52 of the 376 complaints about the 1994 Saturn SL are about the braking system — 14% of everything reported for this model year.
52
Complaints
10
Crashes
2
Fires
3
Injuries
Filed with NHTSA, in their own words.
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:MASTER CYLINDER
WHILE ATTEMPTING TO BRAKE, PEDAL WENT SOFT AND THEN WENT TO THE FLOOR, VEHICLE HAD BEEN DRIVEN 200 MILES ON A HOT DAY PRIOR TO ANY PROBLEM, CONSUMER FEELS HEAT MAY HAVE HAD SOMETHING TO DO WITH THE FAILURE, DEALER FOUND THE MASTER CYLINDER COMPLETELY FAILED.
NHTSA complaint #561883 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS
WHILE IN MOTION MOVING APPOXIMATELY 25 MPH, CONSUMER PRESSED ON BRAKES TO STOP AT AN INTERSECTION, AND BRAKE PEDAL HIT THE FLOOR. VEHICLE DID NOT STOP. CONSUMER USED EMERGENCY BRAKES, AND LOST POWER STEERING. VEHICLE STOPPED BY RUNNING INTO A HOUSE. PEDAL HAS RECOVERED, AND DEALER DID NOT FIND ANY PROBLEMS WITH BRAKES.
NHTSA complaint #892062 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
WHEN I BRAKE IT BRAKES THEN LETS GO AND THEN BRAKES AGAIN AND KEEPS DOING THAT UNTIL I COME TO A COMPLETE STOP. ALSO WHEN I AM DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD MY TRANSMISSION I THINK JERKS MY WHOLE CAR. AND THAT ALSO HAPPENS WHEN I PUT THYE CAR IN REVERSE. I HAVE TALKED TO 4 OTHER PEOPLE WHO HAVE A '9194 SATURN SL2 AND THEY HAVE ALL THE SAME PROBLEMS. I ALSO GOT TO DRIVE ONE OF THEM AND THERE CAR DOES EVERYTHING MINE DOES AND BOTH OF OUR GLOVE BOX LATCH HAS BROKE AND DOES NOT LATCH.
NHTSA complaint #746010 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
WHILE DRIVING AT 55 MPH STEPPED ON BRAKE PEDAL AND VEHICLE DID NOT STOP, NOR REDUCED SPEED. VEHICLE ROLLED OVER THREE TIMES. AFTER THAT MASTER CYLINDER DID NOT WORK. *AK CONSUMER STATES VEHICLE ALSO CAUGHT ON FIRE, CONSUMER WAS INJURED IN ACCIDENT. *SLC
NHTSA complaint #889424 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:MASTER CYLINDER
WHILE DRIVING AT 55 MPH STEPPED ON BRAKE PEDAL AND VEHICLE DID NOT STOP, NOR REDUCED SPEED. VEHICLE ROLLED OVER THREE TIMES. AFTER THAT MASTER CYLINDER DID NOT WORK. *AK CONSUMER STATES VEHICLE ALSO CAUGHT ON FIRE, CONSUMER WAS INJURED IN ACCIDENT. *SLC
NHTSA complaint #889424 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:ROTOR
BOTH FRONT AND REAR ROTOR ASSEMBLIES WERE REPLACED 2/13/96; LEFT AND RIGHT REAR ROTOR ASSEMBLIES WERE REPLACED 7/3/96; BOTH FRONT ROTOR ASSEMBLIES WERE REPLACED 10/8/96; BOTH FRONT AND BOTH REAR ROTOR ASSEMBLIES WERE REPLACED 6/2/97; THE FRONT ROTOR ASSEMBLY WAS REPLACED 7/8/97; FRONT AND REAR ROTOR ASSEMBLIES WERE REPLACED 9/13/2000.
NHTSA complaint #731333 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS
THE METAL BRAKE LINE WAS CORRODED BY LEAKING BATTERY ACID PEDAL WENT TO FLOOR-DESIGN FLAW
NHTSA complaint #729456 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS
AC DELCO BATTERY ACID IS LEAKING ON THE BRAKE CABLE, CAUSING BRAKE FAILURE.
NHTSA complaint #868452 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
WHEN APPLYING ABS BRAKES PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR, CAUSING EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE. CAUSE UNKNOWN. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS.
NHTSA complaint #865886 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:CALIPER
CALIPER BOLT IN THE REAR BRAKE ASSEMBLY CAUSED UNEVEN WEAR OF BRAKE ROTOR AND NOISE TO GOME FROM THE LEFT REAR BRAKE. NLM
NHTSA complaint #549313 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
TTHIS WAS THE THIRD OCCURRENCE. WHEN THE FIRST OCCURRED THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE SATURN DEALERSHIP IN BOWIE MARYLAND FOR CHECK/REPAIR, BUT THEY FOUND NO PROBLEM AND RELEASED THE CAR BACK TO NORNAL DRIVING AS O K . THIS HAS BEEN AN INTERMITTENT PROBLEM AT DIFFERENT DRIVING SPEEDS AND IS VERY SCARY TO APPLY THE BRAKES ONLY TO KEEP GOING. THE BRAKE PEDAL HAS ACTED NORMALLY ON ONE OCCASION AND HAS GONE TO THE FLOOR ON OTHER OCCASIONS, BUT THE CAR CONTINUES TO ROLL WHILE PRESSURE IS STILL APPLIED ON ALL OCCASIONS. THE SYSTEM HAS BEEN CHECKED FOR LEAKS AND PROPER FLUID LEVEL, BOTH O K . PLEASE ADVISE AS TO THE BEST AND PROPER PROCEDURE TO FOLLOW TO HELP CORRECT THIS AS SOON AS POSSIBLE ESPECIALLY SINCE WE HAVE NO WARNING WHEN THE BRAKES FAIL. I FEEL OUR LIVES AND OTHERS MAY BE SAVED BY YOUR ADVICE AND RECCOMMENDATIONS . THANK YOU , JAMES A. LANDEN.
NHTSA complaint #715968 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS
WHEN TRAVELING 10 MPH AND UPON APPROACHING AND CROSSING A SPEED BUMP THE BRAKE LINE RUPTURED, CAUSING BRAKE FLUID LEAKAGE, RESULTING IN COMPLETE BRAKE FAILURE WHEN TURNING ONTO A MAIN ROAD, EMERGENCY PARKING BRAKE WAS ENGAGED TO STOP VEHICLE, AND PLACING VEHICLE IN PARK. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS.
NHTSA complaint #851681 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC
RE: BRAKES; I GET A THROBBING, PULSING SENSATION EVEN THOUGH THERE IS PLENTY OF PAD LEFT; RE: SEATS; SEAT IS LOOSE AND MANY TIMES THE DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT HAS COLLAPSED BACKWARD WHEN I PUT SOME PRESSURE ON IT, I.E. PUTTING MY HAND INTO MY POCKET TO GET TOLL BRIDGE CHANGE; RE: RADIATOR; IT IS RUSTED, EVEN THOUGH I HAVE PROPERLY SERVIED THE CAR W/ RCOMMENDED SERVICING (DEALER FOUND THE PROBLEM BUT DID NOT WANT FIX)
NHTSA complaint #711821 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:ROTOR
FRONT BRAKE ROTORS ARE TOO THIN, BECOME WARPED AT EVERY 10000-15,000 MILES WHICH CAUSES A BRAKE PROBLEM. BEEN TO DEALER SEVERAL TIMES. DEALER CANNOT DETERMINE THE PROBLEM. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION.
NHTSA complaint #835446 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DRUM
HAD THE CAR FOR LESS THAN 4 MONTHS AND HAD THE BREAKS WORKED ON TWICE. REPLACED BREAK PADS BOTH TIMES AND NEW ROTORS THE LAST TIME. I WAS TOLD THE ROTORS ARE TOO THIN ON ALL OF THESE CARS, AND THAT THE METALLIC BREAK PADS ARE WARPING THE ROTORS. TRIED ORGANIC BREAK PADS, SEEMED TO HELP, BUT STILL HAVING THE PROBLEM. EXTREME SURGING WHEN TRYING TO STOP NOW. I FEEL THIS IS A MANUFACTURERS ENGINEERING DEFECT. I CANNOT AFFORD $200.00 EVERY 6 MONTHS FOR NEW BREAKS, SINCE MY CAR IS OUT OF WARRANTY. (CAN SOMEONE PLEASE CHECK INTO THIS?!?!?!?, I FEEL THIS IS A SERIOUS PROBLEM, AND SATURN DOES NOT SEEM TO WANT TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT THEIR DEFECT IN ENGINEERING.)
NHTSA complaint #703979 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH THE BRAKES FAILED; THE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR.
NHTSA complaint #537656 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:MASTER CYLINDER
MASTER CYLINDER FAILED CAUSING VEHICLE COLLISION.
NHTSA complaint #604254 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:PADS
BRAKE PADS AND ROTORS FAILED RESULTING IN VIBRATION.
NHTSA complaint #605816 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:ROTOR
BRAKE PADS AND ROTORS FAILED RESULTING IN VIBRATION.
NHTSA complaint #605816 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:ROTOR
ROTORS ARE DEFECTIVE. THEY HAVE BEEN REPLACED TWO TIMES. DEFECT IS IN THE DESIGN. DEALERS CANNOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM.
NHTSA complaint #827018 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:PADS
BRAKE PADS FAILED SEVERAL TIMES.
NHTSA complaint #521841 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
PARKING BRAKE
EMERGENCY BRAKES FAILED.
NHTSA complaint #521841 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
PARKING BRAKE:CONVENTIONAL
PARKED VEHICLE IN PARKING LOT, WITH EMERGENCY BRAKES ON. LEFT VEHICLE. ANOTHER CUSTOMER ARRIVED IN STORE & SAID BLACK SATURN ROLLED DOWN PARKING LOT. IT HIT STEEL LAMP ABOVE HIGHWAY. DAMAGED BUMPER & HEADLIGHT. HAD REPORTED PROBLEM TO SATURN PRIOR TO ACCIDENT.
NHTSA complaint #820792 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
ABS; DRIVING AT APPROX 30-35 MPH WENT ABOUT 3 MILES, LEFT EMERGENCY PARK BRAKE ON,CAME TO A STOP , SAW LIGHT SMOKE COMING FROM REAR ,RELEASED EMEGENCY BRAKE,WENT DOWN HILL ,WENT TO BRAKE, PEDAL WENT TO FLOOR , COMPLETELY LOST BRAKES. HAD TO DOWNSHIFT TO COME TO STOP. DEALER SAID BRAKE FLUID HEATED UP, EMERGENCY BRAKE WAS APPLIED TO REAR. SYSTEM WAS DESIGNED WITH DIAGONAL BRAKES WHICH CAUSED EMERGENCY BRAKE TO HEAT BOTH CIRCUITS. *A
NHTSA complaint #819511 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:ROTOR
LIGHTER FELL OUT OF SOCKET, THE VEHICLE HESITATES WHEN ACCELERATING FROM A STOP, THE VEHICLE SHIFTS HARD INTO GEAR AND HAS NO REVERSE GEAR THE DEALER REMOVED ANF RECONDITIONED THE TRANSMISSION, THE SEATBELT PULLED BACK WHILE THE DOOR WAS OPED AND THE SEATBELT FAILED TO PROPERLY RESTRAIN THE DRIVER DURING AN ACCIDENT CAUSING HIM TO HIT THE STEERING WHEEL, THE BRAKE PEDAL FEELS LOW DEALER RESURFACED THE FRONT BRAKE ROTORS, THE BRAKES ALSO MAKE NOISE, THE EMERGENCY PARKING BRAKE DOES NOT PREVENT THE VEHICLE FROM BEING MOVED, HORN FAILED. *NLM
NHTSA complaint #817087 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
PARKING BRAKE
LIGHTER FELL OUT OF SOCKET, THE VEHICLE HESITATES WHEN ACCELERATING FROM A STOP, THE VEHICLE SHIFTS HARD INTO GEAR AND HAS NO REVERSE GEAR THE DEALER REMOVED ANF RECONDITIONED THE TRANSMISSION, THE SEATBELT PULLED BACK WHILE THE DOOR WAS OPED AND THE SEATBELT FAILED TO PROPERLY RESTRAIN THE DRIVER DURING AN ACCIDENT CAUSING HIM TO HIT THE STEERING WHEEL, THE BRAKE PEDAL FEELS LOW DEALER RESURFACED THE FRONT BRAKE ROTORS, THE BRAKES ALSO MAKE NOISE, THE EMERGENCY PARKING BRAKE DOES NOT PREVENT THE VEHICLE FROM BEING MOVED, HORN FAILED. *NLM
NHTSA complaint #817087 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
DRIVING ABOUT 25 MPH, WENT TO APPLY (ABS) BRAKES & THEY FAILED TO WORK; REARENDED ANOTHER VEHICLE; AIR BAG DIDN'T DEPLOY; VEHICLE TOWED TO BODY SHOP; INSURANCE INSPECTOR LOOKED AT VEHICLE & FOUND NOTHING WRONG; SATURN REPRESENTATIVE SAID ABS NEEDED CHANGING & SAID OTHER BRAKES WERE WORKING FINE.
NHTSA complaint #813872 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
WHILE DRIVIN, AT APPROX. 50MPH, SUDDENLY EXPERIENCED ABS FAILURE, ATTEMPTING TO SLOW DOWN, PEDAL WENT TO FLOOR, GOT OFF HWY, UPON REACHING INTERSECTION, REARENDED VEHICLE STOPPED AT RED LIGHT, PEDAL WAS STILL ON FLOOR.
NHTSA complaint #811454 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:ROTOR
DEFECTIVE FUEL PUMP; ALSO, POWER STEERING MOTOR/SEAT BELT/TIMING CHAIN/FRONT BRAKE ROTORS FAILED.
NHTSA complaint #514806 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
CRUISE CONTROL FAILED TO DISENGAGE, CAUSING VEHICLE TO LOSE CONTROL, ALSO ABS BRAKES FAILED TO WORK PROPERLY.
NHTSA complaint #510695 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.