IllustrationCONSUMER STATES THAT WHILE DRIVING AND NO WARNING THERE IS A LOUD NOISE COMING FROM THE STEERING WHEEL CAUSING A DISTRACTION TO THE CONSUMER. DEALER NOTIFIED
1999 Saturn Sl
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 1999 Saturn Sl do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 171.5.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Sl years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
60–25K
1725–50K
1450–75K
1575–100K
16100–150K
5150K+
73 reports with mileage · 105 unknown
NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.
What to inspect
Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.
- Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 45 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Service Brakes, Hydraulic. Review the 28 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Power Train. Review the 22 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
26 crash reports1 fire reports17 injury reports
What owners actually said
178 reportsFRONT END SHAKES AND AMOUNT INCREASES AS BRAKES ARE APPLIED. SEVERAL DIFFERENT BRAKES PADS HAVE BEEN APPLIED. CALIPERS HAVE BEEN REPLACED AND RECENTLY THE CV AXLES NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. AFTER A FEW WEEKS THE PROBLEM IS RECURRING. MAKES VEHICLE FEEL UNSAFE ESPECIALLY WHEN BRAKING. *NLM
THE FRONTAL AIR BAGS DEPLOYED WITHOUT IMPACT. *JB TURNED INTO PARKING SPACE AND BUMPED UNDER CAR ON CURB. BENDING THE SWAY BAR BRACKET BUT DID NOT TOUCH CAR BODY OR BUMPER.*TS
THE VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A COLLISION, AND THE FRONT SEATS RECLINED BACKWARDS. *JB
MY WIFE WAS INVOLVED IN AN AUTO ACCIDENT WHERE SHE WAS WEARING HER SEAT BELT THAT ENDED UP BREAKING. IN MY CONVERSATIONS WITH OTHER PEOPLE I HAVE COME ACROSS 2 OTHER PEOPLE THAT HAD THE SAME ISSUE WITH THE SAME MANUFACTURER(SATURN).*JB
THE HEAD GASKET LEAKED.*JB
1999 SATURN SL2 WITH 30,500 MILES TRANSMISSION EXPLODED.
WHILE DRIVING CONSUMER APPLIED THE BRAKES AND VEHICLE SHIFT GEAR WITHOUT WARNING. PLEASE PROVIDE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. TS
WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED VEHICLE MAKE SOME VIBRATION, CONSUMER ALSO COMPLAINED HAS BEEN HISTORY OF PROBLEMS IN THE LAST PAST THREE YEARS WITH THIS VEHICLE. DEALER HAS INSPECTED AND CAN'T CORRECT THE PROBLEM. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. TS
THE DRIVER SIDE SEAT BELT DON'T STAY FASTEN. THIS RESULTS IN DRIVER NOT BEING SECURED IN THE SEAT IF VEHICLE IS IN AN ACCIDENT. THE DEALERSHIP IS NOT FIXING THE PROBLEM, CAUSE THEY CAN'T DUPLICATE. THE PROBLEM HAS WORSEN AS TIME GOES ON. PLEASE PROVIDE MORE DETAILS. TS
Official recalls
199V280000 · Seat Belts:front:anchorage
Oct 20, 1999
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. THESE VEHICLES DO NOT COMPLY WITH REQUIREMENTS OF FMVSS NO. 210, "SEAT BELT ASSEMBLY ANCHORAGES." SOME OF THE VEHICLES WERE PRODUCED WITH SEAT BELT SHOULDER GUIDE ANCHOR BOLTS THAT WERE NOT ADEQUATELY TIGHTENED AT THE CENTER PILLAR AND COULD FALL OUT, MAKING THE SEAT BELT INOPERATIVE.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: IN THE EVENT OF A CRASH, THE SEAT OCCUPANT MAY NOT BE PROPERLY RESTRAINED.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT THESE VEHICLES FOR PROPER INSTALLATION AND TORQUE OF THE SEAT BELT SHOULDER GUIDE ANCHOR BOLTS.
Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗
NHTSA investigations
0No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.