IllustrationTREAD SEPARATED FROM SIDEWALL. *AK (DOT NUMBER: ??? TIRESIZE: P175/70R14)
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
What owners actually said
178 reportsVEHICLE HAS HAD 3 MULTIPLE INCIDENTS OF HEAVY BRAKE PULSATION CAUSED BY FRONT ROTORS, AND ONE FAILURE OF ABS SENSORS CAUSING ABS FAILURE. DEALER CANNOT CORRECT RECURRING PULSATION PROBLEMS.*AK
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 QUALITY OF THE ROTORS IS QUESTIONABLE AND MAY LEAD TO BRAKE FAILURES. *AK
NO,SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOV EVEHICLE. *AK
VEHICLE BUCKS WHEN TRANSMISSION SHIFTS, JERKS BACK AND FORTH. ALSO, LOSES POWER WHEN GOING UPHILL. SHIFTS INTO WRONG GEAR WHILE DRIVING. DEALER CANNOT REMEDY.*AK
WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH APPLIED BRAKES AND PEDAL FELT SOFT AND SPONGY, NO BRAKING ACTION. THIS HAPPENED 2 MORE TIMES. NO ACCIDENT. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO DEALER, WHO DID NOTHING MORE THAN LOOK AT THE BRAKE PADS AND SAID THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG.*AK
WHILE I WAS DRIVING THE REAR PASSENGER SIDE TIRE CAME APART AND TORE INTO PIECES PRACTICALLY THROWING ME OFF OF THE ROAD. THESE ARE NEW TIRES. THE TREAD IS HARDLY WORN. THEY WERE ROTATED ON SCHEDULE. THIS TIRE WAS INFLATED TO THE PSI INDICATED IN THE MANUAL AND WAS PRACTICALLY BRAND NEW. IF YOU'LL LOOK CLOSELY AT THE 2ND PICTURE…
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WHILE I WAS DRIVING THE REAR PASSENGER SIDE TIRE CAME APART AND TORE INTO PIECES PRACTICALLY THROWING ME OFF OF THE ROAD. THESE ARE NEW TIRES. THE TREAD IS HARDLY WORN. THEY WERE ROTATED ON SCHEDULE. THIS TIRE WAS INFLATED TO THE PSI INDICATED IN THE MANUAL AND WAS PRACTICALLY BRAND NEW. IF YOU'LL LOOK CLOSELY AT THE 2ND PICTURE YOU'LL SEE THAT IT WAS MANUFACTURED BACKWARDS (I.E. THE INFO ON HOW TO PLACE THE TIRE WHAT IS THE FRONT AND WHAT IS THE BACK OF THE TIRE WAS PRINTED ON THE WRONG SIDE). COULD THIS BE THE CAUSE FOR THE TIRE COMING APART THIS WAY? THANKFULLY THERE WAS NO DAMAGE TO THE CAR OR TO MY MOTHER HOWEVER SHE WAS MADE TO PAY FOR ANOTHER TIRE AT THE FIRESTONE STORE SHE WENT TO FOR SERVICE.*AK (DOT NUMBER: 25048 TIRESIZE: P 185 65R)
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
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.