Page 3 of 4 · complaints 101–150 of 175

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 →

Engine and Engine Cooling › Engine
Filed Aug 1, 1997IL

CRACKED ENGINE HEAD. *AK

Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Foundation Components › Hoses, Lines/Piping, and Fittings
Filed Jul 17, 1997NJ

WHILE DRIVING LOST BRAKES DUE TO BRAKE LINE/HOSE RUPTURE. THE CAR HAS POWER BRAKES. *AK

Parking Brake
Filed Jul 14, 1997CA

PARKING BRAKE FAILED CAUSING VEHICLE COLLISION.

Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Foundation Components
Filed May 30, 1997MI

BRAKES RUSTED.

Engine and Engine Cooling › Engine › Gasoline
Filed May 27, 1997NY

THE ENGINE FLOODED WITH RAIN WATER AND STALLED.

Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Foundation Components › Disc › Pads
Filed May 2, 1997FL

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

Structure › Body › Door
Filed Apr 16, 1997CA

DRIVER'S SIDE POWER DOOR LOCK WILL NOT UNLOCK AND CANNOT GET DOOR OPEN, IN FOR REPAIRS. *AK

Air Bags › FrontalCrash1 injured
Filed Mar 18, 1997LA

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

Seats › Front Assembly › Recliner
Filed Mar 4, 1997VA

SEATBACK MADE IN TWO PIECES; TOP PART NOT WELDED ALL THE WAY, THE TOP OF THE SEAT COLLAPSED BACKWARDS. HAD VEHICLE REPAIRED. *AK

Engine and Engine Cooling › Engine
Filed Feb 20, 1997NY

TIMING CHAIN REPLACED.

Exterior Lighting › Fog Lights
Filed Feb 17, 1997MI

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.

Air Bags › FrontalCrash
Filed Feb 3, 1997CA

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

Latches/Locks/Linkages › Doors › Latch
Filed Jan 27, 1997CA

THE DRIVER'S DOOR LATCH BROKE AND WOULD NOT RELEASE TO OPEN THE DOOR.

Visibility › Defroster/Defogger/Hvac System › Heater Core
Filed Jan 16, 1997FL

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

Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Foundation Components › Disc › Pads
Filed Jan 13, 1997OH

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

Air BagsCrash1 injured
Filed Dec 18, 1996CO

NO DEPLOYMENT OF AIRBAG IN ACCIDENT.

Air Bags › FrontalCrash1 injured
Filed Dec 10, 1996CA

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

Engine and Engine Cooling › Engine
Filed Nov 12, 1996NJ

UPPER MOTOR MOUNTS FAILED 2 TIMES.

Vehicle Speed ControlCrash1 injured
Filed Oct 29, 1996TN

WHILE DRIVING, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED OUT OF CONTROL, RESULTING IN AN ACCIDENT/INJURIES. *AK

Service Brakes, Air › Disc › Rotor
Filed Oct 24, 1996NY

REPLACED ROTORS AT 17000 MILES.

Seat Belts › Front › Retractor
Filed Sep 13, 1996TX

SEAT BELTS LOCK WHEN VEHICLE SHUTS OFF.

Seats
Filed Sep 10, 1996NY

DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT BROKE WHILE DRIVING.*AK *SLC

Air Bags › FrontalCrash1 injured
Filed Aug 30, 1996NY

VEHICLE WAS AT COMPLETE STOP AND IMPACT 6:00 POSITION, AGAIN 12:00 POSITION, DRIVER'S SIDE AIRBAG DID NOT DEPLOY. *AK

Power Train › Manual Transmission
Filed Aug 30, 1996MI

WHILE MAKING RIGHT/LEFT HAND TURNS TRANSMISSION POPS OUT OF 3RD GEAR WITHOUT WARNING.*AK

Power Train › Manual Transmission
Filed Aug 5, 1996MA

ON TWO OCCASIONS THE TRANSMISSION SLIPPED OUT OF GEAR . PLEASE DESCRIBE.*AK

Power Train › Manual Transmission
Filed Aug 2, 1996NC

MANUAL TRANS AXLE W/5 SPD SYSTEM BLEW UP, THROWING SHRAPNAL. PLEASE DESCRIBE DETAILS.*AK

Seat Belts › Front › Retractor
Filed Jul 19, 1996MA

THE PASSENGER SIDE SEAT BELT RETRACTOR SOMETIME DON'T RETRACTS FORDWARD AND BACKWARD , PLEASE DESCRIBE. *AK

Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Foundation Components
Filed Jul 12, 1996CA

CONSUMER APPLIED THE BRAKE AND THEY HAVE FAILED , PLEASE DESCRIBE . *AK

Engine and Engine Cooling › Engine › GasolineFire
Filed Jun 24, 1996CA

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

Seats › Front Assembly › ReclinerCrash1 injured
Filed Apr 19, 1996MD

DRIVER'S SEATBACK COLLAPSED UPON BEING REAR ENDED BY ANOTHER VEHICLE GOING AT 45 MPH

Tires
Filed Apr 1, 1996FL

FIRESTONE TIRE FAILED DUE TO FRAYED TIRE CORDS. *DSH

Seat Belts
Filed Feb 22, 1996LA

PASSIVE RESTRAINTS WILL LOCK IN OPEN POSITION ON PASSENGER SIDE. PLEASE DESCRIBE DETAILS. *AK

Structure › Body › Bumpers
Filed Feb 7, 1996IN

ENERGY ABSORBENCE FROM A REAR-END IMPACT. (ATTORNEY FOR CLIENT)*SD

WheelsCrash
Filed Jan 22, 1996MI

REAR WHEEL FELL OFF WHILE DRIVING. TT

Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Foundation Components › Disc › Pads
Filed Jan 9, 1996PA

RIGHT REAR WHEEL LOCKS UP DUE TO CRACKED BRAKE PAD, CAUSING LOSS OF CONTROL. *DSH

Engine and Engine Cooling › Engine
Filed Dec 29, 1995CA

OIL WARNING DOES NOT COME ON WHEN THE OIL IS VERY LOW. TT

Engine and Engine Cooling › Engine › Gasoline
Filed Nov 27, 1995CO

THE ENGINE IS WALKING AND THE OIL IS LEAKING. TT

Electrical System › Ignition
Filed Oct 24, 1995MA

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

Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Foundation Components
Filed Oct 11, 1995IL

CONSUMER WAS DRIVING PRESS ON THE BRAKE WENT DOWN TO THE FLOOR THERE WAS LITTLE BRAKING . TT

Vehicle Speed Control
Filed Sep 8, 1995MA

CRUISE CONTROL FAILED TO DISENGAGE WHEN APPLIED THE BRAKES. TT

Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip
Filed Aug 31, 1995CA

IN THE MORNING THE BRAKES ARE SOFT AFTER CAR WARMS UP . TT

Vehicle Speed Control
Filed Aug 2, 1995CA

CRUISE CONTROL LOCKED UP WHILE DRIVING ON A DOWN GRADE FREEWAY. *AK

Power Train › Automatic Transmission
Filed Aug 1, 1995NJ

VEHICLES TRANSMISSION HAS DELAYED EFFECT WHEN SHIFTING INTO ANY GEAR. TT

Structure › Frame and Members
Filed Jul 25, 1995MN

SPOT WELDS HAVE FAILED IN (3) AREAS. MANUFACTURER/DEALER FAIL TO ACKNOWLEDGE PROBLEM EXIST. PLEASE DESCRIBE DETAILS. TT

Air Bags › FrontalCrash1 injured
Filed Jul 22, 1995AL

NO DEPLOYMENT OF DRIVER'S AIRBAG DURING ACCIDENT, CAUSING INJURY. *SD

Power Train › Manual Transmission
Filed Jul 14, 1995MD

INTERMITTENT MANUAL TRANSMISSION FAILURE, WHEN SHIFTING INTO REVERSE IT WON'T ENGAGE. *AK

Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Foundation Components › Disc › Pads
Filed Jul 13, 1995AZ

FRONT BRAKE PADS WORN, CAUSING BRAKES TO FAIL INTERMITTENTLY.

Seat Belts › Front › Anchorage
Filed Jun 28, 1995MD

THE DRIVERS SEAT BELT NEEDS TO BE REPLACED BECAUSE THE THREADS WERE BREAKING. PLEASE DESCRIBE. *AK

Power Train › Automatic Transmission
Filed May 8, 1995NJ

THE TRANSMISSION FAILED AT 50K, AND HAD TO BE REBUILT, AND CONSUMER KNOWS OF OTHER CASES. TT

Vehicle Speed Control
Filed May 5, 1995TX

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 →