1998 SATURN SL

222 complaints filed with NHTSA.

222
Complaints
26
Crashes
2
Fires
32
Injuries
2
Deaths

Complaints by Component

ComponentCount
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION18
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE14
TIRES10
VISIBILITY:POWER WINDOW DEVICES AND CONTROLS9
UNKNOWN OR OTHER7
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:ANCHORAGE6
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE6
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:ROTOR6
VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER5
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC5
AIR BAGS5
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS4
SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:RECLINER4
SUSPENSION:FRONT4
STRUCTURE:BODY4

Recent Complaints

20141023CrashAIR BAGS

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. *TR

20130927CrashSTRUCTURE:BODY

EXITING FREEWAY LOST CONTROL OF THE CAR AND CRASHED VEHICLE. *TR

20120403CrashAIR BAGS

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. WHILE THE 1998 SATURN SL WAS INDEED THE LAST CAR TO HIT THE "PILE UP" UPON IMPACT I EXHALED AND TRIED TO RELAX MY BODY FOR IMPACT "LIKE I OBSERVED ON DISCOVERY'S MYTH BUSTERS" AFTER

Mileage: 148,763

20061003SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:RECLINER

DURING A REAR END COLLISION THE BACK OF THE DRIVER'S SEAT RELEASED TO FULL RECLINE POSITION. LEAVING ME WHICH MORE SEVERE INJURIES THAN I SHOULD HAVE SUSTAINED. *NM

20060828CrashAIR BAGS:FRONTAL

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. THE SERVICE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOTIFIED. UPDATED 10/4/2006 - *NM

20050801CrashFatalSEAT BELTS:FRONT

MY BROTHER WAS KILLED JUNE 24, 2005, IN A SINGLE CAR 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. SINCE HIS DEATH, I'VE FOUND ON NHTSA'S SITE ALMOST 30 DIFFERENT COMPLAINTS FROM 1998 SATURN SLY OWNERS DESCRIBING SERIOUS FAILURES OF THAT CARS STABILITY, BRAKES, STEERING, AND AIR BAGS---ALL OF WHICH RESULTED IN THE CAR GOING OUT OF CONTROL. FORTUNATELY, THE DRIVERS I

20050801CrashFatalAIR BAGS:FRONTAL

MY BROTHER WAS KILLED JUNE 24, 2005, IN A SINGLE CAR 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. SINCE HIS DEATH, I'VE FOUND ON NHTSA'S SITE ALMOST 30 DIFFERENT COMPLAINTS FROM 1998 SATURN SLY OWNERS DESCRIBING SERIOUS FAILURES OF THAT CARS STABILITY, BRAKES, STEERING, AND AIR BAGS---ALL OF WHICH RESULTED IN THE CAR GOING OUT OF CONTROL. FORTUNATELY, THE DRIVERS I

20050207CrashSEAT BELTS

I WAS IN AN ACCIDENT THAT TOTALED MY CAR. I WAS ONLY TRAVELING 15-20 MPH WHEN I HIT A CAR WITH NO LIGHTS ON. I HAD TWO PASSENGERS IN MY 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. MY FRONT PASSENGER WENT FLYING INTO THE FROM WIDSHIELD AND HIS HEAD HIT AT THE TOP RIGHT CORNER. THE BELT RES

Mileage: 50,000

20041204CrashPOWER TRAIN:AXLE ASSEMBLY:AXLE SHAFT

MY 23 YR OLD SON WAS TRAVELING FROM VENTURA, CA AT 75 MPH ON FWY 99 N BOUND IN THE MIDDLE LANE (OF 3) AT ABOUT 1 A.M. IN FRESNO, CA. JUST BEFORE ARRIVING AT HIS EXIT TO HWY 41 N, THE REAR END BEGAN TO SKID TO THE LEFT. DRIVER STEERED INTO THE SKID TO CORRECT WHILE STEPPING ON THE BRAKES TO REDUCE SPEED. SUDDENLY THE REAR END OF THE CAR WAS HURLED INTO THE AIR CAUSING THE ENTIRE VEHICLE TO GO AIRBORNE, CLEARING THE THIRD LANE (FAR RIGHT LANE) AND LANDING ON TOP OF ASPHALT BERM AND SOFT, SANDY

Mileage: 174,000

20040210CrashAIR BAGS

INVOLVED IN TWO COLLISIONS WITH ANOTHER VEHICLE, AND NONE OF THE SIDE AIRBAGS WERE DEPLOYED. *LA *MR

20031212CrashTIRES

WHILE DRIVING AT 65 MPH LEFT FRONT TIRE WENT FLAT, CONSUMER LOST CONTROL, VEHICLE ROLLED OVER, AND NEITHER OF THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED . CONSUMER BOUGHT VEHICLE FIVE DAYS PRIOR TO ACCIDENT, AND WAS NOT SURE IF THERE WERE AIR BAGS IN THE VEHICLE. *AK

Mileage: 56,000

20031212CrashAIR BAGS

WHILE DRIVING AT 65 MPH LEFT FRONT TIRE WENT FLAT, CONSUMER LOST CONTROL, VEHICLE ROLLED OVER, AND NEITHER OF THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED . CONSUMER BOUGHT VEHICLE FIVE DAYS PRIOR TO ACCIDENT, AND WAS NOT SURE IF THERE WERE AIR BAGS IN THE VEHICLE. *AK

Mileage: 56,000

20030220CrashSEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:HEAD RESTRAINT

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.

Mileage: 50,000

20030131CHILD SEAT

THE PLASTIC SHELL OF CAR SEAT WAS SHARP/KNIFE LIKE, AND RESULTED IN A CHILD CUTTING TWO FINGERS. *AK SCC

Mileage: 127,000

20021205CrashSEAT BELTS:FRONT:ANCHORAGE

NO SUMMARY. DT

20021115FireELECTRICAL SYSTEM

THE VEHICLE CAUGHT FIRE WHILE PARKED, POSSIBLE ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS. TS *JB

Mileage: 66,000

20011101CrashVEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

MY MOTHER AND I WERE DRIVING SOUTH ON I-95, MILE MARKER 277 (NORTH OF DAYTONA) WITH THE CRUISE CONTROL SET FOR 72 MILES PER HOUR. I WAS IN THE RIGHT LANE, AND AS I APPROACHED A CAR GOING SLOWER, I APPLIED THE BRAKES TO RELEASE THE CRUISE CONTROL. IT WOULD NOT TURN OFF, SO I MOVED TO THE LEFT LANE AND TRIED REPEATEDLY TO RELEASE IT. I WAS ABOUT THE HIT THE REAR OF THE CAR INFRONT OF ME, AND IT SEEMED LIKE I WAS ACCELERATING RATHER THAN DECELERATING. I COULD NOT SLOW DOWN SO WENT INTO THE MEDIAN S

20011019CrashSEATS

VEHICLE WAS HIT FROM REAR AT 50 MPH WHILE IN A STOP POSITION AND DRIVER'S SEAT COLLAPSED BACKWARDS. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

20010926SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS

WHILE PULLING INTO A PARKING SPACE, STEPPED ON THE BRAKES, WHICH FAILED. CAR STRUCK THE CRUB AND A RAILING CAUSING THE AIRBAGS TO DEPLOY AND THE SEATBELTS TO LOCK VERY TIGHT. TWO DAYS PRIOR TO PURCHASING THE BRAKES WERE SQUEAKING.

20010529CrashFirePOWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

CAUTION: SATURN AUTOMATIC TRANSMISION MAY BE DANGEROUS IF IT HESITATES AND CLUNKS INTO GEAR OR DOWNSHIFTS INAPPROPRIATELY. SATURN'S COMPUTER DIAGNOSTIC SYSTEM MAY NOT DETECT DANGEROUS TRANSMISSION CONTROL CONDITION. SATURN CORP. POLICY ON PAYING DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC WORK FOR WARRANTY ITEMS MAY DISCOURAGE DEALER FROM FURTHER INVESTIGATING POSSIBLY DANGEROUS CONDITIONS.*AK