IllustrationLUMBER SUPPORT FOR THE SEAT FAILED. YH
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 reportsCONSUMER WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35-45MPH EACH TIME THIS INCIDENT HAPPENED. THE FIRST TIME WAS JULY-98, SECOND TIME WAS NOV-14, 1998, AS CONSUMER DROVE THE WHEELS BEGAN TO MALFUNCTION FOR ABOUT 4-5 SECONDS, CONSUMER LOST CONTROL OF STEERING. THE SECOND TIME, THE WHEELS MALFUNCTIONED FOR APPROXIMATELY. 2-3 MINUTES, SOUNDED LIKE…
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CONSUMER WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35-45MPH EACH TIME THIS INCIDENT HAPPENED. THE FIRST TIME WAS JULY-98, SECOND TIME WAS NOV-14, 1998, AS CONSUMER DROVE THE WHEELS BEGAN TO MALFUNCTION FOR ABOUT 4-5 SECONDS, CONSUMER LOST CONTROL OF STEERING. THE SECOND TIME, THE WHEELS MALFUNCTIONED FOR APPROXIMATELY. 2-3 MINUTES, SOUNDED LIKE SOMETHING FELL OFF OR JAMMED IN THE WHEEL AREA. CONSUMER LOST CONTROL, VEHICLE RAN OFF ROAD INTO A SHOULDER ON PASSENGER'S SIDE, AND THE DRIVER SIDE WHEEL IS LEANNING OUTWARD. ALSO, THERE IS A SMELL IN THE WHEEL/BRAKE AREA. *AK
TRANSMISSION JERKING AND EXPERIENCES UNWANTED SURGES ALMOST RESULTING IN COLLISIONS.
DRIVING AT ANY SPEED THE VEHICLE WILL VIBRATE AND MAKE BUCKING SOUNDS FROM TIME TO TIME. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN IN THE SHOP EIGHT TIMES FOR DIFFERENT PROBLEMS. ALSO, THERE IS A LACK OF POWER AND GRINDING NOISE COMING FROM THE VEHICLE. TIDE ROD END HAD TO BE REPLACED. IN ADDITION, CONSUMER HAD POWER STEERING/ WINDOW PROBLEMS. R…
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DRIVING AT ANY SPEED THE VEHICLE WILL VIBRATE AND MAKE BUCKING SOUNDS FROM TIME TO TIME. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN IN THE SHOP EIGHT TIMES FOR DIFFERENT PROBLEMS. ALSO, THERE IS A LACK OF POWER AND GRINDING NOISE COMING FROM THE VEHICLE. TIDE ROD END HAD TO BE REPLACED. IN ADDITION, CONSUMER HAD POWER STEERING/ WINDOW PROBLEMS. REPAIRED VEHICLE THREE TIMES, AND THEY CAN'T DETERMINE THE PROBLEM. VEHICLE HAS BEEN IN SHOP EIGHT MORE TIMES. *AK
DESIGN OF THE HEAD LIGHT SWITCH IS LOCATED ON THE TURN SIGNAL DIAL ALLOWING FOR ACCIDENTAL DISENGAGMENT WHILE ENGAGING THE TURN SIGNAL.
THE PROBLEM IN A NUTSHELL IS UNEXPECTED/UNPREDICTABLE APPARENT LOSS OF BRAKING.
WHILE DRIVING AT 10 MPH AND COMING TO A HALT THE COMPUTER SHUT DOWN AND NOTHING IN THE CAR WORKED. DEALER CONTACTED TWO TIMES IN THE SAME DAY WITH THE SAME PROBLEM AND ATTEMPTED TO REMEDY THE PROBLEM. CONSUMER DROVE THE CAR AWAY WITH NO GUARANTEE THE PROBLEM WOULD NOT REOCCUR. CONSUMER IS NOT SATISFIED WITH THE SITUATION. SEVE…
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WHILE DRIVING AT 10 MPH AND COMING TO A HALT THE COMPUTER SHUT DOWN AND NOTHING IN THE CAR WORKED. DEALER CONTACTED TWO TIMES IN THE SAME DAY WITH THE SAME PROBLEM AND ATTEMPTED TO REMEDY THE PROBLEM. CONSUMER DROVE THE CAR AWAY WITH NO GUARANTEE THE PROBLEM WOULD NOT REOCCUR. CONSUMER IS NOT SATISFIED WITH THE SITUATION. SEVERAL REPAIRS OF DUE TO LOSS OF POWER, HOWEVER VEHICLE STILL EXPERIENCES PROBLEMS. TRANSMISSION EXPERIENCED PROBLEMS DURING SHIFTING, FOUND SCUFFED VALVES, REPLACED VALVES THAT WERE BINDING. *AK
SEAT BELT FAILED TO RESTRAIN PASSENGER DURING AN ACCIDENT.
TRANSMISSION CONVERTER HOUSING WAS POUROUS AND ALLOWED TRANSMISSION FLUID TO LEAK OUT. THE CONVERTER HOUSING HAD TO BE REPLACED, WITH NEW GASKETS, FILTER AND SEALANT.
VEHICLE WAS REAR ENDED. DEFECT WITHIN SEATBACK OF DRIVER'S AND PASSENGER'S SIDE CAUSED THE SEAT TO COLLAPSE BACKWARDS, RESULTING IN MINOR INJURIES. *AK
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.