22nd Feb 2010, 14:27

I bought a 1995 Saturn SL1 about a week ago and I too had to replace the tensioner pulley, but there were no problems with the serpentine belt. My problem is the high idling while driving at highway speeds. It has only happened once while I was driving, but I am concerned about this happening while my girlfriend is in the car (she is the primary driver of this car). I was just wondering if anyone had a definite solution to this problem, and if so would you share?

25th Feb 2010, 08:14

I'm a 17 year old girl and about to go look at a 1995 SL1 with 170,000 miles on Saturday. Are there certain things I should check for? I know know that I should test for the leaks and the noises or the car and such. If you can think of anything else that might help me, please email me. Hiskids3@aol.com. Thank you!

3rd Mar 2010, 19:01

I have a 1995 Saturn station wagon SW2 with only 64,000 miles on it. It was my aunt's car; purchased from her 8 years ago. It has been a great car, but about 6 months ago it started to turn off after I had driven up a medium to larger hill, and was beginning to slow down. This seems to happen more frequently when it is warm out, or when I have the A/C on, or when the gas tank is someplace less than 3/4 full. The car simply turns off, all power goes off, I coast to pull over, and it proceeds to start when I try the ignition. I've had the car in 2 shops (to the tune of $500.) and it still continues to do the same thing. Having the car turn off has been a very scary thing as I live in So. CA. and people here do not like to slow down for anything/one. In addition, my parents bought me this car during a rough time in my life, and it was a great help to me. Plus, my aunt has since passed away, and the car has an emotional value to me, as well. I'd like to keep it for at least 2 more years if possible. The car's size, exterior appearance, gas mileage, and flexibility of a small station wagon have been a pleasure. Any advice you have for me would be truly appreciated. I thank you in advance.

10th Mar 2010, 20:25

If your Saturn is shutting down on you while driving (losing all electrical power), check your negative ground wire on your battery, where it connects to the bottom of the engine. My mom had the same problem with hers, and it ended up being a loose connection. I pushed that car out of traffic more than once.

28th Mar 2010, 06:22

I own a 93 Saturn SL1.

The service engine soon light you shouldn't worry about. Mine has been on since my father bought mine from the lot back in 93.

As far as your power windows. I personally have manual windows, but it could have 1 of 4 things wrong. The motor could be going out, the regulator might need replaced, it could be like my 94 Bonneville and the switch needs replaced, or you might have a loose/pinched wire.

My cooling fan for the engine doesn't work either. What I did to get it to work is I hooked it up by a switch.

For your tires, try to buy ones that are more expensive than the ones your have been buying. If those last you longer than the ones you're getting now, it is the quality of the tire and not your car.

For the master cylinder, take it into a mechanic and have them look into that issue. It might be in the rear brakes. I have to replace the gasket to my master cylinder on my rear driver side drum brake.

For your engine idling high and rough. That would be another thing that you would want to take into the mechanic. That could be a number of issues. My SL1 did that until I had the gaskets on my transmission replaced.

The SL1's are good cars. Me and my dad drove my SL1 like a sports car, and every mechanic has told me and my dad that if it didn't sit for 3 years, the car would not have to have the head on it repaired from the timing chain breaking, because of rust.

And, if you have a problem with burning oil, check the air intake. Some how oil from the engine is getting in through there causing it to burn oil. If you do things right, you could actually keep the car and plate, and insure it as a classic car in 5 years, depending on what your state allows.

5th Sep 2010, 15:12

In 2007 I bought a 1995 Saturn SL1 from a seminarian whose grandma owned it. $1,000. Not many miles, 156,000 now. Great car. Long crack in right front (plastic) fender repaired with electrical applied to make it look like a "racing stripe." Has been holding it together.

No problems until recently. New muffler and left front wheel bearing last month. Started to miss last week, so am changing plugs and wires today per recommendation of NAPA. $27.

Have occasional left front door leak. Trunk key doesn't work, but auto-open does. Great mileage on the road, 40+. OK in the city.

Just notice, fortunately, that it is a using a lot of oil, thank goodness. That's something I will have to watch.

2nd Jan 2011, 17:08

I own a 95 Saturn SL1 Automatic. I've had it for almost 2 years. Had quite a few problems with it, but I love my car.

A few days ago, I noticed a squeaking noise, but not that loud. I got on the floor to check where the noise was coming from, and it's around the belt area. It's not the belt itself, because I had problems with the belt squeaking and replaced that. I used to have my dad work on my car, and he was more or less a mechanic from home, but in September he passed away. I need advice on what the problem might be.

3rd Mar 2011, 21:06

My wife and I have bought 4 Saturn SL1s since they came out. She bought one in 91 when Saturn first started. When she got tired of it and paid it off, we both bought SL1s in 1995. She bought an auto trans one, and I bought a manual. I worked off and on for extra money as an armed guard. We needed extra cash because my daughter was in braces and needed tuition paid. I counted up that I slept in my Saturn for over 4000 hours with the engine running and the AC going. Summers here in SC are hot... even at night.

I traded the SL1 in when it hit 100,000 miles. The reason I traded was my wife wanted a new style SL1 and only had 28,000 on hers after 4 yrs. I gave her my car to trade because it had 100,000 miles. I did not put one extra dollar in that car the whole time I had it. I just changed the oil every 3000 miles, and changed the antifreeze, plugs and fuel filter every 30,000 miles. That was almost 16 years ago, and I saw it on the road about 2 months ago... still going strong.

My 95 auto trans Saturn SL1 has had 3 or 4 alternators, and lately was running hot. It popped a small hole in the radiator a few days back. I put a new radiator in it ($100 at Advance Auto), new thermostat, new ECTS, and new radiator fan motor. It still ran hot. I read online that if the refrigerant (R134) gets below a certain level, neither the radiator fan nor AC clutch will run. I bought a can of R134 at Advance Auto that had a fill tube and a gauge on it. It also had compressor oil, a leak sealer, and something that makes it blow real cold in it. When I hooked the hose up and started to fill the system, I saw the gauge needle start to rise. When it hit 45 psi, the AC compressor engaged and the radiator fan started running.

The overheat issues are gone now. I still do not get cool air out of the vents though. Someone told me there is a door in the duct work that flops back and forth according to which system is running, heater or AC. I will pursue that later this week.