IllustrationMY SON WAS KILLED IN A 1999 SATURN THE AIRBAGS DID NOT WORK I NEED TO KNOW WHY CAR CUT OFF WHILE GO DOWN I-20. *TR
1999 Saturn Sw
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Limited comparison data
There is not enough comparable history to draw a useful model-year comparison.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Sw 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
Limited mileage data: 3 of 16 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.
- Air Bags. Review the 4 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Equipment. Review the 2 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Power Train. Review the 2 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 reports0 fire reports2 injury reports
What owners actually said
16 reportsTHE AUTOMOBILE IN FRONT OF ME SLAMMED ON THEIR BRAKES, I SLAMMED ON MY BRAKES AND MY CHEST HIT THE STEERING COLUMN. THE AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. *TR
BROKEN STEERING WHEEL MECHANISM REPLACED, RUSTED OUT HOOD REPLACED. MODE CONTROL FROM A/C TO DEFROST WENT OUT, LESS THAN 14,000 MILES. *BF THE MODE DOOR CABLE DISCONNECTED DUE TO MODE DOOR FABRIC COMING OFF AND CAUSED CABLE TO STICK. *NM
WHILE DRIVING AT 65 MPH CONSUMER HEARD A POPPING SOUND AND VEHICLE JERKED. CONSUMER PULLED ONTO THE SHOULDER. THEN, CONSUMER HEARD A LOUD BANG, AND VEHICLE JERKED AGAIN AND SMOKED BADLY. DEALER EXAMINED THE VEHICLE, AND DETERMINED THAT DIFFERENTIAL PIN CAME OUT AND DESTROYED THE TRANSMISSION. A NEW TRANSMISSION WAS NEEDED…
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WHILE DRIVING AT 65 MPH CONSUMER HEARD A POPPING SOUND AND VEHICLE JERKED. CONSUMER PULLED ONTO THE SHOULDER. THEN, CONSUMER HEARD A LOUD BANG, AND VEHICLE JERKED AGAIN AND SMOKED BADLY. DEALER EXAMINED THE VEHICLE, AND DETERMINED THAT DIFFERENTIAL PIN CAME OUT AND DESTROYED THE TRANSMISSION. A NEW TRANSMISSION WAS NEEDED FOR THIS VEHICLE. *AK
DURING A VEHICLE CRASH AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY, CONSUMER SUSTAINED INJURIES. CAUSE UNKNOWN. DEALER NOTIFIED.*AK
CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE HAS DEFECTIVE BRAKES, CONSUMER WAS INFORMED BY DEALER THAT THE PROBLEM HAS BEEN DESCRIBED AS A HOT SPOT ON THE BRAKE DISC WHICH CAUSES RUBBING, THE DEALER ALSO STATED THE PROBLEM IS A RESULT OD DRIVEABILITY OR MISHANDLING OF THE VEHICLE.*MJ
AT A SAFETY CHECK FOR SEATBELTS, 3 OF THE SEATBELT RETRACTORS IN WERE FOUND TO BE INOPERATIVE. ONLY FRONT PASSENGER SEATBELT RETRACTOR WORKS.*AK
HOT FLORIDA DAY; CAR FULLY LOADED; TREAD SEPARATED AT 70 MPH (3000 MI ON TIRE AT TIME). *AK (TIRESIZE: P17570R14)
INTERMEDIATE SHAFT/CARRIER BEARING ASSEMBLY FAILED AT RELATIVELY LOW MILES. I AM TRYING TO DETERMINE IF THIS SPECIFIC FAILURE IS COMMON SO OWNERS CAN BE NOTIFIED AND AVOID THIS COSTLY AND SERIOUS REPAIR.*AK
MY HUSBAND AND DAUGHTER (AGE 4) WERE INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT ON JULY 27, 2000 IN OUR 1999 SATURN SW1. THEY WERE SITTING AT A RED LIGHT WHEN THEY WERE REAR ENDED AT APPROXIMATELY 40-45PMH. UPON IMPACT NIETHER AIRBAG DEPLOYED. I'M NOT SURE IF THEY WERE SUPPOSED TO), BUT THE MAJOR CONCERN WAS THAT THE DRIVERS SEAT SPRINGS BROKE …
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MY HUSBAND AND DAUGHTER (AGE 4) WERE INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT ON JULY 27, 2000 IN OUR 1999 SATURN SW1. THEY WERE SITTING AT A RED LIGHT WHEN THEY WERE REAR ENDED AT APPROXIMATELY 40-45PMH. UPON IMPACT NIETHER AIRBAG DEPLOYED. I'M NOT SURE IF THEY WERE SUPPOSED TO), BUT THE MAJOR CONCERN WAS THAT THE DRIVERS SEAT SPRINGS BROKE COLLAPSING THE DRIVERS SEAT AND LEFT MY HUSBAND LANDING IN THE BACK SEAT, HIS FOOT FALLING FROM THE BRAKE AND ROLLING INTO TRAFFIC AT APPROXIMATELY 12-15MPH. MY HUSBAND ENDED UP INJURED WITH A THORACIC STRAIN. MY DAUGHTER (IN THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT) WAS ALSO INJURED. BOTH OF THEM WERE RESTRAINED WITH FULL SEAT BELTS. IN THE EMERGENCY ROOM AND AT THE SIGHT WE WERE TOLD THAT IT WAS LUCKY THAT MY DAUGHTER WAS IN THE FRONT SEAT THAT DAY OR SHE WOULD HAVE BEEN CRUSHED AND KILLED BY THE SEAT THAT COLLAPSED BEHIND MY HUSBAND. IN ADDRESSING THIS PROBLEM WITH SATURN THEY HAVE SAID THAT THEIR SEATS ARE DESIGNED LIKE THAT FOR SAFETY PURPOSES AND THAT "IN A REAR-END COLLISION, A SEATBACK CAN YIELD IF THE FORCES IN THE COLLISION EXCEED THE DESIGN LOAD LIMITS FOR THAT SEATBACK." THEY ALSO REFERRED ME TO THE FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARDS FMVSS 207 FOR THE STANDARD. I AM NOT ABLE TO TELL IN READING THE FMVSS 207 IF THE FORCES IN THE COLLISION EXCEEDED THE DESIGN LOAD LIMITS FOR THE SEATBACK AND I AM HOPING THAT YOU CAN HELP ME. MY HUSBAND IS 6 FEET TALL AND WEIGHS 260 POUNDS. SATURN TELLS ME THAT THE SEATS WERE DESIGNED THIS WAY TO HELP PREVENT WHIPLASH. IF THAT IS THE CASE THEY ALMOST KILLED MY CHILD. CAN YOU SHED SOME LIGHT ON THIS FOR ME? THANK YOU IN ADVANCE FOR YOUR TIME AND ATTENTION TO THIS MATTER......... SINCERELY, MRS. JULI GORDON. *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.