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1996 Saturn SL

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 1996 SL.

Body PASSENGER CARTransmission Automatic 4-spd

The 1996 Saturn SL is a passenger car powered by a four-cylinder engine paired with a four-speed automatic transmission, with manufacturer-recommended oil service requiring 4.2 quarts of 5W-30 API viscosity oil. Fuel efficiency for this model year is rated by the EPA at 21 mpg city, 31 mpg highway, and 25 mpg combined. In terms of reliability, the 1996 model year recorded 363 owner complaints, with engine and engine cooling issues representing the most frequent concern, and the vehicle was subject to four separate recalls during its production cycle. Within the Saturn SL's broader model history spanning 1991 to 2002, the 1996 SL falls between the model's lowest complaint year in 1991 (30 complaints) and its highest in 1995 (421 complaints), placing it in a middle range that reflects the variability in build quality across this generation.

Model year2002 2001 2000 1999 1998 1997 1996

Quick specs

Fluid capacities, tune-up values and fuel economy at a glance.

Engine oil capacity4.2 qtOEM · verified

Engine oil type5W-30 APIOEM · verified

Lug nut torque100 ft-lbsOEM · verified

EPA fuel economy21/31/25 mpgEPA · verified

Fitment & sizes

Replacement part sizes and factory part numbers — battery, bulbs, filters and belts.

From the factory this vehicle uses a BCI 75 · 525 CCA battery, OE oil filter 21000872. Note the factory front wiper blades and thermostat are now discontinued — plan on a superseded or quality aftermarket equivalent, which the part pages below list where known. Each part links to every other vehicle that shares it, so a part you already stock may fit more of your fleet than you'd expect.

Battery groupBCI 75 · 525 CCAOEM · verified

Tail / brake / turnLAMPOEM · verified

OE service part numbers OEM · verified

Engine oil filter	21000872
Engine air filter	21000938
Fuel filter	89029264 alt 21009412
Spark plug	21025102
Front wiper blades	21302527 discontinued · alt 21302526
Serpentine belt	21007095 alt 21007096
Thermostat	21006335 discontinued · alt 21006227

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Engine & drivetrain NHTSA vPIC

Transmission

Automatic 4-spd

Dimensions & weight NHTSA vPIC

Overall length	176.8 in
Overall width	66.9 in
Overall height	54.7 in
Wheelbase	102.4 in
Curb weight	2315 lb
Track (front / rear)	56.7 / 55.9 in
Weight distribution (front / rear)	61/39

Ratings & economy EPA / vPIC

EPA city / highway / combined	21 / 31 / 25 mpg
Drivetrain	Front-Wheel Drive
Passenger volume	89 cu ft
Cargo volume	12 cu ft
Recommended fuel	Regular Gasoline

Service quick specs OEM factory data

Capacities, torques and tune-up values from the factory service manual.

This engine holds 4.2 qt of 5W-30 API engine oil, DOT 3 brake fluid. Torque lug nuts to 100 ft-lbs. The firing order is 1-3-4-2. Note the cylinder-head bolts finish on a torque angle (torque-to-yield) — they stretch permanently and should be replaced, not reused, during any head service.

Lubricants & capacities

Brake Fluid	DOT 3
Engine Oil	5W-30 · API
Engine Oil Capacity	4.2 qt

Engine torques

Crankshaft Position (CKP) Sensor Bolt(s)	7 ft-lbs
Camshaft Sprocket and/or Gear Bolt(s)	75 ft-lbs
Crankshaft Pulley and/or Damper Bolts	159 DOHC ft-lbs
Engine Coolant Temperature (ECT) Sensor Bolt(s)	6 ft-lbs
Oxygen (O2S) Sensor Bolt(s)	33 ft-lbs
Knock Sense (KS) Bolt(s)	11 ft-lbs
Intake Manifold to Engine Bolts	22 ft-lbs
Exhaust Manifold to Cylinder Head Bolts	16 ft-lbs

Chassis torques

Lug Nuts

100 ft-lbs

Ignition

Cylinder Firing Order	1-3-4-2
Ignition Coil Secondary Resistance	7000-10,000 ohms
Spark Plug Manufacturer	AC Delco
Spark Plug Gap	0.040 in
Spark Plug Torque	20 ft-lbs

Battery & A/C

Refrigerant	R134a
Refrigerant Capacity	1.50 lbs
Oil Group	PAG
Oil Type	46
Oil Capacity	5.00-7.00 oz
Standard BCI Group Number	75
Standard BCI Cranking Performance	525 cca

Service checks

Injector Primary Resistance

11.5-12.5 @ 74 degreesF MFI ohms

Brakes

Brake Application	WITH REAR DISC
Torque Caliper to Bracket	27 ft-lbs
Torque to Knuckle	63 ft-lbs / 86 ft-lbs
Minimum Pad Thickness	0.030 in
Minimum Shoe Thickness	0.040 in
Brake Application	WITH REAR DISC
Rotor Max Parallel Variation	0.0005 in
Rotor Runout Limit	0.0024 in

Multi-step torque procedures OEM · verified

Cylinder Head — tightening sequence 3 stages

1	22 ft. lbs.	22 ft. lbs
2	33 ft. lbs.	33 ft. lbs
3	90 degrees.	90 degrees

Factory maintenance schedule OEM · verified

Normal service, condensed from the factory interval matrix.

Under the factory schedule, replace the engine oil and filter every 6,000 mi; spark plugs every 30,000 mi; coolant every 100,000 mi. The big-interval services (every 100,000 mi for coolant, and the transmission fluid) are the ones owners most often skip — on a lower-mileage example, assume the original fluids are still in it and check them first.

At 6,000 mi	Brake System (inspect) · Tire & Wheel Assembly (rotate) · Transmission Assembly (drain & refill)
Every 6,000 mi	Axle Shaft Oil Seal (inspect) · Body Latches, Locks & Hinges (inspect) · Brake Hydraulic System (inspect fluid level) · CV Joint Boot (inspect) · Engine Oil (drain & refill) · Engine Oil Filter (replace)
Every 12,000 mi	Brake System (inspect) · Tire & Wheel Assembly (rotate)
Every 18,000 mi	Accessory Drive Belt (inspect) · Engine Coolant System Hoses (inspect)
Every 30,000 mi	Engine Air Filter Element (replace) · Fuel System (inspect) · Spark Plugs (replace) · Vacuum Line (inspect)
Every 36,000 mi	Radiator Cap (inspect)
Every 60,000 mi	Fuel Filter (replace)
Every 100,000 mi	Engine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill)

Reliability & federal safety record

Owner-reported issues, recalls, investigations and service bulletins on record with NHTSA — an unfiltered look at what owners actually experience.

The 1996 Saturn SL sits at a notable inflection point in the generation's federal record. Complaints peaked at 421 in 1995 and then fell to 363 in 1996, continuing a downward trend through 2002, while recalls held steady at four, matching both 1995 and 1997. However, TSBs surged from 35 in 1995 to 123 in 1996, launching a sustained high-volume pattern that persisted through the end of the run, and NHTSA investigations dropped from three to zero. The leading 1996 complaint categories were Engine & Engine Cooling (63), Electrical System (41), and a tie between Power Train and Service Brakes, Hydraulic (38 each), with 53 crash-related complaints and 2 fire complaints reported. Because the data does not specify root causes, we cannot attribute these figures to any particular defect. Given that complaints were retreating from their generational peak but dealer technical bulletins were expanding sharply, 1996 is a mixed but acceptable year to buy if maintenance records are clean and the price reflects its age.

Open recalls

NHTSA campaigns

123

Service bulletins

Manufacturer communications

ODI investigations

Office of Defects Investigation

363

Owner complaints

53 involved a crash · 2 a fire

NHTSA crash-test rating federal NCAP · out of 5 stars

Rollover★★★★★

Owner complaints by model year NHTSA · this generation & adjacent

’91 ’92 ’93 ’94 ’95’96’97 ’98 ’99 ’00 ’01 ’02

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 363 complaints on record, top 8 components.

Engine & Engine Cooling63

Electrical System41

Power Train38

Service Brakes, Hydraulic38

Air Bags19

Visibility18

Steering17

Vehicle Speed Control15

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

Showing 2 of 2 campaigns on record for this vehicle.

09E012000Exterior LightingReported 07/04/2009

SABERSPORT IS RECALLING 16,270 COMBINATION CORNER AND BUMPER LAMP ASSEMBLIES OF VARIOUS PART NUMBERS SOLD FOR USE AS AFTERMARKET EQUIPMENT FOR VARIOUS PASSENGER VEHICLES. THESE HEADLAMPS FAIL TO CONFORM TO THE… Remedy: SABERSPORT WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND OFFER A FULL REFUND FOR THE NONCOMPLIANT COMBINATION LAMPS. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON MAY 11, 2009. OWNERS MAY CONTACT SABERSPORT AT…

97V138000Steering:Gear Box (Other Than Rack And Pinion)Reported 29/08/1997

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH MANUAL STEERING. THE PINION BEARING CAGE IN THE STEERING GEAR CAN SEPARATE UNDER HIGH STEERING SYSTEM LOAD CONDITIONS, SUCH AS PARKING LOT OR SIMILAR LOW SPEED… Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE MANUAL STEERING GEAR ASSEMBLY.

Technical service bulletins NHTSA · verified

Showing 5 of 123 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

Bulletin	Date	Component	Summary
96-T-35D	2023-03-10	Electrical System	This service bulletin revision provides a repair procedure to Remove Debris from…
PIP4723F	2022-01-14	Service Brakes, Hydraulic	This Preliminary Information communicates to the dealer the process for downloading or…
PIP4723D	2020-01-31	Electrical System	This Preliminary Information communicates to the dealer the process for downloading or…
PIC4696E	2019-11-22	Equipment	This Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician on how…
PIC4696D	2019-09-05	Equipment	This Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician on how…

Common OBD-II trouble codes

The most common OBD-II codes for this vehicle's emissions system. These are standardized SAE J2012 definitions, not vehicle-specific fault reports.

P0420

Catalyst system efficiency below threshold — Bank 1

P0300

Random / multiple cylinder misfire detected

P0171

System too lean — Bank 1

P0455

Evaporative emission system leak detected — large leak

P0128

Coolant thermostat below regulating temperature

P0442

Evaporative emission system leak detected — small leak

VIN tools

Decode factory build data for a specific vehicle by VIN.

VIN

Decode a VIN to confirm the transmission and build data for a specific SL. OEM

Build data

Plant, GVWR class, engine and body data for any 17-character VIN.

Recalls

Check open recall campaigns against a specific vehicle by VIN.

Vehicles with shared specs

Find every vehicle that shares this one's battery, bulbs, oil capacity, platform or parts.

Group 75 battery Vehicles taking 4.2 qt Engine oil filter 21000872 Engine air filter 21000938 Fuel filter 89029264 Spark plug 21025102

Reference guides

Cross-vehicle references for the kinds of data on this page.

Vehicle recalls & TSBs OBD-II trouble codes Torque specifications Maintenance schedules Fluid capacities & specs

Frequently asked

How much oil does the 1996 SL take?

4.2 qt of 5W-30 API, per the factory manual.

Does the 1996 SL have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 4 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.

What gas mileage does the SL get?

EPA figures are 21 city / 31 highway / 25 combined mpg.