Reliability & cost of ownership
Saturn Sl Reliability & Common Problems
How reliable is the Saturn Sl? Compare every model year side by side — NHTSA recalls, owner complaints, and crash-test stars — then open the year you're shopping for a full reliability and repair-cost forecast.
Saturn Sl problems by model year
23 recall entries and 1602 owner complaints on file across 8 model years, sourced from the federal NHTSA database.
| Year | Recalls | Complaints | NCAP stars | Full report |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2002 Sl | 1 | 131 | No NCAP test | Full reliability report → |
| 2001 Sl | 3 | 111 | No NCAP test | Full reliability report → |
| 2000 Sl | 8 | 147 | No NCAP test | Full reliability report → |
| 1999 Sl | 2 | 178 | No NCAP test | Full reliability report → |
| 1998 Sl | 1 | 167 | No NCAP test | Full reliability report → |
| 1997 Sl | 3 | 226 | No NCAP test | Full reliability report → |
| 1996 Sl | 2 | 286 | No NCAP test | Full reliability report → |
| 1995 Sl | 3 | 356 | No NCAP test | Full reliability report → |
Most-complained-about components
Owner complaints filed with NHTSA against the Saturn Sl, grouped by the component each complaint names — the fastest read on where this model gives trouble.
- engine and engine cooling298 complaints
- power train224 complaints
- electrical system217 complaints
- service brakes182 complaints
- hydraulic172 complaints
- seats130 complaints
- air bags118 complaints
- steering96 complaints