IllustrationPROBLEMS WITH GEAR SHIFT ON 1998 SATURN SL1. *MR THE GEAR SHIFT WOULD NOT COME OUT OF PARK AND THE BCSI SOLENOID WAS REPLACED. *SCC *JB
1998 Saturn Sl
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 1998 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
Limited mileage data: 38 of 168 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.
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.
- Power Train. Review the 33 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 28 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Seat Belts. Review the 17 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
23 crash reports2 fire reports19 injury reports
Power Train complaints
33 reportsWHILE DRIVING, THE ENGINE STALLED. THE DEALER REPLACED THE CRANKSHAFT SENOR AND COOLANT TEMPERATURE SENSOR, HOWEVER THE ENGINE STALLED AGAIN. *AK THE POWER STEERING AND IGNITION SWITCH NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE GEAR DID NOT SHIFT PROPERLY, MAINLY IN FIRST GEAR. *JB
SMALL PLASTIC RING IN SHIFTER LINKAGE BROKE WHILE IN TRAFFIC LEAVING CAR STUCK IN FIRST GEAR.*JB
THE VEHICLE STALLED INTERMITTENTLY WHILE DRIVING. THE CAM SWITCH WAS REPLACED TWICE, THE IDLE CONTROL WAS ADJUSTED AND THE THROTTLE WAS REPLACED YET THE PROBLEM RECURRED. THE VEHICLE LUNGED FORWARD WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS SHIFTED IN REVERSE. THE TRANSMISSION WAS REPLACED. *NM
TRANSMISION HESITATES AND JERKS BEFORE GOING INTO ANY GEAR. PROBLEM HAS EXISTED FOR 3 MONTHS.DEALER WAS NOTIFIED, AND FOUND A FAULTY TRANSMISSION VALVE.*AK
WHEN ACCELERATING TRANSMISSION DOESN'T SHIFT INTO GEAR. ALSO, BATTERY IS LEAKING FLUID, DETERIORATING WIRE HARNESS TO TRANSMISSION. DEALER STATED PROBLEM WILL REOCCUR BECAUSE WIRES DO NOT HAVE A PROTECTIVE COVERING. *AK
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK
CLUTCH WAS IN PERFECT CONDITIONS, FALIURE WAS IN THE PRESSURE PLATE THAT OPERATES THE CLUTCH. PARTS DEPARTMENT TOLD ME THAT THIS WAS NOT UN-COMMON FOR MANUAL TRANSMITIONS ON SL1 FROM 96-99 AND WHEN NEW PARTS WERE PURCHASED AT THE DEALER, THERE HAD BEEN A DESIGN CHANGE WHICH INCREASED THE TOTAL COST FOR THE REPAIR. WHY WAS A NEW…
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CLUTCH WAS IN PERFECT CONDITIONS, FALIURE WAS IN THE PRESSURE PLATE THAT OPERATES THE CLUTCH. PARTS DEPARTMENT TOLD ME THAT THIS WAS NOT UN-COMMON FOR MANUAL TRANSMITIONS ON SL1 FROM 96-99 AND WHEN NEW PARTS WERE PURCHASED AT THE DEALER, THERE HAD BEEN A DESIGN CHANGE WHICH INCREASED THE TOTAL COST FOR THE REPAIR. WHY WAS A NEW DESIGN IMPLEMENTED IF THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE OLD ONE. JUST IN HAWAII/OAHU THERE HAS BEEN ABOUT HALF A DOZEN OF LOW MILAGE MANUAL TRANS WITH CLUTCH SYSTEM FALIRES.
CAUTION: SATURN AUTOMATIC TRANSMISION MAY BE DANGEROUS IF IT HESITATES AND CLUNKS INTO GEAR OR DOWNSHIFTS INAPPROPRIATELY. SATURN'S COMPUTER DIAGNOSTIC SYSTEM MAY NOT DETECT DANGEROUS TRANSMISSION CONTROL CONDITION. SATURN CORP. POLICY ON PAYING DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC WORK FOR WARRANTY ITEMS MAY DISCOURAGE DEALER FROM FURTHER …
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CAUTION: SATURN AUTOMATIC TRANSMISION MAY BE DANGEROUS IF IT HESITATES AND CLUNKS INTO GEAR OR DOWNSHIFTS INAPPROPRIATELY. SATURN'S COMPUTER DIAGNOSTIC SYSTEM MAY NOT DETECT DANGEROUS TRANSMISSION CONTROL CONDITION. SATURN CORP. POLICY ON PAYING DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC WORK FOR WARRANTY ITEMS MAY DISCOURAGE DEALER FROM FURTHER INVESTIGATING POSSIBLY DANGEROUS CONDITIONS.*AK
CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING 55MPH ON WET ROADS VEHICLE DOWNSHIFTED INTO LOW GEAR AT HIGHWAY SPEED. CONSUMER LOST CONTROL AND CRASHED INTO A CONCRETE BRIDGE WHICH GUIDED HIM TO A STOP. TWICE VEHICLE WAS IN SHOP FOR CLUNKING, AND TWICE WITH DOWNSHIFTING ADDED. VEHICLE IN A REPAIR SHOP TO SEE WHAT DAMAGE HAS BEEN DONE.*AK THE CONSUM…
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CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING 55MPH ON WET ROADS VEHICLE DOWNSHIFTED INTO LOW GEAR AT HIGHWAY SPEED. CONSUMER LOST CONTROL AND CRASHED INTO A CONCRETE BRIDGE WHICH GUIDED HIM TO A STOP. TWICE VEHICLE WAS IN SHOP FOR CLUNKING, AND TWICE WITH DOWNSHIFTING ADDED. VEHICLE IN A REPAIR SHOP TO SEE WHAT DAMAGE HAS BEEN DONE.*AK THE CONSUMER SAYS THE DEALER SHOULD HAVE ADDRESSED THE SYMPTEMS OF POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS TRANSMISSION PROBLEM DURING THE 4 SERVICE PERIODS. THE VEHICLE WAS A TOTAL LOSS. THE CONSUMER WAS SEKKING FINANCIAL REIMBERSEMENT FOR THE LOSS AND EXPENSES. *YH
Official recalls
0No recalls in this snapshot.
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.