The 1999 Saturn Sl has 1 NHTSA recall campaign affecting an estimated 265,698 vehicles. Recall repairs are always free at any authorized dealer. Owners have filed 232 complaints with NHTSA, most often about the engine and engine cooling. Last updated July 5, 2026.
Recall campaigns
SEAT BELTS99V2800001999-10-20265,698 affected
Defect
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. THESE VEHICLES DO NOT COMPLY WITH REQUIREMENTS OF FMVSS NO. 210, "SEAT BELT ASSEMBLY ANCHORAGES." SOME OF THE VEHICLES WERE PRODUCED WITH SEAT BELT SHOULDER GUIDE ANCHOR BOLTS THAT WERE NOT ADEQUATELY TIGHTENED AT THE CENTER PILLAR AND COULD FALL OUT, MAKING THE SEAT BELT…
Consequence
IN THE EVENT OF A CRASH, THE SEAT OCCUPANT MAY NOT BE PROPERLY RESTRAINED.
Remedy
DEALERS WILL INSPECT THESE VEHICLES FOR PROPER INSTALLATION AND TORQUE OF THE SEAT BELT SHOULDER GUIDE ANCHOR BOLTS.
Complaints by component
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
17
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL
12
7crashes2injuries
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
9
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
9
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS
9
2crashes
AIR BAGS
8
5crashes8injuries
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
8
1crashes4injuries
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:ROTOR
8
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM
7
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
6
1fires
Total complaints232
What owners report
Verbatim reports filed with NHTSA, lightly edited for readability and with personal
information removed.
“I just received a 1999 saturn sl 2 series a year ago from my mother for my very first car. I got it at about 100,000 miles and it is now currently at 122,446. I noticed about a month ago while I would be driving, usually after about 1-2 miles after starting up the car and driving, my gears began…”
“I just received a 1999 saturn sl 2 series a year ago from my mother for my very first car. I got it at about 100,000 miles and it is now currently at 122,446. I noticed about a month ago while I would be driving, usually after about 1-2 miles after starting up the car and driving, my gears began…”
“I just received a 1999 saturn sl 2 series a year ago from my mother for my very first car. I got it at about 100,000 miles and it is now currently at 122,446. I noticed about a month ago while I would be driving, usually after about 1-2 miles after starting up the car and driving, my gears began…”
“I was driving my niece's and nephew was holding onto the bars in the ceiling and it came off the bars in the ceiling while I was driving my whole roof liner came off I couldn't see I had to pull the whole liner down so I wouldn't get in an accident I noticed after I got home the metal brackets…”
“Tl* the contact owns a 1999 saturn sl. While driving at various speeds, the engine stalled without warning and restarted after ten minutes. The failure was persistent. The contact also stated that the ignition failed to release the key. The vehicle was towed to the contact's residence. The vehicle…”
“Tl* the contact owns a 1999 saturn sl. While driving at various speeds, the engine stalled without warning and restarted after ten minutes. The failure was persistent. The contact also stated that the ignition failed to release the key. The vehicle was towed to the contact's residence. The vehicle…”
“Tl* the contact owns a 1999 saturn sl. The contact stated that the lost power and vehicle stalled. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the wiring harness lost connection with the instrument panel box. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not…”
“While driving down the road the air bags spontaneously deployed. No known cause- possibly bad sensors. It broke my thumb and burned my arm. *tr”
Recall, complaint, and investigation records from official NHTSA datasets (FLAT_RCL,
FLAT_CMPL, FLAT_INV), synced weekly. Counts reflect NHTSA records for the 1999 Saturn Sl as of
July 5, 2026. Complaint narratives are consumer-submitted and unverified. This page
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