IllustrationWHILE DRIVING, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONSUMER TRIED TO RESTART THE VEHICLE AND WAS NOT ABLE TO DO SO. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION. THE MECHANIC INFORMED THE CONSUMER THAT THE ENGINE WAS CRACKED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER DETAILS. *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
What owners actually said
178 reportsWHILE DRIVING AT 30 MPH THE TRANSMISSION FAILED WITHOUT WARNING. AS A RESULT THE STEERING AND BRAKES ALSO FAILED WITHOUT WARNING. PLEASE PROVIDE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. *JB
THE CYLINDER HEAD CRACKED BY #5 CYLINDER BY CAM JOURNAL ON A 1999 SATURN SL-1 4 DOOR SEDAN WITH 54,950 MILES. DEALER COST WAS $2,100.00, SATURN COVERED $700.00. DEALER CLAIMED THIS WAS AN ISOLATED INCIDENT YET HAD THE REPLACEMENT HEAD ASSEMBLY IN STOCK. *JB
WHILE DRIVINT BETWEEN 10 TO 15 MPH RIGHT AXLE SPINDLE BROKE, DEALERSHIP WAS NOT NOTIFIED. *AK
VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR A ROUTINE INSPECTION, AND MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT THE RESONATOR CRACKED, AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *AK THIS WAS THE SECOND TIME THE RESONATOR CRACKED. THE CONSUMER WANTED THE RESONATOR WELDED BUT THE DEALER SUGGESTED A NEW RESONATOR BECAUSE THEY WERE REDESIGNED AND COMPLETELY DIFFERENT F…
Read full complaint
VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR A ROUTINE INSPECTION, AND MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT THE RESONATOR CRACKED, AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *AK THIS WAS THE SECOND TIME THE RESONATOR CRACKED. THE CONSUMER WANTED THE RESONATOR WELDED BUT THE DEALER SUGGESTED A NEW RESONATOR BECAUSE THEY WERE REDESIGNED AND COMPLETELY DIFFERENT FROM THE OLD ONES. THE CONSUMER BELIEVES THAT IF THE MANUFACTURER REALIZED THERE WAS A FLAW WITH THE RESONATORS THAT THEY SHOULD HAVE BEEN RECALLED. *NM
WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH CONSUMER'S VEHICLE CRASHED HEAD ON INTO A POLE. UPON IMPACT, DUAL AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. NO INJURIES REPORTED. *AK
I HAVE BEEN ADDING COOLANT CONSTANTLY. I TOOK CAR FOR REPAIR AND WAS TOLD THE WATER PUMP NEEDED REPLACEMENT. I REPLACED THE WATER PUMP AND STILL HAVING THE PROBLEM WITH OVERHEATING. SATURN ISSUED A BULLETIN 01-T-07 THAT TALKS ABOUT THE SENSOR PROBLEM. THEY WILL ONLY REIMBURSE THE CUSTOMER IF IT'S STILL UNDER WARRANTY. I A…
Read full complaint
I HAVE BEEN ADDING COOLANT CONSTANTLY. I TOOK CAR FOR REPAIR AND WAS TOLD THE WATER PUMP NEEDED REPLACEMENT. I REPLACED THE WATER PUMP AND STILL HAVING THE PROBLEM WITH OVERHEATING. SATURN ISSUED A BULLETIN 01-T-07 THAT TALKS ABOUT THE SENSOR PROBLEM. THEY WILL ONLY REIMBURSE THE CUSTOMER IF IT'S STILL UNDER WARRANTY. I AM UPSET BECAUSE I CONTINUE TO PAY FOR ITEMS THAT I PROBABLY DON'T NEED BECAUSE THE PROBLEM COULD NOT BE FOUND.*AK
SATURN WAS LEAKING OIL INTO THE RADIATOR EXPANSION TANK AND WATER IN THE OIL. OVER HEATING REALLY BAD THAT THE CAR WILL SHUT DOWN AND NOT START UNTIL COOL, AND IT BOILS OVER IN THE RADIATOR EXPANSION TANK. OCTOBER '03 HAD HEAD GASKETS REPLACED, AND THE HEADS SENT OFF FOR SERVICE, ONE MONTH LATER, ITS BACK TO LEAKING OIL IN THE…
Read full complaint
SATURN WAS LEAKING OIL INTO THE RADIATOR EXPANSION TANK AND WATER IN THE OIL. OVER HEATING REALLY BAD THAT THE CAR WILL SHUT DOWN AND NOT START UNTIL COOL, AND IT BOILS OVER IN THE RADIATOR EXPANSION TANK. OCTOBER '03 HAD HEAD GASKETS REPLACED, AND THE HEADS SENT OFF FOR SERVICE, ONE MONTH LATER, ITS BACK TO LEAKING OIL IN THE COOLANT AND WATER IN THE OIL. OXYGEN SENSOR WENT OUT, AND HAS BEEN REPLACED AND SO DID THE IGNITION MODULAR, WHICH HAS BEEN REPLACED. *JB
1999 SATURN SL1 -OVERHEATING, WATERPUMP, RADIATOR FAN MOTOR, THERMOSTAT AND COOLANT TEMP SENSOR ALL REPLACED WITH FACTORY PARTS. STILL OVERHEATING. THIS VEHICLE HAS A CRACKED HEAD - SAME PROBLEM THAT WAS EXPERIENCED ON EARLIER MODELS WHER THE WARRANTY WAS EXTENDED TO SIX YEARS/100,000 MILES. *AK
EXPLOSION IN TRANSMISSION OF 1999 SATURN SL2. *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.