IllustrationTHE TREAD SEPARATED FROM THE BELTS. I HAVE SEEN THIS ON RETREADS BUT NEVER NEW TIRES. IT IS AS IF YOU TOOK A KNIFE AND CLEANLY SEPARATED THE TREAD ABOVE THE BELT.( DOT NUMBER: W2EP TIRE SIZE: P175/70R14 )
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
What owners actually said
168 reportsWHILE DRIVING ABOUT 35 MPH LEFT REAR TIRE SUDDENLY BLEWOUT. FIRESTONE INFINITY P185/65R15. *AK
I WAS INVOLVED IN A TWO CAR ACCIDENT ON 5/10/00. ANOTHER CAR PULLED OUT INFRONT OF MY SATURN, WHICH CAUSED A COLLISION. I WAS DOING 30-35 MILES PER HOUR AT IMPACT. BOTH AIR BAGS DEPLOYED, AND THE SEATBELTS RESTRAINED, BUT NOT COMPLETELY. THE PASSANGER SIDE COMPLETELY PULLED AWAY FROM THE VEHICLE CASING. THE PART THE BELT LO…
Read full complaint
I WAS INVOLVED IN A TWO CAR ACCIDENT ON 5/10/00. ANOTHER CAR PULLED OUT INFRONT OF MY SATURN, WHICH CAUSED A COLLISION. I WAS DOING 30-35 MILES PER HOUR AT IMPACT. BOTH AIR BAGS DEPLOYED, AND THE SEATBELTS RESTRAINED, BUT NOT COMPLETELY. THE PASSANGER SIDE COMPLETELY PULLED AWAY FROM THE VEHICLE CASING. THE PART THE BELT LOOPS AROUND CRACKED, AND THE PASSANGER DID NOT RECEIVE ANY MARK FROM THE SEATBELT, WHICH MAKES ME THINK THE BELT DID NOT FUNCTION CORRECTLY. I WAS THE DRIVER AND RECEIVED A LARGE BRUISE FROM MY SHOULDER TO MY BREAST BONE, FROM THE SHOULDER RESTRAINT, BUT MY SEATBELT SYSTEM ONLY SEPERATED WHERE THE TWO CASINGS CONECT. I AM CONSERED THAT IF IN ANOTHER ACCIDENT AT A HIGHER RATE OF SPEED, THE SEATBELTS WILL NOT HOLD PASSENGERS, OR MYSELF IN PLACE. THAT THEY WILL SEPERATE FROM THE CAR AGAIN. I WAS WONDERING IF ANY OTHER SATURN OWNERS HAVE REPORTED PROBLEMS WITH THEIR SEATBELTS. IN SPEEKING WITH THE REPAIRSHOP, IT SOUNDS LIKE THEY WILL JUST POP THE CASINGS BACK INTO PLACE. IS THIS THE CORRECT WAY TO HANDLE THIS? SHOULD I CONTACT SATURN? ANY INFORMATION YOU CAN PROVIDE WOULD BE GREATLY APRECIATED. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. MELISSA. *AK
PLASTIC BUTTON BROKE , PARKING BRAKE WOULD NOT REMAIN ENGAGED. *AK
TRUNK WILL NOT STAY OPEN ON AN INCLINE OR WITH SOME HEAD WINDS. DEALER NOTIFIED AND INFORMED CONSUMER THAT VEHICLE MEETS STANDARDS, AND NOTHING CAN BE DONE.*AK
SPRING THAT HOLDS TRUNK OPEN IS TOO WEAK, MOST NOTICEABLE WITH FACTORY INSTALLED SPOILER. HAS HIT ME IN THE HEAD SEVERAL TIMES. DEALER SUGESTED PROP-ROD TO HOLD TRUNK OPEN. TRUNK WILL NOT STAY OPEN IF PARKED ON SMALL INCLINE OR SLIGHT HEADWIND. IF A CHILD WAS REACHING INTO THE TRUCK, IT COULD SEVERLY INJURE THERE BACK.*AK
I HAVE HAD IT IN SEVERAL TIMES FOR THEM TO FIX IT. THEY PUT IN A DELAY BLOWER TO FIX THE PROBLEM. IT HAS BEEN BAD FROM THE START. ONE OF THEIR SALESMAN HAS SAID THERE IS A PROBLEM BUT THE SERVICE DEPT SAYS THERE IS NOT. THE CAR HAD TO BE TOWED ONCE BECAUSE OF IT
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
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.
ROTORS WARPED, CAUSING ROCKING OF CAR DURING BRAKING AT 16,000 MILES AND AGAIN AT 32000 MILES.
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.