Saturn SL Service Brakes, Hydraulic Problems
Owners have filed 192 complaints with NHTSA about service brakes, hydraulic problems on the Saturn SL across 8 model years. The 1995 model year has the most (51). The words owners use most often: “brake rotors” (12% of reports).
- 192service brakes, hydraulic complaints
- —median miles at failure
- 32mention a crash
- 14mention an injury
- 1related recalls
- 35%of reports with a speed happened at 50+ mph
What owners describe
Phrases that appear unusually often in these complaints compared with complaints about other cars.
- Brake rotors: mentioned in 23 of 192 complaints (12%)
- Brakes failed: mentioned in 17 of 192 complaints (9%)
- Stopping distance: mentioned in 10 of 192 complaints (5%)
At what mileage do service brakes, hydraulic problems happen?
Based on 21 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 192 complaints, 32 mention a crash, 1 a fire, 14 an injury.
Saturn SL service brakes, hydraulic complaints by model year
When owners reported it
Related recalls (1)
Service brakes, hydraulic:foundation components
Model years: 2000
Problem: Vehicle description: passenger vehicles. These vehicles do not comply with requirements of fmvss no. 135, "passenger car brake systems." these vehicles were produced with brake pipe attachment nuts that may not be tightened to specifications.
Risk: If the brake pipe nuts are not properly tightened, brake fluid leakage could occur, increasing the brake's stopping distance.
Fix: Dealers will inspect the brake pipe nuts for leakage, verify they are tightened to specifications, and replace the brake pipes if needed.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
Hand brake release button and spring popped out after parking the vehicle. Had this happened while the vehicle was unattended and parked on a hill (as it typically is), this car could have caused serious bodily harm or structural damage.
I bought a used saturn on 8/23/08 from desert inn motors, too many problems after 3 months , new battery, brake bad, motor problem too expensive to repair, so i told them i'm not making anymore payments, they told me to bring the car back and they would replace the car, they repo my vehicle, shady…
1 incident and 1 crash. Left emergency brake on by accident when driving and went to apply brake to slow down, but had no brakes. Could not stop..no accident first time it happened. But 2nd time caused multiple car accident w/an injury. After i stopped driving, the brakes began working again. I had…
Tl* - the contact would like to make a complaint concerning the brakes on 1996 saturn sl2. The contact stated that she was driving 35 mph when she was cut off by another car. She then applied the brake pedal which gave no resistance. The contact stated that before being cut off the brakes did work…
I was traveling on the freeway at 75 mph (speed limit.) the truck in front of me hit the brakes. I applied my brakes as i should have had enough distance to slow down enough. My brakes locked-up and i slid into the pick-up truck in front of me at about 65 mph. The seat belts worked, but the air…
Frequently asked questions
Do all Saturn SLs have service brakes, hydraulic problems?
No. NHTSA has 192 owner complaints about service brakes, hydraulic for the Saturn SL. Complaint data shows that the problem is reported, not how many of all cars sold are affected.
Was there a recall on the Saturn SL service brakes, hydraulic?
Yes: 1 safety recall list service brakes, hydraulic. Check your VIN on NHTSA.gov to see whether the fix was done on your car.
What do owners say about service brakes, hydraulic problems on the Saturn SL?
The most frequent phrase is “brake rotors”, in 23 of 192 complaints, followed by “brakes failed” (17).
Other Saturn SL problems
- Engine and Engine Cooling problems (309)
- Electrical System problems (232)
- Power Train problems (232)
- Seats problems (135)
- Air Bags problems (121)
See all Saturn SL problems.