IllustrationI WAS INVOLVED IN A REAR END COLLISION TO MY 1999 SL1 SATURN SEDAN THAT CAUSED THE REAR SEAT TO COLLAPSE SO THAT I WAS PRONE AFTER THE ACCIDENT AND NEITHER AIR BAG DEPLOYED (DRIVER OR PASSENGER). *NM
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
Seats complaints
8 reportsOUR 99 SATURN SL2 SEDAN WAS INVOLVED IN A 3 CAR ACCIDENT. THE SATURN WAS FIRST REAR ENDED BY ANOTHER VEHICLE FIRST AT ABOUT 45 MPH, THEN SLAMMED INTO A CAR IN FRONT OF OUR CAR WHICH WAS STOPPED. THE SEAT BACK BROKE (TO THE RECLINE POSITION). FURTHER THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. LUCKILY THE SEAT BELTS WERE BEING WORN AT THE TIME …
Read full complaint
OUR 99 SATURN SL2 SEDAN WAS INVOLVED IN A 3 CAR ACCIDENT. THE SATURN WAS FIRST REAR ENDED BY ANOTHER VEHICLE FIRST AT ABOUT 45 MPH, THEN SLAMMED INTO A CAR IN FRONT OF OUR CAR WHICH WAS STOPPED. THE SEAT BACK BROKE (TO THE RECLINE POSITION). FURTHER THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. LUCKILY THE SEAT BELTS WERE BEING WORN AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT, AND NO INJURIES OCCURRED. *JB
I WAS TURNING ONTO A STREET THAT WAS DOWN TO ONE LANE DUE TO CONSTRUCTION. THE WOMAN WHO LET ME TURN ONTO THE STREET "HEARD TIRES SQUEALING" AND THOUGHT I WAS SPEEDING UP (THOUGH I WAS NOT MOVING DUE TO TRAFFIC INCHING FORWARD SLOWLY) AND SHE HIT THE GAS TO SPEED UP. SHE REAR-ENDED ME SO HARD THAT EVEN THOUGH MY FOOT WAS ON THE …
Read full complaint
I WAS TURNING ONTO A STREET THAT WAS DOWN TO ONE LANE DUE TO CONSTRUCTION. THE WOMAN WHO LET ME TURN ONTO THE STREET "HEARD TIRES SQUEALING" AND THOUGHT I WAS SPEEDING UP (THOUGH I WAS NOT MOVING DUE TO TRAFFIC INCHING FORWARD SLOWLY) AND SHE HIT THE GAS TO SPEED UP. SHE REAR-ENDED ME SO HARD THAT EVEN THOUGH MY FOOT WAS ON THE BRAKE, I HIT THE GUY IN FRONT OF ME AND AT THE SAME TIME MY SEAT BACK FELL BACKWARD ONTO THE BACK SEAT (RECLINING POSITION). WHEN THE SEAT RECLINED, IT MADE IT TRICKY TO REACH THE BRAKE, CLUTCH OR ACCELERATOR SO I HAD TO THROW ON THE EMERGENCY BRAKE TO PREVENT ANY FURTHER BUMPER CARS! THE SEAT NOW SEEMS TO BE "STRIPPED" AND THE SLIGHTEST PRESSURE MAKES IT GO "CLICK CLICK CLICK" BACK TO A RECLINING POSITION. I AM WAITING FOR THE PART TO COME IN TO FIX IT BUT THAT ACCIDENT COULD HAVE BEEN MUCH WORSE IF I DID NOT HAVE MY HEAD ABOUT ME AND HADN'T BEEN ABLE TO GET THE EMERGENCY BRAKE ON.*JB
THE VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A COLLISION, AND THE FRONT SEATS RECLINED BACKWARDS. *JB
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
REPORTING PROBLEM WITH MANUAL SEAT LATCH, UNABLE TO LATCH SEAT IN PLACE; SEAT CONTINUE TO MOVE BACK AND FORTH UNTIL HER HUSBAND WAS ABLE TO SECURE SEAT. *AK THE DRIVER CAN'T REACH THE PEDAL WHEN THE SEAT MOVES BACK. *YH
HIT FROM BEHIND DRIVER'S SEAT COLLAPSED. THE DRIVER'S SEAT WAS JAMMED TO THE BACK SEAT. CONSUMER CONTACTED DEALER AND MANUFACTURER, THEY CLAIMED THAT THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE SEAT. *AK
VEHICLE REAR ENDED WHILE AT A COMPLETE STOP. DRIVERS' SIDE SEAT BACK LET GO, AND SEAT BELT RELEASED, CAUSING DRIVER TO BE THROWN FORWARD AND BACKWARDS. THIS WAS A LOW IMPACT COLLISION,AND NO INJURY WOULD HAVE OCCURRED IF SEAT AND BELT HAD HELD UP DURING COLLISION. *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.