AI Damage1994 Saturn SW: common problems
Owners of the 1994 Saturn SW filed 30 complaints with NHTSA, most often about service brakes and seats. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 30
- involving a crash
- 11
What fails most often
- 1 Service brakes 30% of all complaints
- 2 Seats 20% of all complaints
- 3 Vehicle speed control 17% of all complaints
- 4 Engine and cooling 13% of all complaints
- 5 Air bags 10% of all complaints
- 6 Seat belts 10% of all complaints
- 7 Electrical system 3% of all complaints
- 8 Equipment 3% of all complaints
- Service brakes: 9 complaints (30% of all), 2 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Seats: 6 complaints (20% of all), 2 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Vehicle speed control: 5 complaints (17% of all), 2 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Engine and cooling: 4 complaints (13% of all).
- Air bags: 3 complaints (10% of all), 3 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
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-speed
Drive: FWD
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 30 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) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Service brakes | 9 | 2 | 0 |
| Seats | 6 | 2 | 0 |
| Vehicle speed control | 5 | 2 | 0 |
| Engine and cooling | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| Air bags | 3 | 3 | 0 |
| Seat belts | 3 | 2 | 0 |
| Electrical system | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Equipment | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Latches, locks, linkages | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Powertrain | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Steering | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Structure | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Visibility | 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.
Seatbelts were worn however injuries were sustained. A police report was filed at the scene. After the accident the accelerator pedal was noticed under the brake pedal. The vehicle was towed to the contacts residence. Although the dealership was notified no repairs were made.
Driver side airbag did not deploy after hitting a deer head on at 50 mph. Ts
Steering wheel began to spin freely and car ended up in a ditch. Cradle bolts missing. Dealership says this probably caused the front end to spread and the rack and pinion to disengage.
Drivers seat failed in rear impact. This car had been previously recalled to replace some part of the seat back.
The air bag did not deploy although it seemed appropriate for it to do so. Our insurance adjustor (state farm) will not comment on the air bag's failure. The driver's side seat was also forced into a full recline position and remained locked in place there.
I had called saturn of melbourne, fl and was told my car was not part of the recall for seat hinges. I was rear ended on june 24, 1999 and the seat hinge failed.
Vehicle had stopped to make a turn and was hit in the rear by another vehicle. The driver's side seatback, that's attached to the bottom of the seat broke, and the driver was thrown out the back of the car.
Owner was hit from behind and the driver's side automatic seat belt released and hit driver. Driver sustained injuries from accident due to seat belt failure.
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 6,848 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 19% most complained about).
On average one model year of the SW has 21 complaints (10 years in the data). This year has 30, above average.
What to check before buying
- Service brakes. Pedal feel, ABS operation, leaks, discs and hoses.
- Seats. Occupant sensor, power adjustment, seat mounts.
- Vehicle speed control. Accelerator pedal, cruise control, throttle codes.
- 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 1994 Saturn SW?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: service brakes, seats, vehicle speed control. Total complaints: 30. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: airbags did not deploy (10%), seat belts (10%), brake failure (3%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 1994 Saturn SW?
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 1994 Saturn SW 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 1994 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.