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
What owners actually said
178 reportsA MIXTURE OF OIL AND ANTI-FREEZE WERE NOTED. I BROUGHT THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER WHERE THEY TOLD ME THAT THE HEAD WAS CRACKED DUE TO A MANUFACTURING DEFECT. THEY REPLACED THE HEAD AND COOLING SYSTEM HOSES ONLY. NOW 10,000 MILES LATER I AM HEARING A KNOCKING SOUND FROM THE ENGINE. I BROUGHT THE CAR TO A MECHANIC WHERE HE INFO…
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A MIXTURE OF OIL AND ANTI-FREEZE WERE NOTED. I BROUGHT THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER WHERE THEY TOLD ME THAT THE HEAD WAS CRACKED DUE TO A MANUFACTURING DEFECT. THEY REPLACED THE HEAD AND COOLING SYSTEM HOSES ONLY. NOW 10,000 MILES LATER I AM HEARING A KNOCKING SOUND FROM THE ENGINE. I BROUGHT THE CAR TO A MECHANIC WHERE HE INFORMED ME THAT THE BOTTOM HALF OF THE ENGINE IS GONE AND NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. HE STATED THAT THE DEALER (SATURN OF MORRISTOWN, NJ) SHOULD HAVE REPLACED THE ENTIRE ENGINE INSTEAD OF JUST THE TOP HALF. *LA
AIR CONDITIONING FAILED AT 4 YEARS, 4 MONTHS. NEW COMPRESSOR NEEDED, ACCORDING TO BOTH SATURN DEALERSHIP AND INDEPENDENT GARAGE. NOT YET REPLACED. WAITING TO SEE IF THERE IS A HIDDEN SERVICE BULLETIN BY WHICH SATURN WILL REPLACE AT REDUCED COST.
I PURCHASED A 1999 SATURN SL2 W/ 23,000MI. AT 60,000MI I BEGAN TO FEEL A JUDDER/VIBRATION FROM THE STEERING WHEEL. I TOOK IT TO A SATURN DEALER AND WAS TOLD THE ROTORS WE'RE WARPED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. I WENT TO A REPAIR SHOP AND HAD NON-OEM BRAKE ROTORS INSTALLED AND AFTER APPROXIAMETELY 65,000MI, BEGAN TO HAVE THE SAM…
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I PURCHASED A 1999 SATURN SL2 W/ 23,000MI. AT 60,000MI I BEGAN TO FEEL A JUDDER/VIBRATION FROM THE STEERING WHEEL. I TOOK IT TO A SATURN DEALER AND WAS TOLD THE ROTORS WE'RE WARPED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. I WENT TO A REPAIR SHOP AND HAD NON-OEM BRAKE ROTORS INSTALLED AND AFTER APPROXIAMETELY 65,000MI, BEGAN TO HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM. AFTER LEAVING THE CAR WITH THE REPAIR SHOP, THEY COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG, BUT MY ROTORS KEEP WARPING. THE REPAIR SHOP CUT THE ROTORS "SLIGHTLY" AND NOW AT 70,000MI I STILL HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM. THERE IS DEFINIETLY WRONG WITH THE DESIGN OF THE BRAKE SYSTEM. I HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT ROTORS DO WARP BUT THEY SHOULD LAST FOR APPROX. 70,000MI, AND I SHOULD NOT BE FEELING THE JUDDER/VIBRATION IN MY STEERING WHEEL.*AK
WHILE DRIVING AT 30 MPH ENGINE WAS VERY LOUD, AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE TO A MECHANIC, WHO FOUND NO OIL IN THE ENGINE. THREE QUARTS WERE ADDED, AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WENT OUT. TWO DAYS LATER, CHECK ENGINE LIGHT BLINKED, AND THE TEMPERATURE GAUGE WAS INDICATING THAT THE VEHICLE WAS OVER …
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WHILE DRIVING AT 30 MPH ENGINE WAS VERY LOUD, AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE TO A MECHANIC, WHO FOUND NO OIL IN THE ENGINE. THREE QUARTS WERE ADDED, AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WENT OUT. TWO DAYS LATER, CHECK ENGINE LIGHT BLINKED, AND THE TEMPERATURE GAUGE WAS INDICATING THAT THE VEHICLE WAS OVER HEATING. THE CONSUMER ADDED COOLANT, BUT DRIVING UNDER THREE MILES VEHICLE OVERHEATED AGAIN. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE MECHANIC, WHO INFORMED THE CONSUMER THAT OIL AND COOLANT WERE MIXING TOGETHER IN THE ENGINE. A NEW ENGINE WAS NEEDED. *AK
ONE OF THE ENGINE MOUNTS HAD TO BE REPLACED AT 50587 MILES.*AK
THE IGNITION CYLINDER IN THE STEERING COLUMN JAMMED FOR NO APPARENT REASON. IT REQUIRED THE CAR TO BE TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP; THE ENTIRE IGNITION CYLINDER/LOCK ASSEMBLY HAD TO BE REPLACED. THE MILEAGE ON THE CAR WAS ONLY 47,616 MILES.*AK
COOLANT MIXING WITH OIL
PROBLEMS WITH AIR BAG LIGHT ILLUMINATING.*MR THE CONSUMERS HAD PROBLEMS WITH THE AIR BAG LIGHT FLASHING IN THE DASH. WHEN TAKEN TO THE SERVICE DEALER THEY DETERMINED THAT THE PASSENGER FRONTAL DEVELOPMENT LOOP HAD LOW RESISTANCE AND THE ELECTRICAL CIRCUITS WOULD HAVE TO DETERMINE THE ROOT CAUSE AS TO WHY THE LIGHT CONTINUE TO F…
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PROBLEMS WITH AIR BAG LIGHT ILLUMINATING.*MR THE CONSUMERS HAD PROBLEMS WITH THE AIR BAG LIGHT FLASHING IN THE DASH. WHEN TAKEN TO THE SERVICE DEALER THEY DETERMINED THAT THE PASSENGER FRONTAL DEVELOPMENT LOOP HAD LOW RESISTANCE AND THE ELECTRICAL CIRCUITS WOULD HAVE TO DETERMINE THE ROOT CAUSE AS TO WHY THE LIGHT CONTINUE TO FLASH ON AND OFF. *CB *JB
WHILE DRIVING AT NORMAL SPEED WAS HEARING POWER STEERING 'WHINING'. WHILE TURNING THE WHEEL TO RIGHT IT DID NOT RESPOND, NOR DID IT TURN TO THE LEFT. DEALER NOTIFIED. *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.