1996 Saturn SL power train problems
37 owner complaints filed with NHTSA name the power train on the 1996 Saturn SL — 13% of all complaints for this model year.
What owners report
“On his way to work on sept. 16, 2008, my boyfriend heard a strange sound and then lost use of 2,4,r gears. In morning rush hour traffic on us 1, he continued to work with the use of 1,3 gears. We troubleshoot online and through friends with mechanical experience and temporarily used a zip tie…”
filed Sep 18, 2008
“Dt: the contact stated the gear shifter broke. She had it repaired by a mechanic. Then, the shifter broke again. The contact's vehicle was involved in an accident as a result of the failure. The aforementioned mechanic was coming to pick up the vehicle for repairs.*ak”
filed Nov 4, 2005
Verbatim excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA. Reports are not independently verified.
Power Train problems in other SL years
| Year | Reports | Share |
|---|---|---|
| 2002 SL | 22 | 17% |
| 2001 SL | 20 | 18% |
| 2000 SL | 35 | 24% |
| 1999 SL | 22 | 12% |
| 1998 SL | 33 | 20% |
| 1997 SL | 23 | 10% |
| 1995 SL | 40 | 11% |
| 1994 SL | 35 | 12% |
| 1993 SL | 26 | 15% |
| 1992 SL | 13 | 11% |
| 1991 SL | 1 | 3% |
Other reported problem areas on the 1996 Saturn SL
Counts are unique NHTSA complaints naming this component group. Complaints are unverified owner reports; mileage is computed only from complaints that included a usable odometer reading.