1999 SATURN SL — Problems, Recalls & Safety Data
N/A
Safety Rating
232
Owner Complaints
2
Recalls
0
Service Bulletins
0
Investigations
Overview of the 1999 SATURN SL
The 1999 SATURN SL has received a total of 232 safety complaints filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). There have been 2 recall campaigns affecting this vehicle, covering issues with EXTERIOR LIGHTING, SEAT BELTS:FRONT:ANCHORAGE. The most commonly reported problems involve the Engine And Engine Coolingengine (17 complaints), Air Bagsfrontal (12 complaints), and Engine And Engine Cooling (9 complaints).
Recalls for the 1999 SATURN SL
NHTSA has recorded 2 recalls for the 1999 SATURN SL, potentially affecting up to 281,968 vehicles.
Recall 09E012000 — EXTERIOR LIGHTING
| 16,270 vehicles affected
Defect: SABERSPORT IS RECALLING 16,270 COMBINATION CORNER AND BUMPER LAMP ASSEMBLIES OF VARIOUS PART NUMBERS SOLD FOR USE AS AFTERMARKET EQUIPMENT FOR VARIOUS PASSENGER VEHICLES. THESE HEADLAMPS FAIL TO CONFORM TO THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 108, "LAMPS, REFLECTIVE DEVICES, AND ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT." THESE LAMPS DO NOT CONTAIN THE REQUIRED AMBER SIDE REFLECTORS.
Consequence: DECREASED LIGHTING VISIBILITY MAY RESULT IN A VEHICLE CRASH.
Remedy: SABERSPORT WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND OFFER A FULL REFUND FOR THE NONCOMPLIANT COMBINATION LAMPS. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON MAY 11, 2009. OWNERS MAY CONTACT SABERSPORT AT 1-909-598-7589.
View full details →Recall 99V280000 — SEAT BELTS:FRONT:ANCHORAGE
| 265,698 vehicles affected
Defect: 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: 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.
View full details →Owner Complaints for the 1999 SATURN SL
232 complaints have been filed with NHTSA for the 1999 SATURN SL. Below is a breakdown by vehicle component.
Most Recent Complaints
I JUST RECEIVED A 1999 SATURN SL 2 SERIES A YEAR AGO FROM MY MOTHER FOR MY VERY FIRST CAR. I GOT IT AT ABOUT 100,000 MILES AND IT IS NOW CURRENTLY AT 122,446. I NOTICED ABOUT A MONTH AGO WHILE I WOULD BE DRIVING, USUALLY AFTER ABOUT 1-2 MILES AFTER STARTING UP THE CAR AND DRIVING, MY GEARS BEGAN TO SLIP. I KEPT UP WITH JUST ABOUT MONTHLY OIL CHANGES, ACCOMPANIED BY TRANSMISSION FLUID CHECKED AND TOPPED OFF. MY TRANSMISSION OIL HAS NEVER BEEN LOW. THEN, ABOUT 4 DAYS AGO I WENT TO LEAVE FROM MY WORK ORIENTATION, AND I COULDN?T BACK UP MY CAR FROM MY PARKING SPOT, THE REVERSE HAD WENT OUT. SO I PUT THE CAR BACK IN DRIVE, THEN BACK TO REVERSE THINKING MAYBE IT DIDN?T GO INTO REVERSE ALL THE WAY AND IT DID NOT WORK. I REVVED UP THE ENGINE, NOTHING HAPPENING UNTIL I DID IT PRETTY HARD, AND EVENTUALLY IT STARTED ROLLING BACK A LITTLE. I LOOKED UP ON THE INTERNET TO SEE IF THIS WAS A PRETTY BIG ISSUE OR NOT, AND I REALIZE I SEE IT A LOT IN 1999 SATURNS. A RECALL I BELIEVE WOULD BE THE BEST OPTION FOR FIXING THIS ISSUE AND WOULD FURTHER PREVENT PEOPLE FROM SPENDING SO MUCH MONEY. I TOOK MY CAR TO A MECHANIC AND IT?S CURRENTLY SITTING THERE NOW. I DON?T KNOW WHAT THEY ARE GOING TO TELL ME. I BELIEVE IT COULD BE A SMALL PART THAT JUST NEEDS REPLACED, BUT I?M SURE THEY?RE GOING TO JUST HAVE ME PURCHASE A WHOLE NEW TRANSMISSION WHICH IS NOT WHAT I PREFER TO DO AS A 18 YEAR OLD COLLEGE STUDENT. ESPECIALLY IF THE CAR WAS ONLY 700$ THAT I PURCHASED IT FOR. *TR
I JUST RECEIVED A 1999 SATURN SL 2 SERIES A YEAR AGO FROM MY MOTHER FOR MY VERY FIRST CAR. I GOT IT AT ABOUT 100,000 MILES AND IT IS NOW CURRENTLY AT 122,446. I NOTICED ABOUT A MONTH AGO WHILE I WOULD BE DRIVING, USUALLY AFTER ABOUT 1-2 MILES AFTER STARTING UP THE CAR AND DRIVING, MY GEARS BEGAN TO SLIP. I KEPT UP WITH JUST ABOUT MONTHLY OIL CHANGES, ACCOMPANIED BY TRANSMISSION FLUID CHECKED AND TOPPED OFF. MY TRANSMISSION OIL HAS NEVER BEEN LOW. THEN, ABOUT 4 DAYS AGO I WENT TO LEAVE FROM MY WORK ORIENTATION, AND I COULDN?T BACK UP MY CAR FROM MY PARKING SPOT, THE REVERSE HAD WENT OUT. SO I PUT THE CAR BACK IN DRIVE, THEN BACK TO REVERSE THINKING MAYBE IT DIDN?T GO INTO REVERSE ALL THE WAY AND IT DID NOT WORK. I REVVED UP THE ENGINE, NOTHING HAPPENING UNTIL I DID IT PRETTY HARD, AND EVENTUALLY IT STARTED ROLLING BACK A LITTLE. I LOOKED UP ON THE INTERNET TO SEE IF THIS WAS A PRETTY BIG ISSUE OR NOT, AND I REALIZE I SEE IT A LOT IN 1999 SATURNS. A RECALL I BELIEVE WOULD BE THE BEST OPTION FOR FIXING THIS ISSUE AND WOULD FURTHER PREVENT PEOPLE FROM SPENDING SO MUCH MONEY. I TOOK MY CAR TO A MECHANIC AND IT?S CURRENTLY SITTING THERE NOW. I DON?T KNOW WHAT THEY ARE GOING TO TELL ME. I BELIEVE IT COULD BE A SMALL PART THAT JUST NEEDS REPLACED, BUT I?M SURE THEY?RE GOING TO JUST HAVE ME PURCHASE A WHOLE NEW TRANSMISSION WHICH IS NOT WHAT I PREFER TO DO AS A 18 YEAR OLD COLLEGE STUDENT. ESPECIALLY IF THE CAR WAS ONLY 700$ THAT I PURCHASED IT FOR. *TR
I JUST RECEIVED A 1999 SATURN SL 2 SERIES A YEAR AGO FROM MY MOTHER FOR MY VERY FIRST CAR. I GOT IT AT ABOUT 100,000 MILES AND IT IS NOW CURRENTLY AT 122,446. I NOTICED ABOUT A MONTH AGO WHILE I WOULD BE DRIVING, USUALLY AFTER ABOUT 1-2 MILES AFTER STARTING UP THE CAR AND DRIVING, MY GEARS BEGAN TO SLIP. I KEPT UP WITH JUST ABOUT MONTHLY OIL CHANGES, ACCOMPANIED BY TRANSMISSION FLUID CHECKED AND TOPPED OFF. MY TRANSMISSION OIL HAS NEVER BEEN LOW. THEN, ABOUT 4 DAYS AGO I WENT TO LEAVE FROM MY WORK ORIENTATION, AND I COULDN?T BACK UP MY CAR FROM MY PARKING SPOT, THE REVERSE HAD WENT OUT. SO I PUT THE CAR BACK IN DRIVE, THEN BACK TO REVERSE THINKING MAYBE IT DIDN?T GO INTO REVERSE ALL THE WAY AND IT DID NOT WORK. I REVVED UP THE ENGINE, NOTHING HAPPENING UNTIL I DID IT PRETTY HARD, AND EVENTUALLY IT STARTED ROLLING BACK A LITTLE. I LOOKED UP ON THE INTERNET TO SEE IF THIS WAS A PRETTY BIG ISSUE OR NOT, AND I REALIZE I SEE IT A LOT IN 1999 SATURNS. A RECALL I BELIEVE WOULD BE THE BEST OPTION FOR FIXING THIS ISSUE AND WOULD FURTHER PREVENT PEOPLE FROM SPENDING SO MUCH MONEY. I TOOK MY CAR TO A MECHANIC AND IT?S CURRENTLY SITTING THERE NOW. I DON?T KNOW WHAT THEY ARE GOING TO TELL ME. I BELIEVE IT COULD BE A SMALL PART THAT JUST NEEDS REPLACED, BUT I?M SURE THEY?RE GOING TO JUST HAVE ME PURCHASE A WHOLE NEW TRANSMISSION WHICH IS NOT WHAT I PREFER TO DO AS A 18 YEAR OLD COLLEGE STUDENT. ESPECIALLY IF THE CAR WAS ONLY 700$ THAT I PURCHASED IT FOR. *TR
I WAS DRIVING MY NIECE'S AND NEPHEW WAS HOLDING ONTO THE BARS IN THE CEILING AND IT CAME OFF THE BARS IN THE CEILING WHILE I WAS DRIVING MY WHOLE ROOF LINER CAME OFF I COULDN'T SEE I HAD TO PULL THE WHOLE LINER DOWN SO I WOULDN'T GET IN AN ACCIDENT I NOTICED AFTER I GOT HOME THE METAL BRACKETS THAT THE SCREWS WE'RE HOLDING ON WAS SPLIT I CANNOT FIX THEM BACK I FEEL IT'S A SAFETY HAZARD AND WE ALMOST GOT IN AN ACCIDENT IT NEEDS TO BE FIXED I HAVE LITTLE KIDS I TAKE CARE OF I FEEL IT'S A RECALL AND NEEDS TO BE FIXED THE BRACKETS AND THE LINER FELL OFF I THREW THE LINER AWAY THE VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION I WAS COMING FROM RICHMOND VA PICKED THEM UP TO COME TO MY MOM'S HOUSE IN KING WILLIAM VA I WAS ON INTERSTATE 95 I HAVE MORE PICTURES THAN THIS ## VIN PASSED ## 1999 SATURN SL2 ##
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 SATURN SL. WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE ENGINE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING AND RESTARTED AFTER TEN MINUTES. THE FAILURE WAS PERSISTENT. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE IGNITION FAILED TO RELEASE THE KEY. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE CONTACT'S RESIDENCE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 140,000. UPDATED 11/23/15*LJ *TR
Safety Rating for the 1999 SATURN SL
NHTSA has not yet tested the 1999 SATURN SL in its New Car Assessment Program.
Technical Service Bulletins for the 1999 SATURN SL
No technical service bulletins have been reported for this vehicle.
NHTSA Investigations for the 1999 SATURN SL
There are no NHTSA defect investigations on record for this vehicle.
Other Model Years of the SATURN SL
- 1994 SATURN SL — 376 complaints
- 1995 SATURN SL — 481 complaints
- 1996 SATURN SL — 369 complaints
- 1997 SATURN SL — 286 complaints
- 1998 SATURN SL — 222 complaints
- 1999 SATURN SL (current)
- 2000 SATURN SL — 202 complaints
- 2001 SATURN SL — 137 complaints
- 2002 SATURN SL — 154 complaints
Other SATURN Models
- SATURN ION — 5,467 total complaints
- SATURN VUE — 3,269 total complaints
- SATURN AURA — 2,222 total complaints
- SATURN OUTLOOK — 1,939 total complaints
- SATURN LS — 1,885 total complaints
- SATURN SKY — 623 total complaints
- SATURN SC1 — 554 total complaints
- SATURN SC — 379 total complaints