1993 Saturn SL

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

• 12/30/1997· ELECTRICAL SYSTEMFire

  VEHICLE FIRE DUE TO SHORT CIRCUIT BETWEEN A BRAKE LINE AND THE POSITIVE CABLE RUNNING FROM THE BATTERY.

• 12/30/1994· TIRES

  FIRESTONE TIRE FAILED DUE TO SHREDDED CORDS INSIDE OF SIDEWALL. *AK

• 12/29/1995· ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

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

• 12/28/2001· ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

  MY BIGGEST PROBLEMS IS WITH THE STALLING OF THE CAR IN THE MIDDLE OF TRAFFIC. I HAVE ALMOST BEEN IN ONE ACCIDENT AND THERE HAS BEEN ALOT OF TIMES AT WHICH THIS CAR HAS STALLED. THIS VEHICLE IS VERY DANGEROUS TO ME AND MY 4 YEAR OLD BOY AND THE PLACE AT WHICH I AM STILL PAYING FOR THIS CAR AS NOT BEEN COOPERATIVE IN FIXING THIS PROBLEM WHICH WAS BROUGHT TO THERE ATTENTION FROM DAY ONE. ANNA COLE. *AK

• 12/26/2000· SEATS

  METAL FRAGMENT INSIDE FABRIC HAS PUNCTURED THROUGH IT ON DRIVER'S SIDE. METAL FRAGMENT JAMS INTO BACK OF DRIVER WHILE DRIVING. IT'S EXPOSED & HARD TO RECESS BACK WITHOUT RIPPING FABRIC. HAD BEEN IN CONTACT WITH MANUFACTURER. *AK

• 12/22/1994· SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

  BRAKES FAILED/BRAKE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR, RESULTING IN EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE. *AK

• 12/19/1997· ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

  VEHICLE WILL RUN AT HIGH IDLE AND SOMETIMES WILL STALL.

• 12/18/1996· SEAT BELTSCrash

  SHOULDER BELT FAILED TO RESTRAIN DRIVER IN ACCIDENT, CAUSING INJURY.

• 12/18/1996· AIR BAGS,SEAT BELTSCrash

  VEHICLE COLLISION, NO DEPLOYMENT OF AIR BAG AND THE SEAT BELT DID NOT LOCK PROPERLY, RESULTING IN INJURIES TO CONSUMER.

• 12/15/1998· POWER TRAIN

  THE CARTER PIN HAD FALLEN OFF & BROKE IN THE INTERNAL DIFFERENTIAL HOUSING, CAUSING TRANSMISSION TO PERFORM ERRATICALLY. ALSO, THE CLUTCH & DIFFERENTIAL HOUSING HAD TO BE REPLACED. *AK

• 12/13/2001· SEATS

  DRIVER'S SEATBACK FRAME BROKE AT MEET POINTS BETWEEN THE 2 DIFFERENT SEATBACK FRAME COMPONENTS. *AK

• 12/10/1996· AIR BAGSCrash

  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

• 12/05/1997· SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC,ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING,POWER TRAIN

  BRAKES HAVE NEVER WORKED PROPERLY. HAVE TO BRAKE AHEAD OF TIME TO AVOID ACCIDENT. DEALER REPLACED AND RESURFACED ROTORS 2 TIMES. TRANSMISSION LEAKING. REPLACED VALVE BODY COVER GASKET. ANOTHER MECHANIC CLAIMS CRACK IN TRANMISSION. FIRST HALF WAS DONE UNDER WARRANTY. SECOND TIME ROTORS/PADS WARRANTY HAD EXPIRED. DEFECT IS STILL REOCCURRING. *AK

• 12/03/1999· ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

  ALUMINUM ENGINE CRACKED AT MOUNTS ON RIGHT SIDE -- ENGINE IS HANGING

• 12/03/1998· SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULICCrash

  WHEN APPLYING BRAKES ON AN INCLINE, THE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR AND THERE WAS NO BRAKING ABILITY. THIS HAPPENED ON A CLEAR DAY ON DRY PAVEMENT, WITHOUT ANY KIND OF WARNING. THIS INCIDENT CAUSED DRIVER TO CRASH INTO TWO CARS. *AK

• 12/03/1998· SEAT BELTSCrash

  CONSUMER WAS BACKING OUT OF A PARKING SPACE, DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 5-10MPH SHE WAS STRUCK BY ANOTHER DRIVER . WHEN THROWN AGAINST THE SEAT BELT, THE THE SEAT BELT DISCONECTED AND CONSUMER WAS INJURED. *AK

• 12/01/1998· SEATSCrash

  CONSUMER WAS STOPPING AT A LIGHT WHEN ANOTHER VEHICLE REAR ENDED CONSUMER, CAUSING THE VEHICLE SEATBACK REST TO COLLAPSE. DEALER/ MFR. NOTIFIED. *AK

• 11/30/2006· TIRES

  I HAVE A TEMPORARY SPARE THAT HAS NEVER BEEN USED & CAME WITH THE CAR WHEN I PURCHASED IT NEW. ON NOVEMBER 21, 2006, I DISCOVERED MY RIGHT FRONT PASSENGER SIDE TIRE WAS PLAT & CHANGED IT, INSTALLING THE EMERGENCY FLAT (WHICH HAD NEVER BEEN USED). I HEADED TO THE NTB TIRE STORE TO PURCHASE A NEW TIRE. AFTER DRIVING ONLY 2 ,MILES, THE EMERGENCY TIRE EXPLODED. I HAD TO CALL AAA & BE TOWED TO THE TIRE STORE. THE TIRE THAT EXPLODED: FIRESTONE TIEMPA SPARE T115/70R14 88M I HAD TO BUY A NEW TIRE. NOW, I ALSO HAVE TO BUY A NEW RIM + TIRE TO SERVE AS MY SPARE. I FEEL THAT, ALTHOUGH THE CAR WAS OLD, THE EMERGENCY SPARE, NEVER USED, WAS DEFECTIVE, AND EITHER GM (SATURN) OR FIRESTONE SHOULD BE HELD LIABLE FOR REPLACEMENT. THIS UNSAFE TIRE SHOULD NEVER HAVE BEEN INSTALLED AS THE ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT SPARE. I HAVE SAVED THE TIRE FOR INSPECTION BY ANY PARTY. *JB

• 11/27/1995· ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

  THE ENGINE IS WALKING AND THE OIL IS LEAKING. TT

• 11/19/1997· POWER TRAINFire

  WHEEL BEARING LOCKED UP CAUSING FIRE.

• 11/12/1996· ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

  UPPER MOTOR MOUNTS FAILED 2 TIMES.

• 11/10/1998· SEATS

  DRIVER'S SIDE SEATBACK FRAME FAILURE.

• 11/02/1994· SEAT BELTS

  FOAM PADDING COMING OUT OF RIGHT/LEFT FRONT SEAT BELT TRIM AREAS. *SKD

• 10/30/1998· POWER TRAIN

  THE TRANSMISSION SHIFTS GEARS HARSHLY & ERRATICALLY. IT'S NOT ONLY UNCOMFORTABLE BUT DANGEROUS AS WELL. SATURN IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM BECAUSE I HAVE A COPY OF A TECHNICAL BULLETIN(#93-T-22A) THAT THEY ISSUED WHICH DESCRIBES THE PROBLEM. I WROTE TO THE PRESIDENT OF SATURN (DON HUDLER) IN APRIL 1997. THE REPLY I RECEIVED FROM HIS OFFICE WAS THAT SINCE THE WARRANTY IS UP, THE NEED FOR REPAIRS IS UNFORTUNATE AND THEY REFUSED TO REIMBURSE ME $750. THEY ALSO SAID THAT JUST BECAUSE THEY ISSUE A TECHNICAL BULLETIN DOESN'T MEAN THAT THE CAR HAS ANY PROBLEM. SO, AFTER HAVING IT FIXED IN 4/97, THE CAR WAS FINE UNTIL 8/98. I'M HAVING THE SAME EXACT PROBLEM AGAIN. I CAN GIVE YOU A COPY OF THE TECHNICAL BULLETIN AND LETTER FROM SATURN IF YOU NEED IT. I KNOW I'M NOT THE ONLY ONE WITH THIS PROBLEM. DOZENS OF MECHANICS HAVE TOLD ME THAT THEY'VE ENCOUNTERED THIS PROBLEM PLENTY OF TIMES WITH SATURNS. WHEN I TOOK THE CAR TO LEE MYLES TRANSMISSIONS, THEY KNEW WHAT WAS WRONG WITH THE TRANY BEFORE THEY EVEN TOOK IT FOR A TEST D

• 10/30/1998· SEATSCrash

  IN A HIGH SPEED ACCIDENT IN WHICH THE OCCUPANT WAS REAR ENDED, THE DRIVER'S AND PASSENGER'S SEATBACKS FELL BACK, CAUSING INJURIES. CAUSE UNKNOWN. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

• 10/29/1996· VEHICLE SPEED CONTROLCrash

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

• 10/24/2003· ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

  THE ALTERNATOR BELT BROKE FOUR TIMES SINCE OWNERSHIP. ON ONE OCCASION, THE CONSUMER WAS DRIVING AT 50 MPH AND THE BELT BROKE, WHICH CAUSED THE POWER STEERING TO BECOME INOPERATIVE, AND ALMOST RESULTING IN AN ACCIDENT. DEALER AND THE MANUFACTURER HAVE BEEN INFORMED OF THE PROBLEM.*AK THE SERPENTINE BELT FELL OFF WHILE DRIVING, DEALER REPLACED. *TS *JB

• 10/24/2001· ELECTRICAL SYSTEMFire

  CAR FIRE AFTER CAR WAS OFF FOR 1.8 HOURS. *AK

• 10/24/1996· SERVICE BRAKES, AIR

  REPLACED ROTORS AT 17000 MILES.

• 10/24/1995· STRUCTURE

  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

• 10/21/1997· ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,SEAT BELTS

  SEAT BELT DEFECTS. ELECTRICAL SYSTEM DEFECTS--POWER ACCESSORIES DON'T WORK.

• 10/20/1997· POWER TRAIN

  SECOND GEAR ACTUATOR FAILED. MJS

• 10/19/2002· ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING,STRUCTURE

  VALVE TRAIN SEEMS TO FAIL AT ABOUT 95-160 THOUSAND MILES WITH UNKNOWN CAUSE. CALLED BOTH DEALER AND REPAIR SHOPS. BOTH SEEM TO SAY THE SAME. EITHER VALVE SEATS OR PISTON RINGS FAIL AT THESE POINTS OF MILAGE. BETWEEN 95,000 TO 160,000 MILES WITH UNKNOWN CAUSE. SOME SAID MIGHT BE THE ALUMINUM HEAD DEFECT, OTHERS SAID THAT THERE ARE STRESS CRACKS FROM THE MOLDING OF THE HEAD. THEY ALL SAY CAN NOT REALLY TELL UNTIL TAKEN APART AND VISUALLY CHECKED. HIGH COST TO DO THIS. BUT NO KNOWN RECALLS ON THE HEAD DEFECT OR VALVE SEAT OR VALVE TRAIN SYSTEM. ALSO ON THE DOOR HINGE, THE DOOR SEALS LET WATER DOWN TO THE HINGE AND IT ROTS OUT THE HINGE ON THE DOOR, CAUSING THE DOOR TO FALL OR ROT OFF.

• 10/16/1997· VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

  CRUISE CONTROL FAILED.

• 10/14/1998· ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

  ENGINE RUNS ROUGH, STALLING CONTINUALLY.

• 10/14/1997· ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

  VALVE BODY FAILURE CAUSING VEHICLE TO TAKE 10-20 SECONDS TO MOVE IN REVERSE GEAR. YH

• 10/13/1994· VISIBILITY

  REAR WINDOW EXPLODED. *AW

• 10/11/1995· SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

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

• 10/07/1998· SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

  TOTAL FAILURE OF BRAKES.

• 10/06/1999· SEAT BELTS

  THE SHOULDER BELT RETRACTORS ARE JAMMED ON DRIVER'S AND PASSENGER'S SIDES, LEAVING OCCUPANTS UNPROTECTED. DEALER HAS NOT SEEN. *AK

• 10/04/2000· SEATS

  MY SEAT FLIES BACK I HAVE CONTACTED SATURN ABOUT THIS ISSUE. AND THEY SAY BEING SINCE MY CAR IS A 1993 THEY CAN NOT DO ANYTHING BECAUSE ITS NOT YET BEEN ADDED TO THE RECAL AND MAYBE NEVER WILL. I DONT CARE ABOUT MY SEAT BECAUSE I AM HAVING IT FIXED , I JUST THOUGH SOMEONE SHOULD KNOW THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS. IT SCARED ME TO READ ABOUT SATURN SEATS IN THE ROANOKE TIMES ON SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 23, 2000. I HAVE KEPT ALL LETTERS THAT SATURN HAS WROTE TO ME AND ALL LETTERS I HAVE WROTE TO THEM ABOUT THIS ISSUE. THEY SEEM TO NOT CARE THAT THEIR IS ALOT OF PEOPLE THAT THIS COULD HURT IF NOBODY DOES ANYTHING AND MANY PEOPLE ARE LEFT UNTOLD. THANKS FOR ALL YOUR HELP . PLEASE CONTACT ME IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR CONCERNS. I WOULD BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS. MS. VAUGHT

• 10/04/1999· SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULICCrash

  WITHOUT WARNING CONSUMER WENT TO STOP AND THERE WERE NO BRAKES, AND PEDAL WENT TO FLOOR. CONSUMER HAD TO JUMP CURB TO AVOID HITTING VEHICLE THAT WAS AT A STOP LIGHT. ATTEMPTED TO MAKE A RIGHT HAND TURN, BUT THERE WAS A BRICK IN THE WAY, CAR WENT INTO A PEDESTRIAN WALK AREA, AND CRASHED HEAD-ON INTO A VAN. THEN VEHICLE STOPPED. *AK

• 09/30/2000· SEATS

  FRONT SEATBACK REPLACED, AT OWNERS EXPENSE. *AK

• 09/30/1999· POWER TRAIN

  TRANSMISSION DELAYS THEN SLAMES INTO REVERSE WHEN HOT. THE VALVE BODY WAS REPLACED FOUR TIMES BY THE SAME DEALER. NOW THE DEALER WANTS TO TAKE THE TRANS. APART WITH A FIVE HOUR LABOR CHARGE. THE COST WOULD ABOUT $500. JUST TO FIND OUT WHAT WAS WRONG ALL THE LONG. WITH NO REIMBURSEMENT FOR THE FIRST FOUR VALVE BODIES.

• 09/29/2000· TIRES

  JUST WANTED THIS IN THE RECORD BOOKS IN CASE OTHERS EXPERIENCED IT. TWICE THIS YEAR, I HAD BLOW-OUTS OF MY FIRESTONE TIRE ON THE FREEWAY GOING 65MPH. BOTH TIMES THE BLOWOUT WAS CAUSED BY THE TREADS FALLING OFF THE TIRE. I DID NOT THINK ANYTHING OF IT UNTIL RECENTLY AND JUST REPLACED THE TIRES. I AM LOOKING FOR NO COMPENSATION. I JUST WANT TO LET OTHERS KNOW THAT I HAD THIS PROBLEM ON MY LITTLE SATURN CAR WITH ITS FIRESTONE TIRES.*AK (TIRESIZE: P175 70R14)( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: P175 70R14 )

• 09/25/2000· TIRES

  PE00-020;WHILE DRIVING ABOUT 70 MPH WHEN RIGHT REAR TIRE HAD A TREAD SEPARATION.TIRE DID NOT WENT FLAT. FIRESTONE, P175/70R14. *AK THE CUSTOMER BOUGHT NEW TIRE AND REPLACED THE FAILED ONE. *YH

• 09/24/2000· SERVICE BRAKES, AIR

  BRAKES DO NOT WORK SOMETIMES NO MATTER WHAT YOUR SPEED IS SOMETIMES THEY STOP AND SOMETIMES THEY HIT THE FLOOR.DEALER DOES NOT KNOW WHY,APPARENTLY THE ABS SYSTEM RUNS A CHECK WHEN YOU FIRST START YOUR CAR THAT IS WHAT IT APPEARS TO BE DOING WHEN I LOOSE MY BRAKES NO ONE KNOWS WHY

• 09/23/2015· UNKNOWN OR OTHER

  KEY CAME OUT OF IGNITION WHILE GOING AROUND CORNER, ENGINE CONTINUED TO RUN, EVERYTHING ELSE FUNCTIONED NORMALLY. A LOCKSMITH CUT A NEW KEY THAT IS SINGLE SIDED, THIS DOES NOT FALL OUT BUT ALSO DOES NOT FUNCTION ON LOCKS.

• 09/18/2001· SEATS

  WHEN ADJUSTING FRONT SEAT, SEATS GOES BACKWARD, CONSUMER CAN HEAR SEAT CLICKING AS IT CHANGES POSITIONS, AND IT FALLS TO THE BACK, CONTACTED DEALER.*AK CONSUMER STATES THIS HAPPENS WHILE DRIVING ALSO. *SLC

• 09/13/1996· SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

  ANTI LOCK BRAKES FAILED, CAUSING WHEELS TO LOCK UP.