Recalls, owner-reported complaints, investigations and safety data
Data refreshed
Our database contains 36 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 1995 Saturn Sw, most frequently naming the brakes, engine and interior & seats categories. 2 safety recalls have been issued covering this model year; 3 NHTSA investigations name it; and 2 manufacturer communications are on file.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
When owners filed reports about this model year
| Month | Complaints filed | Cumulative |
|---|---|---|
| Jan 1995 | 1 | 1 |
| Feb 1995 | 1 | 2 |
| Mar 1995 | 1 | 3 |
| May 1995 | 1 | 4 |
| Jun 1995 | 1 | 5 |
| Aug 1995 | 3 | 8 |
| Oct 1995 | 1 | 9 |
| Feb 1996 | 1 | 10 |
| Jun 1996 | 1 | 11 |
| Oct 1996 | 1 | 12 |
| Mar 1997 | 1 | 13 |
| Jun 1997 | 1 | 14 |
| Sep 1998 | 1 | 15 |
| May 1999 | 1 | 16 |
| Jun 1999 | 4 | 20 |
| Jul 1999 | 1 | 21 |
| Nov 1999 | 1 | 22 |
| Jan 2000 | 1 | 23 |
| Mar 2000 | 1 | 24 |
| Aug 2000 | 1 | 25 |
| Sep 2001 | 1 | 26 |
| Aug 2002 | 2 | 28 |
| Jan 2003 | 2 | 30 |
| Mar 2003 | 1 | 31 |
| Jul 2003 | 2 | 33 |
| Jan 2007 | 1 | 34 |
| Feb 2008 | 1 | 35 |
| Dec 2011 | 1 | 36 |
Complaints grouped by the component NHTSA recorded
2 campaigns cover this model year
Recalls apply to specific vehicles, not to every vehicle of a model year. Check your VIN with NHTSA or your manufacturer's dealer to confirm whether a recall affects your vehicle.
Check a VIN on NHTSA.govSEATS
POWER TRAIN:CLUTCH ASSEMBLY:PEDAL/HAND LEVER(MOTORCYCLE)
NHTSA inquiries naming this vehicle. An investigation is not a finding of a defect.
FRONT SEAT BACK CAN RECLINE OR COLLAPSE
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 TO ENGAGE, OR SELF-DISENGAGEMENT OF THE SYSTEM. THESE PROBLEMS WERE INVESTIGATED AND STEPS TAKEN BY THE MANUFACTURER TO REMEDY THEIR OCCURRENCES.SERVICE PROCEDURES WERE ISSUED FOR VEHICLES IN USE, AND A DESIGN MODIFICATION MADE FOR NEW VEHICLES.NO CONFIRMED ALLEGATIONS OF FAILURE OF THE SYSTEM TO DISENGAGE UPON COMMAND WERE IDENTIFIED.IMPROVED QUALITY CONTROL PROCEDURES AND DESIGN MODIFICATIONSIN THE SYSTEM WERE UNDERTAKEN TO ENSURE A MORE CONSISTENT LEVEL OF SYSTEM PERFORMANCE.THE DETAILS OF THESE FINDINGS AND THE RESULTING CONCLUSIONS ARE CONTAINED INTHE SUBJECT ENGINEERING ANALYSIS CLOSING REPORT.A SAFETY-RELATED DEFECT TREND WAS NOT IDENTIFIED AT EHIS TIME AND FURTHER USE OF AGENCY RESOURCES DOES NOT CONSTITUTE A FINDING BY NHTSA THAT A SAFETY-RELATED DEFECT DOES NOT EXIST.THE AGENCY WILL TAKE FURTHER ACTION IF WARRANTED BY THE CIRCUMSTANCES.
CRUISE CONTROL FAILURE
There is no summary currently available
Reports submitted to NHTSA, shown in the owner's own words
SOHC LK0/L24 (FROM HTTP://EN.WIKIPEDIA.ORG/WIKI/SATURN_I4_ENGINE#SOHC_LK0.2FL24) THE SOHC (LK0/L24) CYLINDER HEAD HAD 8 VALVES AND WAS MADE OF LOST FOAM CAST ALUMINUM. THE CAMSHAFT WAS LOCATED IN THE CENTER OF THE CYLINDER HEAD AND DRIVEN BY A CHAIN OFF THE FRONT CRANKSHAFT SPROCKET. MOTION FROM THE CAMSHAFT WAS TRANSMITTED TO THE EIGHT VALVES BY THE HYDRAULIC LIFTERS AND ROCKER ARMS. THE LK0 ENGINE FIRST USED TBI (THROTTLE BODY INJECTION) FOR FUEL DELIVERY AND WAS RATED AT 85 HP (63 KW) AND 110 FTLBF (149 NM) OF TORQUE FROM 1991 TO 1994. THE L24 ENGINE RECEIVED MPFI (MULTI-PORT FUEL INJECTION) IN 1995 WHICH INCREASED POWER OUTPUT TO 100 HP (75 KW) AND 114 FTLBF (155 NM). THIS ENGINE WAS USED FROM 1995 TO 2002. THE SOHC ENGINE WAS AVAILABLE ON THE BASE MODEL S-SERIES VEHICLES (SC1, SL, SL1, SW, SW1) 1992 THROUGH 1998 L24 CYLINDER HEADS DEVELOPED ISSUES WITH CRACKS DEVELOPING IN THE FIFTH CAMSHAFT JOURNAL, LOCATED CLOSEST TO #4 CYLINDER. THE HAIRLINE CRACK WOULD DEVELOP BETWEEN THE OIL FEED PORT OF THAT JOURNAL AND THE COOLANT PASSAGES IN THE CYLINDER HEAD. SYMPTOMS WOULD RANGE FROM OVERHEATING TO LOW COOLANT, HOWEVER, MOST CARS AFFECTED BY THIS ISSUE EXHIBITED OIL MIGRATION INTO THE COOLING SYSTEM. THE RESULTING MIXTURE OF THE TWO FLUIDS WOULD RESULT IN A THICK BROWN "MILKSHAKE"-LIKE MIXTURE, VISIBLE IN THE COOLANT OVERFLOW TANK. SATURN RELEASED UNADVERTISED POLICY WHICH WOULD COVER THIS ISSUE, EXTENDING THE WARRANTY ON THE CYLINDER HEAD TO 6 YEARS OR 100,000 MILES (160K KM). REPAIR REQUIRED THE REPLACEMENT OF THE CYLINDER HEAD. AND FLUSHING OF THE COOLANT SYSTEM. BADLY AFFECTED CARS WOULD SEE COOLANT IN THE OIL, AS WELL AS OIL IN THE COOLANT, AND WOULD REQUIRE THE REPLACEMENT OF THE COMPLETE ENGINE ASSEMBLY. UNTIL THE CYLINDER HEAD CASTING WAS REDESIGNED ... *TR
MY WIFE WAS DRIVING HER 1995 SATURN SW! WAGON AT 50 MPH ON FREEWAY. WITHOUT WARNING THE VEHICLE WENT OUT OF CONTROL TO THE LEFT. SHE MANAGED TO GET IT OFF THE ROADWAY. INITIAL INSPECTION INDICATED A BROKEN AXLE. UPON FURTHER INSPECTION BY SATURN MECHANIC, VEHICLES ENGINE CRADLE IS COMPLETELY RUSTED AWAY. WHEN THE DRIVERS SIDE ENGINE CRADLE BROKE DURING OPERATION IT FORCE ITSELF AND OTHER PARTS TO BREAK CAUSING MY WIFE TO LOSE ALL CONTROL. THE SATURN MECHANIC SAYS IN 7 YEARS HE HAS ONLY SEEN 2 OTHER CASES OF CORROSION AFFECTING THE ENGINE CRADLE IN THIS SEVERITY. *TR
I BOUGHT A 1995 SATURN FROM PRECISION TUNE AUTO. THE CAR WAS SUPPOSED TO BE CLEANED, AND WIRING FIXED. NO MENTION OF SEAT PROBLEM. THOUGH THERE HAS BEEN SOME FAILURE WITH TOP PART OF SEAT, TO FALL BACK FOR SOME REASON. FRONT SEAT. TROUBLE WITH CAR. BAD GAS MILEAGE, ENGINE SOUNDS LIKE VALVE TROUBLE, NO POWER ON HILL, GEAR SHIFT STICKS, CLUNK IN REVERSE INTERMITTENTLY, BLEEDING BRAKE LINE, BACK BRAKES. CVC CLICKING, AND SO ON. HIT ON AUG. 22, 2006. NOT SURE IF THIS CAUSED ALL THE ABOVE. *NM
OIL CONSUMPTION, CAUSED A BLOWN ENGINE. *AK
DRIVERS SIDE SEAT BELT LOCKED UP. THE SEAT BELT LATCH DID NOT CONSISTENTLY LATCH TO THE BELT METAL CONTACT. *AK *CB *JB
I RECEIVED NOTICE REGARDING THE SEAT BACK OF MY 1995 SATURN WAGON. MY CAR DOES EXHIBIT WHAT WAS DESCRIBED - WHEN I LEAN BACK ON THE SEAT IT RECLINES BACKWARDS. I SCHEDULED THE REPAIR TO BE DONE AT THE LOCAL SATURN DEALERSHIP IN HURRICANE, WV. I WAS SURPRISED WHEN I TOOK IT IN THAT THEY SAID MY CAR WAS FINISHED IN 20 MINUTES. WHEN I GOT IN AND LEANED BACK TO PUT MY SEAT BELT ON, THE SEAT FELL BACK INTO A RECLINING POSITION. WHEN I ASKED WHAT HAD THEY DONE, I WAS INFORMED THAT MY CAR WAS BUILT ONE MONTH PRIOR TO TIME PERIOD THEY COVERED AND NO WORK WAS DONE TO MY CAR. *NLM
THE DEFROSTER WORKS SOMETIMES -- ONLY IF I PUT ON THE AC AT THE SAME TIME -- AND THEN INTERMITTENTLY IT STOPS WORKING AND THE FRONT WINDOW SHIELD AS WELL AS THE SIDE ONES FOG UP TO A DANGEROUS LEVEL WHILE WE ARE DRIVING. A SATURN MECHANIC TOLD ME THAT HE HAS 4 CARS AND WHAT I HAVE JUST DESCRIBED ONLY HAPPENS ON HIS SATURN. WE HAVE TRIED VARIYING THE TEMPURATURE, OPENING THE WINDOWS ETC. MOSTLY I WANT TO KNOW WHAT TO DO BECAUSE I DON'T WANT TO HAVE AN ACCIDENT DUE TO THIS OBVIOUS FLAW.
THE CYLINDER HEADS OF SOME SATURN CARS CRACK AND THE OIL MIXES WITH THE COOLANT. THE SATURN MANUFACTURER WILL NOT FIX THE CRACKED CYLINDER HEAD ON MY SW1 BECAUSE IT IS OUT OF WARRENTY. MY CAR ONLY HAS 69,000 MILES ON IT. A CYLINER HEAD SHOULD NOT CRACK - ESCPECIALLY WITH ONLY 69,000 MILES. THEY KNOW ABOUT THIS ISSUE, EVEN WROTE TWO TECHNICAL BULLETONS ON IT. I THINK SATURN SHOULD HAVE NOTIFIED CONSTOMERS AND THEY SHOULD FIX MY CAR FREE OF CHARGE.
A bulletin sent by a manufacturer to its dealers. Not a recall, and repairs are not necessarily free.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM; EQUIPMENT; VISIBILITY:DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER/HVAC 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.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:ENGINE CONTROL MODULE (ECU/ECM)
Expanded Availability for Remanufacture and Return (R&R) Electronic Control Modules
Manufacturers file copies of the bulletins they send to dealers with NHTSA. These often describe diagnostic or repair procedures for a known condition. They are not recalls: repairs described in a bulletin are usually only free if the vehicle is still under warranty or the manufacturer has extended coverage.
Complaint and recall counts across every year of this model
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. Older model years have had longer for reports to accumulate.