHICLE TURNS OFF. *AK
NO DEPLOYMENT OF AIRBAG IN ACCIDENT.
WHILE DRIVING IN RAIN, APPLIED BRAKES (ABS) WHICH FAILED, ANOTHER VEHICLE HIT SL2(2ND CRASH); (1ST CRASH OCCURRED WHEN CONSUMER HIT ANOTHER VEHICLE WHICH WAS MAKING A U-TURN, DRIVER'S AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY. *AK
UPPER MOTOR MOUNTS FAILED 2 TIMES.
WHILE DRIVING, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED OUT OF CONTROL, RESULTING IN AN ACCIDENT/INJURIES. *AK
REPLACED ROTORS AT 17000 MILES.
SEAT BELTS LOCK WHEN VEHICLE SHUTS OFF.
DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT BROKE WHILE DRIVING.*AK *SLC
VEHICLE WAS AT COMPLETE STOP AND IMPACT 6:00 POSITION, AGAIN 12:00 POSITION, DRIVER'S SIDE AIRBAG DID NOT DEPLOY. *AK
WHILE MAKING RIGHT/LEFT HAND TURNS TRANSMISSION POPS OUT OF 3RD GEAR WITHOUT WARNING.*AK
ON TWO OCCASIONS THE TRANSMISSION SLIPPED OUT OF GEAR . PLEASE DESCRIBE.*AK
MANUAL TRANS AXLE W/5 SPD SYSTEM BLEW UP, THROWING SHRAPNAL. PLEASE DESCRIBE DETAILS.*AK
THE PASSENGER SIDE SEAT BELT RETRACTOR SOMETIME DON'T RETRACTS FORDWARD AND BACKWARD , PLEASE DESCRIBE. *AK
CONSUMER APPLIED THE BRAKE AND THEY HAVE FAILED , PLEASE DESCRIBE . *AK
VEHICLE WAS PARKED ON PARKING LOT, LEFT VEHICLE FOR A HALF HOUR, RETURNED TO VEHICLE, FIRE & POLICE DEPT. SURROUNDED VEHICLE WHICH HAD CAUGHT FIRE/BURNED. *AK
DRIVER'S SEATBACK COLLAPSED UPON BEING REAR ENDED BY ANOTHER VEHICLE GOING AT 45 MPH
FIRESTONE TIRE FAILED DUE TO FRAYED TIRE CORDS. *DSH
PASSIVE RESTRAINTS WILL LOCK IN OPEN POSITION ON PASSENGER SIDE. PLEASE DESCRIBE DETAILS. *AK
ENERGY ABSORBENCE FROM A REAR-END IMPACT. (ATTORNEY FOR CLIENT)*SD
REAR WHEEL FELL OFF WHILE DRIVING. TT
RIGHT REAR WHEEL LOCKS UP DUE TO CRACKED BRAKE PAD, CAUSING LOSS OF CONTROL. *DSH
OIL WARNING DOES NOT COME ON WHEN THE OIL IS VERY LOW. TT
THE ENGINE IS WALKING AND THE OIL IS LEAKING. TT
PURCHASE CAR NEW THE ENGINE BLEW THE PASSENGER SIDE DOOR WILL NOT SHUT RIGHT AND THE CAR HARD TO START THE FRONT END SHAKES, THE BRAKE GOES TO THE FLOOR . TT
CONSUMER WAS DRIVING PRESS ON THE BRAKE WENT DOWN TO THE FLOOR THERE WAS LITTLE BRAKING . TT
CRUISE CONTROL FAILED TO DISENGAGE WHEN APPLIED THE BRAKES. TT
IN THE MORNING THE BRAKES ARE SOFT AFTER CAR WARMS UP . TT
CRUISE CONTROL LOCKED UP WHILE DRIVING ON A DOWN GRADE FREEWAY. *AK
VEHICLES TRANSMISSION HAS DELAYED EFFECT WHEN SHIFTING INTO ANY GEAR. TT
SPOT WELDS HAVE FAILED IN (3) AREAS. MANUFACTURER/DEALER FAIL TO ACKNOWLEDGE PROBLEM EXIST. PLEASE DESCRIBE DETAILS. TT
NO DEPLOYMENT OF DRIVER'S AIRBAG DURING ACCIDENT, CAUSING INJURY. *SD
INTERMITTENT MANUAL TRANSMISSION FAILURE, WHEN SHIFTING INTO REVERSE IT WON'T ENGAGE. *AK
FRONT BRAKE PADS WORN, CAUSING BRAKES TO FAIL INTERMITTENTLY.
THE DRIVERS SEAT BELT NEEDS TO BE REPLACED BECAUSE THE THREADS WERE BREAKING. PLEASE DESCRIBE. *AK
THE TRANSMISSION FAILED AT 50K, AND HAD TO BE REBUILT, AND CONSUMER KNOWS OF OTHER CASES. TT
CRUISE CONTROL FAILS TO ENGAGE UPON FIRST ATTEMPT, ALSO WILL DISENGAGE ON ITS OWN. *SKD
Reading these
NHTSA publishes every complaint as the owner wrote it and investigates only a fraction. Spelling, capitalisation and judgement are the filer’s own. What carries weight is repetition: the same component failing the same way across many filings, and whether the manufacturer eventually opened a recall for it.
Full record for the 1993 Saturn SL → · Every SL year → · How the figures are calculated →