Most common 1999 Saturn SL problems
Share of the 178 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Saturn SL complaints by model year
Best SL years: 2001, 2002, 2000. Years to avoid: 1995, 1996. Compare all years →
1999 Saturn SL recalls (1)
Seat belts › Front › Anchorage
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 inoperative.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect these vehicles for proper installation and torque of the seat belt shoulder guide anchor bolts.
What 1999 Saturn SL owners say
Engine & cooling all 47 →
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 to slip. I kept up with just about monthly oil changes, accompanied by transmission fluid checked and topped off. My transmission oil has never been low. Then, about 4 days ago I went to leave from my work orientation, and I couldn?t back up my car from my parking spot, the reverse had went out. So I put the car back in drive, then back to reverse thinking maybe it didn?t go into reverse all the way and it did not work. I revved up the engine, nothing happening until I did it pretty hard, and eventually it started rolling back a little. …
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 was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 140,000. Updated 11/23/15
Brakes all 34 →
In 2003 my daughter bought a 1999 Saturn with 47000 miles that had just been turned in from a lease from a dealer and it started smoking and using a quart of oil per 1,000at which time we contacted this agency and GM because the car was alaways dealer serviced and had not yet reached it's half life. Saturn told us that this was normal howver, the condition has only worsed over time and it's now using 1.5 qt's per 1000 miles and smoking worse. I bet the epa would like to know that. Additionally the rotor have failed twice becoming warped and the motor mount has failed along with a coolent temp sensor. Many people have reported these same problems and GM knows it. …
I purchased a 1999 Saturn sl2 w/ 23,000mi. At 60,000mi I began to feel a judder/vibration from the steering wheel. I took it to a Saturn dealer and was told the rotors we're warped and needed to be replaced. I went to a repair shop and had non-OEM brake rotors installed and after approxiametely 65,000mi, began to have the same problem. After leaving the car with the repair shop, they could not find anything wrong, but my rotors keep warping. The repair shop cut the rotors "slightly" and now at 70,000mi I still have the same problem. There is definietly wrong with the design of the brake system. I have been told that rotors do warp but they should last for approx. 70,000mi, and I should not be feeling the judder/vibration in my steering wheel.
Transmission & drivetrain all 22 →
There are pins holding together the differential in manual and standard transmissions. This pin gets worn out and falls out of place causing the differential gears to explode out of the bottom of the transmission causing chunks of metal to fall and hit the pavement leaving hazards on the road way and in the process causes total loss of control by locking up both front tires on the vehicle. I was a victim of this and almost struck a vehicle head on and in the process hit several obstacle before the vehicle cam to rest in a ditch. The vehicle is now at aamco transmission in tulsa OK. All this information about the pins are coming from them. This happens in all 1999 Saturn SL and sl2 vehicles with the standard and automatic transmissions. My vehicle is the 1999 Saturn sl2 with the sohc 5 speed transmission. If you take a look at complaints there are many bearing the same problems.
The automatic transmission failure in 5000 miles [no slipping or shuddering fluid not burnt and level has never changed] just quit like that with no warning!! My delemia help!! =I have purchased this vehicle used from the ontario Saturn the car appeared to be as new- even the complete engine compartment not 1 trace of dust and it had 40,202- miles on it = I ask how it could be so clean and new looking =reply- that the cars are maintained by there! Service dept. Car has 45,724 miles on it now and it has no reverse they want 550.00 for labor and 3400.00 for the automatic trans axle I paid $ 8798.00 5 months a go and have no idea that a economical car could be so ---- = ---- expensive!! Plus there charging 18 % on my loan so ive only paid 186.00 off the balance of the loan cant afford to fix it . Dont know how it happened but my payments are still due ! …
1999 Saturn SL engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.9L 4-cyl | 5-speed manual | FWD | 25 / 36 / 29 |
| 1.9L 4-cyl | 4-speed automatic | FWD | 23 / 33 / 27 |
EPA ratings. Class: Compact car.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 1999 Saturn SL a good car?
Based on 178 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 1999 SL rates average: about as many complaints as a typical year of the SL at the same age. Complaint counts don't account for sales volume or individual maintenance, so have any used car inspected before buying.
What is the most common problem with the 1999 Saturn SL?
The engine & cooling — 47 complaints, 26% of all complaints for this model year, most often about engine. Next are the brakes (34) and transmission & drivetrain (22).
How many recalls does the 1999 Saturn SL have?
There is 1 recall for the 1999 Saturn SL, the most recent from October 20, 1999 (anchorage). Recall repairs are free at any authorized dealer — check whether yours has been done with the VIN recall check.
What are the best and worst years of the Saturn SL?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2001, 2002 and 2000. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 1995 and 1996. See the full Saturn SL years comparison.
At what mileage do 1999 Saturn SL problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 64,000 miles; 32% of problems with a recorded mileage started before 50,000 miles.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.