NHTSA — Electrical System: Wiring: Interior/Under Dash Problems

10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
0 / 6
Injuries / Deaths:
0 / 0
Average Mileage:
34,899 miles

About These NHTSA Complaints:

This data is from the NHTSA — the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints are spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem.

So how do you find out what problems are occurring? For this NHTSA complaint data, the only way is to read through the comments below. Any duplicates or errors? It's not us.

1997 Saturn SL electrical problems

electrical problem

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1997 Saturn SL Owner Comments

problem #7

Jan 092006

SL 4-cyl

  • Manual transmission
  • miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

Ignition switch failed to start car. After a few tries, the car finally started only to have mounds of smoke rolling out from under the dash. After turning the vehicle off, the switch worked intermittently. We removed dash covers and ignition cylinder lock, and lowered the steering wheel to find that the wiring harness leading to the ignition switch had what was a black wire that was melted bare for a couple inches, and disfigured the entire wire, and melted the insulation to other wires within the harness. Judging by the damage of done to the wire, it appears that the most heat was in an area where the wire was closest to the steering column, leading one to believe that it wore through and grounded itself to the steering column, which led to the overheating of the wire and subsequent smoke/fire.

- Hanover, PA, USA

problem #6

Dec 022004

SL 4-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 77,000 miles
1997 Saturn SL2. Started engine, it ran a few seconds, then stopped with electrical smelling smoke flowing from under dashboard into car. After it stopped, it could still be cranked over but would not fire and run. We got out of the car and pushed it into our garage, where it still sits.

- Wellfleet, MA, USA

problem #5

Mar 262005

SL 4-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 48,849 miles
No prior indication of a fault. On March 26, 2005 my wife went to start the car and not only would it not start, but smoke started coming up from the dashboard. Upon having it towed to a Saturn dealer, we were told that the iginition switch had failed and had burnt out the wiring harness. This car has 48849 miles on it. This just does not make any reason, as should iginition swaiches go bad on a low mileage car and cause so much additional damage?

- Fair Oaks, CA, USA

problem #4

Mar 282004

SL

  • 64,443 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

When starting the vehicle smoke was coming from underneath the dashboard. Dealer stated wiring harness melted. As a result, the vehicle became inoperative.

- Hillsboro, OR, USA

problem #3

Oct 162003

SL 4-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 54,000 miles
We experienced a dashboard fire in our 1997 Saturn SL1 in the fall of 2003. My wife turned the key, started the car, shifted to reverse, and began backing up when the engine quit, the car jolted to a stop, and the interior immediately filled with acrid smoke. The knoxville Saturn dealer replaced the ignition switch and wiring--not cheap. This is obviously a safety-related event.

- Knoxville, TN, USA

problem #2

Jul 292002

SL

  • Automatic transmission
  • miles
When starting vehicle consumer noticed smoke coming from underneath the dash. Vehicle was shut off, has not been examined by dealer.

- Bolliver, TN, USA

problem #1

Jul 022002

SL

  • Manual transmission
  • miles
At start up horn sounded, then, smoke was coming from under the dash. Consumer shut off engine, and had vehicle towed to dealer. Dealer determined that wiring harness under the dash needed to be replaced.

- Harrisville, RI, USA

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