1997 Saturn SL SL1 from North America - Comments

This car is very economical, but it does tend to use a lot of oil.

I had to have the alternator replaced twice.

The car only has 32,000 miles on it and I have had it for a little over four years.

The plastic clutch melted and now my air conditioner won't work - it is the start of summer in Houston.

I had trouble with the window sealant on the passenger side, it allowed rain water to come through and had to be replaced the same year I got the car. From time to time there are mysterious leaks after a big rain, yet the dealership claims to have fixed the problem.

I was in an accident and the car was hardly damaged even though it was hit head on from the passenger's side.

Earlier a screw came unbolted from the side of the door and had to be re-adjusted (minor), but strange.

The car is modestly comfortable, but it is a little too low to the ground for comfort.

It is my first brand new car and I like it, but if I had more experience with vehicles at the time I probably wouldn't have purchased it.

One other thing the car hydroplanes all the time, even with the slightest of wet weather conditions.

I have yet to run into any real major problems with this car, but as I read the list of other people's comments on it's faults I notice the ones I am dealing with appear right on schedule with their complaints.

Related to the 1997 Saturn SC and SL series. Has anyone else had oil disapering with no signs of leakage or exhaust problems? If you have oil going to a vortex somewhere you are in need of a new head. Ether pay about $800-$1100 or just take the thing to the junk yard and wait for the Jupiter to come out.

Mechanic in FL.

Anyone else have trouble with the passenger lower door area leaking onto the floor after it rains. My floor on the passenger side gets soaked.

Actually there is a relatively easy fix out there if you go look for service recall info on this particular car. It has a known problem with the rings sticking.. I had three mechanics all tell me to run it until it dropped and finally found a mechanic who knew where to look. He found the recall, ran the recommended detergent through the oil and the car runs like new.. before then I had been going through a QUART every 500 miles.. $40.00 and problem fixed... It now goes through NO OIL at all.. so find a mechanic who can find the service recall.. I am glad I did and didn't just trash what had been a great little car.