1998 SATURN SW Problems & Recalls
Detailed safety information and owner complaints
Problem Breakdown
Compare to Other Years
Common Problems
EXPERIENCING A RATTLE OR CLICK NOISE FROM THE REAR OF VEHICLE WHEN TURNING AT SLOW SPEEDS AND/OR DRIVING OVER UNEVEN SURFACES.*AK
DT: 1998 SATURN SW2. THE CONSUMER STATED THE DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT BELT BROKE WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS IN USE. THE LATCH CAME LOOSE. SHE HAS SPOKEN WITH SATURN, THEY TOLD HER TO TAKE IT IN TO BE INSPECTED. ON THE WAY TO THE DEALERSHIP THEY WERE PULLED OVER FOR NOT WEARING A SEAT BELT. THEREFORE, THE...
WHILE DRIVING 10 MPH ENGINE STALLED. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE ENGINE BEARING WORE OUT COMPLETELY ON ONE SIDE. AS A RESULT, THE ENGINE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *AK
Mileage: 50,000
BRAKE FAILURE. ON SR88 SOUTHBOUND TO LIBERTY RD. 19'98 SATURN SW2, 110000 MILES. CONDITION EXCELLENT. COMING TO LIBERTY RD AT ABOUT 55 MPH SLOWNG FOR RT TURN..BRAKE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR. ZERO BRAKING EFFECT. LUCKILY PULLED AHEAD TO A WIDE, SAFE SHOULDER. CALLED AAA FOR TOW,,MEANTWHILE PUMPED PEDA...
Mileage: 110,000
THERE IS A CRACK IN THE FRONT WINDSHIELD THAT BEGINS WERE THE REAR VIEW MIRROR IS ATTACHED TO THE WINDSHIELD. CONSUMER CAN NOT SEE TROUGH FRONT WINDSHIELD. *AK WINDSHIELD WAS INSPECTED FOR CRACKS, NONE WAS FOUND. IN ADDITION, CRACK REACHED TO BOTH LEFT AND RIGHT SIDES THAT SPANNED APPROXIMATEL...
Mileage: 125,000
ACCELERATOR PEDAL HINGE BROKE... LEAVING THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL HANGING FROM THE ACCELERATOR CABLE. CAR IS NOT DRIVEABLE.*AK
VEHICLE BURNS OIL PREMATURELY. *AK
Mileage: 131,000
WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED AND WITHOUT ANY PRIOR WARNING VEHICLE STALLED. *AK
RPMS DO NOT ALWAYS RETURN TO IDLE AFTER REMOVAL OF ACCELERATOR PRESSURE. THE RPMS AT RANDOM TIMES, REMAIN AT 1800 TO 2200 AS INDICATED BY THE TACHOMETER. THE ENGINE IS ALSO NOISY WHEN COMING TO A STOP. CONSUMER HAS TO SHIFT FROM DRIVE TO NEUTRAL WHEN COMING TO A STOP, BUT RPMS STILL RACE FROM 100...
WHILR AT A COMPLETE STOP, VEHICLE WILL NOT RETURN TO CORRECT IDLE POSITION, IT WILL STAY AT A HIGH IDLE POINT. CONTACTED DEALER, AND THE DEALER CAN NOT LOCATE THE PROBLEM.*AK.*JG
WHEN ENGINE WARMS UP/SLOWING DOWN OR STOPPING RPMS WILL INCREASE. ALSO IF TAKEN FEET OF GAS PEDAL, VEHICLE WILL ACCELERATE ON ITS OWN. THIS HAPPENS INTERMITTENTLY. CONTACTED DEALER, AND DEALER REPAIRED AND REPLACED PARTS, BUT STILL DID NOT REMEDY THE PROBLEM. *AK
THIS IGNITION-HIGH IDLE PROBLEM HAS EXHISTED SINCE OWNERSHIP AND FIRST PART REPLACEMENT UNDERWARENTY WAS THE IDLE AIR CONTROL J5542 IN FEB. 2000. THE IDLE ACCELERATION PROBLEM STARTED IN 1999, HOWEVER, COULD NOT BE REPEATED DURING TESTS DRIVE UNTIL FEB. 15,2000. AT THE 42,000 SERVICE THE SAME COMP...
ENGINE RUNS ROUGH AND STALLS. SOMETIMES SES LIGHT COMES ON, SOMETIMES NOT. VEHICLE WILL NOT START. I HAVE HAD THIS CAR TO THE DEALER 8 TIMES IN 2 YEARS AND THEY ALWAYS "FIX" SOMETHING--SOMETHING DIFFERENT EVERYTIME, BUT THE SYMPTOMS ARE THE SAME EVERY TIME. DEALER SAYS THERE IS "NOTHING WRONG WITH M...
SEAT BELTS WILL TIGHTEN WHILE SWITCHING LANES OR WHEN INCREASING SPEED. CONSUMER CANNOT MOVE AROUND TO CHECK TRAFFIC BEHIND HER. HAS BEEN TO DEALER WHO SAID THAT BELTS ARE WORKING AS DESIGNED. PLEASE ADD ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. *AK
SEATS COLLAPSED WHEN REAR ENDED WHILE STOPPED AT LIGHT--IF PASSENGER WAS IN BACK SEAT, THERE IS A STRONG POSSIBILITY OF SERIOUS INJURY. IF IT'S A SMALL CHILD, DEATH FROM THE IMPACT OF THE COLLAPSING SEAT COULD CAUSE DEATH.*AK
MY MECHANIC TOLD ME HE HAS HAD TO REPLACE SEVERAL TRANSMISSIONS ON 1998 SATURNS, SO MINE IS NOT AN ISOLATED INCIDENT.
CONSUMER VEHICLE WAS AT A STAND STILL WHEN ANOTHER VEHICLE REAR ENDED IT AT AN IMPACT OF APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH, CAUSING BOTH FRONT SEATS TO FALL BACKWARD; DEALER/MFR. NOTIFED AND HAD NOTHING POSTIVE TO SAY. SEEKING INFORMATION FROM NHTSA IN THIS MATTER. *AK
BACKING OUT OF DRIVEWAY ENGINE CATCHES ON FIRE. VERY SUDDEN. NO INDICATION OF UPCOMING PROBLEM. CAR UNDER WARRANTY. TOTAL LOSS. *AK
BATTERY FAILED. *YC
INNER CV JOINT / BOOT CLAMP / WHEEL BEARING FAILED. *YC
INNER CV JOINT / BOOT CLAMP / WHEEL BEARING FAILED. *YC
INNER CV JOINT / BOOT CLAMP / WHEEL BEARING FAILED. *YC
FRONT POWER WINDOW REGULATOR FAILED, REPLACEMENT FAILED ALSO. YH
CRUISE CONTROL FAILED. YH
POWER WINDOW RELAY FAILED. YH
MASTER CYLINDER IS DEFECTIVE, CAUSING THE BRAKE PEDAL TO HIT FLOOR, RESULTING IN LOSS OF BRAKES, ALSO FRONT BRAKES GET VERY HOT, BUT BACK BRAKES ARE COOL. *AK
MASTER CYLINDER IS DEFECTIVE, CAUSING THE BRAKE PEDAL TO HIT FLOOR, RESULTING IN LOSS OF BRAKES, ALSO FRONT BRAKES GET VERY HOT, BUT BACK BRAKES ARE COOL. *AK
HEAVY FRONTAL IMPACT. BOTH FRONT AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY.
CONSUMER WAS COMING OUT OF THE PARKING LOT GOING SOUTH. THE PERSON WAS DRIVING NORTH MAKING A LEFT TURN THE DRIVER MADE A LEFT TURN TOO SHORT, AND IN THE PROCESS THEY HIT EACH OTHER. CONSUMER'S AIRBAGS DIDN'T DEPLOY. ALSO, CONSUMER WAS HURT, SUFFERED A HAIRLIKE FRACTURE ON HER TAIL BONE. *AK
VEHICLE STALLS WHEN STOPPED AT LIGHTS.
TRANSMISSION FAILED TWICE, CAUSING VIBRATION.