Total Complaints
2 filings
SATURN S SERIES · model year
1998 SATURN S SERIES
2 NHTSA complaints for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1998SATURNS SERIES carries 2 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 fatalities. No NCAP 5-star crash-test rating is available for this model year in the federal database.
Component-level analysis is where model-year complaints become actionable: the top complaint category for the 1998 S SERIES is visibility:windshield wiper/washer with 1 filings, followed by visibility:power window devices and controls (1). Concentration in one or two component groups is the classic signature of a systemic defect; a flat distribution usually reflects normal aging, warranty complaints, or isolated build-plant variability.
NHTSA currently has 14 investigation files overlapping the 1998 S SERIES. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should pair the counters above with the complaint-by-year trend on the parent model page — a spike in a single year often tracks to a platform refresh, a new transmission supplier, or an updated ECU calibration. Use the related-complaint feed below to read raw owner narratives before deciding whether any pattern here affects your specific use case.
2
Complaints
0
Crashes
0
Fires
0
Injuries
0
Deaths
Crashes Reported
0 reports
Source
NHTSA ODI
Federal complaints database
Complaints vs. fleet median (215)
At or below the fleet median complaint volume.
Complaints by Component
| Component | Count |
|---|---|
| VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER | 1 |
| VISIBILITY:POWER WINDOW DEVICES AND CONTROLS | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20050908VISIBILITY:POWER WINDOW DEVICES AND CONTROLS
BOTH POWER WINDOW REGULATORS FOR THE BACK WINDOWS FAIL TO RAISE AND LOWER THE WINDOWS, LEFT SIDE IN EARLY 2004, AND NOW THE RIGHT SIDE IN LATE SUMMER OF 2005. I DETERMINED THAT THE PLASTIC MOLD INJECTED SLIDER (INSIDE THE METAL TRACK FOR THE WINDOW) IN THE LEFT REAR WINDOW HAS BROKEN, AND I FIRMLY BELIEVE THAT IT IS THE CASE WITH THE RIGHT REAR WINDOW ALSO. I AM SIMPLY WAITING FOR THE FRONT PASSENGER WINDOW TO BREAK AS IT IS EXHIBITING SLOWNESS WHILE GOING UP AND DOWN. *NM
Mileage: 90,000
20030214VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER
THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS WORKED INTERMITTENTLY. *JB
Compare 1998SATURNS SERIES to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations
EA11014Engineering AnalysisClosed
Electric Power Steering Failure
RQ10004Recall QueryClosed
Electric Power Steering Failure
PE09016Preliminary EvaluationClosed
OUTSIDE DOOR HANDLES STICK UNLATCHED
PE08061Preliminary EvaluationClosed
TIMING CHAIN BREAKS, ENGINE STALL
DP08002Defect PetitionClosed
TIMING CHAIN FAILURE-STALL
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 1998 SATURN S SERIES have?▼
The 1998 SATURN S SERIES has 2 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1998 SATURN S SERIES?▼
The most-complained component for the 1998 SATURN S SERIES is VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER with 1 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include VISIBILITY:POWER WINDOW DEVICES AND CONTROLS.
Is the 1998 SATURN S SERIES safe to buy?▼
Review the complaint history, crash and fire reports, safety ratings, and recall status on this page to make an informed decision. No NHTSA crash test rating is available for this model year. Compare with other model years using the links above.
Where does this data come from?▼
All complaint, recall, and safety rating data is sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Complaints are filed by vehicle owners through NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation.
Vehicle Safety Guides
Data as of 2025. Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) complaints database, NHTSA recall campaign API, NHTSA NCAP crash-test ratings, and NHTSA FARS for fatality cross-reference.
Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.