SATURN SW · model year

1998 SATURN SW

31 NHTSA complaints, 4 crash reports for this specific cohort.

NHTSA overall rating

Not crash-tested

New Car Assessment Program

The 1998SATURNSW carries 31 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 4 crashes, 1 fire, 3 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 SW is engine and engine cooling:engine:gasoline with 3 filings, followed by vehicle speed control (3) and power train:automatic transmission (2). 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 SW. 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.

31
Complaints
4
Crashes
1
Fires
3
Injuries
0
Deaths

Total Complaints

31 filings

Crashes Reported

4 reports

Source

NHTSA ODI

Federal complaints database

Complaints vs. fleet median (215)

At or below the fleet median complaint volume.

Complaints by Component

ComponentCount
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE3
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL3
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION2
VISIBILITY:POWER WINDOW DEVICES AND CONTROLS2
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE2
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL1
AIR BAGS1
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:MASTER CYLINDER1
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC1
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:12V/24V/48V BATTERY1
SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:RECLINER1
POWER TRAIN:DRIVELINE:CONSTANT VELOCITY JOINT1
POWER TRAIN:DRIVELINE:UNIVERSAL JOINT1
POWER TRAIN:AXLE ASSEMBLY:AXLE SHAFT1
SEATS1

Recent Complaints

20070415SUSPENSION:REAR

EXPERIENCING A RATTLE OR CLICK NOISE FROM THE REAR OF VEHICLE WHEN TURNING AT SLOW SPEEDS AND/OR DRIVING OVER UNEVEN SURFACES.*AK

20050914SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY

DT: 1998 SATURN SW2. THE CONSUMER STATED THE DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT BELT BROKE WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS IN USE. THE LATCH CAME LOOSE. SHE HAS SPOKEN WITH SATURN, THEY TOLD HER TO TAKE IT IN TO BE INSPECTED. ON THE WAY TO THE DEALERSHIP THEY WERE PULLED OVER FOR NOT WEARING A SEAT BELT. THEREFORE, THE VEHICLE HAS NOT YET MADE IT TO THE DEALERSHIP. SATURN STATED THERE WAS A SERVICE BULLETIN FOR THIS PROBLEM, AND THE CONSUMER WILL HAVE TO PAY FOR IT. THIS VEHICLE HAS NEVER BEEN IN ANY KIND OF ACCIDENT. THE SAFETY BELT WAS STILL NOT WORKING. THEY WERE GOING TO TAKE THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALERSHIP NEXT TUESDAY.*AK

20050209ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE

WHILE DRIVING 10 MPH ENGINE STALLED. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE ENGINE BEARING WORE OUT COMPLETELY ON ONE SIDE. AS A RESULT, THE ENGINE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *AK

Mileage: 50,000

20040630PARKING BRAKE:CONVENTIONAL:MECHANICAL

BRAKE FAILURE. ON SR88 SOUTHBOUND TO LIBERTY RD. 19'98 SATURN SW2, 110000 MILES. CONDITION EXCELLENT. COMING TO LIBERTY RD AT ABOUT 55 MPH SLOWNG FOR RT TURN..BRAKE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR. ZERO BRAKING EFFECT. LUCKILY PULLED AHEAD TO A WIDE, SAFE SHOULDER. CALLED AAA FOR TOW,,MEANTWHILE PUMPED PEDAL FOR HALF HOUR WHEN GOT SLSIGHT RESPONSE FROM PEDAL WHICH FINALLY ABOUT 45 MINUTES LATER GAVE FULL PEDAL. CANCELLED TOW. WENT INTO LODI, CA ABOUT 15 MORE MILES SAFELY. SATURN DEALER STATES THAT NOTHING COULD BE FOUND WRONG WITH THE SYSTEM. MECHANIC STATES THAT IF THE PARKING BRAKE WERE ENGAGED EVEN SLIGHTLY THE REAR DRUMS WOULD OVERHEAT AND CAUSE THE BRAKE FLUID TO GET SO HOT THAT BUBBLES WOULD FORM IN IT THUS NO BRAKES. NO LEAKS WERE FOUND ANYWHERE IN THE SYSTEM. MASTER CYLINDER OK .ALL BRAKE PISTONS OK.BRAKES ARE OK AS OF THIS DATE. (6-30-04). DATE OF INCIDENT WAS 6-20-04..TIME/DATE OF DEALERS REPORT: 21 JUNE 04 AT 0839PDT. SERVICE ORDER 76755 PRIMARY TECH. 004.*AK

Mileage: 110,000

20040329VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD

THERE IS A CRACK IN THE FRONT WINDSHIELD THAT BEGINS WERE THE REAR VIEW MIRROR IS ATTACHED TO THE WINDSHIELD. CONSUMER CAN NOT SEE TROUGH FRONT WINDSHIELD. *AK WINDSHIELD WAS INSPECTED FOR CRACKS, NONE WAS FOUND. IN ADDITION, CRACK REACHED TO BOTH LEFT AND RIGHT SIDES THAT SPANNED APPROXIMATELY 8 INCHES. *LA

Mileage: 125,000

20040211VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:ACCELERATOR PEDAL

ACCELERATOR PEDAL HINGE BROKE... LEAVING THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL HANGING FROM THE ACCELERATOR CABLE. CAR IS NOT DRIVEABLE.*AK

20040130ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM:RADIATOR ASSEMBLY

VEHICLE BURNS OIL PREMATURELY. *AK

Mileage: 131,000

20031022ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE

WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED AND WITHOUT ANY PRIOR WARNING VEHICLE STALLED. *AK

20020912FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE

RPMS DO NOT ALWAYS RETURN TO IDLE AFTER REMOVAL OF ACCELERATOR PRESSURE. THE RPMS AT RANDOM TIMES, REMAIN AT 1800 TO 2200 AS INDICATED BY THE TACHOMETER. THE ENGINE IS ALSO NOISY WHEN COMING TO A STOP. CONSUMER HAS TO SHIFT FROM DRIVE TO NEUTRAL WHEN COMING TO A STOP, BUT RPMS STILL RACE FROM 1000 RPM TO 2200. NORMAL TACHOMETER RESPONSE IS USUALLY FROM 750 TO 1000 RPMS. CONSUMER IS CONCERNED THIS IS PUTTING WEAR AND TEAR ON TRANSMISSION AND BRAKES. ON OTHER OCCASIONS, THE VEHICLE JUMPED BACKWARDS WHEN CONSUMER REMOVED HIS FOOT FROM BRAKE PEDAL. *TT

20020430VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:CRUISE CONTROL

WHILR AT A COMPLETE STOP, VEHICLE WILL NOT RETURN TO CORRECT IDLE POSITION, IT WILL STAY AT A HIGH IDLE POINT. CONTACTED DEALER, AND THE DEALER CAN NOT LOCATE THE PROBLEM.*AK.*JG

20011130VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

THIS IGNITION-HIGH IDLE PROBLEM HAS EXHISTED SINCE OWNERSHIP AND FIRST PART REPLACEMENT UNDERWARENTY WAS THE IDLE AIR CONTROL J5542 IN FEB. 2000. THE IDLE ACCELERATION PROBLEM STARTED IN 1999, HOWEVER, COULD NOT BE REPEATED DURING TESTS DRIVE UNTIL FEB. 15,2000. AT THE 42,000 SERVICE THE SAME COMPLAINT WAS ADDRESSED WITH THE IAC MOTOR REPLACED. THE 60,000 MILE SERVICE THE TEMP. SENSOR AND IGNITION MODULE WAS REPLACED FOR $391.00, AND THE PROBLEM OF ACCELERATION CONTINUES WITH THE RPM'S OVER 2,000. I AM CONCERNED FOR MY SAFTEY. THE CAR HAS ACTUALLY ACCELERATED WITHOUT GAS/OR CLUTCH CHANGES. IF I WERE ON ICE, WHICH THIS AREA IS NOTED FOR IN THE WINTER, I WOULD BE IN DANGER. AGAIN, THIS HAPPENS WHEN THE CAR HAS BEEN DRIVEN FOR A WHILE AND THE MOTOR IS WARM, AND INTERMITTANTLY.*AK

20011129VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

WHEN ENGINE WARMS UP/SLOWING DOWN OR STOPPING RPMS WILL INCREASE. ALSO IF TAKEN FEET OF GAS PEDAL, VEHICLE WILL ACCELERATE ON ITS OWN. THIS HAPPENS INTERMITTENTLY. CONTACTED DEALER, AND DEALER REPAIRED AND REPLACED PARTS, BUT STILL DID NOT REMEDY THE PROBLEM. *AK

20010118ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE

ENGINE RUNS ROUGH AND STALLS. SOMETIMES SES LIGHT COMES ON, SOMETIMES NOT. VEHICLE WILL NOT START. I HAVE HAD THIS CAR TO THE DEALER 8 TIMES IN 2 YEARS AND THEY ALWAYS "FIX" SOMETHING--SOMETHING DIFFERENT EVERYTIME, BUT THE SYMPTOMS ARE THE SAME EVERY TIME. DEALER SAYS THERE IS "NOTHING WRONG WITH MY CAR" AND THAT THE PROBLEM IS DIFFERENT EVERY TIME I BRING IT IN. SEVERAL TIMES THERE HAVE BEEN NO CODES STORED TO INDICATE WHAT THE PROBLEM WAS-THEREFORE, ACCORDING TO THE DEALER-"THERE IS NO PROBLEM". I DON'T MAKE THIS STUFF UP!!! I AM TIRED OF TAKING THE CAR IN FOR THIS PROBLEM, IT HAS MOST RECENTLY BEEN IN ON OCT. 12, 2000 , DEC. 1, 2000 , AND DEC. 21, 2000---EVERYTIME I REPORTED THE SAME PROBLEMS AND ACCORDING TO THE DEALER, EVERY TIME IT IS A DIFFERENT PROBLEM. THERE IS SOMETHING WRONG WITH THIS VEHICLE CAUSING THIS PROBLEM TO CONTINUE. I HAVE ALL THE REPAIR RECORDS.*AK

20001121SEAT BELTS

SEAT BELTS WILL TIGHTEN WHILE SWITCHING LANES OR WHEN INCREASING SPEED. CONSUMER CANNOT MOVE AROUND TO CHECK TRAFFIC BEHIND HER. HAS BEEN TO DEALER WHO SAID THAT BELTS ARE WORKING AS DESIGNED. PLEASE ADD ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. *AK

20001030CrashSEATS

SEATS COLLAPSED WHEN REAR ENDED WHILE STOPPED AT LIGHT--IF PASSENGER WAS IN BACK SEAT, THERE IS A STRONG POSSIBILITY OF SERIOUS INJURY. IF IT'S A SMALL CHILD, DEATH FROM THE IMPACT OF THE COLLAPSING SEAT COULD CAUSE DEATH.*AK

20000831POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

MY MECHANIC TOLD ME HE HAS HAD TO REPLACE SEVERAL TRANSMISSIONS ON 1998 SATURNS, SO MINE IS NOT AN ISOLATED INCIDENT.

19990823VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

CRUISE CONTROL FAILED. YH

19990823VISIBILITY:POWER WINDOW DEVICES AND CONTROLS

POWER WINDOW RELAY FAILED. YH

19990730POWER TRAIN:DRIVELINE:CONSTANT VELOCITY JOINT

INNER CV JOINT / BOOT CLAMP / WHEEL BEARING FAILED. *YC

19990730POWER TRAIN:DRIVELINE:UNIVERSAL JOINT

INNER CV JOINT / BOOT CLAMP / WHEEL BEARING FAILED. *YC

Compare 1998SATURNSW to Similar Vehicles

NHTSA Investigations

View all investigations

Frequently Asked Questions

How many complaints does the 1998 SATURN SW have?
The 1998 SATURN SW has 31 NHTSA complaints, 4 crashes, 1 fires, 3 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1998 SATURN SW?
The most-complained component for the 1998 SATURN SW is ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE with 3 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL and POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION.
Is the 1998 SATURN SW 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.