Total Complaints
2 filings
SATURN SATURN S SERIES · model year
1999 SATURN SATURN S SERIES
2 NHTSA complaints for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1999SATURNSATURN S 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 1999 SATURN S SERIES is power train:automatic transmission:lever and linkage:floor shift with 1 filings, followed by power train:manual transmission:floor shift assembly (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 1999 SATURN 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 |
|---|---|
| POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:LEVER AND LINKAGE:FLOOR SHIFT | 1 |
| POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION:FLOOR SHIFT ASSEMBLY | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20071030POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:LEVER AND LINKAGE:FLOOR SHIFT
BUSHING IN THE SHIFTER BROKE (END OF CLUTCH CABLE). A SMALL, ROUND, PIECE OF PLASTIC THAT GOES AROUND A CENTER BALL PIN SHIFTER. I WAS IN THE MIDDLE OF THE FREEWAY 94 EAST CLOSE TO 5 FREEWAY SAN DIEGO CA WITH MY 2 KIDS ON THE BACK, AND I PULL TO THE SIDE SAFE BUT IS VERY DANGEROUS IN THE MIDDLE OF THE FREEWAY. I BOUGHT THE ENTIRE CABLE SHIFTER ASSY FOR $215+LABOR+TOWING COST +THE DANGEROUS OF BEEN IN THE MIDDLE OF THE FREEWAY WITH THE FAMILY, TOO MUCH FOR A SIMPLE BAD DESIGN OF THIS LITTLE 0.20 CENT PLASTIC BUSHING. PLEASE MAKE THIS BUSHING REPLACEMENT A BIG RECALL FOR ALL SATURN CARS. THE DEALER AT CONVOY AND BALBOA AT KERNY MESA SAN DIEGO CA, SELLS ONE CABLE GEAR EVERY WEEK BECAUSE THIS LITTLE 0.20 CENT PLASTIC BUSHING. PLEASE HELP THE PUBLIC FROM BEING RIPPED OFF. I LEARNED FROM THE INTERNET THAT YOU CAN FIX THIS PROBLEM IN A COUPLE OF HOURS AND LESS THAN $10.00 DLL OF HARDWARE PARTS. *TR
20071030POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION:FLOOR SHIFT ASSEMBLY
BUSHING IN THE SHIFTER BROKE (END OF CLUTCH CABLE). A SMALL, ROUND, PIECE OF PLASTIC THAT GOES AROUND A CENTER BALL PIN SHIFTER. I WAS IN THE MIDDLE OF THE FREEWAY 94 EAST CLOSE TO 5 FREEWAY SAN DIEGO CA WITH MY 2 KIDS ON THE BACK, AND I PULL TO THE SIDE SAFE BUT IS VERY DANGEROUS IN THE MIDDLE OF THE FREEWAY. I BOUGHT THE ENTIRE CABLE SHIFTER ASSY FOR $215+LABOR+TOWING COST +THE DANGEROUS OF BEEN IN THE MIDDLE OF THE FREEWAY WITH THE FAMILY, TOO MUCH FOR A SIMPLE BAD DESIGN OF THIS LITTLE 0.20 CENT PLASTIC BUSHING. PLEASE MAKE THIS BUSHING REPLACEMENT A BIG RECALL FOR ALL SATURN CARS. THE DEALER AT CONVOY AND BALBOA AT KERNY MESA SAN DIEGO CA, SELLS ONE CABLE GEAR EVERY WEEK BECAUSE THIS LITTLE 0.20 CENT PLASTIC BUSHING. PLEASE HELP THE PUBLIC FROM BEING RIPPED OFF. I LEARNED FROM THE INTERNET THAT YOU CAN FIX THIS PROBLEM IN A COUPLE OF HOURS AND LESS THAN $10.00 DLL OF HARDWARE PARTS. *TR
Compare 1999SATURNSATURN S 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 1999 SATURN SATURN S SERIES have?▼
The 1999 SATURN 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 1999 SATURN SATURN S SERIES?▼
The most-complained component for the 1999 SATURN SATURN S SERIES is POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:LEVER AND LINKAGE:FLOOR SHIFT with 1 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION:FLOOR SHIFT ASSEMBLY.
Is the 1999 SATURN 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.