Owner-reported complaints naming the engine system, filed with NHTSA
Data refreshed
Reports naming the engine itself — including stalling, misfires, oil consumption, cooling and internal engine components. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 1996 Saturn Sl submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 64 reports on file name it.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
The 25 most recent of 64, in the owner's own words
I NOTICED THAT THE TEMPERATURE GAUGE WOULD GO 3/4 TOWARDS THE RED. IF I AM STOPPING AT A LIGHT, THE TEMPERATURE GAUGE KEEP GOING 3/4 TOWARDS THE RED, THEN GOES BACK VERY SLOWLY TO THE MIDDLE. I HAVE BEEN INFORMED THAT I WOULD NEED TO REPLACE MY GASKET. THIS WOULD COST APPROXIMATELY $1,200. *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 SATURN SL. THE VEHICLE WAS LEAKING OIL ON THE GROUND AND ALL OVER THE COOLING SYSTEM. THE TEMPERATURE GAUGE KEPT FLUCTUATING INTO THE RED ZONE. THE CHECK ENGINE SOON LIGHT ILLUMINATED INTERMITTENTLY AND THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO DRIVE DIFFERENTLY. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE WAS A CRACKED CYLINDER HEAD. THE COST TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE WAS $2,257. THE CONTACT RECEIVED A SPECIAL POLICY LETTER FROM SATURN IN JUNE OF 1999 CONCERNING A CRACKED CYLINDER HEAD. THE LETTER STATED THAT THERE WAS NO RECALL CAMPAIGN AND IT WAS UNNECESSARY TO TAKE THE VEHICLE TO A DEALER. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 73,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 63,000. UPDATED 05/06/08. *LJ UPDATED 05/06/08. *JB
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 SATURN SL2. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE HESITATED INTERMITTENTLY AND WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE DEALER DISCOVERED THAT THE SPARK PLUGS WERE SET AT DIFFERENT SPECIFICATIONS, WHICH WAS THE CAUSE OF FAILURE. THE SPEED WAS UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 175,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 148,000.
I AM LOSING A LOT OF OIL. I SPOKE WITH MY MECHANIC HE STATED THAT A LOT OF TIMES IT IS THE VALVE COVER GASKET, SO HE CHANGED IT. THE CAR IS STILL LOSING A LOT OF OIL. ABOUT A QUART EVERY 400 MILES. I STARTED RESEARCHING ON MY OWN AND HAVE FOUND THAT SEVERAL SATURN OWNERS ARE COMPLAINING ABOUT THE SAME ISSUE. *JB
1. HIGH REVVING ON IDLE MANUAL TRANS 2. FRONT END NOISE MANUAL TRANS P/S SIMILAR TO OTHER RECALL WORN OUT ? *NM
1996 SATURN SL-1 CYLINDER HEAD CRACKED. A KNOWN DEFECT TO THE SATURN CORPORATION.$2400 TO FIX! MY "CHECK ENGINE SOON" LIGHT COMES ON OFTEN. SATURN FINDS NOTHING! HTTP://WWW.CARSURVEY.ORG/VIEWMORECOMMENTS_REVIEW_5215_1.HTML SIMPLY "GOOGLE" SATURN + CYLINDER + HEAD HTTP://WWW.CONSUMERAFFAIRS.COM/AUTOMOTIVE/SATURN_ENGINE.HTML
THERE WAS A CLICKING SOUND IN THE ENGINE; WHEN I TRIED TO PRESS THE GAS IT JUST REVVED THE ENGINE BUT HAD A HARD TIME GETTING UP TO SPEED; I WAS DRIVING HOME WITH MY TWO DAUGHTERS; GOING ABOUT 30 MPH AND I HEARD A LOUD NOISE AND THEN STUFF FALLING UNDER MY CAR....THE CAR DIED. I PUSHED THE CAR ABOUT A BLOCK AND HALF TO MY HOUSE. MY CHILDREN AND I THEN WENT TO PICK UP THE PIECES OF THE ENGINE...ONE OF THE PISTONS HAD BLOWN OUT OF THE BLOCK. THERE WAS A HUGE WHOLE ON THE LOWER RIGHT OF THE ENGINE. I HAD SEVERAL MECHANICS COME LOOK AT IT AND THEY SAID IT WAS A "FREAK" ACCIDENT. THERE WAS STILL OIL IN THE ENGINE SO I HAD NOT RAN IT OUT OF OIL. THE NOISE JUST STARTED AND IMMEDIATELY THE ENGINE WAS BAD. I BOUGHT IT WITH 113000 MILES ON IT AND HAD IT ONLY A 6-8 WEEKS WHEN THIS HAPPENED. I HAD 117000 MILE ON IT WHEN IT BROKE DOWN.
FOR THE 4TH TIME, THE HEAD GASKET IS BLOWN AND THE HEAD IS WARPED. THIS IS THE RESULT OF A FACTORY DESIGN DEFECT IN THE ENGINE AND WAS REPAIRED THE FIRST TIME WITHOUT CHARGE BY SATURN. HOWEVER, THE REPAIRS DO NOT LAST AND THE HEAD BLOWS APPROXIMATELY EVERY 30,000 MILES. THERE IS NO ENGINE BUILT THAT SHOULD ONLY LAST 30,000 MILES! SATURN REFUSES TO HELP WITH THESE REPAIRS EVEN THOUGH THE CAR HAS BEEN DUTIFULLY MAINTAINED AND SERVICED AT THE SATURN DEALER. THE ESTIMATE FOR REPAIRS IS $2,140 WITH A RECOMMENDATION OF NEW RODS AND BEARINGS AT THIS TIME ALSO. WE HAD NEW RINGS, RODS AND BEARINGS IN EARLY 2002. IF SATURN ADMITTED TO THE DESIGN DEFECT THE FIRST TIME, AND IT CONTINUES TO OCCUR, SHOULDN'T SATURN BE HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR THE REPAIRS?
PURCHASED THE SATURN SL1 IN SEPT 24 OF 2004 WITH 94,32 0MILES. I HAD THE OIL CHANGED THAT VERY SAME DAY. I 'VE KEPT UP ON ALL FLUIDS AND SERVICE RELIGIOUSILY. AT 96910 MILES THE CAR WOULD NOT GO INTO 1ST, 3RD OR REVERSE WITHOUT FORCE. ON 9/10/03 I HAD THE CLUTCH REPLACED AND THE SLAVE CABLE. THEN IS WHEN IT STARTED HAVING PROBLEMS OVERHEATING, MECHANIC DID TWO DIFFRENT DIAGNOSTIC TEST BOTH CAME BACK WITH NO CONCLUSIONS. THE CAR STILL HEATS UP EVERYDAY ,BUT I HAVE NO OTHER CAR TO DRIVE. THERE IS NO POWER IN THE CAR NOW AND THE OIL IS SLUDGE FILLED. I'VE PURCHASED TEMPERATURE SENDING UNITS, BOTH O2 SENSORS, THERMOSTAT, COOLANT,CLUTCH,RELAYS,ETC...TO TRY TO SOLVE THE PROBLEM OF THE OVER HEATING. PRETTY MUCH IT'S A MATTER OF TIME BEFORE I'M LIKE THE OTHER 1996 SATURN DRIVERS WHO WILL HAVE TO PAY THE $ 1000.00-2000.00 TO FIX MY HEAD GASKET THAT WAS A KNOWN FACTORY DEFECT. WHAT CAN WE DO. *JB
IN SUMMER OF 2002, I PAID OVER $1500 TO HAVE A HEAD GASKET REPAIRED ON MY SATURN. LAST THURSDAY, THE CAR WAS HAVING THE SAME ISSUES AND IT WAS DETERMINED THAT IT HAS A CRACKED ENGINE CYLINDER. THIS IS AN ITEM ON A TSB ISSUED FROM SATURN, I REALIZED TODAY. NOW I AM FACING OVER $2000 TO HAVE THE CYLINDER REPLACED, PUTTING MY TOTAL COST FOR REPAIRS OVER $3700 ON AN ISSUE THAT SATURN HAS BEEN AWARE OF FOR SOME TIME, YET NEVER NOTIFIED ITS CUSTOMERS.
THE VEHICLE'S HEAD GASKET CRACKED CAUSING THE OIL FROM THE ENGINE TO POURS INTO THE RADIATOR COOLANT. THIS CAUSES THE ENGINE TO OVER HEAT. *MR
MY WIFE AND I OWN A 1996 SATURN SL1 WITH 69001 MILES ON IT. I NOTICE THAT OIL WAS IN THE COOLANT RESERVOIR. CONTACTED SATURN OF CORPUS CHRISTI AND ASKED IF THEY HAD AN IDEA OF THE PROBLEM. MAYBE A BAD HEAD GASKET AND GAVE ME AN ESTIMATE OF $840 PLUS $2.30/MILE TO TOW IT IN. LIVING OUTSIDE OF BEEVILLE 65 MILES AWAY A TOTAL OF 13O MILES. CONTACTED MY MECHANIC TOLD HIM THE PROBLEM AND HE GAVE ME AN ESTIMATE OF $900 SAVING ON TOWING FEE, I WENT TO HIM. HE LOOKED AT IT AND TOLD ME THAT MY CYLINDER HEAD WAS ALSO CRACKED. HE THEN SHOWED ME A TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN #96-T-65B THAT SATURN SENT OUT IN MAY 1999 DOCUMENTING THIS PROBLEM WITH THE CYLINDER HEADS CRACKING. HE THEN SHOWED ME THAT MY CYLINDER HEAD WAS CRACKED JUST LIKE THE DIAGRAMS ON PAGE 2 OF THE BULLETIN SHOWED. I CONTACTED SATURN IN TENNESSEE TALKED TO CHAD OF CUSTOMER SERVICE, HIS SUPERVISOR MS. RAMIREZ, HER SUPERVISOR BRENDA SALSBERRY, HER SUPERVISOR JOEY FITZGERALD AND ALL GAVE ME THE SAME ANSWER THAT OUR CAR WAS OVER 6 YEARS OLD. THEY SAID THAT THEY'LL SENT OUT TO ALL SATURN OWNERS SPECIAL POLICY#99-P-01 IN JUNE 1999 EXTENDING OUR WARRANTY FOR THIS SPECIFIC PROBLEM FOR 6 YEARS OR 100,000 MILES WE NEVER RECEIVED ANY EXTENSION POLICY FROM SATURN FOR US TO BE AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM. AFTER THEM KNOWING AND DOCUMENTING PROBLEMS WITH CYLINDER HEADS DOES THIS NOT MAKE IT A DEFECTIVE OR FLAWED PART, AND THERE IS NO WARRANTY TIME ON DEFECTIVE PARTS. I'M ASKING YOU TO INVESTIGATE THIS FOR US INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE GETTING NO WHERE WITH SATURN. I DON'T THINK THAT IT IS JUST A COINCIDENCE THAT MY CYLINDER HEAD CRACK JUST AS THEY DREW UP ON PAGE 2 OF BULLETIN 96-T-65B. HELP! *LA
ENGINE OIL LEAKING INTO COOLANT RESULTING IN A CRACKED HEAD GASKET. *JB
IF YOU WOULD TAKE A LOOK AT THE DRIVER SIDE OF THE RADIATOR. WOULD YOU BELIEVE IT'S PLASTIC? WHERE THIS PLASTIC IS MOLDED TOGETHER THERE IS A CREASE AND IN EVERY PERSON I HAVE SPOKE WITH WHO HAS ONE IT SPLIT OPEN RIGHT DOWN THE CREASE IN WHICH CAUSES WATER AND COOLANT TO LEAK SOMETIMES SPRAY OUT. THIS IS A DEFECT ON THE MANUFACTURES PART AND SHOULD BE REDESIGNED AND REPLACED FREE OF CHARGE, INSTEAD THEY ARE OVER LOOKING THESE PROBLEMS AND SAYING IT'S AFTER WARRANTY. SATURN SHOULD STAND BEHIND THE MAKING OF THEIR VEHICLES AND ADMIT THEIR MISTAKES, BETTER YET CORRECT THEM. THIS IS NOT THE ONLY PROBLEM I HAVE FOUND TO BE WRONG WITH THESE CARS IT'S JUST THE ONLY ONE THAT'S A DESIGN FLAW AND ONLY SATURN CAN MAKE RIGHT. SEVERAL OTHERS I KNOW HAVE GOTTEN NEW RADIATORS AND REPLACED THEM AND STILL THEY BREAK OPEN SAME PLACE. THE TEMP GAUGE DOESN'T SHOW THE VEHICLE RUNNING HOT AND SAYS IN THE MANUAL THAT THE GAUGE WILL DEFAULT AND RETURN TO THE MIDDLE POSITION NOW YOU TELL ME WHAT GOOD THAT DOES FOR TELLING IF YOUR CAR IS RUNNING HOT. COME ON SATURN DO SOMETHING ABOUT YOUR MISTAKES!!!!!!!! *JB
I HAVE A 1996 SATURN, SL1 WITH 65,000 MILES ON IT. WHEN I TOOK IT IN FOR A REGULAR OIL CHANGE, I WAS TOLD THAT THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITH THE WATER COOLING SYSTEM. THE CYLINDER HEAD CRACKED AND OIL LEAKS INTO THE RADIATOR SYSTEM. I CALLED SATURN AND WAS TOLD THAT I NEED TO TALK TO A LOCAL DEALER. I WAS NOT EVEN ABLE TO EXPLAIN THE PROBLEM, AND WAS DISMISSED HUMILIATINGLY. I CONTACTED THE DEALER AND THEY TOLD ME THEY WOULD CONTACT SATURN, AFTER WHICH I WAS TOLD THAT I WAS ON MY OWN AS THE PURCHASE DATE WAS BEFORE THE 6 YEAR WINDOW THEY HAD DESIGNATED (6 YEAR/100,000 MILES WARRANTY). IT HAS COME TO MY ATTENTION THAT SATURN KNEW ABOUT THE DESIGN FAULT SO THEY WENT WITH THIS SECRET WARRANTY. IT IS COSTING ME OVER $1000 FOR A PROBLEM I DID NOT CAUSE! I DO NOT BELIEVE SATURN SHOULD GET AWAY WITH SUCH A PRACTICE, AND I WOULD LIKE TO BE REIMBURSED FOR THE REPAIRS AND MY TIME (I CANNOT STRESS ENOUGH THE HARDSHIP AND INCONVENIENCE I HAVE EXPERIENCED BECAUSE OF THIS DECEPTIVE ACTION BY SATURN.) I HOPE YOU WILL BE MY (AND THE OTHER CITIZENS IN MY SITUATION) ADVOCATE AND HELP US IN THIS MATTER. SINCERELY,FASSIL GHEBREMICHAEL. *JB
CRACKED HEAD CYLINDER - MANUFACUTURER HAS "SECRET WARRANTY" ON THIS PART FOR 1994-1996 SATURNS. SATURN WOULDN'T COVER WHOLE REPLACEMENT BECAUSE THE "SECRET WARRANTY EXPIRED IN JUNE 2002" ON MY CAR. REASON I BELIEVE THEY SHOULD PAY FOR ALL OF IT: (1) KNOWN DESIGN DEFECT WITH ENGINE (2) MY CAR WAS IN THE DEALERSHIP GARAGE FOR ENGINE WORK DURING THE SECRET WARRANTY TERM AND DURING MY WARRANTY COVERAGE, FOR AN OIL CONSUMPTION PROBLEM. ENGINE WAS REBUILT BUT HEAD CYLINDER WAS NEVER CHECKED FOR KNOWN PROBLEM AND I WASN'T NOTIFIED OF THE KNOWN PROBLEM. NOW BOTH WARRANTIES ARE EXPIRED SO THEY WANTED ME TO PAY THE WHOLE BILL. I REFUSED BUT THEY ONLY OFFERED TO COVER HALF. I HAVE PUT A COMPLAINT INTO THE ATTORNEY GENERAL'S OFFICE AND THE BETTER BUSINESS BUREAU.
I REPLACED MY BRAKES AND ROTORS TODAY. THE MECHANIC WANTED TO SHOW ME THE MESS THAT THEY WERE. I LOOKED AT THEM AND HE POINTED OUT HOW UNUSUALLY DESTROYED THE INSIDE PADS ARE. HE SAID HE RARELY SEES ANYTHING THAT BAD. THE HORN WORKS WHEN IT WANTS TO. THE KEY GETS STUCK IN THE IGNITION AND SOME DAYS I REALLY HAVE TO WORK HARD TO GET IT OUT OR GET THE STEERING WHEEL TO RELEASE SO I CAN TURN THE KEY. ALSO THE EXHAUST SYSTEM IS JUST HANGING ON BEFORE THE RUST OVERRUNS IT. *LA
CRACKED CYLINDER HEAD. *JB
CONSUMER STATED THAT SHE HAD HER AUTOMOBILE INSSPECTED ,AND WAS TOLD THAT HEAD GASKETS WERE LEAKING. SHE DID SOME RESEARCH AND FOUND THAT OTHER SATURN OWNER WERE HAVING THE SAME KIND OF PROBLEM. WHAT COULD SHE DO ABOUT IT?*AK
ABOUT THREE WEEKS AGO THE ENGINE OVERHEATED. THE ENGINE OIL AND COOLANT MIXED TOGETHER BECAUSE THE HEAD GASKET WAS CRACKED. *AK *TS *JB
THE ENGINE OIL AND THE ANTIFREEZE IS MIXING TOGETHER IN THE VEHICLE. THIS CAUSES THE ENGINE TO OVERHEAT WHILE DRIVING. HAD TAKEN VEHICLE TO DEALERSHIP AND WAS INFORMED BY THE MECHANIC THE ENGINE CYCLINDER BEAD WAS CRACKED AND NEEDED TO BE REPAIRED OR REPLACED.*AK
1996 SATURN - ENGINE OIL LEAKS INTO COOLANT. DEALER SAID THERE WAS A MANUFACTURING DESIGN FLAW. 1997'S UNDER 100,000 MILES SATURN WOULD PAY TO HAVE IT FIXED, BUT NOT 1996'S. *NLM
NAR 02/28/2003 MR MALFUNCTIONING ENGINE. *CB
I PURCHASED MY SATURN SL2 NEW IN 1996. AFTER 70,000 MILES IT STARTED USING AN INORDINATE AMOUNT OF OIL. OIL CONSUMPTION STARTED TO ECLIPSE 1 QT. FOR EVERY 500 MILES. MY OIL CHANGE SERVICE SAID SATURN ENGINES WERE NOTORIOUS FOR BAD RINGS. I TOOK TO SATURN DEALERSHIP. THEY WANTED SEVERAL THOUSAND DOLLARS FOR A NEW ENGINE. I REPLACED ENGINE WITH A SATURN ENGINE WITH 23,000 MILES. AFTER ANOTHER 40,000 MILES THE REPLACEMENT ENGINE EXHIBITED THE EXACT SAME BEHAVIOR. I NOW NEED TO PURCHASE A THIRD ENGINE.
CONSUMER STATES THAT WHILE CAR WAS RUNNING THE ENGINE CAUGHT ON FIRE, FIRE STARTED UNDER THE HOOD.
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.
Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own
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