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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.

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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

Unknown Or Other complaints

7 reports
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Mileage unknown · Feb 28, 2014
Unknown Or Other

VEHICLE STALLED FOR UNKNOWN REASON. NO CHECK-ENGINE LIGHT WENT ON, SO THE MECHANIC COULD NOT CHECK CODES. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10566414

62,280 miles · Jan 15, 2004
EquipmentUnknown Or Other

ACCESSORIES: VOLUME KNOB FELL OFF...NOT REPLACED YET. OVERHEAD INTERIOR LIGHT FELL OFF ROOF...REPAIRED IN AUGUST. OTHER:SINCE AROUND 40,000 MILES THIS CAR HAS HAD A SEVERE VIBRATION, WETHER FROM MOTOR OR TRANSMISSION, OR ??? IS NOT KNOWN. VIBRATION IS SO BAD THAT YOU CANNOT SEE CLEARLY OUT OF REARVIEW MIRROR WHEN IN PARK, OR IN…

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ACCESSORIES: VOLUME KNOB FELL OFF...NOT REPLACED YET. OVERHEAD INTERIOR LIGHT FELL OFF ROOF...REPAIRED IN AUGUST. OTHER:SINCE AROUND 40,000 MILES THIS CAR HAS HAD A SEVERE VIBRATION, WETHER FROM MOTOR OR TRANSMISSION, OR ??? IS NOT KNOWN. VIBRATION IS SO BAD THAT YOU CANNOT SEE CLEARLY OUT OF REARVIEW MIRROR WHEN IN PARK, OR IN DRIVE WITH FOOT ON BRAKE. IF YOU ARE SITTING IN CAR WHILE IN PARK, VIBRATION CAN ACTUALLY CAUSE A NUMB FEELING IN YOUR BUTT (I AM SERIOUS...THIS IS NOT A JOKE!!!) OTHER TIMES IT IS A FIGHT TO KEEP THE CAR TO A STOP IF IN DRIVE BECAUSE OF VIBRATION AND A "LEAPING" FEELING. DASH PANEL VIBRATES TERRIBLY LOUD, AND IS VERY DISTRACTING FROM THIS PROBLEM TOO.

NHTSA ODI #10071090

Mileage unknown · Jan 15, 2004
EquipmentUnknown Or Other

BEFORE BUYING SATURN SL THE DEALERSHIP TOLD ME THEY HAD TO REPLACE A MOTOR MOUNT AND PROMISED ME A GOOD RUNNING CAR. SINCE BUYING THIS VEHICLE "USED" IN MARCH OF 2003 I HAVE TAKEN IT TO THE SHOP ON AT LEAST 5 OCCASSIONS FOR A VIBRATION IN THE MOTOR THAT CAUSES THE VEHICLE TO SHAKE AND A LOUD EARING RINGING HUMMING IN T…

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BEFORE BUYING SATURN SL THE DEALERSHIP TOLD ME THEY HAD TO REPLACE A MOTOR MOUNT AND PROMISED ME A GOOD RUNNING CAR. SINCE BUYING THIS VEHICLE "USED" IN MARCH OF 2003 I HAVE TAKEN IT TO THE SHOP ON AT LEAST 5 OCCASSIONS FOR A VIBRATION IN THE MOTOR THAT CAUSES THE VEHICLE TO SHAKE AND A LOUD EARING RINGING HUMMING IN THE CAR ITSELF THAT WOULD CAUSE THE STEERING WHEEL ITSELF TO SHAKE. ALL BUT ONE OF THE TIMES THE DEALER TOLD ME THAT IT WAS A 4 CYLINDER AND THAT IS HOW THEY SOUND. YHEY WOULD THEN RESET THE SERVICE ENGINE SOON LIGHT AND SEND ME ON MY WAY. THE NOISE GOT GRADUALLY WORSE TO THE POINT THAT IT WAS UNCOMFORTABLE PHYSICALLY TO DRIVE IT. I RECENTLY REQUESTED ANOTHER LOOK AT THE VEHICLE, THEY DID IN FACT FINALLY SAY " YA THAT'S BAD" AND QUESTIONED WHY THE SERVICE ENGINE SOON LIGHT HAD NOT COME ON BUT AGAIN REPLACED THE SAME DEFECTED MOTOR MOUNT AGAIN. NOW I HAVE IT BACK AND THERE IS STILL A NOISE IN THE ENGINE THAT IS NOT RIGHT AND WAS TOLD THAT IT IS NO LONGER THEIR PROBLEM.THE VIBRATION ISN'T AS TERRIBLE AS IT WAS BUT MY FEAR IS THAT THEY NEVER FIXED THE PROBLEM THAT CASUED THE VIBRATION JUST A SYMPTOM AND THEREFORE LIKE WHEN I FIRST BOUGHT IT IT WILL COME BACK. THANK YOU FOR LISTENING

NHTSA ODI #10070891

Mileage unknown · Oct 15, 2000
Unknown Or OtherCrash

NO SUMMARY

NHTSA ODI #734390

Mileage unknown · Sep 15, 2000
Unknown Or OtherCrash

THIS VEHICLE IS BELIEVED TO HAVE BEEN IN AN ACCIDENT. WE WANT TO FIND OUT FOR SURE! NO SAFETY DEFECT MENTIONED. *AK

NHTSA ODI #731549

Mileage unknown · Dec 20, 1999
Unknown Or Other

SATURN TELLS ME, "IT HAS TO GET WORSE BEFORE WE CAN TELL WHAT'S WRONG." NO SAFETY DEFECT (S) LISTED IN THE SUMMARY. *AK

NHTSA ODI #716283

Mileage unknown · Feb 1, 1999
Seat BeltsUnknown Or Other

COOLANT LIGHT FAILED. MJS

NHTSA ODI #607989

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.