AI Damage1999 Saturn SL: common problems
Owners of the 1999 Saturn SL filed 178 complaints with NHTSA, most often about engine and cooling and service brakes. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 178
- involving a crash
- 26
What fails most often
- 1 Engine and cooling 25% of all complaints
- 2 Service brakes 17% of all complaints
- 3 Powertrain 12% of all complaints
- 4 Air bags 11% of all complaints
- 5 Electrical system 11% of all complaints
- 6 Seat belts 7% of all complaints
- 7 Tires 7% of all complaints
- 8 Seats 4% of all complaints
- Engine and cooling: 45 complaints (25% of all).
- Service brakes: 30 complaints (17% of all), 4 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Powertrain: 22 complaints (12% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Air bags: 20 complaints (11% of all), 12 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Electrical system: 20 complaints (11% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
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 4 complaints
Drive: FWD
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 178 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) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Engine and cooling | 45 | 0 | 0 |
| Service brakes | 30 | 4 | 0 |
| Powertrain | 22 | 1 | 0 |
| Air bags | 20 | 12 | 0 |
| Electrical system | 20 | 1 | 0 |
| Seat belts | 12 | 5 | 0 |
| Tires | 12 | 2 | 0 |
| Seats | 8 | 7 | 0 |
| Suspension | 8 | 0 | 0 |
| Steering | 7 | 0 | 0 |
| Vehicle speed control | 7 | 1 | 0 |
| Visibility | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| Fuel system | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| Parking brake | 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.
The air bags failed to deploy. A police report was filed. The contact driver sustained head injuries and the three passengers sustained minor injuries, which required medical attention. In addition, the key could be removed from the ignition when driving. The vehicle was repaired.
Michelin weatherwise ii b. Tires have poor wet surface braking performance. Vehicle needs extra distance to stop when braking on wet roads.
Further the air bags did not deploy. Luckily the seat belts were being worn at the time of the accident, and no injuries occurred.
1999 saturn air bags failed to deploy upon frontal impact. The seat belt also failed to restrain the consumer. The seat belt was the subject of a recall and the car was taken to the dealer for repairs.
The woman who let me turn onto the street "heard tires squealing" and thought I was speeding up (though I was not moving due to traffic inching forward slowly) and she hit the gas to speed up.
Both frontal air bags did not deploy. The consumer seeked medical attention the next day. The vehicle was towed and totaled by the insurance company. Please fill in additional information.
The vehicle was involved in a collision, and the front seats reclined backwards.
My wife was involved in an auto accident where she was wearing her seat belt that ended up breaking. In my conversations with other people I have come across 2 other people that had the same issue with the same manufacturer(saturn).
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 2,271 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 6% most complained about).
On average one model year of the SL has 185 complaints (12 years in the data). This year has 178, about average.
What to check before buying
- Engine and cooling. Radiator and fan after a frontal hit, coolant level and condition, overheating.
- Service brakes. Pedal feel, ABS operation, leaks, discs and hoses.
- Powertrain. Shift quality under load, harsh shifts, transmission codes, CV joints.
- Air bags. Check the SRS light, stored codes and airbag/curtain status after any impact.
Other years of this model
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 1999 Saturn SL?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: engine and cooling, service brakes, powertrain. Total complaints: 178. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: seat belts (7%), stalls while driving (7%), vibration (4%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 1999 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 1999 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 1999 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.