1999 Saturn SW Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other SW years
- Fewer complaints than other years 5th of 7 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 1 recall: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 16 complaints with NHTSA about the 1999 Saturn SW. That ranks 5th out of 7 SW model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is air bags (4 complaints, 25%), typically at around 36,000 miles. Complaints mention 4 crashes, 3 injuries. There is 1 safety recall covering this model year.
- 16owner complaints
- 1safety recalls
- 0NHTSA investigations
- 4complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 1999 Saturn SW problems
Complaints grouped by the part of the car owners reported, with the median mileage when the problem happened.
| Problem area | Complaints | Share | Median miles | Owners mention most | Typical repair cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Air Bags | 4 | 25% | 36,000 | — | — |
| Equipment | 2 | 13% | 13,430 | — | — |
| Power Train | 2 | 13% | 37,000 | — | — |
| Seats | 2 | 13% | — | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 2 | 13% | — | — | — |
| Tires | 2 | 13% | — | — | — |
| Seat Belts | 1 | 6% | — | — | — |
| Steering | 1 | 6% | — | — | — |
| Structure | 1 | 6% | — | — | — |
| Suspension | 1 | 6% | — | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 1 | 6% | — | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 1 | 6% | — | — | — |
| Visibility | 1 | 6% | — | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
1999 Saturn SW recalls (1)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Seat belts:front:anchorage
Problem: 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.
Risk: In the event of a crash, the seat occupant may not be properly restrained.
Fix: Dealers will inspect these vehicles for proper installation and torque of the seat belt shoulder guide anchor bolts.
To see whether a specific car still has an open recall, enter its VIN on NHTSA's official recall lookup. You can also decode a VIN here.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
My son was killed in a 1999 saturn the airbags did not work i need to know why car cut off while go down i-20. *tr
The automobile in front of me slammed on their brakes, i slammed on my brakes and my chest hit the steering column. The airbags did not deploy. *tr
Broken steering wheel mechanism replaced, rusted out hood replaced. Mode control from a/c to defrost went out, less than 14,000 miles. *bf the mode door cable disconnected due to mode door fabric coming off and caused cable to stick. *nm
While driving at 65 mph consumer heard a popping sound and vehicle jerked. Consumer pulled onto the shoulder. Then, consumer heard a loud bang, and vehicle jerked again and smoked badly. Dealer examined the vehicle, and determined that differential pin came out and destroyed the transmission. A new…
During a vehicle crash airbags did not deploy, consumer sustained injuries. Cause unknown. Dealer notified.*ak
Other Saturn SW years
See all Saturn SW problems by year, every Saturn model, or the VIN decoder.
Similar Saturn models
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Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 1999 Saturn SW?
Owners most often report air bags, equipment, power train problems. The top one, air bags, accounts for 4 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 1999 Saturn SW?
Yes, 1 safety recall. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 1999 Saturn SW a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other SW model years, the 1999 has fewer complaints than most years. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.