IllustrationENGINE SPEED DOES NOT RETURN TO IDLE WHEN REMOVING FOOT FROM THROTTLE MAKING IT DIFFICULT TO STOP. *LA
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
Vehicle Speed Control complaints
7 reportsWHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED WHILE COMING TO A COMPLETE STOP MOTOR REVVED, BUT VEHICLE FAILED TO STOP. THIS RESULTED IN EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE. *AK
WHILE BACKING INTO A PUBLIC DRIVEWAY AND PUTTING THE VEHICLE INTO DRIVE, WHILE TAKING HER FOOT OFF OF THE BRAKE, THE VEHICLE TOOK OFF, CONSUMER LOST CONTROL AND HIT A PARKED CAR, THE VEHICLE BOUNCED FROM THAT CAR, TRAVELED ACROSS THE STREET AND HIT ANOTHER PARKED VEHICLE, CONSUMER WAS INJURED IN THE ACCIDENT. *SLC
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
VEHICLE LOST ALL POWER ON TWO OCCASIONS, ON FIRST OCCASION, VEHICLE STALLED WHILE CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING 30 MPH, VEHICLE WOULD NOT RESTART AND IT WAS TOWED WHERE DEALER COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG, THE SECOND OCCASION THE VEHICLES ELECTRICAL SYSTEM TURNED OFF AND ON AND VEHICLE WOULD NOT RESTART, DEALER AGAIN COULD NOT FIND A…
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VEHICLE LOST ALL POWER ON TWO OCCASIONS, ON FIRST OCCASION, VEHICLE STALLED WHILE CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING 30 MPH, VEHICLE WOULD NOT RESTART AND IT WAS TOWED WHERE DEALER COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG, THE SECOND OCCASION THE VEHICLES ELECTRICAL SYSTEM TURNED OFF AND ON AND VEHICLE WOULD NOT RESTART, DEALER AGAIN COULD NOT FIND ANY PROBLEMS, DEALER TOOK A BEST GUESS AND REPLACED THE CRANKSHAFT POSITION SENSOR AND CONSUMER STATES THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN RUNNING OKAY SO FAR. *SLC
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
DRIVING AT 40 MPH WHEN RPM GAUGE STARTED TO GO DOWN, DECELERATION OCCURRED AND CAR STALLED. ATTEMPTS TO RESTART CAR RESULTED IN IT REPEATEDLY STALLING. WHILE TRYING TO RESTART RPM'S WERE GOING TO HIGH BEFORE THE CAR ACTUALLY STALLED. THE CAR WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALER AND THE FUEL PUMP AND IDLER AIR CONTROL MODULE WERE REPLAC…
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DRIVING AT 40 MPH WHEN RPM GAUGE STARTED TO GO DOWN, DECELERATION OCCURRED AND CAR STALLED. ATTEMPTS TO RESTART CAR RESULTED IN IT REPEATEDLY STALLING. WHILE TRYING TO RESTART RPM'S WERE GOING TO HIGH BEFORE THE CAR ACTUALLY STALLED. THE CAR WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALER AND THE FUEL PUMP AND IDLER AIR CONTROL MODULE WERE REPLACED.
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.