IllustrationSATURN IS RIPPING PEOPLE OFF BY MAKING THEM BUY A $250 PART JUST TO GET A $5 BUSHING. I THINK THAT SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE WHERE WE GET TO DECIDED WHAT WE REPLACE. *TR
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
Suspension complaints
8 reportsWHILE DRIVINT BETWEEN 10 TO 15 MPH RIGHT AXLE SPINDLE BROKE, DEALERSHIP WAS NOT NOTIFIED. *AK
THIS VEHICLE, WHICH HAS NEVER BEEN IN AN ACCIDENT, WAS DIAGNOSED BY DEALER AS HAVING TWO "WARPED" FRONT WHEEL HUBS AFTER COMPLAINTS OF INTERMITTENT STEERING WHEEL SHAKE AT 65 MPH. DEALER SAID IT COULD HAVE BEEN CAUSED BY THE HUBS BEING INSTALLED INCORRECTLY. SATURN CUST SVC REFUSES TO PAY FOR THE REPAIR, WHICH APPEARS TO HAVE …
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THIS VEHICLE, WHICH HAS NEVER BEEN IN AN ACCIDENT, WAS DIAGNOSED BY DEALER AS HAVING TWO "WARPED" FRONT WHEEL HUBS AFTER COMPLAINTS OF INTERMITTENT STEERING WHEEL SHAKE AT 65 MPH. DEALER SAID IT COULD HAVE BEEN CAUSED BY THE HUBS BEING INSTALLED INCORRECTLY. SATURN CUST SVC REFUSES TO PAY FOR THE REPAIR, WHICH APPEARS TO HAVE BEEN CAUSED BY MFG DEFECT. *AK
FRONT END SHAKES AND AMOUNT INCREASES AS BRAKES ARE APPLIED. SEVERAL DIFFERENT BRAKES PADS HAVE BEEN APPLIED. CALIPERS HAVE BEEN REPLACED AND RECENTLY THE CV AXLES NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. AFTER A FEW WEEKS THE PROBLEM IS RECURRING. MAKES VEHICLE FEEL UNSAFE ESPECIALLY WHEN BRAKING. *NLM
WHILE DRIVING AT 60-65 MPH STEERING WHEEL WILL START TO SHAKE. CONTACTED DEALER, AND THE DEALER COULD NOT FIND PROBLEM AFTER NINE ATTEMPTS.*AK CONSUMER STATES ROUGH IDLE WHEN WARM. DEALER REPLACED PCM/ECM, BUT PROBLEM STILL EXIST. POWER STEERING FLUID LOW. EXPERIENCING SHIMMY WHEN BRAKING. NOISE FROM GAS TANK WHEN COMING TO …
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WHILE DRIVING AT 60-65 MPH STEERING WHEEL WILL START TO SHAKE. CONTACTED DEALER, AND THE DEALER COULD NOT FIND PROBLEM AFTER NINE ATTEMPTS.*AK CONSUMER STATES ROUGH IDLE WHEN WARM. DEALER REPLACED PCM/ECM, BUT PROBLEM STILL EXIST. POWER STEERING FLUID LOW. EXPERIENCING SHIMMY WHEN BRAKING. NOISE FROM GAS TANK WHEN COMING TO A STOP. *TT
NO CRASH ... YET. CAR HAS A SIGNIFICANT SHIMMY AT HIWAY SPEED, CAN ACTUALLY SEE AND FEEL FRONT END TRACKING RIGHT/LEFT IN A CONSTANT SHIMMY. GIVES VERY SCARY FEEL WHEN DRIVING IN RAIN, ESPECIALLY ON CURVES. DEALER FIRST CLAIMED BAD TIRES, WHICH WERE REPLACED, THEN CLAIMED OUT OF BALANCE TIRES, WHICH THEY FIXED, THEN CLAIMED T…
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NO CRASH ... YET. CAR HAS A SIGNIFICANT SHIMMY AT HIWAY SPEED, CAN ACTUALLY SEE AND FEEL FRONT END TRACKING RIGHT/LEFT IN A CONSTANT SHIMMY. GIVES VERY SCARY FEEL WHEN DRIVING IN RAIN, ESPECIALLY ON CURVES. DEALER FIRST CLAIMED BAD TIRES, WHICH WERE REPLACED, THEN CLAIMED OUT OF BALANCE TIRES, WHICH THEY FIXED, THEN CLAIMED THIS IS NORMAL DESIGN CHARACTERISTIC AND NOT A DEFECT.*AK
THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED CONTINUED PROBLEMS WITH FRONT END VIBRATION WHILE DRIVING, DEALERSHIP IS UNABLE TO REMEDY AND CONSIDERS THIS A TRAIT OF THE VEHICLE. *MJS
THE DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT BELT SHOULDER HARNESS (SHOULDER BOLT) FELL OFF, POSSIBLE ERROR IN ASSEMBLY, WAS NOT TIGHTENED PROPERLY WHEN MANUFACTURED. *YC
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.