1998 Saturn Sl: Reliability Data

Source: NHTSA — 222 complaints
222
Total Complaints
66,000mi
Median Mileage
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
Top Issue
26
Crash Reports

When Do Complaints Happen?

Distribution of NHTSA complaints by vehicle mileage at time of report.

50,000 25th Percentile
66,000 Median Mileage
97,500 75th Percentile

What Fails?

Most reported component issues from NHTSA complaints.

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
18
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
14
TIRES
10
VISIBILITY:POWER WINDOW DEVICES AND CONTROLS
9
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
7
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:ROTOR
6
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:ANCHORAGE
6
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
6
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC
5
VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER
5

Severity Assessment

26
Crashes
2
Fires
32
Injuries
2
Deaths

Sample Complaint Reports

"THROTTLE: SITTING AT A STOP SIGN AND PULLED OFF AND FELT LIKE IT WASN'T GETTING ANY GAS. PUT FOOT ON GAS PEDAL, AND SUDDENLY IT STUCK OPEN AND STAYED. HAD TO PUT IN NEUTRAL AND TURN CAR OFF AND RESTART. *AK"
"FRONT SEAT BELT ATTACHMENTS ARE TOO LOW, WHEN SITTING IN SEAT IT IS VERY DIFFICULT TO SEE RELEASE BUTTON."
"AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY DURING FRONTAL COLLISION."

Source: NHTSA ODI Complaints Database. Names and identifying details omitted.

Data source: View this vehicle on NHTSA.gov | NHTSA ODI Complaints Database. Public domain.

Methodology: Complaint counts and mileage distributions are computed directly from consumer-reported NHTSA complaints. This data represents reported issues, not failure rates — vehicles without complaints are not represented. Full methodology.

Data through: 2026-03-28