DefectRecord Public Record - Not a Government Site

Home / Saturn / SL / 1998

Model Year Problem Record

Saturn SL 1998 - Problems, Recalls, and Investigations

The complete public record for the 1998 Saturn SL: what owners reported, which systems drew recalls, and where complaints exist that no recall has ever covered.

168Distinct owner complaintsSource: NHTSA Complaints
0Recall campaignsSource: NHTSA Recalls
0Defect investigationsSource: NHTSA Investigations
28Complaints reporting a crash or fireOwner Reports, Unverified

Complaints by System

Distinct complaints naming each system, most reported first. Select a system for its own page.

Did a Recall Cover It?

The join between complaints and recalls for this model year, system by system. A gap does not prove a defect - it means owners reported the problem and no recall campaign covers that system on this model year.

Power Train33 complaints

33 complaints; no recall campaign covers this system.

Engine29 complaints

29 complaints; no recall campaign covers this system.

Brakes20 complaints

20 complaints; no recall campaign covers this system.

Electrical System18 complaints

18 complaints; no recall campaign covers this system.

Visibility17 complaints

17 complaints; no recall campaign covers this system.

Seat Belts17 complaints

17 complaints; no recall campaign covers this system.

Tires12 complaints

12 complaints; no recall campaign covers this system.

Vehicle Structure10 complaints

10 complaints; no recall campaign covers this system.

Seats9 complaints

9 complaints; no recall campaign covers this system.

Unknown Or Other8 complaints

8 complaints; no recall campaign covers this system.

Air Bags8 complaints

8 complaints; no recall campaign covers this system.

Vehicle Speed Control7 complaints

7 complaints; no recall campaign covers this system.

Lighting7 complaints

7 complaints; no recall campaign covers this system.

Steering6 complaints

6 complaints; no recall campaign covers this system.

Fuel and Propulsion System6 complaints

6 complaints; no recall campaign covers this system.

Suspension4 complaints

4 complaints; no recall campaign covers this system.

Equipment4 complaints

4 complaints; no recall campaign covers this system.

Wheels1 complaints

1 complaints; no recall campaign covers this system.

Latches, Locks and Linkages1 complaints

1 complaints; no recall campaign covers this system.

Recall Campaigns

Every campaign covering this model year, in our own words. The campaign number is the official reference.

No recall campaigns cover this model year.

Complaints by Year Received

When this model year's complaints reached NHTSA - whether its problems surfaced early or late in its life.

199817
199941
200018
200118
200213
200317
200417
20056
20065
20071
20083
20092
20102
20111
20122
20131
20144
How to Read These Counts: complaint counts are owner reports to NHTSA, not failure rates. Older and higher-volume vehicles accumulate more reports, and counts are not adjusted for vehicles sold - no per-sales rate or reliability ranking is shown, because the public data does not support one.

Data as of October 30, 2026. Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaints, recalls, and investigations files (U.S. Government public domain). DefectRecord is not affiliated with NHTSA or any manufacturer. For your specific vehicle, use NHTSA's VIN lookup. Report an error.