- The problem
- Vehicle description: passenger vehicles. Some front seat back recliner gear teeth may wear excessively through repeated use, and could cause the seat back to slip partially rearward when force is applied.
- The risk
- If this happens while the vehicle is being driven, it could cause a loss of control, increasing the risk of a crash.
- The fix
- Dealers will replace the front seat recliner mechanisms.
Vehicle safety record
1995 Saturn SW Problems, complaints & recalls
Owners have filed 36 complaints about the 1995 Saturn SW with NHTSA, most often about the seats & seat belts (8) and the brakes (8). Those complaints describe 4 crashes and 5 injuries. It is covered by 2 recalls, the latest in March 1999 for the seats. For comparison, the 1994 has 30 and the 1996 has 20.
NHTSA data checked
DMore problems than a typical SW year, for its age
#118 most complained-about 1995 vehicle
- Complaints
- 36
- Recalls
- 2
- Crashes
- 4
- Fires
- 0
- Injuries
- 5
- Deaths
- 0
Most common 1995 Saturn SW problems
Share of all 36 complaints. One complaint can name more than one area. Tap an area for its complaints and recalls.
1995 Saturn SW recalls 2
Recall repairs are free. Your dealer fixes them whether or not you bought the car there - check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see if yours is done. What to do
- The problem
- The automatic transaxle park lock cable assembly was improperly adjusted making it possible to shift from the "park" position with the ignition key removed, or remove the ignition key with the shift lever in a position other than "park." This does not meet the requirements of fmvss 114, "theft protection."
- The risk
- Consequence of non-compliance: unintended vehicle movement can occur which could result in an accident.
- The fix
- Consumers are being asked to inspect the park lock cable. If it does not perform correctly, dealers will make the necessary adjustments.
What owners say
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36 complaints about the 1995 Saturn SW
Newest first, as filed with NHTSA by owners. Page 1 of 2.
Sohc lk0/l24 (from http://en.Wikipedia.Org/wiki/saturn_i4_engine#sohc_lk0.2Fl24) the sohc (lk0/l24) cylinder head had 8 valves and was made of lost foam cast aluminum. The camshaft was located in the center of the cylinder head and driven by a chain off the front crankshaft sprocket. Motion from the camshaft was transmitted to the eight valves by the hydraulic lifters and rocker arms. The lk0 engine first used tbi (throttle body injection) for fuel delivery and was rated at 85 hp (63 kw) and 110 ftlbf (149...
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nm) of torque from 1991 to 1994. The l24 engine received mpfi (multi-port fuel injection) in 1995 which increased power output to 100 hp (75 kw) and 114 ftlbf (155 nm). This engine was used from 1995 to 2002. The sohc engine was available on the base model s-series vehicles (sc1, sl, sl1, sw, sw1) 1992 through 1998 l24 cylinder heads developed issues with cracks developing in the fifth camshaft journal, located closest to #4 cylinder. The hairline crack would develop between the oil feed port of that journal and the coolant passages in the cylinder head. Symptoms would range from overheating to low coolant, however, most cars affected by this issue exhibited oil migration into the cooling system. The resulting mixture of the two fluids would result in a thick brown "milkshake"-like mixture, visible in the coolant overflow tank. Saturn released unadvertised policy which would cover this issue, extending the warranty on the cylinder head to 6 years or 100,000 miles (160k km). Repair required the replacement of the cylinder head. And flushing of the coolant system. Badly affected cars would see coolant in the oil, as well as oil in the coolant, and would require the replacement of the complete engine assembly. Until the cylinder head casting was redesigned ... *Tr
My wife was driving her 1995 saturn sw! Wagon at 50 mph on freeway. Without warning the vehicle went out of control to the left. She managed to get it off the roadway. Initial inspection indicated a broken axle. Upon further inspection by saturn mechanic, vehicles engine cradle is completely rusted away. When the drivers side engine cradle broke during operation it force itself and other parts to break causing my wife to lose all control. The saturn mechanic says in 7 years he has only seen 2 other cases of corrosion affecting the engine cradle in this severity. *Tr
I bought a 1995 saturn from precision tune auto. The car was supposed to be cleaned, and wiring fixed. No mention of seat problem. Though there has been some failure with top part of seat, to fall back for some reason. Front seat. Trouble with car. Bad gas mileage, engine sounds like valve trouble, no power on hill, gear shift sticks, clunk in reverse intermittently, bleeding brake line, back brakes. Cvc clicking, and so on. Hit on aug. 22, 2006. Not sure if this caused all the above. *Nm
OIL CONSUMPTION, CAUSED A BLOWN ENGINE. *AK
Drivers side seat belt locked up. The seat belt latch did not consistently latch to the belt metal contact. *Ak *cb *jb
I received notice regarding the seat back of my 1995 saturn wagon. My car does exhibit what was described - when I lean back on the seat it reclines backwards. I scheduled the repair to be done at the local saturn dealership in hurricane, wv. I was surprised when I took it in that they said my car was finished in 20 minutes. When I got in and leaned back to put my seat belt on, the seat fell back into a reclining position. When I asked what had they done, I was informed that my car was built one month prior to time period they covered and no work was done to my car. *Nlm
The defroster works sometimes -- only if I put on the ac at the same time -- and then intermittently it stops working and the front window shield as well as the side ones fog up to a dangerous level while we are driving. A saturn mechanic told me that he has 4 cars and what I have just described only happens on his saturn. We have tried variying the tempurature, opening the windows etc. Mostly I want to know what to do because I don't want to have an accident due to this obvious flaw.
The cylinder heads of some saturn cars crack and the oil mixes with the coolant. The saturn manufacturer will not fix the cracked cylinder head on my sw1 because it is out of warrenty. My car only has 69,000 miles on it. A cyliner head should not crack - escpecially with only 69,000 miles. They know about this issue, even wrote two technical bulletons on it. I think saturn should have notified constomers and they should fix my car free of charge.
I was stopped on an interstate, and rear ended by a chevrolet sedan. It slammed my car into a minivan in front of me. The front and back of my car accordianed, and my car was a total loss. Neither front air bag deployed, and the front passenger seat flipped back and pinned the back passenger in the seat behind. No one was injured, but I feel that an accident which completely squished my car (also causing structural damage to the frame, only the driver's side door would open after the accident) should have had the airbags deploy, and the front seat should not have flipped back.*Ak
This vehicle uses an excessive amount of oil. I must add at least one quart every 200-300 miles.*Ak
Fan did not work, causing engine to overheat and expand. Yd
While driving the consumers brakes failed, the pedal bottomed out about one inch above the floor, took vehicle to dealer but they couln't find any problems. Nlm
This report is not about my vehicle; it is about all vehicles with a factory drl system installed. Most drl systems turn on only the headlights. This is dangerous! The operator sees light on the highway from the drl controlled headlights and is lulled into feeling safe, thinking "my lights are on, everybody can see me." Unfortunately, the driver is only half right." The vehicle can not be seen from behind, because the parking lights are not on. "Ok" you will say. "What about the vehicles that use 'bright...
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front parking lights'?" Well, here in oregon, the use of parking lights "only" is against the law. Oregon says "when ever parking lights are used, the headlights must be on." My vehicle does not have a factory installed drl system. I had an aftermarket system, patterned after the subaru's, recently installed. When ever the vehicle's ignition key is in the run position, the 'stalk' that controlls the exterior lights is active, which means that where ever that light switch is positoned, when I start the car, that's what lights are on (or off) and when I remove the ignition key, all lights (that may have been on) go off.
Consumer was driving on the interstate when another vehicle hit the passenger's side, and her airbag didn't deploy. *Ak *ml
Automatic transmission has a delay of up to three seconds when shifted into reverse when the car is at operating temperature. This condition causes the vehicle to jerk backward suddenly and without warning. The vehicle has nearly collided into fixed objects/non-moving vehicles on several occasions. This condition is ongoing despite regular annual transmission fluid/filter changes by dealer and owner. This condition has also been reported by other saturn auto transmission owners, regardless of model, on the saturn...
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disscussion group site at rec.Autos.Makers.Saturn the problem is most dangerous when throttle is applied. Rapid application of reverse is dangerous and unpredictable such as overshooting and correcting for a crosswalk at a stoplight, drive through window at parking lot or fast food resturant, three point turns in heavy traffic, etc. *Ak
Automatic transmission hesitates when switching to reverse causing difficulty when parking, valve body replaced. *Yc
Vehicle stalled and died. Dealer has replaced fuel pump. *Ak
Consumer feels manufacturers decision not to issue recall on possible cylinder head cracks irresponsible. Nlm
Seat back causes consumer back injury/pain due to design. Nlm
Was driving a noise was heard coming from the engine. Took to dealer & engine oil had leaked out. The oil light had malfunctioned on panel. The engine had to be rebuilt. Piston rod rings/ cylinder/crankshaft & bearings need replacing also. The axle seal was replaced five times. Transmission leaks oil on the housing area & it was cracked. *Ak
Extreme road noise from date of purchase, left front door never seals airtight
A cracked engine gasket has allowed oil to contaminate the coolant compartment. This has resulted in a thick mixture of oil and coolant.
Saturn area service manager says that the original brake pads were too hard, they've changed them to a softer pad. The first time changed at 13,740 miles, second time at 30,000 and now at 37,000. Consumer is out of warranty, but that's not the problem. Saturn says it's design and consumer feels he should not pay for manufacturer's design problems. Softer pads do not wear as fast but still wear out. *Ak
ANTILOCK BRAKES FAILED, CAUSING ACCIDENT.
Brake pedal bottoms out when backing up, resulting in gradual stopping. *Ak
Saturn SW: every year compared
All SW years1995 Saturn SW vs rivals
| Vehicle | Complaints | Recalls | Grade | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1995 Saturn SW | 36 | 2 | D | |
| 1995 Saturn SL | 357 | 3 | D | Compare |
| 1995 Saturn SC1 | 59 | 1 | D | Compare |
| 1995 Saturn SC | 39 | 2 | D | Compare |
| 1995 Saturn Saturn | 26 | 0 | - | Compare |
| 1995 Saturn S-Series Coupe | 2 | 0 | F | Compare |
| 1995 Saturn Sports Coupe | 1 | 0 | A | Compare |
| 1995 Saturn EV1 | 1 | 0 | A | Compare |
| 1995 Saturn Z | 1 | 1 | C | Compare |
More sales usually means more complaints, so compare similar vehicles of the same year. The grade compares each vehicle with its own model's other years.
Questions about the 1995 Saturn SW
Does the 1995 Saturn SW have any recalls?
Yes - NHTSA lists 2 recalls for the 1995 Saturn SW: seats (March 1999); pedal / hand lever(motorcycle) (November 1994). Recall repairs are free at any authorized dealer. Enter your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see whether yours has been fixed.
What are the most common problems with the 1995 Saturn SW?
By the complaints owners filed with NHTSA, the most common problem areas are the seats & seat belts (8), brakes (8), engine & cooling (8).
How many complaints has the 1995 Saturn SW had?
36 complaints have been filed with NHTSA, the first on January 5, 1995 and the latest on December 21, 2011. Of these, 4 describe a crash and 0 a fire, and together they report 5 injuries and 0 deaths.
Is the 1995 Saturn SW a reliable vehicle?
Its Safety Index is 38 out of 100 (grade D: more problems than a typical Saturn SW year, for its age). The index weighs complaints, crashes, fires, injuries, deaths and recalls against how long the vehicle has been on the road, compared with the same model's other years. It is not a measure of every repair - read the complaints and owner experiences, and have any used vehicle inspected before you buy.
Which Saturn SW years have the most complaints?
1995 (36), 1997 (31), 1994 (30). See every Saturn SW year compared.
What should I do if my 1995 Saturn SW has a problem?
If it is a safety problem, stop driving it if it is unsafe and contact your dealer. Report it to NHTSA at nhtsa.gov/report-a-safety-problem - enough reports start investigations and recalls - and share your experience here so other owners know what to look for.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) complaints and recalls, checked . Complaints are owners' own reports and are not verified. How we use the data