18 of the 173 complaints about the 1992 Saturn SL are about the seats — 10% of everything reported for this model year. Half of the failures with a mileage on record happened before 140,000 miles.
18
Complaints
6
Crashes
0
Fires
4
Injuries
Filed with NHTSA, in their own words.
SEATS
THE BACK OF THE DRIVER'S SEAT FAILED AND COLLAPSED DURING A MINOR FENDER BENDER. *MR THE SEAT COLLAPSED. DUE TO POOR INADEQUATE WELDS.
NHTSA complaint #10081528 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEATS
CONSUMER WAS REAR ENDED AND THE DRIVERSIDE SEAT BACK COLLASPED. THE BACK OF THE SEAT SLAMMED DOWN SO HARD THAT IF A PASSENGER WAS SITTING THERE THERE LEGS WOULD HAVE BEEN CRUSHED. "POOR DESIGN", STATES CONSUMER. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.
NHTSA complaint #10018147 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEATS
CONSUMER WAS REAR ENDED BY ANOTHER DRIVER, THE VEHICLES DRIVERS SEAT BACK COLLAPSED ON TO THE REAR BENCH SEAT. CONSUMER IS VERY CONCERNED WITH REAR PASSENGERS BEING INJURED BY SEAT BACK. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.
NHTSA complaint #10018163 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:RECLINER
CONSUMER WAS AT A STOP WHEN ANOTHER VEHICLE REAR ENDED HER VEHICLE. THE CONSUMER STATED THE DRIVER'S SEAT BACK COLLAPSED AND WHEN THE SEAT RECLINED, THE SEAT BELT DID NOT RESTRAIN HER.
NHTSA complaint #10017680 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEATS
FRAME OF DRIVER'S SEATBACK BROKE DURING NORMAL DRIVING. THIS WAS A BREAK THROUGH THE STEEL U-CHANNEL ON THE LEFT SIDE OF THE SEAT JUST BELOW WHERE IT IS WELDED TO THE TUBULAR STEEL TOP PIECE. THIS COMPONENT SHOULD NEVER FAIL EVEN UNDER THE STRESS OF A REAR END COLLISION LET ALONE DURING NORMAL DRIVING. DEFECT COULD HAVE LED TO AN ACCIDENT AND IF IT OCCURED DURING A REAR END COLLISION AN UNECESSARY INJURY WOULD LIKELY HAVE RESULTED.
NHTSA complaint #758248 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEATS
WE MOVED FROM LOUISIANA TO ARIZONA AT THAT TIME WE NOTICED OIL IN COOLANT-REPLACED HEAD GASKET NO NOTICEABLE CRACKS IN HEAD, VEHICLE NEVER OVER HEATED WHILE DRIVING PRIOR TO THIS INCIDENT. LEFT FRONT SEAT IN A PERMANENT SLANT BACKWARD.
NHTSA complaint #750970 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEATS
OUR 11 YEAR OLD DAUGHTER DIED BECAUSE SHE HAD THE PASSENGER FRONT SEAT FULLY RECLINED. SHE WAS TAKING A NAP COMING HOME FROM SCHOOL. HER SEAT BELT WAS BUCKLED, BUT AT IMPACT HER UPPER TORSO WAS WHIPPED FORWARD, THEN THE FRONT SEAT RECLINING MECHANISM GAVE OUT AND THE FRONT SEAT POPPED UP TO ITS UPRIGHT POSITION, THEN WHEN HER SHOULDER BELT CAUGHT SHE WAS THROWN BACK INTO THE SEAT. SHE DIED OF SEVERE BRAIN TRAUMA, BUT THERE WERE NO MARKS ON HER. THE NEUROLOGIST SAID IT WAS AKIN TO SHAKEN BABY SYNDROME BECAUSE HER HEAD WAS SHAKEN TOO FAST AND TOO HARD, CAUSING THE BRAIN STEM TO SWELL AND CUT OXYGEN FLOW TO THE BRAIN. THE WINDSHIELD DIDN'T EVEN CRACK. WHY ARE FRONT SEATS MADE TO RECLINE WHEN SAFETY BELTS AND AIRBAGS WILL NOT PROTECT YOU IF YOU ARE RECLINED?
NHTSA complaint #744640 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:RECLINER
CONSUMER WAS INVOLVED IN A REAR END COLLISION IN WHICH DRIVER'S SEATBACK RELEASED AND COLLAPSED INTO A RECLINING POSITION. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS.
NHTSA complaint #871731 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEATS
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE.
NHTSA complaint #722936 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEATS
SEAT FRAME STARTED TO BREAK THROUGH THE CLOTH COVERING. THE FRAME EVENTUALLY BENT BACKWARDS NEAR THE TOP OF THE SEAT. SOON THE FRAME BROKE ON THE LEFT HAND SIDE AND THERE IS A SHARP POINT STICKING OUT AND THE CLOTH COVERING IS RUINED. I CALLED THE DEALER TO FIND OUT WHAT NEEDED TO BE DONE AND THEY TOLD ME I WOULD HAVE TO REPLACE THE WHOLE SEAT WHICH WOULD COST ME OVER 500 DOLLARS.
NHTSA complaint #718368 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEATS
SECOND FAILURE IN THIS SEAT WITHIN ONE MONTH. NO INCIDENT. I THINK THAT CRASH PROTECTION IS LOST WHEN THE SEAT FRAME FAILS.
NHTSA complaint #715590 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEATS
SEAT RECLINED UNEXPECTEDLY WHILE DRIVING AT 70 MPH, MOMENTARILY LOST CONTROL,
NHTSA complaint #714244 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:RECLINER
CONSUMER WAS DRIVING. UPON COMING TO A STOP, DRIVER'S SEAT JUST BROKE LIKE A RECLINER, AND A PIECE OF MEDAL CAME THROUGH THE SEAT. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED.
NHTSA complaint #839926 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:RECLINER
BACK OF FRONT SEAT BROKEN, DEFECTED OTHERS IN 1993.
NHTSA complaint #706649 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:RECLINER
WHILE DRIVING DRIVER'S SIDE SEATBACK COLLAPSED BACKWARD INTO THE REAR SEAT. PLEASE PROVIDE DETAILS.
NHTSA complaint #824895 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEATS
DRIVER'S SEAT TWISTED DURING A CLASH, CAUSING BACK INJURY TO PASSENGER. ALSO, LOWER CONTROL ARM FAILURE.
NHTSA complaint #521349 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:RECLINER
DRIVER'S BACK REST COLLAPSED WHEN REAR ENDED, CAUSING INJURY.
NHTSA complaint #502876 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEATS
DRIVERS SEAT COLLAPSED DUE TO STRESS. DIAGNOSIS: FRAME OF THE SEAT IS NOT STRUCTURALLY SOUND. TT
NHTSA complaint #962523 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.