Summary
The Saturn SL has 7 recalls spanning the 1992-2002 production run, with the most serious being a 2000 model year fuel tank vent valve weld that can fail and allow fuel to spill during refueling or a rollover, creating a fire risk if an ignition source is nearby. The 2002 model year has a seat belt anchor weld at the door pillar that does not meet specification and can fail in a crash, reducing the belt's ability to restrain the occupant. The 1999 model year has a related seat belt issue where shoulder guide anchor bolts were not adequately tightened and can fall out, leaving the belt without a secure mounting point. Going back to mid-1990s production, the 1996 model has a steering gear pinion bearing cage that can separate under heavy steering load, causing the pinion gear to disengage from the rack and resulting in degraded or lost steering control without warning. The 1995 model has a steering gear pinion shaft that can fracture, also causing sudden loss of steering control. On the 1993 model, the stakes holding the two halves of the brake booster together can fail under hard braking, disconnecting the master cylinder and leaving the driver with no brakes. The earliest production year covered, 1992, has a generator short circuit that can overheat the wiring harness and start a fire in the engine compartment.
