1992 Saturn SL

These are unverified consumer reports filed with NHTSA, shown as submitted.

• 12/30/1996· POWER TRAIN

  POOR TRACTION ON WET PAVEMENT.

• 12/28/1999· VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,UNKNOWN OR OTHER

  WHEN CAR IS IDLING IT GOES TO 2RPM'S THEN BACK TO 1RPM, THEN SERVICE ENGINE CHECK LIGHT COMES ON. *AK

• 12/21/2000· SEAT BELTS

  BOTH LEFT AND RIGHT MOTORIZED SHOULDER HARNESSES ARE INOPERABLE. THE DRIVERS SIDE IS STUCK IN THE FORWARD AND PASSENGER IN THE REAR POSITIONS. A MECHANIC AT ABRA DIAGNOSED THE PROBLEM AS BAD SEAT BELT ASSY TRACK UNITS.

• 12/16/1996· SERVICE BRAKES, AIR

  DETERIORATED BRAKE ROTORS.

• 12/07/2004· SUSPENSION

  CONSUMER COMPLAINED ABOUT REAR WHEEL BEARINGS. CONSUMER WAS GOING AT APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH WHEN THE BEARINGS CAME OUT/SEIZED, AND THE WHEEL CAME OFF, WHICH LEFT CHEWED UP PIECES OF METAL. CONSUMER LATER CONTACTED THE DEALER, BUT THE CAUSE OF FAILURE WAS UNDETERMINED. *AK

• 12/06/1996· ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

  ENGINE OIL PUMP FAILURE, INTERIOR WARNING LIGHT DIES NOT CORRECTLY INDICATE WHEN THERE IS NO OIL PRESSURE. AK

• 12/03/1999· SEATS

  SECOND FAILURE IN THIS SEAT WITHIN ONE MONTH. NO INCIDENT. I THINK THAT CRASH PROTECTION IS LOST WHEN THE SEAT FRAME FAILS.

• 12/02/1999· ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

  AFTER PURCHASING THE CAR HAD AN OIL CHANGE AND NOTICIED ENGINE WAS BURNING TWO QUARTS OF OIL FROM THE EXHAUST EVERY 2000 MILES. CONTACTED DEALER ,AND WAS TOLD THAT WARRANTY EXPIRED. THEY THINK IT COULD BE A LEAKING VALVE STEM OR VALVE GUIDES, BUT THEY NEEDED TO DO A COMPRESSION TEST, AND IT WOULD COST ABOUT A 1,000. *AK

• 11/29/1999· ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

  SATURNED REFUSED TO HELP WITH THE COSTS

• 11/27/2000· TIRES

  YOUR DATABASE WOULD NOT ALLOW ME TO FILL THE FORM CORRECTLY. THE SPARE TIRE FAILED AFTER 10 MILES OF DRIVING TO A TIRE REPAIR SHOP. I ARRIVED SAFELY WITH THE SPARE TIRE INTACT. ONE MONTH LATER, I NEEDED TO USE THE SPARE AGAIN. THE TREAD WAS DELAMINATED WITH SEVERAL CRACKS IN THE RUBBER. THE LOCAL FIRESTONE DEALER OFFERED NO HELP OR SUGGESTIONS WHEN I CALLED. THE SPARE WAS USED ONCE FOR THE TRIP TO THE TIRE SHOP. THE TIRE LOOKS BRAND NEW OTHER THAN THE GAPING HOLE. THE WHITE INK PRINTED OVER THE TREAD SURFACE IS STILL VISIBLE AND LEGIBLE. THE INFLATION PRESSURE WAS 40 PSI. I NOTICED THE DOT NUMBER IS FROM ONE OF THE FACTORIES YOU ARE LOOKING AT. GIVEN THE FREQUENCY OF USE OF SPARE TIRES, THIS MAY NEVER APPEAR AS A PROBLEM, BUT IF THIS TIRE HAD FAILED WHILE DRIVING, I WOULD HAVE HAD A SEVERE BLOW-OUT. I PLAN TO TAKE PICTURES OF THE TIRE BEFORE SATURN REPLACES IT. WOULD YOU LIKE AN ELECTRONIC COPY OF THE PHOTOS? I AM GOING TO COMPLAIN AT SATURN, BUT LIKE FORD, I AM SURE THEY WILL NOT TAKE RESPONSIBILITY. I WOULD BET FIRESTONE IS STONEWALLING (NO PUN INTENDED) OTHER COMPLAINTS OUTSIDE OF THE ORIGINAL TIRES IDENTIFIED. THEY ARE LOSING MONEY. *AK (DOT NUMBER: HY7H5M162 TIRESIZE: T11570R14)

• 11/24/1994· VISIBILITY

  DRIVER'S SIDE WINDWHIELD WIPER BLADE SLIPS OUT OF ITS SHAFT, CAUSING WIPERS TO BE OUT OF SYNC AND BECOME ENTANGLED. *SKD

• 11/19/1998· ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

  WHEN DRIVING ABOUT 45 MPH THREE SEALS AND THE VALVES BURNED OUT, AND IT REDUCED THE POWER. THE DEALER STATES NEEDS ENGINE OVERHAUL. *AK

• 11/17/1995· SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULICCrash

  BRAKES FAILED, CAR DID NOT STOP WHILE DRIVING AT 20 MPH. TT *JB

• 11/16/1994· EQUIPMENT

  AIR CONDITIONER EVAPORATOR FAILED, CAUSING FREON TO LEAK. *SKD

• 11/15/1994· SEATS

  DRIVER'S SEAT BACK FAILED/RECLINED BACKWARD DURING IMPACT OF ACCIDENT, RESULTING IN INJURY.

• 11/11/1994· SEAT BELTS

  DRIVER'S/PASSENGER'S SEAT BELT BROKE, CAUSING BELT TO SWING BACK/FORTH, OBSTRUCTING DRIVERS VIEW.

• 11/04/1994· ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

  CATALYTIC CONVERTER FAILED, CAUSING ROTTEN EGG SMELL.

• 11/03/1999· SEATS

  SEAT RECLINED UNEXPECTEDLY WHILE DRIVING AT 70 MPH, MOMENTARILY LOST CONTROL,

• 10/30/1998· ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

  SERPENTINE BELT AND TENSIONER FAILED CAUSING POWER STEERING, ANTI LOCK BRAKES AND WATER PUMP TO FAIL, RESULTING IN DIFFICULTY MAINTAINING CONTROL OF VEHICLE.

• 10/25/1995· SEAT BELTS

  PASSIVE RESTRAINT FAILS TO COMPLETE CYCLE NOT WRAPPING AROUND OCCUPANT. PLEASE DESCRIBE DETAILS. TT

• 10/23/2000· POWER TRAIN

  WHEN CHANGING GEARS VEHICLE HESITATES BEFORE ENGAGING THE GEAR. IF DRIVER'S FOOT IS NOT ON BRAKE PEDAL, AT THIS TIME, VEHICLE WOULD TAKE OFF. PROBLEM WAS REPORTED TO THE DEALERSHIP ABOUT 8 OR 9 MONTHS AGO. PROBLEM HAS NOT BEEN CORRECTED. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

• 10/23/1999· EQUIPMENT,UNKNOWN OR OTHER

  65 DIFFERENT MAJOR REPAIRS ON THIS CAR. SEVERAL WERE REPAIRED WHILE UNDERWARRENTY AND NOW DEFECTIVE AGAIN. DEALER AND COMPANY IS NO HELP.

• 10/20/1999· VISIBILITY

  DURING A RAINSTORM WINDSHIELD WIPERS FAILED. CONTACTED LOCAL MECHANIC. DID AN INSPECTION AND TOLD HER WIPER ASSEMBLY LINKAGE APPEARED TO BE BROKEN AND POSSIBLE THE WIPER MOTOR. CONTACTED DEALER. *AK

• 10/20/1998· ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

  WHILE DRIVING AT 55 MPH NOTICED SMOKE COMING FROM THE STEERING COLUMN AND PULLED OVER. THE CONSUMER GOT OUT THE VEHICLE AND LEFT THE KEY IN THE INGITION AND THE VEHICLE LOST ALL POWER. THE WHOLE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM DIED OUT. THE VEHICLE WAS IN THE SHOP AND WAS REPAIED. THE SHOP REPAIRED THE HARNESS AND NOW THE ELECTRICAL ITEM'S DON'T WORK. *AK

• 10/18/1996· WHEELS

  FRONT RIGHT WHEEL HAD COME OFF THE VEHICLE AND THE INSIDE OF THE WHEEL WAS FACING OUTWARD WITH PART OF THE AXLE STILL CONNECTED, RESULTING IN COLLISION DUE TO LOSS OF CONTROL.

• 10/18/1995· AIR BAGSCrash

  NO DEPLOYMENT OF DRIVERS AIR BAG, CAUSING DEATH IN ACCIDENT. *DH

• 10/17/2001· SEAT BELTS

  SEAT BELT ON DRIVERS SIDE IS NOT ABLE TO LOCK INTO BUCKLE. CONTACTED DEALER, AND DEALER WAS NOT WILLING TO DO ANYTHING.*AK STITCHING ON SEAT BELT ON DRIVERS SIDE CAME APART. *YD

• 10/16/2000· ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

  MOTOR MOUNTS HAVE DETERIORATED. MOTOR MOUNTS HAVE BEEN REPLACED TWICE.*AK *SLC

• 10/15/1997· SEAT BELTS

  AUTOMATIC SEAT BELTS FAIL TO RETRACT OR CLOSE. *AK

• 10/13/1998· ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

  ALTERNATOR HAS BEEN REPLACED THREE TIMES WITHIN ONE MONTH, VEHICLE AUTOMATICALLY CUTS OFF WHILE DRIVING. DEALER CONTACTED AND IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. MANUFACTURER CONTACTED AND CANNOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. *AK

• 10/12/2000· ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

  ENGINE BLOCK CRACKED SPONTANEOUSLY. HEAD GASKET PROBABLY RUPTURED.

• 10/12/1999· STEERING

  DEFECTIVE STEERING RACK IS CAUSING STEERING TO BECOME STUCK IN EITHER LEFT OR RIGHT POSITION. *AK

• 10/10/1995· POWER TRAIN

  MAN-TRAN: TRANSMISSION POPS OUT OF GEAR, SOMETIMES WHILE DRIVING, SOMETIMES WHILE GETTING READY TO GO; NO WARNING. TT *SLC

• 10/09/1996· SUSPENSIONCrash

  SUSPENSION FAILURE , THE FRONT RIGHT BALL JOINT CRACKED, WHILE DRIVING, CAUSING A LOSS OF CONTROL OF VEHICLE, VEHICLE SWIRLED TO RIGHT, IMPACT 1:00 POSITION, SPEED 20MPH. *AK

• 10/08/2000· SUSPENSIONCrash

  ROLLOVERS WITH SATURNS/ IN LOOKING FOR PARTS I HAVE FOUND OVER TEN SATURNS AT JUNK YARDS. THE OPERATORS OF THESE YARDS HAVE SEEN MANY SATURNS AS ROLLOVERS AND SAY IT IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM -

• 10/06/1998· ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

  VEHICLE STARTED TO GRADUALLY VIBRATE DUE TO MOTOR MOUNT BOLT MISSING, AND ONE WAS BROKE IN HALF.SATURN CONTACTED AND CANNOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. *AK

• 10/01/2001· SEAT BELTS

  PASSENGER'S SEAT BELT WILL ONLY WORK INTERMITTENTLY, IT GETS STUCK IN ANY POSITION.ALSO, SINCE JULY 2001 DRIVER'S SEAT BELT ONLY WORKS INTERMITTENTLY.

• 09/28/2000· SEATSCrash

  CONSUMER WAS INVOLVED IN A REAR END COLLISION IN WHICH DRIVER'S SEATBACK RELEASED AND COLLAPSED INTO A RECLINING POSITION. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS.*AK

• 09/24/1997· SEATSCrash

  DRIVER'S SEAT TWISTED DURING A CLASH, CAUSING BACK INJURY TO PASSENGER. ALSO, LOWER CONTROL ARM FAILURE. *AK

• 09/24/1996· CHILD SEAT

  UNSAFE DESIGN, NO EXISTING CHILD SAFETY SEAT WILL SAFELY WORK WITH THE SEAT, SEAT BELT SYSTEM INSTALLED IN THIS AUTOMOBILE. *AK

• 09/20/1994· SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

  BRAKES FAILED DUE TO BRAKE FLUID OVERHEATING. *SKD

• 09/19/2001· SEAT BELTS

  SEAT BELT RETRACTOR GETS IN OPEN POSITION CLOSE TO WINDSHIELD. PROBLEM IS INTERMITTENT AT THIS TIME, BUT WAS REPAIRED 1 YEAR AGO, COSTING $800. COMPUTER CONTROLS DOME LIGHTS/ CHIMES/ LOCKS AND SEAT BELT. SATURN HASN'T HEARD OF THIS BEFORE. *AK

• 09/17/2000· ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

  ALTERNATOR FAILED TWO MONTHS PRIOR TO RECALL ANNOUNCED ON POSSIBLE FIRE HAZARD ON VEHICLE. DUE TO MILEAGE, VEHICLE WAS OUTSIDE OF WARRENTY, HAD TO PAY OUT OF POCKET FOR REPLACEMENT. MANUFACTURER CONTACTED REGARDS TO POSSIBLE FAILURE DUE TO SAME REASON AS RECALL. MANUFATURER STATED THERE WAS NO CHANCE. (RECALL WAS FOR ALTERNATOR/ALTERNATOR FAILED) MECHANIC STATED IF DIODES DID NOT BURNOUT, MAY HAVE CAUSE A FIRE. RECALL WAS BASED ON POSSIBLE FIRE HAZARD IN ALTERNATOR SYSTEM.

• 09/17/2000· SEAT BELTS

  NO SUMMARY

• 09/14/1998· ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

  THE CAR OVERHEATED DUE TO THE ENGINE BLOCK CRACKING. DEALER WILL REPLACE DAMAGED PARTS. *AK

• 09/10/1995· SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

  BRAKES FAILED DUE TO 'BOILING OF FLUID WHEN APPLYING BRAKES FOR EXTENDED PERIODS OF TIME DOWN A STEEP HILL. *SD

• 09/07/1995· SEAT BELTS

  THE DRIVER SIDE SEAT BELT RETRACTOR DON'T WORK . TT

• 09/04/1996· ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

  THE VEHICLE WAS IN THE PARK POSITION AND THE VEHICLE CAUGHT FIRE IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT.*AK

• 09/01/1998· ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

  BATTERY FAILED SEVERAL TIMES. MJS

• 08/23/2001· ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING,SEATS

  WE MOVED FROM LOUISIANA TO ARIZONA AT THAT TIME WE NOTICED OIL IN COOLANT-REPLACED HEAD GASKET NO NOTICEABLE CRACKS IN HEAD, VEHICLE NEVER OVER HEATED WHILE DRIVING PRIOR TO THIS INCIDENT. LEFT FRONT SEAT IN A PERMANENT SLANT BACKWARD.*AK