FaultScore

1996 Saturn SL seat problems

15 of the 369 complaints about the 1996 Saturn SL are about the seats — 4% of everything reported for this model year. Half of the failures with a mileage on record happened before 46,500 miles.

F

15

Complaints

11

Crashes

0

Fires

8

Injuries

Exactly what failed

Recliner 12 80.0%
Seats 3 20.0%

Seats across every Saturn SL year

1992 18 9.3%
1993 21 10.9%
1994 49 25.4%
1995 72 37.3%
1996 15 7.8%
1997 18 9.3%

What owners said

Filed with NHTSA, in their own words.

at 46,500 miles West Hollywood, CA Crash 1 injured

SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:RECLINER

UNSATISFACTORY RESPONSES FROM SATURN CUSTOMER SERVICE; REPAIRS THAT SHOULD BE COVERED PER CALIFORNIAS LEMON LAW FOR OUR 1996 SATURN SL1 WITH ONLY 46K MILES. ROTE TO GM & SATURN CEO'S. THEY LIE AND DO NOT STAND BEHIND THEIR CRAPPY PRODUCT. WE WILL NEVER BUY AMERICAN AGAIN!PER MY RECENT CONVERSATIONS WITH SATURN CUSTOMER SERVICE, THERE HAS BEEN ABSOLUTELY NO EFFORT OF GOODWILL TO REIMBURSE AND FIX THE BELOW AFOREMENTIONED MECHANICAL PROBLEMS FROM THE INFERIOR MATERIALS USED IN BUILDING OUR SATURN VEHICLE. THE FAILURES WE NEED REIMBURSEMENT FOR ARE: 1.STARTER REPLACEMENT: $211.08 + 45.17 = $256.25; WE WERE BROKEN DOWN AND HAD TO GET FIXED IMMEDIATELY AT A PEP BOYS SHOP, 2.NEW INTERSTATE BATTERY: $108.15; WE WERE BROKEN DOWN AND HAD TO GET FIXED IMMEDIATELY AT A CHEVRON SHOP, 3.TRANSMISSION GASKET PARTS AND LABOR: $ ~150. (TBD); ALREADY PAID AND IN SATURN DATABASE; TRANS. SEIZED UP NOW AND NEEDS $3000 WORK; SATURN WON'T PAY FOR REPAIRS, 4.ALTERNATOR PARTS AND LABOR: $176.61; WE WERE BROKEN DOWN AND HAD TO GET FIXED IMMEDIATELY AT A PEP BOYS SHOP, THE WORK THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE AT SATURN NOW IS: 5.RADIATOR PARTS AND LABOR (SATURN WORK ORDER ESTIMATE SO# 123412): $417.16 6.OIL GASKET PARTS AND LABOR (SATURN WORK ORDER ESTIMATE SO# 126859): $ TBD 7.REPEAT TRANSMISSION SERVICE AND GASKET PARTS AND LABOR (SATURN WORK ORDER ESTIMATE SO# 126859): $ TBD, THIS HAS ALREADY BEEN DONE 18 MONTHS AGO AND IS LEAKING AGAIN! ALSO COMPLETE REBUILD/ $3000.8.FRONT PASSENGER SEAT RECLINING MECHANISM NEEDS REPAIR.

NHTSA complaint #10025482 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Severna Park, MD Crash 1 injured

SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:RECLINER

CONSUMER STATED THE BENCH SEATS COLLAPSED DURING A FRONT END COLLISION, THE COLLAPSED SEAT PUSHED CONSUMERS CHILD INTO BACK OF THE FRONT SEAT, DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. NLM

NHTSA complaint #8004007 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Vienna, VA Crash 1 injured

SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:RECLINER

WE WERE STOPPED AT A RED LIGHT, WHEN ANOTHER VEHICLE REAR ENDED US. OUR 22-MONTH OLD SON WAS IN HIS CAR SEAT IN THE REAR, BEHIND THE PASSENGER SEAT. AFTER OUR VEHICLE WAS HIT, THE SEAT LATCH ON THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT RELEASED. THE SEAT FULLY RECLINED, STRIKING OUR SON IN THE FACE. HE SUFFERED BROKEN BONES IN HIS FACE AS A RESULT. IF THE SEAT LATCH HAD NOT RELEASED, HE WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN INJURED DURING THE CRASH.

NHTSA complaint #755113 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Port Saint, FL

SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:RECLINER

VEHICLE WAS REAR ENDED AT 15 MPH, THE DRIVER'S SEAT BACK COLLAPSED, CONSUMER REALIZED IT WAS BROKEN WHEN IT WOULD NOT ADJUST PROPERLY, SATURN SAID THE SEAT WAS UP TO STANDARD. *MJS

NHTSA complaint #785396 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Manchester, PA Crash 1 injured

SEATS

VEHICLE WAS AT STOP WHEN IT WAS REARENDED BY VEHICLE WITH 35 MPH IMPACT. AT POINT OF IMPACT DRIVER'S SEAT CLAMP BROKE, CAUSING DRIVER TO FALL INTO A RECLINING POSITION WHICH COULD HAVE CAUSED INJURIES.

NHTSA complaint #881240 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Jackson, NJ Crash

SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:RECLINER

VEHICLE WAS REAR ENDED, AND UPON IMPACT DRIVER'S SEATBACK COLLAPSED. MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED.

NHTSA complaint #874322 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

East Providence, RI Crash 2 injured

SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:RECLINER

THE VEHICLE WAS REAR ENDED AND BOTH FRONT SEATS COLLAPSED BACKWARD COMPLETLY, ANYONE SITTING IN THE BACK SEATS WOULD HAVE SUSTAINED SEVERE INJURIES. IF A CHILD WAS IN THE BACK SEAT CHANCES ARE HE WOULD NOT SURVIVE. THEIR HAVE BEEN OTHER INCIDENTS OF THE BACKSEATS COLLAPSING UPON REAR IMPACT AND SATURN IS AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM. THEY HAVE DONE NOTHING ABOUT IT. VERY DANGEROUS FOR ANY REAR SEAT PASSANGERS, ESPICIALLY CHILDREN, WHICH THE LAW STATES THAT A CHILD UNDER 100 LB. MUST BE IN A CHILD RESTRAINED SEAT BEHIND THE DRIVER OR PASSANGER SIDE.THIS CAN PROVE FATAL UPON REAR COLLISION.

NHTSA complaint #725373 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Green BAY, WI

SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:RECLINER

PLASTIC FRAME ON SEATBACK STICKS THROUGH THE PADDING, AND IRRITATES THE CHILD'S BACK. MAY CAUSE INJURY TO CHILD'S BACK. COSCO CARSEAT, NOT ATTACHED TO CAR, BOUGHT SEPARATELY. *AK

NHTSA complaint #863516 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ST Augustine, FL Crash 1 injured

SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:RECLINER

VEHICLE WAS AT A STANDSTILL AND WAS REAR ENDED BY ANOTHER VEHICLE TRAVELING ABOUT 45 MPH WHICH PUSHED CONSUMER'S VEHICLE INTO THE VEHICLE IN FRONT, CAUSING DRIVER'S SEATBACK TO BREAK, RESULTING IN SERIOUS INJURIES. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION.

NHTSA complaint #861154 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Kansas City, KS Crash

SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:RECLINER

VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT ON 27-JUL-97. WAS HIT FROM BEHIND. AS A RESULT, AIR BAGS DIDN'T DEPLOY, AND DRIVER'S AND PASSENGER'S SEATBACK COLLAPSED, CAUSING THE SEATS TO FULLY RECLINE.

NHTSA complaint #844043 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Huntington, WV Crash

SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:RECLINER

DRIVER'S AND PASSENGER SEAT BACK FELL BACK WHEN REAR ENDED BY ANOTHER VEHICLE WHICH WAS GOING ABOUT 35 MPH, WHICH MAY HAVE CAUSED INJURIES. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION.

NHTSA complaint #836818 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Escondido, CA

SEATS

DRIVERS SEAT MOVES AROUND.

NHTSA complaint #534035 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Bellevue, NE 1 injured

SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:RECLINER

DURING VEHICLE COLLISION SEAT LATCH FAILED CAUSING SEAT BACK TO COLLAPSE RESULTING IN INJURY TO THE DRIVER LOOSING SIGHT OF THE ROAD THEREFOR LOOSING CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE.

NHTSA complaint #541990 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Lonsvale, MN Crash

SEATS

CONSUMER WAS INVOLVED IN A COLLISION IN WHICH THE VEHICLE WAS HIT FROM THE REAR AT A 35 MPH IMPACT, CAUSING THE DRIVER'S SEAT TO COLLAPSE FROM THE UPRIGHT POSITION.

NHTSA complaint #809768 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Horn Lake, MS Crash 1 injured

SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:RECLINER

DRIVERS SEATBACK COLLAPSED DURING REAR END COLLISION.

NHTSA complaint #984732 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Other 1996 Saturn SL problems

← Full 1996 Saturn SL report