12 of the 232 complaints about the 1999 Saturn SL are about the tires — 5% of everything reported for this model year. Half of the failures with a mileage on record happened before 95,000 miles.
12
Complaints
2
Crashes
0
Fires
0
Injuries
Filed with NHTSA, in their own words.
TIRES
MICHELIN WEATHERWISE II B. TIRES HAVE POOR WET SURFACE BRAKING PERFORMANCE. VEHICLE NEEDS EXTRA DISTANCE TO STOP WHEN BRAKING ON WET ROADS.
NHTSA complaint #10254010 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
TIRES
TL* - THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 SL2 SATURN. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE TIRE SHREDDED AND PULLED OUT THE INJECTION CIRCUIT SO FUEL WAS NOT GETTING INTO THE CYLINDER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE HAD BEEN SITTING FOR THREE YEARS. ALSO, THE JACK DID NOT WORK. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WERE BOTH 95000.
NHTSA complaint #10183068 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
TIRES
THE DRIVER'S SIDE FRONT TIRE POPPED CAUSING THE RIM TO DEVELOP SHARP EDGES AROUND IT. THE RIM CUT THE RUBBER WIRING FOR THE BRAKES CAUSING THE BRAKES TO FAIL.
NHTSA complaint #10105018 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
TIRES:TREAD/BELT
FIRESTONE AFFINITI, ORIGINAL TIRES ON A SATURN SL2, P185/65R15 T M/S DOT 02 7475. TOOK VEHICLE IN FOR A NAIL PUNCTURE. MECHANIC NOTICED TREAD SEPERATING ON THE TIRE AND REFUSE TO CORRECT THE TIRE. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMAITON. TS
NHTSA complaint #8023117 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
TIRES:TREAD/BELT
TREAD SEPARATED FROM SIDEWALL. *AK (DOT NUMBER: ??? TIRESIZE: P175/70R14)
NHTSA complaint #750923 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
TIRES
WHILE I WAS DRIVING THE REAR PASSENGER SIDE TIRE CAME APART AND TORE INTO PIECES PRACTICALLY THROWING ME OFF OF THE ROAD. THESE ARE NEW TIRES. THE TREAD IS HARDLY WORN. THEY WERE ROTATED ON SCHEDULE. THIS TIRE WAS INFLATED TO THE PSI INDICATED IN THE MANUAL AND WAS PRACTICALLY BRAND NEW. IF YOU'LL LOOK CLOSELY AT THE 2ND PICTURE YOU'LL SEE THAT IT WAS MANUFACTURED BACKWARDS (I.E. THE INFO ON HOW TO PLACE THE TIRE WHAT IS THE FRONT AND WHAT IS THE BACK OF THE TIRE WAS PRINTED ON THE WRONG SIDE). COULD THIS BE THE CAUSE FOR THE TIRE COMING APART THIS WAY? THANKFULLY THERE WAS NO DAMAGE TO THE CAR OR TO MY MOTHER HOWEVER SHE WAS MADE TO PAY FOR ANOTHER TIRE AT THE FIRESTONE STORE SHE WENT TO FOR SERVICE.*AK (DOT NUMBER: 25048 TIRESIZE: P 185 65R)
NHTSA complaint #748368 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
TIRES:SIDEWALL
HAS 4 CRACKED FIRESTONE, P175/70R14 TIRES AT SIDEWALL . TOOK TIRES TO FIRESTONE DEALER, AND WAS TOLD HE WAS BUSY AND COULD NOT HELP. *AK DOT# W2EPBCA338. *SLC
NHTSA complaint #883891 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
TIRES:SIDEWALL
THE SIDEWALL HAS A DEFINITE SEPERATION AROUND THE ENTIRE EDGE, I REPORTED IT TO MY DEALERSHIP BUT THEY DENIED ANY DEFECTS, THEN SATURN SENT ME A LETTER INFROMING ME THEY WOULD COMPLETELY WARRANT THE TIRE BUT DEALER STILL REFUSES TO DO IT EVEN WITH PROOF FROM LETTER. *AK (TIRESIZE: P175/70R14)( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: P175/70R14 )
NHTSA complaint #736718 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
TIRES
THE FRONT AND REAR PASSENGER'S SIDE TIRES ALONG WITH THE REAR DRIVER'S SIDE TIRE DEVELOPED RATHER LARGE BLISTERS ON THE OUTSIDE SIDE WALLS. THE FRONT PASSENGER'S SIDE TIRE BLEW OUT CAUSING THE FRONT END OF THE CAR TO LIFT AND JERK. FIRESTONE WAS OF NO HELP TO US. THEY WERE RELUCTANT TO AND NEVER DID ADMIT ANY FAULT. WE ENDED UP REPLACING ALL FOUR TIRES OUT OF OUR POCKETS WITH ANOTHER NAME BRAND FOR SAFETY SAKE.*AK (TIRESIZE: 15 INCH)( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: 15 INCH )
NHTSA complaint #735010 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
TIRES:SIDEWALL
IN THE YEAR THAT I HAVE OWNED THE CAR, TWO OF THE FIRESTONE OEM TIRES HAVE DEVELOPED BLISTERS ON THE SIDEWALLS. ONE TIRE I HAVE REPLACED AT MY OWN EXPENSE, THE OTHER IS STILL ON THE CAR. SATURN AND FIRESTONE EACH DENY RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE DEFECTIVE TIRES AND REFER MY COMPLAINTS TO THE OTHER. (TIRESIZE: P185/65R15)( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: P185/65R15 )
NHTSA complaint #733751 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
TIRES:TREAD/BELT
DRIVER SIDE TIRE HAS TREAD SEPARATION. *AK (TIRESIZE: P185/65R15)( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: P185/65R15 )
NHTSA complaint #733118 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
TIRES
I WAS DRIVING ON A HIGHWAY AT ABOUT 50 MPH AS THE REAR PASSENGER TIRE BLEW OUT, I LOST CONTROL OF THE CAR, SWERVED OVER A LANE THEN OFF THE HIGHWAY, HITTING THE CURB AND ENDING UP IN A GRASSY AREA. THE POLICE ARRIVED AND COURTESY PATROL ARRIVED TO ASSIST IN CHANGING THE TIRE. THEIR OBJECTIVE WAS TO IMMEDIATELY GET ME ON MY WAY, SO THE COURTESY WORKER THREW MY TIRE INTO THE TRUNK AND I LEFT. WHEN I GOT TO THE TIRE STORE WE EVALUATED THE TIRE AND 40% OF THE TIRE HAD SEPARATION. THE CAR HAS MAINTENANCE DONE EVERY 3000 MILES, SO TIRES WERE ROTATED AND PROPERLY INFLATED.( DOT NUMBER: W2EPBCA428 TIRE SIZE: P17570R14 )
NHTSA complaint #729008 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.