I was driving my 1994 Saturn SL2 I began to smell and electric burning smell then the check engine light came on the speedometer quit working and the seatbelts went forward please help

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Did you spill a drink/liquid in the cupholder space next to the e brake handle?
The passive restraint control module is located directly beneath that area (on the earlier Gen 1 s series cars w the seat belt tracks and motors).

SLIDE the window switch module to disengage the tab, then lift up. If you do not disengage tab, it will snap off as soon as you try to lift it up. Disconnect the power mirror and window wiring harnesses.

NOW

Remove the center console cover. One push clip at base on either side, no need to remove gear shifter ****. Two screws under rectang cover in the back cupholder area.

E brake handle about halfway down IIRC to get center console up and off. Must go off and on on an angle. You'll get it. Just remember the plastic is 26 years dry rotted so be gentle and do not force it.from a freshly crashed early S car (94 was last year for motorized belts in the S)

You'll smell the burn if that module is your issue.

 

Can this module also cause my speedometer to quit working. And cause the check engine light to come on.

 

Yes, the speed sensor signal passes through the passive restraint module on his way to the dash. This way the passive restraint module knows the speed of the vehicle which is important for safety reasons, like not moving the seat belt motors forward when the car is in motion above I believe 3 miles an hour. I'd have to look up the OBD1 code that corresponds to some aspect of what is going on. Probably loss of speedometer signal. I will try to look it up later. Funky design and horrible component placement. So if the passive restraint module goes bad, you lose the speedometer signal as it comes out of the passive restraint module.

Aside. Functioning track motors for seat belts on a first-generation s car would bring likely a pretty penny from the right buyer. Look in the glove box 4 two metal hooks. They fit into the tracks on either front door by your shoulder and latch into the channel to provide a latching point for the shoulder belt. Came from the factory this way for when the seat belt motors failed. Can probably just push the motor all the way rearward but pull the fuse first and leave it out so nothing can come back to life and go crazy while you are driving

Quite a long shot finding that passive restraint module in a junkyard but may find one on eBay. I have schematic for 93 showing how the speed sensor input feeds both the passive restraint module and the dash.

 

Ok can I unplug the module and bypass it for the speedometer. And if so what wires are they

 

BTW thanks a million for the help. Can't seem to find anyone in South Carolina who knows anything about it.

 

Need to check the schematics for wiring reroute.

While we are discussing obscure Saturn s car knowledge, do not use today's high current phone chargers in the cigarette lighter port. The wiring was designed for high current short duration to heat the element to light your smoke.

Today's high speed chargers cool a medium current continuously. The wire gauge is too small and the wires overheat and melt at the instrument panel fuse box. You're dumb light and fuel pump among other things have their power distributed at the same point on a fuse box. People refer to it as the F4 F5 or F1 issue with the f being the pin number on the fuse box. Likewise do not attach any stereo equipment to this circuit as the constant current will have the same effects as a function of time. After all, it was designed as a cigarette lighter, not a 12-volt source like today's cars.

You are most welcome for the assistance. There is no point in me retaining this obscure stuff in my head if I have no where to share it. Honestly, no one has asked a passive restraint module question in over a decade. Good to know if there is at least one properly functioning automatic seat belt Saturn out there. Well it was functional. No idea how you kept the motors alive but good job.

How does it run? Manual or Auto?

 

Automatic, runs great no oil leaks uses NO gas probably the best car I've owned. It has over 175000 miles on the original engine and transmission. No major issues at all. The only thing I have had to replace is the upper engine mount. Great little car.