IllustrationFIRESTONE AFFINITI, ORIGINAL TIRES ON A SATURN SL2, P185/65R15 T M/S DOT 02 7475. TOOK VEHICLE IN FOR A NAIL PUNCTURE. MECHANIC NOTICED TREAD SEPERATING ON THE TIRE AND REFUSE TO CORRECT THE TIRE. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMAITON. TS
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 reportsTHE SAFETY MANDATED AIR BAG LABEL ON THE HEAD REST OF THE CHILD CAR SEAT WAS PULLED OFF WHILE BY MY 10 MONTH OLD CHILD WHILE SHE WAS REAR FACING AND WE WERE DRIVING. I NOTICED SHE WAS CHOKING AND LOOKED BACK TO SEE SHE WAS BLUE AND NOT BREATHING. I WAS ABLE TO DISLODGE MOST OF THE LABEL FROM HER AIRWAY AND SHE BEGAN BREATHING …
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THE SAFETY MANDATED AIR BAG LABEL ON THE HEAD REST OF THE CHILD CAR SEAT WAS PULLED OFF WHILE BY MY 10 MONTH OLD CHILD WHILE SHE WAS REAR FACING AND WE WERE DRIVING. I NOTICED SHE WAS CHOKING AND LOOKED BACK TO SEE SHE WAS BLUE AND NOT BREATHING. I WAS ABLE TO DISLODGE MOST OF THE LABEL FROM HER AIRWAY AND SHE BEGAN BREATHING ON HER OWN. THIS IS A SIGNIFICANT SAFETY ISSUE AND THESE SEATS SHOULD BE RECALLED. HAD MY CHILD PASSED OUT, I WOULD HAVE ASSUMED SHE WAS SLEEPING AND WE WOULD BE BURYING OUR DAUGHTER. DT
THE ENGINE AND HEAD GASKET WAS REPLACED.*JB
CONSUMER CALLED COMPLAINING ABOUT HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THE VEHICLE STOPPING ON THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD FOR NO SPECIFIC REASON . MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND STATED THAT IF IT HAPPENS AGAIN THEN THEY WILL HELP HIM. MR
CONSUMER STATES WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE THE IGNITION ELECTRICAL SYSTEM DOESN'T WORK PROPERLY, CAUSING STALLING ENGINE. ALSO FAILURE STEERING WHEEL AND BRAKES. DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED, ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION PLEASE FEELS FREE TO ADD ON. TS
CONSUMER STATED VEHICLE WOULD NOT START, IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE BATTERY WAS NOT HOLDING ITS CHARGE.*JB
CONSUMERS VEHICLE HAS A CRACKED HEAD GASKET. CONSUMER CALLED SATURN COMPANY TO INQUIRE ABOUT THE VEHICLE BEING FIXED AND THEY REFUSED TO FIX IT. CONSUMER REQUESTS A REFUND OF MONEY PAID FOR REPAIRS. *JG....*AK
WHEN APPLYING BRAKES PEDAL FELT SPONGY, AND THERE WAS EXTENDED STOPPPING DISTANCE. VEHICLE WAS EXAMINED BY DEALER, WHO STATED BRAKES WERE IN WORKING ORDER.*AK CONSUMER STATED THE BRAKES WOULD GRIND AND SQUEAK.*JB
02 SENSOR FAILURE, WATER PUMP, FUEL PUMP, SERPENTINE BELT, FUSE BLOCK - ALL PARTS DEFECTS WITHIN SHORT SPAN OF TIME AFTER THEIR 36K WARRANTY EXPIRED- ATYPICAL PROBLEMS FOR CAR WITH THIS TYPE OF MILEAGE. MANUFACTURER CONTACTED AND WOULD NOT REVEAL PARTS MANFUCTURER - "NOT LEGALLY OBLIGATED TO TELL THE PUBLIC." AS THIS CAR WA…
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02 SENSOR FAILURE, WATER PUMP, FUEL PUMP, SERPENTINE BELT, FUSE BLOCK - ALL PARTS DEFECTS WITHIN SHORT SPAN OF TIME AFTER THEIR 36K WARRANTY EXPIRED- ATYPICAL PROBLEMS FOR CAR WITH THIS TYPE OF MILEAGE. MANUFACTURER CONTACTED AND WOULD NOT REVEAL PARTS MANFUCTURER - "NOT LEGALLY OBLIGATED TO TELL THE PUBLIC." AS THIS CAR WAS NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTY, I WAS INFORMED THAT SATURN WOULD NOT REIMBURSE FOR DEFECTIVE PARTS BUT WOULD DOCUMENT THAT I WAS UNHAPPY WITH MY SATURN EXPERIENCE. SATURN NOT CONCERNED ABOUT SAFETY FACTORS INVOLVED WITH REPETITIVE PARTS FAILURES. OFFERRED FREE OIL CHANGE. DID NOT OFFER TO HAVE CAR BROUGHT IN FOR INSPECTION OR EXTENDING SOME KIND OF WARRANTY IN ORDER TO STUDY ANY PROBLEMS FOR CORRECTIVE ACTION WITH THIS PARTICULAR CAR OR MODEL. *AK
DIFFERENTIAL PIN DISLODGED, CAUSING CRACK IN TRANSMISSION. *AK
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.