IllustrationTHERE WAS A CONSISTENT PROBLEM WITH THE "CHECK AIR BAG LIGHT" ON THE VEHICLE. THE DEALER WANTED $66.50 AN HOUR TO FIND THE PROBLEM. *JB
1999 Saturn Sl
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 1999 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
60–25K
1725–50K
1450–75K
1575–100K
16100–150K
5150K+
73 reports with mileage · 105 unknown
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.
- Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 45 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Service Brakes, Hydraulic. Review the 28 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Power Train. Review the 22 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
26 crash reports1 fire reports17 injury reports
Air Bags complaints
20 reportsAIRBAG WARNING LIGHT STAYS ON. DEALER REPLACED CLOCKSPRING IN DRIVER SIDE AIRBAG.*AK
THE FRONTAL AIR BAGS DEPLOYED WITHOUT IMPACT. *JB TURNED INTO PARKING SPACE AND BUMPED UNDER CAR ON CURB. BENDING THE SWAY BAR BRACKET BUT DID NOT TOUCH CAR BODY OR BUMPER.*TS
THE SAFETY MANDATED AIR BAG LABEL ON THE HEAD REST OF THE CHILD CAR SEAT WAS PULLED OFF WHILE BY MY 10 MONTH OLD CHILD WHILE SHE WAS REAR FACING AND WE WERE DRIVING. I NOTICED SHE WAS CHOKING AND LOOKED BACK TO SEE SHE WAS BLUE AND NOT BREATHING. I WAS ABLE TO DISLODGE MOST OF THE LABEL FROM HER AIRWAY AND SHE BEGAN BREATHING …
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THE SAFETY MANDATED AIR BAG LABEL ON THE HEAD REST OF THE CHILD CAR SEAT WAS PULLED OFF WHILE BY MY 10 MONTH OLD CHILD WHILE SHE WAS REAR FACING AND WE WERE DRIVING. I NOTICED SHE WAS CHOKING AND LOOKED BACK TO SEE SHE WAS BLUE AND NOT BREATHING. I WAS ABLE TO DISLODGE MOST OF THE LABEL FROM HER AIRWAY AND SHE BEGAN BREATHING ON HER OWN. THIS IS A SIGNIFICANT SAFETY ISSUE AND THESE SEATS SHOULD BE RECALLED. HAD MY CHILD PASSED OUT, I WOULD HAVE ASSUMED SHE WAS SLEEPING AND WE WOULD BE BURYING OUR DAUGHTER. DT
WHILE TRAVELING AT ABOUT 30 MPH CONSUMER WAS REAR ENDED, AND CONSUMER, IN RETURN, REARENDED CAR IN FRONT. UPON IMPACT, DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT FULLY RECLINED/ SEATBELT POPPED OFF, AND NONE OF THE AIRBAGS DEPLOYED. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK
NO,SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOV EVEHICLE. *AK
SEAM WHERE AIR BAG DEPLOYED FROM STEERING COLUMN HAS DEVELOPED A 3/4" TEAR. CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED DEALERSHIP WITH CONCERN FOR THIS PROBLEM, AND WAS INFORMED THAT TEAR WAS DUE TO "A PUNCTURE." DEALER WAS UNWILLING TO ASSIST CONSUMER IN ANY REPAIR. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION/ATTACHMENTS. *AK
CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING 35-40MPH ON HIGHWAY AND ANOTHER VEHICLE HIT IT IN FRONT. UPON IMPACT, AIRBAGS DIDN'T DEPLOY. *AK *JB
VEHICLE WAS HIT IN A FRONTAL COLLISION AT 40 MPH IN WHICH DRIVER'S AND PASSENGER'S AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY, CAUSE UNKNOWN. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS.*AK
HEAD-ON CRASH AT 40 MPH, VEHICLE HIT TELEPHONE POLE, NEITHER AIRBAG DEPLOYED. *AK
Official recalls
199V280000 · Seat Belts:front:anchorage
Oct 20, 1999
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. THESE VEHICLES DO NOT COMPLY WITH REQUIREMENTS OF FMVSS NO. 210, "SEAT BELT ASSEMBLY ANCHORAGES." SOME OF THE VEHICLES WERE PRODUCED WITH SEAT BELT SHOULDER GUIDE ANCHOR BOLTS THAT WERE NOT ADEQUATELY TIGHTENED AT THE CENTER PILLAR AND COULD FALL OUT, MAKING THE SEAT BELT INOPERATIVE.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: IN THE EVENT OF A CRASH, THE SEAT OCCUPANT MAY NOT BE PROPERLY RESTRAINED.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT THESE VEHICLES FOR PROPER INSTALLATION AND TORQUE OF THE SEAT BELT SHOULDER GUIDE ANCHOR BOLTS.
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.