1999 Saturn S-Series Sedan Problems
Owner-reported complaints filed with NHTSA, grouped by component
Data refreshed
What this page shows
Everything below is an owner-reported complaint submitted to NHTSA about the 1999 Saturn S-Series Sedan, grouped by the component NHTSA recorded on the report. These are not confirmed defects, and they are not recalls. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a category with more reports in it is not evidence that a part is defective.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Reports by component
Ranked by how many owner reports name each component category
- Engine233.3%
- Interior & seats233.3%
- Airbags116.7%
- Seat belts116.7%
Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.
Each component in detail
What the reports in each category say, in the owners' own words
Engine
Reports naming the engine itself — including stalling, misfires, oil consumption, cooling and internal engine components.
From owner reports, verbatim
IN JANUARY, FEBRUARY AND MARCH OF 2003 I EXPERIENCED REPEATED STALLING ON THE HIGHWAY WITH MY 1999 SATURN. NO ONE, INCLUDING A SATURN DEALER, KNEW WHAT WAS WRONG. BY TRIAL AND ERROR, IT SEEMED THAT IF I KEPT THE GAS TANK AT LEAST HALF FULL I COULD AVOID THE PROBLEM. IT WASN'T THE BEST SOLUTION, BUT IT SEEMED TO WORK. BUT THIS PAST SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 2004, IT STALLED AGAIN ON THE HIGHWAY. ON SUNDAY I DROVE IT AROUND TOWN AND IT WAS FINE. THEN TODAY IT STALLED AGAIN IN ALMOST EXACTLY THE SAME SPOT AS TWO DAYS AGO. THE WORST PART IS THAT IT HAD ALMOST A FULL TANK OF GAS; THIS IS THE FIRST TIME THAT THE STALLING OCCURRED WITH THAT MUCH GAS IN THE TANK. IT NEVER HAPPENS ON THE WAY HOME FROM WORK, ONLY ON THE WAY THERE. THE STALLING OCCURS AFTER I HAVE DRIVEN APPROXIMATELY 20 MILES AT A SPEED OF ABOUT 65 MILES PER HOUR. THE CAR GIVES AN INDICATION THAT IT'S ABOUT TO DIE BY SHUDDERING. SO FAR I HAVE BEEN LUCKY THAT I AM ABLE TO PULL OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. AFTER TURNING OFF THE CAR AND WAITING FIVE MINUTES, I CAN START IT UP AND CONTINUE MY DRIVE TO WORK, ABOUT ANOTHER 10 TO 15 MINUTES AWAY. IF I WAIT LESS THAN FIVE MINUTES, THE CAR STALLS AGAIN. I FEEL THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE BECAUSE OF WHAT COULD HAPPEN IF I WAS UNABLE TO PULL OFF TO THE SIDE OF THE HIGHWAY. THE SATURN DEALER I TOOK IT TO IN 2003 DIDN'T SEEM TO CARE. *JB
I HAVE COMPLAINED FOR MORE THAN 2 YEARS ABOUT EXCESSIVE ENGINE NOISE BUT GOT NO MEANINGFUL RESPONSE UNTIL 48000 MILES WHEN A SERVICE TECHNICIAN (NOT AT A DEALER) FOUND THAT THE RESONATOR HAS A CRACK. CALLS TO EXHAUST SHOPS INDICATE THAT THIS IS NOT A RARE OCCURRENCE. ONE OF THE SELLING POINTS OF THE CAR WAS THE STAINLESS EXHAUST SYSTEM. SEEMS THAT WAS A MEANINGLESS POINT FOR THIS MODEL.*AK
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Interior & seats
Reports naming seats, latches, locks, linkages and interior fittings.
From owner reports, verbatim
A WIRE MELTED IN MY WIRING HARNESS BEHIND THE DASH BOARD. THIS STOPPED THE CAR FROM RUNNING. IF IT HAPPENED WHILE DRIVING, IT COULD CAUSE A CRASH DUE TO THE SUDDEN LOSS OF POWER OR COULD HAVE STARTED A FIRE.
DRIVER WAS REARENED IN TRAFFIC ACCIDENT ON FREEWAY, DRIVERS SEAT BELT DID NOT LOCK, DRIVERS SIDE AIRBAG DID NOT DEPLOY, AND DRIVERS SIDE SEAT BROKE, AND DRIVER WAS LAID IN BACK SEAT.*AK
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Airbags
Reports naming the air-bag system — deployment behaviour, inflators, sensors and warning lights.
From owner reports, verbatim
DRIVER WAS REARENED IN TRAFFIC ACCIDENT ON FREEWAY, DRIVERS SEAT BELT DID NOT LOCK, DRIVERS SIDE AIRBAG DID NOT DEPLOY, AND DRIVERS SIDE SEAT BROKE, AND DRIVER WAS LAID IN BACK SEAT.*AK
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Seat belts
Reports naming seat belts, buckles, retractors and pretensioners.
From owner reports, verbatim
DRIVER WAS REARENED IN TRAFFIC ACCIDENT ON FREEWAY, DRIVERS SEAT BELT DID NOT LOCK, DRIVERS SIDE AIRBAG DID NOT DEPLOY, AND DRIVERS SIDE SEAT BROKE, AND DRIVER WAS LAID IN BACK SEAT.*AK
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.
Elsewhere on this vehicle
Data sources
- NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation — owner-reported complaints and the components recorded on them
Data on this page last refreshed .