Your vehicle report
1993 Saturn SL
The problems owners report. The recalls to check. The evidence behind each.
Your vehicle at a glance
Complaint patterns and official recall records, kept distinct.
- Owner complaints
- 175
- Received Jan 1995 to Jul 2017
Owner reports
Most reported problems
- 1Seat belt fails to latch or retract25 complaints · 14% of this vehicle’s complaints
- 2Cruise control fails to disengage18 complaints · 10% of this vehicle’s complaints
- 3Airbags fail to deploy in crashes11 complaints · 6.3% of this vehicle’s complaints
Official NHTSA records
Recalls to check
- Recall #93V132000The generator electrical wiring is not protected against excessive current flow which may be caused by an electrical short circuit in the generator.
- Recall #93V094000The positive battery cable terminal at the starter solenoid may be formed incorrectly. Incorrectly formed terminals can contact the starter solenoid housing and cause an electric short circuit.
BrakeNews signals
Flagged complaint patterns
Unusual complaint patterns with no matched recall yet. A flag does not mean a recall will happen.
No problems currently meet BrakeNews’s flagging criteria. This is not a safety rating.
How flags are identifiedComplaint counts reflect reports submitted to NHTSA, not failure rates or a reliability ranking. Reported in these complaints: 24 crashes, 8 fires, 14 people injured, 0 deaths.
Explore by system
Where do owners report problems?
Choose an area on the car or a system below to explore the reported problems.
Illustrative only; not this vehicle’s exact design. Areas represent complaint categories, not confirmed defective parts.
Showing all 17 listed problems by system.
Engine & powertrain
Brakes
- Brake pedal sinks due to leaking lines
- Anti-lock brakes fail or lock up
- Front brake rotors warp and wear early
1 more problem
Electrical & lights
Airbags, belts & seats
Steering, suspension & tires
Body, doors & glass
Driver assistance
No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.
Other
No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.
Complaint history
When NHTSA received these reports. Changes in reporting alone do not establish a change in failure rates.
Show as a table
| Year | Complaints |
|---|---|
| 1995 | 40 |
| 1996 | 20 |
| 1997 | 23 |
| 1998 | 22 |
| 1999 | 14 |
| 2000 | 19 |
| 2001 | 13 |
| 2002 | 7 |
| 2003 | 3 |
| 2004 | 5 |
| 2005 | 2 |
| 2006 | 2 |
| 2007 | 0 |
| 2008 | 0 |
| 2009 | 0 |
| 2010 | 0 |
| 2011 | 0 |
| 2012 | 0 |
| 2013 | 0 |
| 2014 | 3 |
| 2015 | 1 |
| 2016 | 0 |
| 2017 | 1 |
| 2018 | 0 |
| 2019 | 0 |
| 2020 | 0 |
| 2021 | 0 |
| 2022 | 0 |
| 2023 | 0 |
| 2024 | 0 |
| 2025 | 0 |
| 2026 (to Oct 2026) | 0 |
| Total | 175 |
Problems owners report
Listed groups have at least 3 complaints. The page includes the 20 largest groups plus any additional flagged groups; some complaints are not assigned to a group.
| Problem | Complaints | Share | Share ratio | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Seat belt fails to latch or retract | 25 | 14% | – | |
| Cruise control fails to disengage | 18 | 10% | – | |
| Airbags fail to deploy in crashes | 11 | 6.3% | – | |
| Brake pedal sinks due to leaking lines | 11 | 6.3% | – | |
| Vehicle catches fire from wiring | 8 | 4.6% | – | |
| Anti-lock brakes fail or lock up | 8 | 4.6% | – | |
| Tires blow out or tread separates | 7 | 4.0% | – | |
| Engine suddenly shuts off while driving | 6 | 3.4% | – | |
| Front brake rotors warp and wear early | 6 | 3.4% | – | |
| Transmission will not engage reverse gear | 6 | 3.4% | – | |
| Automatic transmission shifts unexpectedly or slips | 5 | 2.9% | – | |
| Head gasket leaks coolant into engine | 5 | 2.9% | – | |
| Transmission fails or loses power while driving | 5 | 2.9% | – | |
| Rear door latch fails to open or close | 4 | 2.3% | – | |
| Fuel pump fails and engine stalls | 4 | 2.3% | – | |
| Brakes make grinding or squealing noise | 4 | 2.3% | – | |
| Serpentine belt breaks or slips off | 3 | 1.7% | – |
AI groups complaints by meaning; the groups are approximate. Share ratio compares the problem’s share of this vehicle’s complaints with its share on other vehicles over the last 24 months (shown from 3 recent complaints). A 2× ratio means twice the complaint share, not twice the failure risk. Flags mark unusual shares or recent surges after an AI review of the complaint content. “First signal” does not mean the pattern has persisted continuously.How recall estimates are calculated.
Recalls
NHTSA recall #93V132000August 10, 1993352,833 vehicles affected
electrical system: alternator/generator/regulator
The generator electrical wiring is not protected against excessive current flow which may be caused by an electrical short circuit in the generator.
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.
Remedy
The generator wiring harness will be replaced with one that will open as a fuse would under certain excessive current flow conditions.
NHTSA recall #93V094000May 25, 199314,459 vehicles affected
electrical system: 12v/24v/48v battery: cables
The positive battery cable terminal at the starter solenoid may be formed incorrectly. Incorrectly formed terminals Can contact the starter solenoid housing and cause an electric short circuit.
An electrical short circuit between the battery cable andthe starter housing Can result in an underhood fire.
Remedy
Inspect and, if necessary, adjust the clearance between the positive battery cable terminal so that it does not contact the starter solenoid housing.
Other model years
About this data
NHTSA complaints and recalls through October 2026. Complaints are counted once each, however many components they name. Original complaints are on NHTSA's page for the 1993 Saturn SL.
Problem groups are formed by AI and may be approximate. BrakeNews flags unusual complaint patterns; they are not official defect findings. Investigation reports are written and checked by AI, with no human review. Owner reports do not establish that a defect exists.
Read the methodology and track record · Check current recalls by VIN