RoadVitals

1998 Saturn Sl Visibility Problems

Owner-reported complaints naming the visibility system, filed with NHTSA

Data refreshed

Visibility reportsComplaints 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.
18
Latest Feb 7, 2004
Share of all reportsThis category as a share of every owner report on file for this model year. One report can name more than one component, so the categories overlap.
11%
of 168 total
Crash or fire reportedReports in this category whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. The reporter's own answer on the NHTSA form, not a verified finding.
0
Injuries or deaths reportedTotals the submitters entered on their own reports in this category. Not verified by NHTSA and not a casualty statistic.
0

What this page shows

Reports naming windshields, glass, wipers, defrosters and mirrors. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 1998 Saturn Sl submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 18 reports on file name it.

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

Owner reports naming visibility

Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed

Visibility
Filed Feb 7, 2004

REAR WINDOWS WILL NOT GO UP OR DOWN. HOWEVER, THEY FALL DOWN ON LOW SPEED, SLIGHT IMPACT, UNLEVEL TERRAIN (BUMPS). I WONDER IF SATURN HAS ANY IDEA HOW FUN IT IS TO STOP EVERYTIME YOU PASS A BUMP IN THE ROAD, GET OUT OF THE VEHICLE AND MANUALLY PUSH THE WINDOWS BACK IN PLACE; ONLY TO HAVE THEM FALL AGAIN WITHIN THE NEXT HOUR. DON'T DRIVE YOUR 1998 SATURN SL2 IN THE RAIN UNLESS YOU WISH TO GET WET ALONG WITH EVERYTHING IN YOUR REAR SEAT. IT'S DEFINATELY "DIFFERENT IN A SATURN", THAT'S WHY I WILL NEVER PURCHASE ONE AGAIN. *AK

NHTSA ID
10056746
Incident
Aug 1, 2002
Mileage
41,000 mi
Visibility
Filed Jan 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.

NHTSA ID
10002908
Incident
Nov 15, 2001
Body & structureTransmissionVisibility
Filed Sep 24, 2001

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK

NHTSA ID
752535
Incident
Sep 22, 2001
Visibility
Filed Mar 9, 2000

I HAVE HAD IT IN SEVERAL TIMES FOR THEM TO FIX IT. THEY PUT IN A DELAY BLOWER TO FIX THE PROBLEM. IT HAS BEEN BAD FROM THE START. ONE OF THEIR SALESMAN HAS SAID THERE IS A PROBLEM BUT THE SERVICE DEPT SAYS THERE IS NOT. THE CAR HAD TO BE TOWED ONCE BECAUSE OF IT

NHTSA ID
719861
Incident
Aug 20, 1998
Body & structureEngineVisibility
Filed Sep 19, 1999

ALL THE COMPLAINTS THAT I HAVE MADE ARE ALREADY LISTED ON YOUR LIST EXCEPT THE WINSHIELD FLUID PUMP. WHEN I TOOK THE CAR IN REGARDING THE RATTLING NOISE THEY COULDN'T HEAR SO THEY TOLD ME TOO BRING IT IN IF IT BECOMES MORE NOTICABLE.

NHTSA ID
711558
Incident
May 1, 1999
Visibility
Filed Sep 8, 1999

POWER WINDOW MOTOR.

NHTSA ID
609653
Incident
Aug 1, 1998
Visibility
Filed Feb 1, 1999

WINDOW WASHER SPRAY NOZZLE FAILED. YH

NHTSA ID
609324
Incident
Nov 1, 1998
Visibility
Filed Feb 1, 1999

POWER WINDOWS FAILED. NM

NHTSA ID
608124
Incident
Feb 17, 1998
Visibility
Filed Feb 1, 1999

WINDSHIELD WIPER BLADE FAILED.

NHTSA ID
607973
Incident
Sep 1, 1998
Body & structureElectricalFuel system+1 more
Filed Feb 1, 1999

FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM FAILED.

NHTSA ID
607060
EngineTransmissionVisibility
Filed Feb 1, 1999

THE COOLANT OVERFLOW TANK CAP NOT TIGHT. YH

NHTSA ID
606846
Incident
Jun 1, 1998
Visibility
Filed Feb 1, 1999

WASHER FLUID NOZZLE WAS REPLACED, DUE TO FAILURE. PROBLEM STILL EXIST. *YC

NHTSA ID
606781
Visibility
Filed Feb 1, 1999

WINDOWS FAILED. YH

NHTSA ID
606402
Visibility
Filed Feb 1, 1999

POWER WINDOW REGULATOR FAILED. MJS

NHTSA ID
606240
Incident
Oct 7, 1998
Interior & seatsVisibility
Filed Feb 1, 1999

LUMBER SUPPORT FOR THE SEAT FAILED. YH

NHTSA ID
606181
Incident
May 1, 1998
EngineSteeringVisibility
Filed Nov 5, 1998

DRIVING AT ANY SPEED THE VEHICLE WILL VIBRATE AND MAKE BUCKING SOUNDS FROM TIME TO TIME. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN IN THE SHOP EIGHT TIMES FOR DIFFERENT PROBLEMS. ALSO, THERE IS A LACK OF POWER AND GRINDING NOISE COMING FROM THE VEHICLE. TIDE ROD END HAD TO BE REPLACED. IN ADDITION, CONSUMER HAD POWER STEERING/ WINDOW PROBLEMS. REPAIRED VEHICLE THREE TIMES, AND THEY CAN'T DETERMINE THE PROBLEM. VEHICLE HAS BEEN IN SHOP EIGHT MORE TIMES. *AK

NHTSA ID
830210
Incident
Nov 12, 1997
Visibility
Filed Jun 30, 1998

WINDOW WEATHER STRIPPING TOO LOOSE CAUSING VISIBILITY PROBLEMS DUE TO CONDENSATION.

NHTSA ID
537246
BrakesDriver assistanceElectrical+5 more
Filed Jun 10, 1998

FRONT END MISALIGNED, RESULTING IN PULLING.

NHTSA ID
536547
Incident
Nov 1, 1997

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.

Other components reported on this vehicle

Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own

Elsewhere on this vehicle

Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .