RoadVitals

1999 Saturn S-Series

Recalls, owner-reported complaints, investigations and safety data

Data refreshed

Owner complaintsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
2
Latest Oct 13, 2008
Safety recallsA safety recall is issued when a manufacturer or NHTSA determines that a vehicle has a safety-related defect or does not comply with a federal motor vehicle safety standard. Recall repairs are free. Whether a specific vehicle is covered depends on its VIN — a recall listed for a model year does not necessarily apply to every vehicle of that year.
0
InvestigationsNHTSA opens an investigation to examine whether a safety defect may exist. An open investigation is not a determination that a defect exists, and many investigations close without a recall. Investigations can, however, lead to one.
0
Crash or fire reportedComplaints whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. These are the reporter's own answers on the NHTSA form, not verified findings.
0

Overview

Our database contains 2 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 1999 Saturn S-Series, most frequently naming the electrical and engine categories. 55 manufacturer communications are on file.

Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.

What owners report

Complaints grouped by the component NHTSA recorded

  • Electrical150.0%
  • Engine150.0%

Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.

Safety recalls

No recalls in our database for this model year

That does not guarantee a specific vehicle is unaffected — recalls are issued against VINs, and new campaigns are announced regularly. Check a VIN on NHTSA.gov.

Recent owner complaints

Reports submitted to NHTSA, shown in the owner's own words

Engine
Filed Oct 13, 2008

I HAVE A 1999 SATURN. IT KEEPS STALLING WHILE IN MOTION. IT WILL WORK FINE FOR A FEW WEEKS, THEN ALL OF THE SUDDEN IT WILL "ACT UP" AND THE RPMS WILL DANCE AROUND UNTIL IT FINALLY STALLS. I HAVE HAD THIS HAPPEN MANY TIMES ALREADY. I BELIEVE IT SHOULD BE INCLUDED WITH THE TIMING CHAIN INQUIRY, BUT I AM NOT SURE IF IT WILL RUN LONG ENOUGH FOR IT TO BE COVERED. I AM UPSET THAT I CAN'T GET ANY ANSWERS FROM SATURN. THEY INSIST ON ME BRINGING THE CAR IN AND I AM QUITE SURE THAT WILL NEED TO "FIX IT" WHICH WILL COST ME PLENTY. PLEASE MAKE NOTE THAT MY VEHICLE IS AFFECTED BY THIS DEFECT AND I CAN'T AFFORD TO FIX IT MYSELF. *TR

NHTSA ID
10245258
Incident
Oct 13, 2008
Mileage
76,000 mi
Electrical
Filed Dec 17, 2004

BAD IGNITION SWITCH, THREE TIMES THE CAR ACTED LIKE IT HAD A DEAD BATTERY, THE THIRD IT WENT COMPLETELY DEAD, LIKE THE BATTERY WAS DISCONNECTED. JIGGLED KEY IN SWITCH AND IT CAME BACK TO LIFE. HAD TO HAVE SWITCH REPLACED, KEYS CODED, ETC. *JB

NHTSA ID
10104043
Incident
Nov 28, 2004
Mileage
41,000 mi

Manufacturer communications

A bulletin sent by a manufacturer to its dealers. Not a recall, and repairs are not necessarily free.

060730024

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

INFORMATION FOR DIAGNOSING AND SERVICING CUSTOMER CONCERNS OF THE VEHICLE CREEPING FORWARD IN NEUTRAL, BINDING IN REVERSE, AND/OR CLICKING OR WHINING IN ALL FORWARD GEARS AFTER TRANSAXLE SERVICE. *KB

030524001

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DRUM:WHEEL CYLINDERS

SERVICE INFORMATION REGARDING SATURN REAR DRUM WHEEL CYLINDER INSPECTIONS. *TT UPDATE. *TT

020232009

STEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST SYSTEM

POWER STEERING SYSTEM NOISE AND/OR LEAK DIAGNOSIS. *TT

040605010

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM

SERVICE PROCDURE FOR REPLACEMENT OF RESONATOR AND INTERMEDIATE PIPE. *EH

040730026

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

REMANUFACTURED TRANSMISSION AND REMANUFACTURED VALVE BODY INFORMATION REQUIREMENTS. *TT

030730008

POWER TRAIN

SERVICE ENGINE SOON (SES) LIGHT ON WITH DIAGNOSTIC TROUBLE CODE (DTC) P0731, NO MOVEMENT IN DRIVE DURING COLD AMBIENT TEMPERATURES. *TT

Manufacturers file copies of the bulletins they send to dealers with NHTSA. These often describe diagnostic or repair procedures for a known condition. They are not recalls: repairs described in a bulletin are usually only free if the vehicle is still under warranty or the manufacturer has extended coverage.

Compare model years

Complaint and recall counts across every year of this model

Saturn S-Series by model year
YearComplaintsRecallsInvestigationsIssue Index
2002300—
2001500—
2000300—
1999Viewing200—
1998200—
1997100—
1996210—
1995110—
1994310—
1993010—
1992000—
1991000—

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. Older model years have had longer for reports to accumulate.