AI Damage1991 Saturn SL: common problems
Owners of the 1991 Saturn SL filed 29 complaints with NHTSA, most often about seat belts and seats. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 29
- involving a crash
- 2
What fails most often
- 1 Seat belts 41% of all complaints
- 2 Seats 14% of all complaints
- 3 Electrical system 10% of all complaints
- 4 Engine and cooling 7% of all complaints
- 5 Service brakes 7% of all complaints
- 6 Vehicle speed control 7% of all complaints
- 7 Air bags 3% of all complaints
- 8 Powertrain 3% of all complaints
- Seat belts: 12 complaints (41% of all), 2 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Seats: 4 complaints (14% of all).
- Electrical system: 3 complaints (10% of all).
- Engine and cooling: 2 complaints (7% of all).
- Service brakes: 2 complaints (7% of all).
Engines and transmissions
US-market versions per EPA. On the right: how many NHTSA complaints name this engine or transmission type.
- 1.9 L · petrol · 4 cyl
- automatic, 4-speed
- manual, 5-speednamed in 1 complaints
Drive: FWD
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 29 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).
Components owners complain about
| Component | Owner complaints | involving a crash | Technical service bulletins (TSB) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Seat belts | 12 | 2 | 0 |
| Seats | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| Electrical system | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Engine and cooling | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Service brakes | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Vehicle speed control | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Air bags | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Powertrain | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Steering | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Suspension | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Visibility | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Wheels | 1 | 0 | 0 |
What owners report
Short excerpts of NHTSA complaints in the original wording. These are owner statements not verified by NHTSA; personal data removed.
Vehicle involved in a rear end crash going about (20-25) mph and the air bag did not deploy. Also the shoulder harness did not lock. Vehicle is being repaired.
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.
Dt: contact states the vehicle is continuously shaking, affecting the steering. The solenoids have been replaced, 6 months later the problem recurred.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
When owners complained
NHTSA complaints by filing year. The peak shows at what age the problems show up most.
Comparison
By complaint count this model year ranks 6,958 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 19% most complained about).
On average one model year of the SL has 185 complaints (12 years in the data). This year has 29, below average.
What to check before buying
- Seat belts. Belt pretensioners after airbag deployment, SRS codes.
- Seats. Occupant sensor, power adjustment, seat mounts.
- Electrical system. Scan all modules, test the battery and alternator, inspect connectors near the impact zone.
- Engine and cooling. Radiator and fan after a frontal hit, coolant level and condition, overheating.
Other years of this model
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 1991 Saturn SL?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: seat belts, seats, electrical system. Total complaints: 29. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: seat belts (21%), rust, corrosion (7%), airbags did not deploy (3%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 1991 Saturn SL?
NHTSA lists 0 manufacturer service bulletins for this year. A bulletin tells dealers how to diagnose or fix a known issue; it is not a recall.
Should I buy a 1991 Saturn SL from a US auction?
Owner complaints describe defects, not crash damage. Before bidding, check the components listed above and review the lot photos: VinWind builds a report of visible and hidden damage by VIN.
Other 1991 models
Read also
Sources: public NHTSA data (USA): service bulletins and owner complaints; YouTube: links to videos credited to their authors. Complaints are owner statements not verified by NHTSA, and describe defects rather than crash damage. Data updated 2026-11-05.