AI Damage1998 Saturn SL: common problems
Owners of the 1998 Saturn SL filed 168 complaints with NHTSA, most often about powertrain and engine and cooling. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 168
- involving a crash
- 23
What fails most often
- 1 Powertrain 20% of all complaints
- 2 Engine and cooling 17% of all complaints
- 3 Seat belts 10% of all complaints
- 4 Visibility 10% of all complaints
- 5 Electrical system 10% of all complaints
- 6 Service brakes 10% of all complaints
- 7 Tires 7% of all complaints
- 8 Structure 5% of all complaints
- Powertrain: 33 complaints (20% of all), 4 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Engine and cooling: 28 complaints (17% of all).
- Seat belts: 17 complaints (10% of all), 4 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Visibility: 17 complaints (10% of all).
- Electrical system: 16 complaints (10% of all).
Engines and transmissions
US-market versions per EPA. On the right: how many NHTSA complaints name this engine or transmission type.
- 1.9 L · petrol · 4 cyl
- automatic, 4-speed
- manual, 5-speednamed in 2 complaints
Drive: FWD
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 168 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).
Components owners complain about
| Component | Owner complaints | involving a crash | Technical service bulletins (TSB) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Powertrain | 33 | 4 | 0 |
| Engine and cooling | 28 | 0 | 0 |
| Seat belts | 17 | 4 | 0 |
| Visibility | 17 | 0 | 0 |
| Electrical system | 16 | 0 | 0 |
| Service brakes | 16 | 0 | 0 |
| Tires | 12 | 1 | 0 |
| Structure | 9 | 1 | 0 |
| Air bags | 8 | 7 | 0 |
| Seats | 7 | 4 | 0 |
| Vehicle speed control | 7 | 1 | 0 |
| Fuel system | 6 | 0 | 0 |
| Exterior lighting | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| Equipment | 4 | 0 | 0 |
What owners report
Short excerpts of NHTSA complaints in the original wording. These are owner statements not verified by NHTSA; personal data removed.
I was driving a person ran a stop sign and I hit the vehicle head on the airbag blew up in my face sounded like a bomb I had burns on my face head hands and fore arms my ribs were bruised and some contusions in back and knees.
Exiting freeway lost control of the car and crashed vehicle.
I was a passenger in the 1998 saturn sl1, while approaching an intersection "two cars behind the lead car about to go through intersection" the driver in the on-coming lane decide last minute to make a left hand turn at the intersection in front of the lead car in are lane. Which caused a chain reaction of accidents.
Dt*: the contact stated the frontal airbags failed to deploy when the vehicle's front end impacted the rear of another while traveling 35 mph on a dry blacktop surface. A police report and photos were taken after the vehicle was towed away. One injury was sustained in the accident.
He was driving a 1998 saturn sl on an interstate in mississippi, the saturn went out of control, his seatbelt (which he always wore) and he was ejected from the car.
All of us sustained injury because the seatbelts did not lock up and hold us. My back set passenger was on the driver's side and she was rushed to the hospital with facial injuries that left a gash under her left eye and run burn all over her face.
They insist a tire blowout was most likely the cause. Personal investigation revealed there was no blowout. Evidence points toward the spindle breaking allowing the wheel assembly to fold down under the car causing it to skid to the left.
I was involved in a rear end collision in april 2002. I was hit from behind while waiting at a red light. The back of my seat collapsed thereby rendering the anti-whiplash head restraint ineffective.
When owners complained
NHTSA complaints by filing year. The peak shows at what age the problems show up most.
Comparison
By complaint count this model year ranks 2,387 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 7% most complained about).
On average one model year of the SL has 185 complaints (12 years in the data). This year has 168, about average.
What to check before buying
- Powertrain. Shift quality under load, harsh shifts, transmission codes, CV joints.
- Engine and cooling. Radiator and fan after a frontal hit, coolant level and condition, overheating.
- Seat belts. Belt pretensioners after airbag deployment, SRS codes.
- Visibility. Wipers, mirrors, defrosters, cracked glass.
Other years of this model
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 1998 Saturn SL?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: powertrain, engine and cooling, seat belts. Total complaints: 168. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: seat belts (8%), windows, sunroof (5%), vibration (4%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 1998 Saturn SL?
NHTSA lists 0 manufacturer service bulletins for this year. A bulletin tells dealers how to diagnose or fix a known issue; it is not a recall.
Should I buy a 1998 Saturn SL from a US auction?
Owner complaints describe defects, not crash damage. Before bidding, check the components listed above and review the lot photos: VinWind builds a report of visible and hidden damage by VIN.
Other 1998 models
Read also
Sources: public NHTSA data (USA): service bulletins and owner complaints; YouTube: links to videos credited to their authors. Complaints are owner statements not verified by NHTSA, and describe defects rather than crash damage. Data updated 2026-11-05.