Problems · NHTSA complaints
1999 Saturn SL problems
Owners filed 193 complaints about the 1999 Saturn SL with NHTSA between Oct 1998 and Jun 2020. The most-cited component is engine and engine cooling (48).
Complaints
193
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
28
Reported by owners
Fires
1
Reported by owners
Injuries
23
People reported injured
Deaths
0
Reported to NHTSA
Complaints by component
One complaint can cite several components
- Engine and engine cooling48
- Service brakes, hydraulic27
- Power train23
- Electrical system22
- Air bags22
- Seat belts13
- Tires12
- Seats9
- Vehicle speed control8
- Steering7
- Suspension7
- Parking brake4
- Equipment4
- Fuel system, gasoline4
Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.
Data from NHTSA Complaints API · synced Nov 10, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
When complaints were filed
Does it get worse with age? Complaints per calendar year filed
1
19
23
23
19
37
23
10
10
6
7
4
2
2
0
1
3
1
0
0
1
0
1
View as table
| Model year | Complaints filed per calendar year |
|---|---|
| 1998 | 1 |
| 1999 | 19 |
| 2000 | 23 |
| 2001 | 23 |
| 2002 | 19 |
| 2003 | 37 |
| 2004 | 23 |
| 2005 | 10 |
| 2006 | 10 |
| 2007 | 6 |
| 2008 | 7 |
| 2009 | 4 |
| 2010 | 2 |
| 2011 | 2 |
| 2012 | 0 |
| 2013 | 1 |
| 2014 | 3 |
| 2015 | 1 |
| 2016 | 0 |
| 2017 | 0 |
| 2018 | 1 |
| 2019 | 0 |
| 2020 | 1 |
Mileage at failure isn’t a structured field in NHTSA complaint data, so we don’t chart it. Some owners mention it in their reports below.
Top problems in owners’ words
Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
Engine and engine cooling
48 reports1 fire
“I HAVE A 1999 SATURN. IT KEEPS STALLING WHILE IN MOTION. IT WILL WORK FINE FOR A FEW WEEKS, THEN ALL OF THE SUDDEN IT WILL "ACT UP" AND THE RPMS WILL DANCE AROUND UNTIL IT FINALLY STALLS. I HAVE HAD THIS HAPPEN MANY TIMES ALREADY. I BELIEVE IT SHOULD BE INCLUDED WITH THE TIMING CHAIN INQUIRY, BUT I AM NOT SURE IF IT WILL RUN LONG ENOUGH FOR IT TO BE COVERED. I AM UPSET THAT I CAN'T GET ANY ANSWERS FROM SATURN. THEY INSIST ON ME BRINGING THE CAR IN AND I AM QUITE SURE THAT WILL NEED TO "FIX IT" WHICH WILL COST ME PLENTY. PLEASE MAKE NOTE THAT MY VEHICLE IS AFFECTED BY THIS DEFECT AND I CAN'T AFFORD TO FIX IT MYSELF. *TR”
Service brakes, hydraulic
27 reports4 crashes
“HAND BRAKE RELEASE BUTTON AND SPRING POPPED OUT AFTER PARKING THE VEHICLE. HAD THIS HAPPENED WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS UNATTENDED AND PARKED ON A HILL (AS IT TYPICALLY IS), THIS CAR COULD HAVE CAUSED SERIOUS BODILY HARM OR STRUCTURAL DAMAGE.”
Power train
23 reports1 crash
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS 1999 SATURN SL1. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING 45 MPH WHEN THE SHIFT CABLE FRACTURED AND CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO SHIFT INTO NEUTRAL. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER. THE DEALER MADE REPAIRS TO THE VEHICLE. ON A LATER DATE, THE CONTACT APPLIED THE EMERGENCY BRAKE BEFORE EXITING THE VEHICLE. WHEN HE RETURNED, THE EMERGENCY BRAKE HAD INDEPENDENTLY DISENGAGED. THE CONTACT DISCOVERED THAT THE EMERGENCY BRAKE BUTTON WAS DEFECTIVE. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO ORDER THE NECESSARY PART FROM THE DEALER TO MAKE REPAIRS HIMSELF. THE CONTACT WAS CONCERNED THAT HAD HE BEEN PARKED ON A HILL, THE VEHICLE COULD POTENTIALLY HAVE ROLLED AWAY. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 103,000.”
Electrical system
22 reports1 crash
“I JUST RECEIVED A 1999 SATURN SL 2 SERIES A YEAR AGO FROM MY MOTHER FOR MY VERY FIRST CAR. I GOT IT AT ABOUT 100,000 MILES AND IT IS NOW CURRENTLY AT 122,446. I NOTICED ABOUT A MONTH AGO WHILE I WOULD BE DRIVING, USUALLY AFTER ABOUT 1-2 MILES AFTER STARTING UP THE CAR AND DRIVING, MY GEARS BEGAN TO SLIP. I KEPT UP WITH JUST ABOUT MONTHLY OIL CHANGES, ACCOMPANIED BY TRANSMISSION FLUID CHECKED AND TOPPED OFF. MY TRANSMISSION OIL HAS NEVER BEEN LOW. THEN, ABOUT 4 DAYS AGO I WENT TO LEAVE FROM MY WORK ORIENTATION, AND I COULDN?T BACK UP MY CAR FROM MY PARKING SPOT, THE REVERSE HAD WENT OUT. SO I PUT THE CAR BACK IN DRIVE, THEN BACK TO REVERSE THINKING MAYBE IT DIDN?T GO INTO REVERSE ALL THE WAY AND IT DID NOT WORK. I REVVED UP THE ENGINE, NOTHING HAPPENING UNTIL I DID IT PRETTY HARD, AND EVENTUALLY IT STARTED ROLLING BACK A LITTLE. I LOOKED UP ON THE INTERNET TO SEE IF THIS WAS A PRETTY BIG ISSUE OR NOT, AND I REALIZE I SEE IT A LOT IN 1999 SATURNS. A RECALL I BELIEVE WOULD BE THE BEST OPTION FOR FIXING THIS ISSUE AND WOULD FURTHER PREVENT PEOPLE FROM SPENDING SO MUCH MONEY. I TOOK MY CAR TO A MECHANIC AND IT?S CURRENTLY SITTING THERE NOW. I DON?T KNOW WHAT THEY…”
Air bags
22 reports14 crashes
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 SATURN SL. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH, THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED TO PREVENT FROM CRASHING INTO ANOTHER VEHICLE THAT HAD DISOBEYED THE STOP SIGN. AS A RESULT, THE VEHICLE SLID AND CRASHED INTO ANOTHER VEHICLE AND ROLLED INTO A SNOW EMBANKMENT. THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE CONTACT DRIVER SUSTAINED HEAD INJURIES AND THE THREE PASSENGERS SUSTAINED MINOR INJURIES, WHICH REQUIRED MEDICAL ATTENTION. IN ADDITION, THE KEY COULD BE REMOVED FROM THE IGNITION WHEN DRIVING. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 140,000.”
Seat belts
13 reports7 crashes1 related recall
“I OWN A 1999 SL1 SATURN. ON WEDNESDAY 06/07/06, WHEN I WAS TAKING MY 23 MONTH OLD DAUGHTER OUT OF HER CAR SEAT, I NOTICED THAT THE CAR SEAT WAS LOOSE. UPON FURTHER INSPECTION, I FOUND THE BUCKLE THAT HOLDS THE SEAT BELT (THE ONE THAT COMES UP FROM UNDERNEATH THE SEAT) HAD COME UN-STITCHED. WHEN I PULLED ON THE BUCKLE IT CAME OUT IN MY HAND. I EMAILED SATURN THURSDAY MORNING AND THEY TOLD ME TO CONTACT MY LOCAL SATURN DEALERSHIP. I WENT TO MY LOCAL DEALERSHIP, SATURN OF BURLINGTON, ON FRIDAY AND SHOWED THEM THE PART AND TALKED WITH THE SERVICE MANAGER. SHE TOLD ME THAT THEY HAD NEVER SEEN THIS BEFORE. SHE ALSO TOLD ME THAT WITH THE AGE OF THE CAR, BEING 7 YEARS OLD, THE BEST SHE COULD DO FOR ME WAS 10% OFF THE PART. IT DIDN'T A MATTER TO HER THAT WE HAD ONLY BEEN USING THAT SEAT BELT FOR THE LAST 4 MONTHS, SINCE THE BIRTH OF OUR SON. THE PART COSTS APPROXIMATELY $49.00. IT IS NOT THE COST THAT BOTHERS ME, IT IS THE "NOT MY PROBLEM" ATTITUDE THAT BOTHERS ME. I WAS EVEN GOING TO PUT THE BUCKLE IN MYSELF. THE DEALERSHIP SUGGESTED I CALL THE SATURN CUSTOMER SERVICE. I LEFT THE DEALERSHIP UPSET THAT THEY DIDN'T SEE THE ENORMITY OF THE SITUATION. I LATER CALLED SATURN…”
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 10, 2026
Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.