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1998 Saturn Sw

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Similar to other model years

Owner complaints for the 1998 Saturn Sw do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 20.

About this comparison →
27Owner complaints

Model-year median: 20

0Recall campaigns

View recall details →

0Investigations

View investigation details →

How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

Other model years Selected year
36
199520
199631
199727
199816
199915
20006
2001
Compare all Sw years →

Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.

What owners reported most

Engine And Engine Cooling
6Vehicle Speed Control
5Power Train
3Visibility
3Air Bags
2
All reported categories
Seat Belts
2Seats
2Electrical System
1Fuel System, Gasoline
1Parking Brake
1Service Brakes, Hydraulic
1Suspension
1

Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.

When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

Limited mileage data: 4 of 27 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.

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 6 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Vehicle Speed Control. Review the 5 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Power Train. Review the 3 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

4 crash reports1 fire reports2 injury reports

What owners actually said

27 reports
Mileage unknown · Feb 1, 1999
Vehicle Speed Control

CRUISE CONTROL FAILED. YH

NHTSA ODI #608650

Mileage unknown · Feb 1, 1999
Electrical System

BATTERY FAILED. *YC

NHTSA ODI #607848

Mileage unknown · Feb 1, 1999
Power Train

INNER CV JOINT / BOOT CLAMP / WHEEL BEARING FAILED. *YC

NHTSA ODI #606851

Mileage unknown · Dec 31, 1998
Service Brakes, Hydraulic

MASTER CYLINDER IS DEFECTIVE, CAUSING THE BRAKE PEDAL TO HIT FLOOR, RESULTING IN LOSS OF BRAKES, ALSO FRONT BRAKES GET VERY HOT, BUT BACK BRAKES ARE COOL. *AK

NHTSA ODI #832898

Mileage unknown · Dec 16, 1998
Air BagsCrashInjury

HEAVY FRONTAL IMPACT. BOTH FRONT AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY.

NHTSA ODI #701395

Mileage unknown · Nov 9, 1998
Air BagsCrash

CONSUMER WAS COMING OUT OF THE PARKING LOT GOING SOUTH. THE PERSON WAS DRIVING NORTH MAKING A LEFT TURN THE DRIVER MADE A LEFT TURN TOO SHORT, AND IN THE PROCESS THEY HIT EACH OTHER. CONSUMER'S AIRBAGS DIDN'T DEPLOY. ALSO, CONSUMER WAS HURT, SUFFERED A HAIRLIKE FRACTURE ON HER TAIL BONE. *AK

NHTSA ODI #830449

Mileage unknown · Jan 16, 1998
Engine And Engine CoolingPower Train

VEHICLE STALLS WHEN STOPPED AT LIGHTS.

NHTSA ODI #528432

Official recalls

0

No recalls in this snapshot.

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

0

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.