1994 Saturn SL

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

• 12/30/1998· ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

  VEHICLE WOULD LEAK OIL INTO THE SPARK PLUGS. ENGINE HEAD GASKETS SEALING IS NOT RETAINING THE OIL. *AK *ML

• 12/28/2000· SEATS

  SEAT RECLINER SKIPS TEETH, FAILS, SATURN REFUSES TO REPLACE UNDER RECALL, CLAIMS DATE OF MANUFACTURE JUST PAST RECALL DATES. UNSAFE. *AK

• 12/23/1997· ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

  AFTER STOPPING FOR A TRAFFIC LIGHT, VEHICLE LOST POWER DUE TO ALTERNATOR MALFUNCTIONING. *AK

• 12/22/1999· ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

  CALIF. REQUIRED THE RECALL OF 1994 SATURNS DUE TO FAULTY CATALYTIC CONVERTERS. I CALLED SATURN AND THEY USE THE DATE OF PURCHASE AS A REASON NOT TO COMPLY. THIS CAR WAS PURCHASED IN MAY 1995 WITH OVER 300 MILES ON IT. ALSO, I NOTICED ONE TIME WHEN I WAS HAVING ANOTHER PROBLEM TO REPAIR, SATURN HAD REPLACED CATALYTIC CONVERTER ON THE WORK FORM. I WATCHED THE REPAIR AND NO ONE TOUCHED THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER. SATURN IS NOT COMPLYING WITH CALIF. RECALL COMPLETELY BY USING PURCHASE DATE INSTEAD OF MFG. DATE. CALIF. DEPT. OF AIR RESOURCES AND AUTO REPAIR ASK ME TO NOTIFY NTSA. THE RECALL WAS NOV. 22,1999. THIS CAR HAS BEEN MARGINAL ON SMOG READINGS. I WOULD APPRECIATE YOU CHECKING THIS OUT. THANK YOU. *AK

• 12/20/2004· SEAT BELTS

  WHILE DRIVING CONSUMER STOPPED AT A STOP SIGN, AND CHILD SITTING IN A CHILD SAFETY SEAT TOLD THE FATHER THAT THE SEAT BELT CAME COMPLETELY OUT OF THE BACK OF THE SEAT. HOWEVER, ALL SEAT BELTS IN THE BACK SEAT REMAINED UNSTITCHED. CONSUMER CONTACTED THE DEALER. *AK

• 12/20/1994· POWER TRAIN

  SPEEDOMETER FAILED. *AK

• 12/18/1997· SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

  ABS; DRIVING AT APPROX 30-35 MPH WENT ABOUT 3 MILES, LEFT EMERGENCY PARK BRAKE ON,CAME TO A STOP , SAW LIGHT SMOKE COMING FROM REAR ,RELEASED EMEGENCY BRAKE,WENT DOWN HILL ,WENT TO BRAKE, PEDAL WENT TO FLOOR , COMPLETELY LOST BRAKES. HAD TO DOWNSHIFT TO COME TO STOP. DEALER SAID BRAKE FLUID HEATED UP, EMERGENCY BRAKE WAS APPLIED TO REAR. SYSTEM WAS DESIGNED WITH DIAGONAL BRAKES WHICH CAUSED EMERGENCY BRAKE TO HEAT BOTH CIRCUITS. *A

• 12/15/1995· VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

  THE CRUISE CONTROL ONLY WORKS SOMETIMES. TT

• 12/14/1998· SEAT BELTS

  SHOULDER BELT MOTOR ON DRIVERS SIDE WILL OPEN AND SLIDE FORWARD WHILE DRIVING, DEALER CONTACTED, AND CANNOT REMEDY THE PROBLEM. ALSO STATES MANUFACTURER'S DEFECT. NO WARRANTY. REPAIRS WILL BE AT OWNER'S EXPENSE. *AK

• 12/12/1999· SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

  TTHIS WAS THE THIRD OCCURRENCE. WHEN THE FIRST OCCURRED THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE SATURN DEALERSHIP IN BOWIE MARYLAND FOR CHECK/REPAIR, BUT THEY FOUND NO PROBLEM AND RELEASED THE CAR BACK TO NORNAL DRIVING AS O K . THIS HAS BEEN AN INTERMITTENT PROBLEM AT DIFFERENT DRIVING SPEEDS AND IS VERY SCARY TO APPLY THE BRAKES ONLY TO KEEP GOING. THE BRAKE PEDAL HAS ACTED NORMALLY ON ONE OCCASION AND HAS GONE TO THE FLOOR ON OTHER OCCASIONS, BUT THE CAR CONTINUES TO ROLL WHILE PRESSURE IS STILL APPLIED ON ALL OCCASIONS. THE SYSTEM HAS BEEN CHECKED FOR LEAKS AND PROPER FLUID LEVEL, BOTH O K . PLEASE ADVISE AS TO THE BEST AND PROPER PROCEDURE TO FOLLOW TO HELP CORRECT THIS AS SOON AS POSSIBLE ESPECIALLY SINCE WE HAVE NO WARNING WHEN THE BRAKES FAIL. I FEEL OUR LIVES AND OTHERS MAY BE SAVED BY YOUR ADVICE AND RECCOMMENDATIONS . THANK YOU , JAMES A. LANDEN. *AK

• 12/12/1995· VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

  VEHICLE WILL NOT ACCELERATE PASSED 40 MPH MORE OFTEN ON COLD START. PLEASE DESCRIBE DETAILS. TT

• 12/12/1994· POWER TRAIN

  TRANSMISSION STUCK IN 4TH GEAR, CAUSING LOSS OF 2ND/3RD GEARS AND VEHICLE TO STALL. *SKD

• 12/10/1997· SEATS

  DRIVING HOME & STOPPING AT REST STOP. RECLINED FRONT SEAT BACKWARDS FOR AWHILE. WAS STARTING BACK HOME WHEN RECLINING SEAT WOULD LOCK BACK IN PLACE. WAS SEATING UPRIGHT ENTIRE TIME OF DRIVING. HAS NOT TAKEN TO DEALER AS OF YET. *AK

• 12/08/1998· SEATS

  EA 98017, SEATBACK FAILURE; THE SEATBACK ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE HAS COLLAPSED. THE DEALER IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. THE SEATBACK HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED. *AK

• 12/07/1995· SEATSCrash

  VEHICLE REARENDED WHILE STOPPED; DRIVER AND FRONT PASSENGER BUCKET SEAT REST FLIPPED FLAT ONTO BACK SEATS. TT

• 12/05/1997· SEATS

  WHILE DRIVING THE DRIVER'S SEATBACK DISENGAGED WHEN ACCELERATING. ALSO, INTERMITTENTLY THE PASSENGER'S SEAT GOES BACK WHEN THE VEHICLE ACCELERATES. THE DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. *AK

• 12/05/1995· POWER TRAIN

  WHEN YOU PUT THE CAR IN REVERSE IT STALLS AND JUMPS IN GEAR. PLEASE DESCRIBE. TT

• 12/04/2000· VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

  UNCOMMANDED ACCELERATION: CAR ACCELERATES ALL BY ITSELF, TO 4000 RPM. *AK

• 12/04/1994· STRUCTURE

  VEHICLE HAS INADEQUATE HEAD ROOM/DRIVER HITS HEAD WHEN PASSING OVER BUMPS. *AK

• 11/30/2001· STEERING,ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,VISIBILITY,UNKNOWN OR OTHER

  I FEEL THAT SATURN MADE A LEMON AND I BOUGHT IT! I HAVE BROUGHT THIS UP TO MY SALES PERSON. HE REFUSED TO TAKE MY PHONE CALLS. SATURN REFUSES TO GIVE ME THE NAMES OF THE "HIGHER-UPS" IN WHICH TO BRING MY GRIEVANCES TOO. I FEEL THERE ARE TOO MANY MAJOR REPAIRS FOR ONLY 29,000 MILES THAT I HAVE PUT ON THIS CAR. NO SAFETY DEFECT LISTED. *AK

• 11/30/1998· VEHICLE SPEED CONTROLCrash

  WHILE DRIVING AT 70 MPH, THE CRUISE CONTROL WOULD NOT DISENGAGE WHEN DRIVER TAPPED THE BRAKES/ACCELERATOR OR BY TURNING OFF SWITCH. HUSBAND PULLED UP EMGERENCY BRAKE TO STOP VEHICLE, AFTER BRAKES FAILED, WHICH CAUSED VEHICLE TO FISHTAIL AND HIT SIDE OF BRIDGE. THE VEHICLE WILL BE REPAIRED. *AK

• 11/30/1994· POWER TRAIN

  TRANSAXLE FAILED IN PARK/NEUTRAL POSITIONS. *AK

• 11/27/1996· SEAT BELTS

  OWNER STATES THAT HE HAS DIFFICULTY WITH FRONT SEAT BELTS , HE NOTES THAT WHEN KEY IS OUT OF INGNITION, SEAT BELTS TIGHTEN.

• 11/22/1996· SEATSCrash

  WHILE DRIVING STOPPED SUDDENLY AND WAS REARENDED BY ANOTHER VEHICLE, DRIVER'S SEAT BROKE, DRIVER SNAPPED BACK OF NECK AND HIT BACK OF HEAD. *AK

• 11/21/1997· ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

  SERPENTINE BELT FAILED CAUSING NOISE.

• 11/21/1994· SEAT BELTS

  AUTOMATIC SHOULDER HARNESS FAILED. *AK

• 11/21/1994· SEAT BELTS

  DRIVER'S SHOULDER HARNESS STICKS IN RESTRAINT POSITION, CAUSING DRIVER TO BE STUCK IN VEHICLE. *SKD

• 11/20/1994· SEAT BELTS

  FRONT AND REAR SEAT BELTS LOCK UP AFTER TURNING OFF VEHICLE, PREVENTING DRIVER/PASSENGER FROM GETTING OUT OF VEHICLE. *SKD

• 11/20/1994· SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

  BRAKES OVERHEAT, CAUSING PADS/ROTORS TO WARP. *SKD

• 11/19/1998· SEATS

  CONSUMER STATES THE SEATS ARE NOT UPDATED OR STRENGTHENED, SEEING CRASH TESTS ON TV SHOWED SEAT COLLAPSING AND THIS VEHICLE DOES NOT COMPLY. DEALER CONTACTED AND IS NOT AWARE OF THE PROBLEM, PROBLEM OCCURRED SEVEN TIMES IN THE TESTS, PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. *AK

• 11/19/1998· AIR BAGSCrash

  CONSUMER WAS IN AN ACCIDENT ON 18 NOV 98 , AND AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY. HE WAS DRIVING ABOUT 60 MPH WHEN HE HIT THE OTHER CAR.

• 11/18/2002· ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

  WHILE PLACING THE KEY INSIDE OF THE IGNITION THE KEY WAS STUCK INSIDE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED PLEASE PROVIDE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. DEALER IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM.. TS

• 11/17/1994· POWER TRAIN

  TRANSMISSION JUMPS INTO REVERSE GEAR AFTER DRIVING 40-50 MILES. *AK

• 11/17/1994· SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULICCrash

  BRAKES LOCKED UP ON WET ROADWAY, CAUSING LOSS OF CONTROL/ACCIDENT. *SKD

• 11/16/1994· UNKNOWN OR OTHER

  TOW BAR DESIGN, CAUSES VEHICLE TO BOTTOM OUT ON DIPS/RAMPS/DRIVEWAYS.

• 11/15/2001· AIR BAGS

  WHILE AT ANOTHER DELEARSHIP HAVING VEHCLE LOOKED AT THEY INDICATED THERE IS NO AIRBAG THAT IS IN USE ON THE DRIVER SIDE. IT WAS DEPLOYED IN PREVIOUS ACCIDENT BEFORE I PURCHASED VEHICLE AND DEALERSHIP WHERE I PURCHASED VEHICLE DID NOT INDICATE PRIOR ACCIDENT OR AIRBAG WOULF NOT DEPLOY IN FUTURE ACCIDENTS EVEN THOUGH I HAVE A THREE YEAR OLD CHILD, AND I AM EIGHT MONTHS PREGNANT. *AK

• 11/13/2001· SEAT BELTS

  MOTORIZED RETRACTOR FAILS TO RETRACT THE SHOULDER SAFETY BELT.*AK

• 11/12/1994· VISIBILITY

  POWER WINDOW FAILED. *SKD

• 11/12/1994· POWER TRAIN

  TRANSMISSION CLUTCH PLATE FAILURE.

• 11/10/1998· SEAT BELTS

  NTERMITTENTLY THE POWER SHOULDER BELT USED TO RETRACT. NOW SHOULDER BELT DOES NOT RETRACT AT ALL. DEALER AND MANUFACTURER HAVE BEEN CONTACTED. *AK

• 11/07/1998· VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

  HELLO, THE CAR WILL SOMETIMES STALL WHEN COMING TO A STOP. IT WILL AT OTHER TIMES JERK AND HESITATE ON ACCELERATION. WHEN COLD, AFTER STARTING, IT WILL HAS A DECREASE IN RPM AS THE GAS PEDAL IS PUSHED DOWN, KINDA LIKE IT BOGS OUT. WORST OF ALL AFTER WARMING UP THE IDLE WILL SURGE TO ~2500 RPM EVEN WITH THE ACCELERATOR OUT. THIS MAKES SHIFTING SOMEWHAT PROBLEMATIC. IF YOU HAVE ANY ADVICE FOR ME, IT WOULD BE MUCH APPRECIATED. THANKS TONY

• 11/06/2002· SEATS

  THE GEAR TEETH ON THE MECHANICAL MECHANISM FOR THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDE INTERIOR SEAT. CAUSING THE SEAT COLLAPSE SUDDENLY WITH PRIOR WARNING PLEASE FURNISH ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. DEALER IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. MR

• 11/05/1996· ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

  DURING VEHICLE OPERATION THE VEHICLE STALLS WITHOUT WARNING. THIS HAS BEEN A CONTINUOUS PROBLEM AND THE DEALER IS UNABLE TO FIND THE PROBLEM OR SOLUTION. *AK

• 11/04/1994· VISIBILITY

  DRIVER'S POWER WINDOW FAILED THREE TIMES. *SKD

• 11/01/1999· SEAT BELTS

  PASSENGER SIDE SHOULDER HARNESS DOES NOT RELEASE WHEN THE PASSENGER SIDE DOOR IS OPENED. NLM

• 10/30/2008· SEAT BELTS

  I OWN A 1994 SATURN SL1 . THIS MODEL OF CAR EMPLOYS "AUTOMATIC" STYLE SEAT BELTS, THAT ARE BUILT INTO THE DOOR FRAME. WHEN YOU OPEN THE DOOR THE SEAT BELT IS SUPPOSED TO OPEN BY SLIDING UP THE TRACK. WHEN YOU GET IN THE CAR AND CLOSE THE DOOR, THE SEAT BELT IS SUPPOSED TO CLOSE BY SLIDING BACK ON THE TRACK. THIS IS AN AUTOMATIC OPERATION DRIVEN BY A MECHANICAL MOTOR. THE TRACK OR SOMETHING IN THE MECHANISM HAS FAILED, AND THE SEAT BELT IS NO LONGER FUNCTIONAL WHAT SO EVER. I FEEL THIS IS WITHOUT A DOUBT A SAFETY RELATED ISSUE! HOW AM I SUPPOSED TO DRIVE AROUND A CAR WITHOUT A WORKING SEAT BELT??? SATURN IS REFUSING TO REPAIR THE ISSUE BECAUSE THE CAR IS OUT OF WARRANTY, BUT ACCORDING TO THE NHTSA "IF A SAFETY-RELATED DEFECT EXISTS IN A MOTOR VEHICLE OR ITEM OF MOTOR VEHICLE EQUIPMENT, THE MANUFACTURER MUST FIX IT AT NO COST TO THE OWNER." THEY WANT TO CHARGE ME AN EXORBITANT AMOUNT OF MONEY TO FIX THE ISSUE, AND ARE REFUSING TO COOPERATE WITH ME. IN THE MEANTIME I AM DRIVING AROUND A CAR WITHOUT A SEAT BELT!!! WHAT SHOULD I DO TO HAVE THIS CORRECTED? I HAVE TRIED TO CONTACT SATURN DIRECTLY AS WELL TO NO AVAIL! *TR

• 10/30/1998· ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

  SINCE PURCHASING THE VEHICLE NEW IN 1996, CONSUMER HAD TO PURCHASE 3 BATTERIES AND 2 ALTERNATORS. BOTH ONLY LASTED APPROXIMATELY 12 TO 15 MONTHS. SATURN MECHANIC IN FLORIDA STATED THAT THE BATTERY AND ALTERNATOR ARE BUILT TOO CLOSE TOGETHER. DEALER AND MANUFACTURER HAVE BEEN NOTIFIED. *AK

• 10/30/1996· SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC,VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

  CRUISE CONTROL FAILED TO DISENGAGE, CAUSING VEHICLE TO LOSE CONTROL, ALSO ABS BRAKES FAILED TO WORK PROPERLY. *AK

• 10/28/2008· SEATS

  VEHICLE DRIVER SEAT SLIPS BACKWARDS WHILE OPERATING THE VEHICLE. IT IS THE SAME EXACT PROBLEM AS THE FOLLOWING RECALL 99V045000, YET DEALER WAS CONTACTED AND THIS SPECIFIC VEHICLE IS NOT PART OF THE RECALL. *TR

• 10/27/2001· EXTERIOR LIGHTING

  NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK