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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 →

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

Service Brakes, Hydraulic complaints

16 reports
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Mileage unknown · May 27, 2004
Service Brakes, Hydraulic

1998 SATURN 41,635 MILES- BAKES PULSE AND SHAKEY STEERING- MACHINE ROTORS NEW PADS 48,343 MILES-SHAKEY STEERING-BALANCE WHEELS REPLACE SUSPECTED BAD TIRE. 64,057 MILES-SHAKEY STEERING-MACHINE ROTORS, PADS OKAY FOR NOW.*MR THERE IS SOMETHING DEFINITELY WRONG WITH THE BRAKES AND OR THE ROTORS. I HAVE OWNED MANY VEHICLES AND NE…

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1998 SATURN 41,635 MILES- BAKES PULSE AND SHAKEY STEERING- MACHINE ROTORS NEW PADS 48,343 MILES-SHAKEY STEERING-BALANCE WHEELS REPLACE SUSPECTED BAD TIRE. 64,057 MILES-SHAKEY STEERING-MACHINE ROTORS, PADS OKAY FOR NOW.*MR THERE IS SOMETHING DEFINITELY WRONG WITH THE BRAKES AND OR THE ROTORS. I HAVE OWNED MANY VEHICLES AND NEVER HAD ROTOR PROBLEMS. WHILE AT THE REPAIR SHOP I OVERHEARD TWO PHONE CALLS FROM CUSTOMERS WITH SIMILAR COMPLAINTS.

NHTSA ODI #10073234

Mileage unknown · Jun 28, 2002
Service Brakes, Hydraulic

VEHICLE EXPERIENCING NOISE IN THE FRONT END. DEALER COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG AND ADVISED CONSUMER THAT THERE IS NO ADJUSTMENT ON FRONT BRAKES AND THE REAR BRAKES ADJUST THEMSELVES. HOWEVER CONSUMER FOUND OUT THAT THE REAR BRAKES DO NOT ADJUST THEMSELVES AND HAVE TO BE ADJUSTED MANUALLY. THIS HAPPENED 3 TIMES. VEHICLE ALS…

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VEHICLE EXPERIENCING NOISE IN THE FRONT END. DEALER COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG AND ADVISED CONSUMER THAT THERE IS NO ADJUSTMENT ON FRONT BRAKES AND THE REAR BRAKES ADJUST THEMSELVES. HOWEVER CONSUMER FOUND OUT THAT THE REAR BRAKES DO NOT ADJUST THEMSELVES AND HAVE TO BE ADJUSTED MANUALLY. THIS HAPPENED 3 TIMES. VEHICLE ALSO LOSING BRAKE PEDAL GOING 2/3 OF THE WAY TO FLOOR. DEALER FOUND LEFT FRONT WHEEL ROTOR WAS WORNED. CONSUMER REPLACED BRAKE PADS AND ROTORS. *TT THE CALIPERS WERE STICKING AND THE DEALER WAS NOT WILLING TO REPLACE IT. *YH

NHTSA ODI #566405

Mileage unknown · Dec 26, 2001
Service Brakes, Hydraulic

THE FRONT ROTORS HAVE BEEN REPLACED TWICE IN 57000 MILES. SOMETHING IS WRONG WHEN THIS HAPPENS THIS OFTEN WITH THIS LITTLE AMOUNT OF MILEAGE. *AK

NHTSA ODI #756044

Mileage unknown · Oct 17, 2001
Service Brakes, Hydraulic

I TOO HAVE HAD REPEATED BRAKE PROBLEMS WITH MY SL1. THE FIRST TIME SATURN REPLACED THEM BECAUSE AT 25,000 MILES, THEY SHOULD NOT BE BAD. THEN AT 45,000 MILES IT HAPPENED AGAIN! THE SERVICE MAN TOLD ME IT WAS BECAUSE I WAS "RIDING" THE BRAKE. OF COURSE IT WAS MY FAULT - NOT! I ARGUED WITH HIM, BUT LOST. HAD TO PAY ALMOST $…

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I TOO HAVE HAD REPEATED BRAKE PROBLEMS WITH MY SL1. THE FIRST TIME SATURN REPLACED THEM BECAUSE AT 25,000 MILES, THEY SHOULD NOT BE BAD. THEN AT 45,000 MILES IT HAPPENED AGAIN! THE SERVICE MAN TOLD ME IT WAS BECAUSE I WAS "RIDING" THE BRAKE. OF COURSE IT WAS MY FAULT - NOT! I ARGUED WITH HIM, BUT LOST. HAD TO PAY ALMOST $400 DOLLARS FOR A BRAKE JOB THAT WAS ALREADY REPLACED AND SHOULD HAVE BEEN UNDER WARRANTY. I ASKED HIM IF I WAS GOING TO BE CHANGING THE ROTORS AGAIN IN 30,000 MILES, HE SAID NO. IT SHOULD LAST TILL 50,000 MILES. GUESS WHAT?!? 25,000 MILES LATER, IT IS HAVING THE SAME PROBLEMS. NOT ONLY THAT, I NOW HAVE A CRACKED/BLOWN HEAD GASKET TO WHICH AFTER MANY INQUIRIES, SEEMS TO HAPPEN ALOT IN THE SL1 MODELS. WE'LL SEE WHAT HAPPENS, BUT NEEDLESS TO SAY I WILL NOT BE INVESTING IN "A DIFFERENT KIND OF CAR COMPANY" ANYMORE.*AK

NHTSA ODI #753327

Mileage unknown · Aug 21, 2001
Service Brakes, HydraulicInjury

WHILE PULLING INTO A PARKING SPACE, STEPPED ON THE BRAKES, WHICH FAILED. CAR STRUCK THE CRUB AND A RAILING CAUSING THE AIRBAGS TO DEPLOY AND THE SEATBELTS TO LOCK VERY TIGHT. TWO DAYS PRIOR TO PURCHASING THE BRAKES WERE SQUEAKING.

NHTSA ODI #9004330

Mileage unknown · Feb 3, 2001
Service Brakes, Hydraulic

ROTORS WARPED AND WERE REPLACED 9 WITHIN 9 MONTHS AFTER BUYING VEHICLE BRAND NEW, REPLACEMENT PART WAS DEFECTIVE AND REPLACED ONE MONTH LATER, IN FEBRUARY OF 2001, ROTORS WERE WARPED AND REPLACED AGAIN. *SLC

NHTSA ODI #785251

Mileage unknown · Jan 19, 2001
Engine And Engine CoolingService Brakes, Hydraulic

THE BRAKE ROTORS WARP EASILY, THEY ARE EITHER INSUFFICIENTLY THICK OR COOLED. NLM

NHTSA ODI #784988

Mileage unknown · Sep 2, 2000
Service Brakes, Hydraulic

NOT LONG AFTER WE PURCHASED THE VEHICLE, THE BRAKES MADE NOISE AND CAUSED THE STEERING WHEEL TO VIBRATE UPON BRAKING. BROUGHT IN THE VEHICLE FOR SERVICE AND THEY SAID THE ROTORS WERE WARPED, THEY CUT THEM DOWN. SINCE THEN THE BRAKES HAVE MADE NOISES AND THE REAR WHEELS LOCKUP UPON INITIAL DRIVING DAILY. EACH TIME THE VEHICLE …

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NOT LONG AFTER WE PURCHASED THE VEHICLE, THE BRAKES MADE NOISE AND CAUSED THE STEERING WHEEL TO VIBRATE UPON BRAKING. BROUGHT IN THE VEHICLE FOR SERVICE AND THEY SAID THE ROTORS WERE WARPED, THEY CUT THEM DOWN. SINCE THEN THE BRAKES HAVE MADE NOISES AND THE REAR WHEELS LOCKUP UPON INITIAL DRIVING DAILY. EACH TIME THE VEHICLE WAS BROUGHT IN FOR REGULAR OIL CHANGES, WE COMPLAINED ABOUT THE NOISES, AT 10.209 MILES &16,284 MILES, BUT THEY ALWAYS SAID NOTHING WAS WRONG. NOW THE BRAKES ARE STILL MAKING NOISES WHEN YOU FIRST START THE VEHICLE. ALSO, NOW THE STEERING WHEEL VIBRATES UPON BRAKING, MORE AT HIGHER SPEEDS, CAUSING HARDER BRAKING AT TIMES WHEN QUICK BRAKING IS NEEDED. UPON SLOW ROLLING STOPS, LIKE COMING TO A LIGHT, THE CAR SURGES, LIKE THE BRAKES ARE GRABBING AT CERTAIN POINTS THEN RELEASING. SOMETIMES BRAKING IN NORMAL CITY ROADWAYS, THE BRAKES DON'T RESPOND WHEN QUICK BRAKING IS NEEDED TO AVOID DANGEROUS SITUATIONS. IT'S LIKE THE BRAKE PEDAL IS TOUGH TO PRESS.

NHTSA ODI #729959

Mileage unknown · Feb 8, 2000
Service Brakes, Hydraulic

CONSUMER HAD BRAKES RESURFACED THREE TIMES. DEALER WAS SAYING THAT CONSUMER WAS APPLYING BRAKES TOO HARD. BRAKES WEREN'T WARRANTY. DEALER REPLACED IT AS A COURTESY TO THE CONSUMER, AND NOT UNDER WARRANTY. *AK

NHTSA ODI #855062

Mileage unknown · Jan 22, 2000
Power TrainService Brakes, Hydraulic

VEHICLE'S TRACTION CONTROL FAILED, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO HYDROPLANE AND SPIN OUT OF CONTROL AND OFF HIGHWAY. WHILE SPINNING, ABS BRAKES FAILED AND CAUSED WHEELS TO LOCK UP.

NHTSA ODI #849684

Official recalls

0

No 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

0

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.