The 1992 Saturn Sl has 2 NHTSA recall campaigns affecting an estimated 353,466 vehicles. Recall repairs are always free at any authorized dealer. Owners have filed 173 complaints with NHTSA, most often about the engine and engine cooling. Last updated July 5, 2026.
THE GENERATOR ELECTRICAL WIRING IS NOT PROTECTED AGAINST EXCESSIVE CURRENT FLOW WHICH MAY BE CAUSED BY AN ELECTRICAL SHORT CIRCUIT IN THE GENERATOR.
Consequence
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…
Remedy
THE GENERATOR WIRING HARNESS WILL BE REPLACED WITH ONE THAT WILL OPEN AS A FUSE WOULD UNDER CERTAIN EXCESSIVE CURRENT FLOW CONDITIONS.
POWER TRAIN92V0980001992-07-08633 affected
Defect
THE TRANSAXLE VALVE ASSEMBLIES WERE IMPROPERLY MACHINED. VEHICLES MAY NOT PROPERLY ENGAGE IN NEUTRAL OR PARK, EVEN THOUGH THE GEAR SELECTOR INDICATES THE VEHICLE IS IN NEUTRAL OR PARK.
Consequence
IF THE GEAR SELECTOR INDICATES THE VEHICLE IS IN PARK ORNEUTRAL, IT COULD BE IN REVERSE OR DRIVE. IF THIS HAPPENS, THE CAR COULD STARTIN REVERSE OR DRIVE, OR MIGHT MOVE UNEXPECTEDLY, WHICH MAY RESULT IN A VEHICLECRASH OR INJURY TO PERSONS OUTSIDE THE VEHICLE, WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING.
Remedy
REPLACE THE DEFECTIVE VALVE BODIES.
Complaints by component
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
18
SEAT BELTS
16
3injuries
SEATS
12
4crashes4injuries1deaths
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:ALTERNATOR/GENERATOR/REGULATOR
11
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:ROTOR
10
SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:RECLINER
6
2crashes1injuries
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS
6
1crashes4injuries
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:12V/24V/48V BATTERY
5
POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION
5
1injuries
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY
5
Total complaints173
What owners report
Verbatim reports filed with NHTSA, lightly edited for readability and with personal
information removed.
“Shift cable linkage broke at shifter while shifting during acceleration ,momentary loss of control due to no power at wheels near miss of big rig. Had to drive on sidewalk-and lawn. *tr”
“Shift cable linkage broke at shifter while shifting during acceleration ,momentary loss of control due to no power at wheels near miss of big rig. Had to drive on sidewalk-and lawn. *tr”
“We were driving on the highway going 70 mph when the steering wheel came loose and fell off causing me to lose complete control of the car. We were in the far right lane of three lanes and the car pulled us across the other two lanes, down a very steep ditch and into the median where we hit many…”
“1995 saturn sl2, incomplete deployment of passenger side front airbag in moderate frontal collision. *bf portions of the air bag fabric melted the internal componets of the module. *jb”
“The back of the driver's seat failed and collapsed during a minor fender bender. *mr the seat collapsed. Due to poor inadequate welds. *sc”
“Vehicle was parked about 20 minutes when it suddenly caught on fire. The fire department was called. The fire department determined it was an electrical fire. *ak”
“Consumer was rear ended and the driverside seat back collasped. The back of the seat slammed down so hard that if a passenger was sitting there there legs would have been crushed. "poor design", states consumer. Please provide any further information.”
“Shifter cable end fastner broke rendering shifter inoperable. *ak”
Defect investigations
InvestigationEA93016 Opened 1993-06-08 · closed 1994-07-26
FR SEATBACK RECLINER FAILS
There is no summary currently available
InvestigationPE93004 Opened 1993-02-05 · closed 1993-06-08
SEATBACK FAILURE
There is no summary currently available
InvestigationPE93022 Opened 1993-04-05 · closed 1993-09-30
Recall, complaint, and investigation records from official NHTSA datasets (FLAT_RCL,
FLAT_CMPL, FLAT_INV), synced weekly. Counts reflect NHTSA records for the 1992 Saturn Sl as of
July 5, 2026. Complaint narratives are consumer-submitted and unverified. This page
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