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U.S. public vehicle records

1998 Saturn SL: complaints, problems and recalls

Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.

Key facts

110 owner complaints analyzed

0 distinct recall campaigns

66,250 mi median reported failure mileage

Scope: 1998 model year. Data snapshot: . 38 complaints include usable failure mileage.

Owner-reported patterns

Most common problems

Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine is the most frequently named component, appearing in 12 of 110 complaints (10.9%). A complaint can name multiple components.

Recurring terms in complaint narratives
TopicMatching reportsShare of complaints
Braking behavior1917.3%
Transmission and shifting1513.6%
Steering behavior65.5%
Engine operation54.5%
Electrical and battery issues32.7%
Fuel system concerns10.9%

Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.

Component breakdown

Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.

Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine
12
Power Train:Automatic Transmission
9
Tires
8
Air Bags
5
Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Foundation Components:Disc:Rotor
5
Unknown Or Other
5
Electrical System
4
Power Train:Manual Transmission:Floor Shift Assembly
4
Component breakdown data
CategoryCount
Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine12
Power Train:Automatic Transmission9
Tires8
Air Bags5
Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Foundation Components:Disc:Rotor5
Unknown Or Other5
Electrical System4
Power Train:Manual Transmission:Floor Shift Assembly4

Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine: 12; Power Train:Automatic Transmission: 9; Tires: 8; Air Bags: 5; Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Foundation Components:Disc:Rotor: 5; Unknown Or Other: 5; Electrical System: 4; Power Train:Manual Transmission:Floor Shift Assembly: 4

Reported problems by failure mileage

Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.

Under 25,000
3
25,000 to 49,999
6
50,000 to 74,999
16
75,000 to 99,999
4
100,000 to 149,999
6
150,000 and above
3
Reported problems by failure mileage data
CategoryCount
Under 25,0003
25,000 to 49,9996
50,000 to 74,99916
75,000 to 99,9994
100,000 to 149,9996
150,000 and above3

Under 25,000: 3; 25,000 to 49,999: 6; 50,000 to 74,999: 16; 75,000 to 99,999: 4; 100,000 to 149,999: 6; 150,000 and above: 3

50,000 to 74,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (16). 72 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.

Complaints over time

Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.

2000
18
2001
18
2002
13
2003
17
2004
17
2005
6
2006
5
2007
1
2008
3
2009
2
2010
2
2011
1
2012
2
2013
1
2014
4
Complaints over time data
CategoryCount
200018
200118
200213
200317
200417
20056
20065
20071
20083
20092
20102
20111
20122
20131
20144

2000: 18; 2001: 18; 2002: 13; 2003: 17; 2004: 17; 2005: 6; 2006: 5; 2007: 1; 2008: 3; 2009: 2; 2010: 2; 2011: 1; 2012: 2; 2013: 1; 2014: 4

Pattern summary

Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine leads the component reports. Braking behavior appears in 19 complaint narratives. Transmission and shifting appears in 15 complaint narratives. Steering behavior appears in 6 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.

Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.

Examples from the source records

Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.

Owner report 10001275 · 2002-12-20 (December 20, 2002)

THE VEHICLE STALLED INTERMITTENTLY WHILE DRIVING. THE CAM SWITCH WAS REPLACED TWICE, THE IDLE CONTROL WAS ADJUSTED AND THE THROTTLE WAS REPLACED YET THE PROBLEM RECURRED. THE VEHICLE LUNGED FORWARD WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS SHIFTED IN REVERSE. THE TRANSMISSION WAS REPLACED. *NM

Owner-reported narrative. 11,979 miles reported. Look up ODI 10001275 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10002908 · 2003-01-18 (January 18, 2003)

BOTH POWER WINDOWS IN REAR OF CAR FAILED. BOTH POWER WINDOWS FAILED EVEN THOUGH THEY HAVE RARELY BEEN USED. DRIVER SIDE REAR WINDOW DROPS DOWN WHILE DRIVING CAUSING DISTRACTION TO DRIVER AND EXCESSIVE WIND AND WIND NOISE IN THE CAR. A THIRD POWER WINDOW COMPONENT WAS REPLACED ON THE FRONT OF THE CAR WHILE STILL UNDER WARRANTY. SUSPECT FAULTY WINDOW REGULATORS AS DEALER MENTIONED BOTH REGULATORS WOULD HAVE TO BE REPLACED. DATE IS APPROXIMATE FOR 1ST WINDOW. SECOND WINDOW FAILED ABOUT 7 MONTHS LATER.

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10002908 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10003992 · 2003-01-29 (January 29, 2003)

VEHICLE STALLED ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS.*JB PH

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10003992 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10006140 · 2003-01-31 (January 31, 2003)

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

Owner-reported narrative. 127,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10006140 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10007867 · 2003-02-20 (February 20, 2003)

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.

Owner-reported narrative. 50,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10007867 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10010318 · 2003-03-11 (March 11, 2003)

SMALL PLASTIC RING IN SHIFTER LINKAGE BROKE WHILE IN TRAFFIC LEAVING CAR STUCK IN FIRST GEAR.*JB

Owner-reported narrative. 79,500 miles reported. Look up ODI 10010318 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10013888 · 2003-04-03 (April 3, 2003)

SATURN SL2 WAS TAKEN TO DEALERSHIP FOR 15,000 CHECK UP ON 3/17/, AS I WAS SELLING TO SON. CAR HAS APPROX. 15,690 MILES ON IT. SERVICE MGR. HOWARD GORMAN TOOK INFORMATION. MY HUSBAND TOLD HIM THE PLACE THAT CHANGES THE OIL SAID TO HAVE ANTI-FREEZE FLUSHED BECAUSE WE WERE LOSING ANTI-FREEZE AND WE COULD NOT SEE LEAK. MR. GORMAN AFTER CHECKING CAR AND CALLING US, PERFORMED CLOSE TO $500 WORTH OF REPAIRS ON CAR, INCLUDING ROTATING TIES ETC. HE THEN TOLD US THAT CAR MAY HAVE A HAIRLINE CRACK IN HEAD. THIS SHOULD NOT HAPPEN ON A CAR WITH THIS L…

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10013888 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10016343 · 2003-04-22 (April 22, 2003)

MY 1998 SATURN (1.9)HAD OIL IN THE COOLANT. IT HAD A CRACK IN THE # 3 CAM JOURNAL. THE CAR ONLY HAD 72188 MILES. I HAD FOLLOWED ALL THEIR REGULAR SERVICE. I KNEW THAT THEY HAD PROBLEMS WITH THE HEAD IN 1994 AND 1995 MODELS. BUT WAS TOLD THAT PROBLEM WAS FIXED. COST WAS $1990. *NLM

Owner-reported narrative. 72,194 miles reported. Look up ODI 10016343 at NHTSA ↗

Recall history

0 distinct campaigns affect this selection. Announcement dates below are different from vehicle model years. A campaign may cover multiple years.

No recall campaigns are recorded in this snapshot.