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.
Engine & cooling
41 complaint records1 fire report
"CYLINDER HEAD FAILURE BETWEEN LUBRICATION PORTS AND COOLING SYSTEM, RESULTING IN CONTAMINATION OF COOLING SYSTEM WITH OIL...."- 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 →
Electrical system
32 complaint records8 fire reports
"AS OF TODAY'S DATE, 7/12/00 THE SATURN AUTO IS WITH THE DEALER IN SANTA ANA, CA. NO SAFETY DEFECT LISTED IN SUMMARY. *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 electrical system parts in the directory →
Seat belts
25 complaint records2 crash reports
"PASSENGER'S SEAT BELT FAILED TO RETRACT FROM RETRACTOR. DEALER NOTIFIED AND REFUSED TO REPAIR UNLESS COST GOES TO CONSUMER. *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 seat belts parts in the directory →
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 97V155000 | Seats | 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. | Normally free |
| 97V138000 | Steering | 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... | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1998240 1998-12-08 | Electrical | 4,294 | Certain vehicles were either produced or serviced with a horn assembly which may fail. As a result, the horn may either become inoperable or activate without pressing the horn button. |
| 1997147 1997-08-28 | Steering | 1,617 | On certain vehicles, the pinion bearing cage in the steering gear could separate under high steering load conditions. |
| 1997085 1997-04-21 | Other | 7 | Certain vehicles do not comply with CMVSS 114 - Locking System. It may be possible to remove the key from the ignition while the cylinder is in the RUN position. The ignition key must be reinserted in the ignition to turn the engine off. |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 96-T-35D Mar 2023 | Equipment | 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. | |
| 98-T-11B Mar 2023 | Electrical System | 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. | |
| PIP4723D Jan 2020 | Electrical System | This Preliminary Information communicates to the dealer the process for downloading or updating operating software for the Tire Pressure Monitor, Active Fuel Injector tester, multi media tester, PICO Scope, GR8 starting/charging tester and Vehicle Data Recorder tools, giving... | |
| PIC4696E Nov 2019 | Equipment | This Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician on how to unlock radios that are Delco TheftLock. Technician will use the radio to get the scrambled code. | |
| PIC4696D Sep 2019 | Equipment | This Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician on how to unlock radios that are Delco TheftLock. Technician will use the radio to get the scrambled code. |
Show 12 more bulletins
| Bulletin | Type | Component | Summary |
|---|---|---|---|
| PIC4696C May 2018 | Equipment | This Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician on how to unlock radios that are Delco Theft Lock. Technician will use the radio to get the scrambled code. | |
| PIP4723C Sep 2017 | Electrical System | This Preliminary Information communicates to the dealer the process for downloading or updating operating software for the Tire Pressure Monitor, Active Fuel Injector tester, multi media tester, PICO Scope, GR8 starting/charging tester and Vehicle Data Recorder tools, giving... | |
| PIP4723B Feb 2017 | Electrical System | This Preliminary Information communicates to the dealer the process for downloading or updating operating software for the Tire Pressure Monitor, Active Fuel Injector tester, multi media tester, PICO Scope, GR8 starting/charging tester and Vehicle Data Recorder tools, giving... | |
| 16NA260 Aug 2016 | Equipment | THIS TECHNICAL BULLETIN PROVIDES A PROCEDURE TO REPROGRAM THE MEDIA DISC PLAYER WITH THE LATEST CALIBRATIONS TO CORRECT A CONDITION OF THE REAR ENTERTAINMENT SYSTEM NOT OPERATING AS INTENDED IN COLDER AMBIENT TEMPERATURE AREAS DUE TO CALIBRATION CONCERNS. | |
| PIC4696B Dec 2015 | Equipment | This Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician on how to unlock radios that are Delco TheftLock. Technician will use the radio to get the scrambled code. | |
| PIC4696A Oct 2015 | Equipment | This Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician on how to unlock radios that are Delco TheftLock. Technician will use the radio to get the scrambled code. | |
| Recalls Jun 2014 | Equipment | Vehicle Recalls | |
| 05-06-04-035D May 2014 | Fuel System | This informational bulletin provides the technician with information on what E85 fuel may due to a non E85 vehicle. | |
| 130089009 Sep 2013 | Engine And Engine Cooling | Expanded Availability for Remanufacture and Return (R&R) Electronic Control Modules | |
| 00T38 Jul 2000 | Seats | SOME CUSTOMERS MAY COMMENT ABOUT ABNORMAL WEAR OR A CUT ON THE INBOARD EDGE OF THE DRIVER OR PASSENGER SEAT BACK COVER. *TT | |
| 98T29 Aug 1998 | Structure | FRONT FENDER CHIPS PAINT OF FASCIA AT FORWARD TIP. YD | |
| 98T07 Feb 1998 | Suspension | EXPERIENCING A RATTLE OR CLICK NOISE FROM THE REAR OF VEHICLE WHEN TURNING AT SLOW SPEEDS AND/OR DRIVING OVER UNEVEN SURFACES. *YC |
Before you buy this vehicle
A test-drive checklist generated from this vehicle's own complaint and recall record.
- 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.
- Sit in it with the engine off and test everything that has a switch.Windows, locks, lights, the cluster, the radio. Electrical faults are this vehicle's story and the hardest to see on a drive: an intermittent no-start waits for the second week of ownership. Ask for the battery's age and whether any control module has been replaced.
- Pull and release every belt.A belt that retracts slowly or a buckle that will not latch matches this vehicle's seat-belt cluster.
- 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 →