Safety ratings
1991 Saturn SL 4-DR.
- Lane departure warningNo
- Forward collision warningNo
- Electronic stability controlNo
Crash test videos & photos
No public crash-test footage is available for this vehicle.
Recalls (1)
- ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:ALTERNATOR/GENERATOR/REGULATORCampaign 93V132000 · 10/08/1993
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.
Fix: THE GENERATOR WIRING HARNESS WILL BE REPLACED WITH ONE THAT WILL OPEN AS A FUSE WOULD UNDER CERTAIN EXCESSIVE CURRENT FLOW CONDITIONS.
Owner complaints
Most-reported areas
- SEAT BELTS13
- SEATS4
- ELECTRICAL SYSTEM3
- SERVICE BRAKES2
- HYDRAULIC2
- ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING2
- VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL2
- VISIBILITY1
Read individual complaints (30 most recent)
These are unverified consumer reports filed with NHTSA, shown as submitted.
- 11/29/1999· ELECTRICAL SYSTEMFire
NONE
- 11/29/1999· ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
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
- 11/24/1998· SEATS
NO SUMMARY PROVIDER BY CONSUMER.
- 11/04/1999· SEAT BELTS
MY 91 SATURN HAS A MOTORIZED/RETRACTIBLE SEAT BELTS. THE BELT NO LONGER FUNCTIONS CORRECTLY. IT ORGINALLY STOPPED AT MID POINT OF THE DOOR OPENING. NOW, IT MOVES ONLY COUPLE OF INCHES. I CONTACTED THE SATURN 800 NUMBER AND WAS TOLD THERE HAVE BEEN NO RECALLS. I CALLED THE DEALER AND THE SERVICE TECH COMMENTED THAT IT WAS MOST LIKELY THE MODULE. I ASKED IF THIS FAILURE OCCURED FREQUENTLY AND THE RESPONSE WAS YES.
- 11/03/2000· SEAT BELTSCrash
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
- 10/09/2005· SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
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
- 10/09/2005· SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
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
- 10/03/2003· VISIBILITY
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
- 09/15/1999· SEAT BELTS
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.
- 08/18/2000· POWER TRAIN
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.
- 06/26/2001· SEAT BELTS
FRONT PASSENGER PASSIVE RESTRAINT BELT IS LOCKED IN FORWARD POSITION, LEAVING OCCUPANT UNRESTRAINED.*AK
- 06/18/1997· WHEELS
WHILE COMING TO A STOP THE RIGHT FRONT WHEEL FOUR LUG: NUTS BROKE OFF, CAUSING THE WHEEL TO FALL OFF. PLEASE PROVIDE DETAILS. *AK
- 06/10/2005· SUSPENSION
DT: CONTACT STATES THE VEHICLE IS CONTINUOUSLY SHAKING, AFFECTING THE STEERING. THE SOLENOIDS HAVE BEEN REPLACED, 6 MONTHS LATER THE PROBLEM RECURRED. *AK
- 06/02/1997· SEAT BELTS
SEAT BELT MOTOR FAILED, CAUSING FAILURE OF SHOULDER HARNESS.
- 05/28/2004· SEAT BELTS
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
- 05/13/1997· SEAT BELTS
DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT BELT TRACK DOESN'T SLIDE ON TRACK PROPERLY. *AK
- 05/02/1996· SEATS
DRIVER'S SEAT BACK COLLAPSED DUE TO REAR IMPACT. *SD
- 04/25/2000· ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
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
- 04/19/1996· SEAT BELTS
DRIVER'S AND PASSENGER AUTOMATIC SHOULDER BELTS HAVE TOTALLY FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED BY DEALER
- 04/17/1995· STEERING
STEERING GEAR BOX LEAKED. *TW
- 04/08/2001· SEAT BELTS,SEATS
DRIVERS SEATBACK BROKEN AND MOTORIZED SHOULDER BELTS BIND IN TRACK AND BLOW FUSE. *AK
- 03/18/1998· VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
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
- 03/06/1997· AIR BAGS,SEAT BELTSCrash
VEHICLE INVOLVED IN A REAR END CRASH GOING ABOUT (20-25) MPH AND THE AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY. ALSO THE SHOULDER HARNESS DID NOT LOCK. VEHICLE IS BEING REPAIRED. *AK
- 01/31/2000· ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
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
- 01/27/1997· ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
ENGINE OIL LEAK, GASKET OIL PAN RUSTED, CAUSING LOSS OF ENGINE OIL, IN FOR REPAIR WILL PROVIDE INVOICE RECEIPT. *AK
- 01/22/1998· SEAT BELTS
DRIVER'S SIDE AUTOMATIC SHOULDER BELT FAILURE.
- 01/22/1998· SEAT BELTS
DRIVER SIDE AUTOMATIC SEAT BELT FAILED.
- 01/20/1998· SEAT BELTS
THE DRIVER'S SIDE AUTOMATIC SEAT BELT FAILURE.
- 01/17/1997· SEATS
WHILE LEANING BACK IN SEAT TO REACH INTO PANTS POCKET, THE SEATBACK FRAME BENT BACKWARDS, CAUSIN GTHE RECLINING CATCH TO RELEASE. *AK
- 01/13/1995· VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
VEHICLE STALLS OUT AT ANY SPEED, DEALER SAID STALLING OCCURS WHEN CRUISE IS ON AND VEHICLE RPM IS OVER 70. TT