1998 Saturn Sw 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 1998 Saturn Sw, 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
- Engine621.4%
- Driver assistance517.9%
- Visibility310.7%
- Interior & seats27.1%
- Brakes27.1%
- Airbags27.1%
- Seat belts27.1%
- Transmission27.1%
- Electrical13.6%
- Fuel system13.6%
- Suspension13.6%
- Powertrain (other)13.6%
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
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
VEHICLE BURNS OIL PREMATURELY. *AK
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Driver assistance
Reports naming forward-collision avoidance, lane keeping, back-over prevention, cruise control and related electronic driver-assistance systems.
From owner reports, verbatim
ACCELERATOR PEDAL HINGE BROKE... LEAVING THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL HANGING FROM THE ACCELERATOR CABLE. CAR IS NOT DRIVEABLE.*AK
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
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Visibility
Reports naming windshields, glass, wipers, defrosters and mirrors.
From owner reports, verbatim
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
POWER WINDOW RELAY FAILED. YH
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
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
CONSUMER VEHICLE WAS AT A STAND STILL WHEN ANOTHER VEHICLE REAR ENDED IT AT AN IMPACT OF APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH, CAUSING BOTH FRONT SEATS TO FALL BACKWARD; DEALER/MFR. NOTIFED AND HAD NOTHING POSTIVE TO SAY. SEEKING INFORMATION FROM NHTSA IN THIS MATTER. *AK
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Brakes
Reports naming service brakes, the antilock braking system, brake hoses, master cylinders or the parking brake.
From owner reports, verbatim
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
MASTER CYLINDER IS DEFECTIVE, CAUSING THE BRAKE PEDAL TO HIT FLOOR, RESULTING IN LOSS OF BRAKES, ALSO FRONT BRAKES GET VERY HOT, BUT BACK BRAKES ARE COOL. *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
HEAVY FRONTAL IMPACT. BOTH FRONT AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY.
CONSUMER WAS COMING OUT OF THE PARKING LOT GOING SOUTH. THE PERSON WAS DRIVING NORTH MAKING A LEFT TURN THE DRIVER MADE A LEFT TURN TOO SHORT, AND IN THE PROCESS THEY HIT EACH OTHER. CONSUMER'S AIRBAGS DIDN'T DEPLOY. ALSO, CONSUMER WAS HURT, SUFFERED A HAIRLIKE FRACTURE ON HER TAIL BONE. *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
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
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
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Transmission
Reports naming the automatic or manual transmission, including shifting behaviour, shudder, slipping and transmission control modules.
From owner reports, verbatim
MY MECHANIC TOLD ME HE HAS HAD TO REPLACE SEVERAL TRANSMISSIONS ON 1998 SATURNS, SO MINE IS NOT AN ISOLATED INCIDENT.
VEHICLE STALLS WHEN STOPPED AT LIGHTS.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Electrical
Reports naming the electrical system — wiring, battery, charging, control modules, infotainment and electrical accessories.
From owner reports, verbatim
BATTERY FAILED. *YC
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Fuel system
Reports naming fuel storage or delivery — tanks, pumps, lines, injectors and fuel leaks.
From owner reports, verbatim
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
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Suspension
Reports naming suspension components — springs, struts, shocks, control arms and related hardware.
From owner reports, verbatim
EXPERIENCING A RATTLE OR CLICK NOISE FROM THE REAR OF VEHICLE WHEN TURNING AT SLOW SPEEDS AND/OR DRIVING OVER UNEVEN SURFACES.*AK
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Powertrain (other)
Powertrain reports that are not specifically the engine or transmission — driveshafts, axles, transfer cases and differentials.
From owner reports, verbatim
INNER CV JOINT / BOOT CLAMP / WHEEL BEARING FAILED. *YC
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 .