SATURN SL · model year

1991 SATURN SL

31 NHTSA complaints, 3 crash reports for this specific cohort.

NHTSA overall rating

Not crash-tested

New Car Assessment Program

The 1991SATURNSL carries 31 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 3 crashes, 1 fire, 5 injuries, and 1 fatality. No NCAP 5-star crash-test rating is available for this model year in the federal database.

Component-level analysis is where model-year complaints become actionable: the top complaint category for the 1991 SL is seat belts with 6 filings, followed by seat belts:front:webbing (3) and vehicle speed control (2). Concentration in one or two component groups is the classic signature of a systemic defect; a flat distribution usually reflects normal aging, warranty complaints, or isolated build-plant variability.

NHTSA currently has 14 investigation files overlapping the 1991 SL. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should pair the counters above with the complaint-by-year trend on the parent model page — a spike in a single year often tracks to a platform refresh, a new transmission supplier, or an updated ECU calibration. Use the related-complaint feed below to read raw owner narratives before deciding whether any pattern here affects your specific use case.

31
Complaints
3
Crashes
1
Fires
5
Injuries
1
Deaths

Total Complaints

31 filings

Crashes Reported

3 reports

Source

NHTSA ODI

Federal complaints database

Complaints vs. fleet median (215)

At or below the fleet median complaint volume.

Complaints by Component

ComponentCount
SEAT BELTS6
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:WEBBING3
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL2
SEATS2
SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:RECLINER2
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC2
STEERING:GEAR BOX (OTHER THAN RACK AND PINION)1
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE1
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY1
AIR BAGS1
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR1
WHEELS:LUGS/NUTS/BOLTS/STUDS1
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:ANCHORAGE1
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FRONT UNDERHOOD1
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:ALTERNATOR/GENERATOR/REGULATOR1

Recent Complaints

20051009SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

THE BRAKE PEDAL IS ALWAYS LOW AND SOME TIMES BOTTOMS OUT WHEN YOU FIRST START DRIVING THE CAR. YOU CAN'T STOP. RECORD OF COMPLAINT IS ON FILE WITH SATURN, BUT THEY JUST BLEW ME OFF BECAUSE THEY CHECK OUT THE CAR, BUT SAID IT WAS OK. I SHOWED THEM THAT BY PUMPING THE BREAKS A FEW TIMES THAT THE PEDAL WOULD BOTTOM AND BREAKING WAS LOST. THEY DUPLICATED IT BUT REFUSED TO ADMIT IT WAS A PROBLEM. NOW MY SONS ARE DRIVING AND I CAN'T LET THEM DRIVE THE CAR BECAUSE THEY ARE NOT EXPERIENCED ENOUGH DRIVERS AND IF THEY EVERY GET INTO A PANIC STOP SITUATION THEY NEED TO HAVE EXTRA ROOM FOR GLIDING AS THE WHEELS WON'T LOCK UP. I MADE SATURN REPLACE THE MASTER BREAK CYLINDER AND THE PROBLEM BECAME WORSE. I HAVE THE OLD MASTER BREAK CYLINDER. *NM

Mileage: 85,000

20051009SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

THE BRAKE PEDAL IS ALWAYS LOW AND SOME TIMES BOTTOMS OUT WHEN YOU FIRST START DRIVING THE CAR. YOU CAN'T STOP. RECORD OF COMPLAINT IS ON FILE WITH SATURN, BUT THEY JUST BLEW ME OFF BECAUSE THEY CHECK OUT THE CAR, BUT SAID IT WAS OK. I SHOWED THEM THAT BY PUMPING THE BREAKS A FEW TIMES THAT THE PEDAL WOULD BOTTOM AND BREAKING WAS LOST. THEY DUPLICATED IT BUT REFUSED TO ADMIT IT WAS A PROBLEM. NOW MY SONS ARE DRIVING AND I CAN'T LET THEM DRIVE THE CAR BECAUSE THEY ARE NOT EXPERIENCED ENOUGH DRIVERS AND IF THEY EVERY GET INTO A PANIC STOP SITUATION THEY NEED TO HAVE EXTRA ROOM FOR GLIDING AS THE WHEELS WON'T LOCK UP. I MADE SATURN REPLACE THE MASTER BREAK CYLINDER AND THE PROBLEM BECAME WORSE. I HAVE THE OLD MASTER BREAK CYLINDER. *NM

Mileage: 85,000

20050610SUSPENSION

DT: CONTACT STATES THE VEHICLE IS CONTINUOUSLY SHAKING, AFFECTING THE STEERING. THE SOLENOIDS HAVE BEEN REPLACED, 6 MONTHS LATER THE PROBLEM RECURRED. *AK

20040528SEAT BELTS

THE PASSENGER AND DRIVER PASSIVE RESTRAIN SEAT BELT LOCKS DOWN. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION, AND THE MECHANIC INFORMED THE DRIVER THAT SEAT BELTS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *LA

20031003VISIBILITY:SUN/MOON ROOF ASSEMBLY

WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH THE SUNROOF DETACHED FROM THE VEHICLE. UPON INSPECTION THE MOUNTS WERE COMPLETELY RUSTED THROUGH. AT NO TIME THE SUNROOF HAS BEEN IMMERSED AND THE VEHICLE HAS NEVER BEEN TO A ROLL OVER. I DO NOT BELIEVE THIS TO BE A RESULT OF NEGLECT ON MY PART, RATHER POOR QUALITY MATERIALS USED IN MANUFACTURE. *LA

Mileage: 137,245

20010626SEAT BELTS

FRONT PASSENGER PASSIVE RESTRAINT BELT IS LOCKED IN FORWARD POSITION, LEAVING OCCUPANT UNRESTRAINED.*AK

20010419SEAT BELTS

DRIVERS SEATBACK BROKEN AND MOTORIZED SHOULDER BELTS BIND IN TRACK AND BLOW FUSE. *AK

20010419SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:RECLINER

DRIVERS SEATBACK BROKEN AND MOTORIZED SHOULDER BELTS BIND IN TRACK AND BLOW FUSE. *AK

20001107CrashFatalSEAT BELTS

RESTRAINT SYSTEM ANALYSIS WAS PERFORMED BY CHP-CENTRAL DIVISION MAIT. THE ANALYSIS INDICATED THE RESTRAINT FAILED AT THE LATCH PLATE CONNECTION TO THE MOTORIZED GUIDE PLATE. THIS REPORT IS BEING FILED FOR THE VEHICLE OWNER BY THE CHP PER OUR DEPARTMENTAL POLICY. *AK

20000831POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION

MANUAL TRANSMISSION GEAR SHIFT ARM SUDDENLY WAS LOOSE. SATURN OF ASUTIN REPORTED SHIFTER CABLE BROKE AND REPLACED SAME. IF BREAK HAD OCCURRED WHILE MOVING IT LIKELY WOULD HAVE CAUSED ACCIDENT AND INJURY.

20000427ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE

HAVE HAD CAR SERVICED NUMEROUS TIMES, ENGINE ALWAYS REMAINED ROUGH, CAR DIES ON US, HAS LOW UPTAKE SPEED, MECHANIC SAID ITS A SATURN ENGINE DEFECT, WILL EVENTUALLY DIE ALTOGETHER. *AK

20000131ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:12V/24V/48V BATTERY

CONSUMER EXPERENCING PROBLEMS WITH REPLACING THE BATTERY. BATTERY HAS BEEN REPLACED ON FIVE DIFFERENT OCCASIONS. DEALER UNABLE TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

19991129ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FRONT UNDERHOOD

I INQUIRED THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT AT SATURN OF MONROVIA (MONROVIA,CA, 91016) IF THEY WERE AWARE OF THE AFOREMENTIONED PROBLEMS. THEY DENIED ANY KNOWLEDGE OF ANY PROBLEMS ASSOCIATED WITH ELECTRICAL WIRING UNDER THE HOOD. *AK

19991129FireELECTRICAL SYSTEM:ALTERNATOR/GENERATOR/REGULATOR

NONE

19990915SEAT BELTS:FRONT:ANCHORAGE

THE SEAT BELTS ARE ELECTRIC AND ARE SUPPOSE TO SLIDE ALONG THE INTERIOR SURFACE. THE PASSENGER SIDE WENT OUT FIRST, AND A PERMANENT LATCH WAS PUT IN SO THAT ANY ONE SITTING ON THE PASSENGER SIDE HAVE TO CLAMP THE SEAT BELT EVERY TIME THE ENTER AND EXIT THE CAR. SOMETIME LATER THE DRIVER SIDE SEAT BELT WENT OUT. THE SEAT CABLE WOULD PULL THE LATCH BUT WOULD NOT SECURE THE LATCH TO LOCK. WITH THE LATCH NOT LOCKING I COULD STILL CLAMP THE SEAT BELT ON TO THE LATCH. I WOULD CLAMP THE SEAT BELT ON THE LATCH EVEN THOUGH IT WOULD NOT LOCK, TO AVOID GETTING A CITATION FOR NOT HAVING A SEAT BELT. MY MAIN CONCERN IS IF I WAS TO GET INTO AN ACCIDENT WITH THE SIT BELT NOT SECURED, I AM AFRAID THAT MY SEAT BELT WILL NOT PROTECT ME.

19990122SEAT BELTS:FRONT:WEBBING

DRIVER SIDE AUTOMATIC SEAT BELT FAILED.

19990120SEAT BELTS:FRONT:WEBBING

THE DRIVER'S SIDE AUTOMATIC SEAT BELT FAILURE.

19981124SEATS

NO SUMMARY PROVIDER BY CONSUMER.

19980318VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE 60 MPH ON THE FREEWAY VEHICLE STARTED ACCELERATING BY ITSELF. DRIVER STEPPED ON THE BRAKES TO STOP. BUT VEHICLE DID NOT STOP, AND DRIVING OVER CURVES WITHOUT STOPPING, SHE FINALLY STOPPED IT BY PULLING THE IGNITION KEY ON A MALL PARKING LOT. *AK

19980220SEAT BELTS:FRONT:WEBBING

DRIVER'S SIDE AUTOMATIC SHOULDER BELT FAILURE.

Compare 1991SATURNSL to Similar Vehicles

NHTSA Investigations

View all investigations

Frequently Asked Questions

How many complaints does the 1991 SATURN SL have?
The 1991 SATURN SL has 31 NHTSA complaints, 3 crashes, 1 fires, 5 injuries, and 1 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1991 SATURN SL?
The most-complained component for the 1991 SATURN SL is SEAT BELTS with 6 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include SEAT BELTS:FRONT:WEBBING and VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL.
Is the 1991 SATURN SL safe to buy?
Review the complaint history, crash and fire reports, safety ratings, and recall status on this page to make an informed decision. No NHTSA crash test rating is available for this model year. Compare with other model years using the links above.
Where does this data come from?
All complaint, recall, and safety rating data is sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Complaints are filed by vehicle owners through NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation.

Vehicle Safety Guides

Data as of 2025. Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) complaints database, NHTSA recall campaign API, NHTSA NCAP crash-test ratings, and NHTSA FARS for fatality cross-reference.