NHTSA recalls & complaints · 1995–2002

Saturn SL recalls, complaints and VIN decoding

NHTSA lists 12 recall campaigns and 1,605 owner complaints for the Saturn SL, covering model years 1995 to 2002. The 1995 model year drew the most complaints (355), and Engine and Engine Cooling is the component owners name most often.

Source: NHTSA recall and complaint flat files, updated September 25, 2026.

Decode your Saturn SL VIN

See the model year, plant and build details of one vehicle, then the recalls for its exact year.

12 recall campaigns on file
1,605 owner complaints (unverified reports to NHTSA)
8 model years with data (1995–2002)

most complaints: 1995 (355 for that model year)
top component: Engine and Engine Cooling (309 complaints)
latest recall 00V310000 (reported Oct 12, 2000)

250 complaints reporting a crash (15.6%)
28 complaints reporting a fire (1.7%)
175 complaints reporting an injury (10.9%)
4 complaints reporting a death (0.2%)

Saturn SL complaints by model year

8 model years · NHTSA complaints

The 1995 model year has the most complaints: 355 of 1,605, or 22.1%. Next come 1996 (287) and 1997 (227). The fewest are for 2001, with 111 complaints.

Owner complaints per model yearHighest yearOther years

Saturn SL complaints by model year, with complaints reporting a crash, fire, injury or death

Saturn SL complaints by model year, with complaints reporting a crash, fire, injury or death
Model year	Complaints	Reporting a crash	Reporting a fire	Reporting an injury	Reporting a death
1995	355	77	6	48	0
1996	287	50	2	35	1
1997	227	30	9	25	0
1998	168	23	2	20	1
1999	178	26	1	17	0
2000	148	10	3	6	2
2001	111	14	0	9	0
2002	131	20	5	15	0
All model years	1,605	250	28	175	4

Crash, fire, injury and death columns count complaints that report at least one of them, not people.

Most-reported Saturn SL components

top 15 · NHTSA categories

Engine and Engine Cooling is the component named most often, in 309 complaints (19.3% of all 1,605), followed by Electrical System (232) and Power Train (232).

Components named most often in Saturn SL complaints (top 15)

Components named most often in Saturn SL complaints (top 15)
Component	Complaints	Share of complaints
Engine and Engine Cooling	309	19.3%
Electrical System	232	14.5%
Power Train	232	14.5%
Service Brakes, Hydraulic	192	12.0%
Seats	135	8.4%
Air Bags	121	7.5%
Steering	99	6.2%
Tires	85	5.3%
Visibility	76	4.7%
Vehicle Speed Control	74	4.6%
Seat Belts	72	4.5%
Structure	58	3.6%
Suspension	44	2.7%
Unknown or Other	38	2.4%
Fuel System, Gasoline	34	2.1%

One complaint can name several components, so the shares add up to more than 100%. Component names are NHTSA’s top-level categories.

What NHTSA owner complaints mean

These figures count complaints that vehicle owners and other members of the public have submitted to NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation. NHTSA uses complaints, together with other data, to spot safety issues that may warrant an investigation and to check whether existing recalls go far enough.

They are reports, not findings. Each complaint is the submitter's own account. Its presence in the database does not mean NHTSA has confirmed a defect.
Counts are not defect rates. The data doesn't say how many vehicles were sold, so a raw count can't tell you what share of vehicles had a problem.
Popular models collect more complaints. A model sold in large numbers will usually gather more complaints than a rare one, simply because more people own it.
One complaint can name several components. Totals by component can therefore add up to more than the number of complaints.
Coverage starts in 1995. NHTSA's complaint file contains complaints received since January 1, 1995.

Use complaint patterns as a prompt for questions: whether a recall covers the issue, whether the vehicle you are considering has had the fix, and what a mechanic finds on inspection. For confirmed safety defects, see the recall list for this model.

Saturn SL recalls

12 campaigns · newest first

Every vehicle recall campaign NHTSA lists under the model name SL, newest first. The 12 campaigns cover model years 1995 to 2001. The 2000 model year appears in the most campaigns (7).

12 recall campaigns

Saturn SL recall campaigns covering each model year
Decade	Years ending in 0	Years ending in 1	Years ending in 2	Years ending in 3	Years ending in 4	Years ending in 5	Years ending in 6	Years ending in 7	Years ending in 8	Years ending in 9
1990s						1995: 3 campaigns	1996: 1 campaign	1997: 2 campaigns	1998: no campaigns	1999: 1 campaign
2000s	2000: 7 campaigns	2001: 2 campaigns

Highlighted: the model year with the most campaigns.

NHTSA campaign 00V310000
Reported Oct 12, 2000
Power Train › Automatic Transmission › Park/Neutral Start Interlock Switch
Model years 2000–2001
Vehicle description: certain passenger vehicles, equipped with automatic transaxles, fail to comply with the requirements of FMVSS No. 114, "theft protection." These vehicles were built with an improperly adjusted automatic transaxle park lock cable assembly. If improperly adjusted, it is possible to shift from the "park" position with the ignition key removed.
Consequence:
This condition increases the risk of a crash resulting from the unintended movement of parked vehicles.
Remedy:
Saturn is asking owners and retailers to perform a functional check of the automatic transaxle park lock cable assembly operation, and if necessary, to have the cable adjusted. If owners are not comfortable performing the functional check themselves, they can have their dealer perform this inspection for them.
Filed by General Motors, LLC
NHTSA campaign 00V309000
Reported Oct 12, 2000
Fuel System, Gasoline › Storage › Tank Assembly
Model years 2000–2001
Vehicle description: certain passenger vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of FMVSS No. 301, "fuel system integrity." These vehicles were built with an inadequate vent valve weld on the top portion of the fuel tank.
Consequence:
Fuel spillage could occur during refueling or if the vehicle were involved in a rollover. If an ignition source were present, a fire could occur.
Remedy:
Dealers will inspect the vehicle to ensure the fuel tank vent valve is properly welded. If necessary, dealers will replace the fuel tank assembly.
Filed by General Motors, LLC
NHTSA campaign 99V297000
Reported Oct 27, 1999
Structure › Body
Model year 2000
Vehicle description: passenger vehicles equipped with a console armrest fail to comply with requirements of FMVSS No. 201, "occupant protection in interior impacts." The armrests were produced with a latch that will not withstand the vertical force requirements of the standard.
Consequence:
In the event of a crash, the latch may open and the armrest or the contents of the console could injure an occupant.
Remedy:
Dealers will replace the console armrest latch.
Filed by General Motors, LLC
NHTSA campaign 99V280000
Reported Oct 20, 1999
Seat Belts › Front › Anchorage
Model years 1999–2000
Vehicle description: passenger vehicles. These vehicles do not comply with requirements of FMVSS No. 210, "seat belt assembly anchorages." Some of the vehicles were produced with seat belt shoulder guide anchor bolts that were not adequately tightened at the center pillar and could fall out, making the seat belt inoperative.
Consequence:
In the event of a crash, the seat occupant may not be properly restrained.
Remedy:
Dealers will inspect these vehicles for proper installation and torque of the seat belt shoulder guide anchor bolts.
Filed by General Motors, LLC
NHTSA campaign 99V231000
Reported Aug 24, 1999
Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Foundation Components
Model year 2000
Vehicle description: passenger vehicles. These vehicles do not comply with requirements of FMVSS No. 135, "passenger car brake systems." These vehicles were produced with brake pipe attachment nuts that may not be tightened to specifications.
Consequence:
If the brake pipe nuts are not properly tightened, brake fluid leakage could occur, increasing the brake's stopping distance.
Remedy:
Dealers will inspect the brake pipe nuts for leakage, verify they are tightened to specifications, and replace the brake pipes if needed.
Filed by General Motors, LLC
NHTSA campaign 99V232000
Reported Aug 23, 1999
Structure › Body › Bumpers
Model year 2000
Vehicle description: passenger vehicles. These vehicles do not comply with requirements of FMVSS No. 581, "bumper standard." These vehicles were produced with rear bumper fasteners that may be loose or missing.
Consequence:
If the fasteners are loose or missing, the rear bumper may not absorb energy as it was designed to do in the event of a rear end collision.
Remedy:
Dealers will verify that the rear bumper beam fasteners are present and properly tightened and, if missing, install new fasteners.
Filed by General Motors, LLC
NHTSA campaign 99V230000
Reported Aug 23, 1999
Unknown or Other
Model year 2000
Vehicle description: passenger vehicles. These vehicles do not comply with requirements of FMVSS No. 208, "occupant crash protection." Some of these vehicles were manufactured with welds in the instrument panel carrier assembly that do not meet Saturn quality standards.
Consequence:
A front seat occupant, particularly an unbelted occupant, may have an increased risk of injury in a frontal crash.
Remedy:
Dealers will repair the vehicle's instrument panel carrier assembly.
Filed by General Motors, LLC
NHTSA campaign 99V045000
Reported Mar 12, 1999
Seats
Model year 1995
Vehicle description: passenger vehicles. Some front seat back recliner gear teeth may wear excessively through repeated use, and could cause the seat back to slip partially rearward when force is applied.
Consequence:
If this happens while the vehicle is being driven, it could cause a loss of control, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy:
Dealers will replace the front seat recliner mechanisms.
Filed by General Motors, LLC
NHTSA campaign 97V155000
Reported Sep 12, 1997
Seats
Model year 1997
Vehicle description: passsenger vehicles. These vehicles were built with suspect cold welds on the right side in the tunnel area of the floor pan. This does not comply with the requirements of FMVSS No. 210, "seat belt anchorage."
Consequence:
In the event of a vehicle crash, the seat occupant may not be properly restrained increasing the risk of personal injury.
Remedy:
Dealers will repair these vehicles.
Filed by General Motors, LLC
NHTSA campaign 97V138000
Reported Aug 29, 1997
Steering › Gear Box (Other Than Rack and Pinion)
Model years 1996–1997
Vehicle description: passenger vehicles equipped with manual steering. The pinion bearing cage in the steering gear can separate under high steering system load conditions, such as parking lot or similar low speed maneuvers.
Consequence:
This could result in the pinion gear disengaging from the rack causing a loss of steering control.
Remedy:
Dealers will replace the manual steering gear assembly.
Filed by General Motors, LLC

Show 2 more recalls

NHTSA campaign 94V217000
Reported Nov 8, 1994
Power Train › Clutch Assembly › Pedal/Hand Lever(Motorcycle)
Model year 1995
The automatic transaxle park lock cable assembly was improperly adjusted making it possible to shift from the "park" position with the ignition key removed, or remove the ignition key with the shift lever in a position other than "park." This does not meet the requirements of FMVSS 114, "theft protection."
Consequence:
Consequence of non-compliance: unintended vehicle movement can occur which could result in an accident.
Remedy:
Consumers are being asked to inspect the park lock cable. If it does not perform correctly, dealers will make the necessary adjustments.
Filed by General Motors, LLC
NHTSA campaign 94V170000
Reported Sep 14, 1994
Steering › Gear Box (Other Than Rack and Pinion)
Model year 1995
The steering gear pinion shaft was improperly heat treated causing the shaft to fracture during vehicle operation.
Consequence:
Fracture of the steering gear pinion shaft causes complete loss of steering control which can result in an accident.
Remedy:
Dealers will replace the manual steering assembly.
Filed by General Motors, LLC

Recall text is shown as NHTSA publishes it; older campaigns, which NHTSA stores in capital letters, are shown in sentence case. NHTSA’s Vehicle Safety Hotline, 1-888-327-4236, also answers recall questions.

How to read this recall list

This list shows every safety recall campaign NHTSA has on file for this make, model and model year. It is not specific to one vehicle: a recall often covers only vehicles built in a certain date range or with a certain part, and many of the vehicles it covers will already have been repaired.

What each recall field means

What each recall field means
Field	What it tells you
Campaign number	NHTSA's unique ID for the recall, such as 20V771000. Quote it to a dealer or when searching NHTSA's site.
Component	The system or part involved, for example air bags, brakes or electrical software.
Summary	What the defect or non-compliance is and which vehicles are covered.
Consequence	The safety risk if the problem isn't fixed.
Remedy	What the manufacturer will do, such as a repair, replacement or software update, and whether it is free.

Some recalls carry an NHTSA consumer advisory, “Do Not Drive” or “Park Outside”. Follow it until the repair is done.
A single campaign often covers several models or model years, so the same campaign number can appear in more than one list.
Recalls are shown as NHTSA publishes them. Very recent campaigns may take time to appear.

Does your vehicle have an open recall? Only a VIN check can tell you. Enter the VIN at NHTSA's recall lookup (opens in a new tab) or on the manufacturer's website. Our VIN recall check guide explains what each option covers.

Saturn SL questions

5 questions

How many recalls does the Saturn SL have?

NHTSA lists 12 vehicle recall campaigns for the Saturn SL, covering model years 1995 to 2002. The most recent, 00V310000, was reported on October 12, 2000 and is filed under “Power train”. The 2000 model year is covered by the most campaigns (7).

Which Saturn SL model year has the most complaints?

The 1995 model year, with 355 of the 1,605 complaints in NHTSA’s file (22.1%). The next are 1996 (287) and 1997 (227). Complaint counts also reflect how many vehicles of each year were sold and how long they have been on the road, so they are not a reliability ranking.

What is the most common Saturn SL complaint?

Engine and Engine Cooling is the component named most often: 309 complaints, or 19.3% of all 1,605. Electrical System (232) and Power Train (232) follow. Complaints are unverified reports from owners, not confirmed defects, and one complaint can name several components.

Does every recall on this page apply to my Saturn SL?

Not necessarily. Each campaign lists specific model years, and many cover only vehicles built in a certain period or fitted with a certain part; repairs already carried out aren’t shown. To see whether a recall is open on your vehicle, enter its VIN at NHTSA’s recall lookup (opens in a new tab) or ask a Saturn dealer.

How many Saturn SL complaints report a crash, fire, injury or death?

Of the 1,605 complaints, 250 report a crash, 28 a fire, 175 at least one injury and 4 at least one death. These figures count complaints, not people, and each complaint is the submitter’s own unverified account.

8 models · most complaints first

The Saturn models with the most NHTSA complaints, and the Saturn VIN decoder with every Saturn model page, WMI code and VIN note.

Saturn Ion 2003–2008 · 10 recalls · 4,343 complaints
Saturn Vue 2002–2010 · 7 recalls · 2,351 complaints
Saturn LS 2000–2004 · 12 recalls · 1,458 complaints
Saturn Aura 2000–2010 · 5 recalls · 1,439 complaints
Saturn Outlook 2007–2010 · 10 recalls · 1,352 complaints
Saturn Sky 2007–2010 · 5 recalls · 516 complaints
Saturn SC1 1995–2001 · 6 recalls · 252 complaints
Saturn SC 1995–2002 · 12 recalls · 201 complaints

All Saturn models and WMI codes Look up recalls by year

Data: NHTSA recalls and complaints flat files, updated September 25, 2026. Recall campaigns are vehicle (V) campaigns listed for this model name; complaints are counted once per NHTSA ODI number and model year.

Saturn SL complaints by model year

Most-reported Saturn SL components

What NHTSA owner complaints mean

Saturn SL recalls

Power Train › Automatic Transmission › Park/Neutral Start Interlock Switch

Fuel System, Gasoline › Storage › Tank Assembly

Structure › Body

Seat Belts › Front › Anchorage

Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Foundation Components

Structure › Body › Bumpers

Unknown or Other

Seats