Engine
1.9L 4-cyl
How to read this file. Complaint records are unverified owner submissions to the federal safety agency. Counts are raw, not adjusted for sales volume or vehicle age. Recall campaigns apply to the model; only a VIN check shows whether this car is affected or repaired. Parts shown are named by an editorial note or listed as a search directory; none is a diagnosis. Full methodology.
Fault profile
Complaint-component records on this vehicle, grouped by family. A complaint naming two systems counts once in each.
Complaints are owner-reported and not verified by the agency.
Known issues
The component families with the most complaint records against this vehicle. Counts, crash and fire figures belong to the whole family, not to any single named issue. Parts listed are related system parts, not a diagnosis.
Brakes
37 complaint records5 crash reports
"FRONTAL COLLISION DUE FAULTY BRAKE LINE WHICH CRACKED DUE TO CORROSION AND RUSTED IMPACT 12:00 POSITION SPEED 15 MPH. TT..."- one owner's federal complaint about this system; it may not describe the issue named above
Parts
No specific part is named for this issue. Browse brakes parts in the directory →
Engine & cooling
36 complaint records2 fire reports1 crash report
"PURCHASE CAR NEW THE ENGINE BLEW THE PASSENGER SIDE DOOR WILL NOT SHUT RIGHT AND THE CAR HARD TO START THE FRONT END SHAKES, THE BRAKE GOES TO THE FLOOR . TT..."- one owner's federal complaint about this system; it may not describe the issue named above
Parts
No specific part is named for this issue. Browse engine & cooling parts in the directory →
Power train
28 complaint records1 fire report
"THE CARTER PIN HAD FALLEN OFF & BROKE IN THE INTERNAL DIFFERENTIAL HOUSING, CAUSING TRANSMISSION TO PERFORM ERRATICALLY. ALSO, THE CLUTCH & DIFFERENTIAL HOUSING HAD TO BE REPLACED. *AK..."- one owner's federal complaint about this system; it may not describe the issue named above
Parts
No specific part is named for this issue. Browse power train parts in the directory →
Federal defect investigations
Formal investigations opened by the federal safety agency into this vehicle. An investigation is the step between a complaint pattern and a recall; not every one results in one.
| Investigation | Status | Component | Subject |
|---|---|---|---|
| EA95003 opened Feb 1995 | closed May 1996 | Equipment | CRUISE CONTROL FAILURES THIS INVESTIGATION DOCUMENTED HTE FUNCTIONAL ABERATIONS THAT HAVE OCCURRED IN THE PERFORMANCE OF THE SUBJECT CRUISE CONTROL SYSTEM.MOST OF THE MALFUNCTIONS INVOLVED FAILURE OF THE SYSTEM TO PROPERLY REGULATE VEHICLE SPEED WHEN ENGAGED, FAILURE OF THE SYSTEM... |
| PE94079 opened Nov 1994 | closed Feb 1995 | Equipment | CRUISE CONTROL FAILURE There is no summary currently available |
| PE93022 opened Apr 1993 | closed Sep 1993 | Steering | STEERING SYSTEM LOCKUP There is no summary currently available |
Recall campaigns
Safety-recall remedies are normally provided at no charge. Under US federal law the mandatory free remedy applies when the vehicle was no more than 15 years old at the time the defect was determined; manufacturers often cover older vehicles voluntarily. Canadian rules differ. Confirm eligibility with the manufacturer using the VIN. Each campaign number links to the federal record.
| Campaign | Component | Summary | Remedy |
|---|---|---|---|
| 93V132000 | Electrical System | THE GENERATOR ELECTRICAL WIRING IS NOT PROTECTED AGAINST EXCESSIVE CURRENT FLOW WHICH MAY BE CAUSED BY AN ELECTRICAL SHORT CIRCUIT IN THE GENERATOR. | Normally free |
| 93V094000 | Electrical System | 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. | Normally free |
Transport Canada recalls
Recalls issued under Canadian law for this model year, from Transport Canada's Vehicle Recalls Database. Matched by model name, so a Canadian-market variant may appear here that was sold under another name in the US. Units are Canadian vehicles affected.
| Recall | System | Units (CA) | Summary |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1993108 1993-08-05 | Electrical | 23,367 | On certain vehicles, a short circuit in the generator could cause excessive current flow in the generator wiring harness resulting in overheating and a possible engine compartment fire. |
| 1993067 1993-05-18 | Electrical | 338 | On certain vehicles, the battery positive cable terminal at the starter solenoid may be misformed. As a result, the terminal may contact the starter solenoid housing, resulting in an electrical short circuit. |
| 1993023 1993-03-02 | Brakes | 191 | On certain vehicles, the stakes securing the two halves of the brake booster assembly may not withstand the loads applied in a high effort manoeuvre. |
Service bulletins and warranty extensions
Manufacturer communications to dealers on file with the federal agency: repair instructions, service campaigns, and warranty extensions. A warranty extension means the manufacturer may pay for a repair the recall table does not cover.
| Bulletin | Type | Component | Summary |
|---|---|---|---|
| 92-T-40D Mar 2023 | Visibility | This service bulletin revision provides a repair procedure to Remove Debris from Evaporator Case, Disinfect evaporator or Apply Cooling coil coating and install blower motor control module to correct a customer concern of A/C Odor at start-up. | |
| 130089009 Sep 2013 | Engine And Engine Cooling | Expanded Availability for Remanufacture and Return (R&R) Electronic Control Modules |
Before you buy this vehicle
A test-drive checklist generated from this vehicle's own complaint and recall record.
- Brake hard once from speed on an empty road.A pull to one side, a pulsing pedal, a pedal that sinks at a stop, or an ABS light that stays lit are the brake complaints on this vehicle presenting themselves.
- Cold-start it yourself and listen for the first thirty seconds.Knocking, ticking that fades as it warms, or blue or white smoke on startup are the sounds of this vehicle's engine cluster. Check the oil level and the coolant color, and ask whether the engine or its head gaskets have ever been out.
- Drive it from a dead stop, twice, on a hill if you can.Shudder, hesitation, or a lurch under light throttle is how this vehicle's largest complaint cluster shows itself. Then ask for the transmission service history in writing; repeat repairs are a pattern, not a fluke.
- Run the VIN against open recalls before you negotiate.This vehicle has 2 recall campaigns on file. An open recall needs VIN-specific confirmation. Many are quick, no-charge fixes and worth negotiating over; an unresolved do-not-drive advisory, or a remedy the manufacturer has not yet made available, should stop the purchase until it is resolved.
- Ask for the service history in writing, then read it against this page.The complaint families above are where owners of this vehicle report trouble. Repairs in exactly those systems are evidence the car had the problem; no such repairs could mean it never developed it, or that it was never fixed. The test-drive items above are how you tell those apart.
Parts search directory
The generic parts list for this vehicle has its own page: a search launcher for every system, filtered by fuel type and era but not by engine, trim, or brake type. It is not a diagnosis and not a fitment guarantee.
Open the parts directory for this Saturn SL →