SaturnSL1999Overview/saturn/sl/1999/base/

1999 Saturn SL

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 1999 SL.

Body PASSENGER CARTransmission Automatic 4-spd

The 1999 Saturn SL is a passenger car equipped with a 4-speed automatic transmission and an EPA fuel economy rating of 23/33/27 mpg. This model requires 4.2 quarts of 5W-30 API engine oil for its lubrication requirements. Within the 1991-2002 model history, the 1999 SL recorded 203 total owner complaints and two recalls—primarily centered on the engine and engine cooling—positioning it between the 1991 low of 30 complaints and the 1995 high of 421.

Model year2002200120001999199819971996

Quick specs

Fluid capacities, tune-up values and fuel economy at a glance.

Engine oil capacity4.2 qtOEM · verified
Engine oil type5W-30 APIOEM · verified
Lug nut torque100 ft-lbsOEM · verified
EPA fuel economy23/33/27 mpgEPA · verified

Fitment & sizes

Replacement part sizes and factory part numbers — battery, bulbs, filters and belts.

From the factory this vehicle uses a BCI 75 · 525 CCA battery, OE oil filter 21000872. Note the factory fuel filter, front wiper blades and thermostat are now discontinued — plan on a superseded or quality aftermarket equivalent, which the part pages below list where known. Each part links to every other vehicle that shares it, so a part you already stock may fit more of your fleet than you'd expect.

Battery groupBCI 75 · 525 CCAOEM · verified

OE service part numbers OEM · verified

Engine oil filter21000872
Engine air filter21000938
Fuel filter21009427 discontinued
Spark plug21025103
Front wiper blades21302527 discontinued · alt 21302526
Serpentine belt21008367 alt 21008368
Thermostat21006335 discontinued · alt 21006227

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Engine & drivetrain NHTSA vPIC

TransmissionAutomatic 4-spd

Dimensions & weight NHTSA vPIC

Overall length176.8 in
Overall width66.9 in
Overall height54.7 in
Wheelbase102.4 in
Curb weight2326 lb
Track (front / rear)56.7 / 55.9 in
Weight distribution (front / rear)61/39

Ratings & economy EPA / vPIC

EPA city / highway / combined23 / 33 / 27 mpg
DrivetrainFront-Wheel Drive
Passenger volume91 cu ft
Cargo volume12 cu ft
Recommended fuelRegular Gasoline

Service quick specs OEM factory data

Capacities, torques and tune-up values from the factory service manual.

This engine holds 4.2 qt of 5W-30 API engine oil, DOT 3 brake fluid. Torque lug nuts to 100 ft-lbs, the oil drain plug to 27.0 ft-lbs. The firing order is 1-3-4-2. Note the cylinder-head bolts finish on a torque angle (torque-to-yield) — they stretch permanently and should be replaced, not reused, during any head service.

Lubricants & capacities

Brake FluidDOT 3
Engine Oil5W-30 · API
Engine Oil Capacity4.2 qt

Engine torques

Crankshaft Pulley and/or Damper Bolts159 DOHC ft-lbs
Intake Manifold to Engine Bolts22 ft-lbs
Exhaust Manifold to Cylinder Head Bolts16 ft-lbs
Engine Oil Pan Drain Plug27.0 ft-lbs

Chassis torques

Lug Nuts100 ft-lbs

Ignition

Cylinder Firing Order1-3-4-2
Ignition Coil Secondary Resistance8000-15,000 ohms
Spark Plug ManufacturerAC Delco
Spark Plug Gap0.040 in
Spark Plug Torque20 ft-lbs

Battery & A/C

RefrigerantR134a
Refrigerant Capacity1.50 lbs
Oil GroupPAG
Oil Type46
Oil Capacity5.00-7.00 oz
Standard BCI Group Number75
Standard BCI Cranking Performance525 cca

Service checks

Injector Primary Resistance12 na MFI ohms

Brakes

Brake ApplicationWITH REAR DISC
Torque Caliper to Bracket27 ft-lbs
Torque to Knuckle63 ft-lbs / 86 ft-lbs
Minimum Pad Thickness0.030 in
Minimum Shoe Thickness0.040 in
Brake ApplicationWITH REAR DISC
Rotor Max Parallel Variation0.0005 in
Rotor Runout Limit0.0024 in

Multi-step torque procedures OEM · verified

Cylinder Head — tightening sequence 3 stages
122 ft. lbs.22 ft. lbs
233 ft. lbs.33 ft. lbs
390 degrees.90 degrees

Factory maintenance schedule OEM · verified

Normal service, condensed from the factory interval matrix.

Under the factory schedule, replace the engine oil and filter every 6,000 mi; spark plugs every 30,000 mi; coolant every 100,000 mi. The big-interval services (every 100,000 mi for coolant, and the transmission fluid) are the ones owners most often skip — on a lower-mileage example, assume the original fluids are still in it and check them first.

At 6,000 miBrake System (inspect) · Transmission Assembly (drain & refill)
Every 6,000 miAxle Shaft Oil Seal (inspect) · Body Latches, Locks & Hinges (inspect) · Brake Hydraulic System (inspect fluid level) · CV Joint Boot (inspect) · Engine Oil (drain & refill) · Engine Oil Filter (replace)
Every 12,000 miBrake System (inspect)
Every 18,000 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect) · Engine Coolant System Hoses (inspect)
Every 30,000 miEngine Air Filter Element (replace) · Fuel System (inspect) · Spark Plugs (replace) · Vacuum Line (inspect)
Every 36,000 miRadiator Cap (inspect)
Every 60,000 miFuel Filter (replace)
Every 100,000 miEngine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill)

Reliability & federal safety record

Owner-reported issues, recalls, investigations and service bulletins on record with NHTSA — an unfiltered look at what owners actually experience.

The 1999 Saturn SL sits near the bottom of a long complaint decline that peaked in 1995 at 421 complaints and fell to 203 by 1999, with 1998 (211) and 2000 (179) close on either side. Recalls remained low at 2, comparable to 1998’s 1 and well below the 4 recalls seen from 1995 through 1997, while the single investigation in 1999 broke a three-year streak of zero investigations but did not signal a broader escalation. Relative to the 2000–2002 model years, 1999 preceded a sharp late-run spike in TSBs and recalls—especially 2000’s 8 recalls and 279 TSBs—so it avoids that concentrated factory-response period. Top complaint areas for 1999 were Engine & Engine Cooling (40), Service Brakes, Hydraulic (22), Power Train (20), and Electrical System (18), with 28 crash-related and 1 fire-related complaint, though the data does not specify root causes. Overall, 1999 is one of the better years to buy within this generation from a federal-record standpoint, but a pre-purchase inspection should focus on those four systems and confirmation that recalls were completed.

2
Open recalls
NHTSA campaigns
111
Service bulletins
Manufacturer communications
1
ODI investigations
Office of Defects Investigation
203
Owner complaints
28 involved a crash · 1 a fire
NHTSA crash-test rating federal NCAP · out of 5 stars
Rollover★★★★
Owner complaints by model year NHTSA · this generation & adjacent

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 203 complaints on record, top 8 components.

Engine & Engine Cooling40
Service Brakes, Hydraulic22
Power Train20
Electrical System18
Air Bags14
Tires11
Seat Belts8
Suspension7

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

Showing 2 of 2 campaigns on record for this vehicle.

09E012000Exterior LightingReported 07/04/2009

SABERSPORT IS RECALLING 16,270 COMBINATION CORNER AND BUMPER LAMP ASSEMBLIES OF VARIOUS PART NUMBERS SOLD FOR USE AS AFTERMARKET EQUIPMENT FOR VARIOUS PASSENGER VEHICLES. THESE HEADLAMPS FAIL TO CONFORM TO THE… Remedy: SABERSPORT WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND OFFER A FULL REFUND FOR THE NONCOMPLIANT COMBINATION LAMPS. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON MAY 11, 2009. OWNERS MAY CONTACT SABERSPORT AT…

99V280000Seat Belts:Front:AnchorageReported 20/10/1999

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… Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT THESE VEHICLES FOR PROPER INSTALLATION AND TORQUE OF THE SEAT BELT SHOULDER GUIDE ANCHOR BOLTS.

Technical service bulletins NHTSA · verified

Showing 5 of 111 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

BulletinDateComponentSummary
98-T-18C2023-03-10Electrical SystemThis service bulletin revision provides a repair procedure to Remove Debris from…
17-NA-0732023-02-21EquipmentThis warranty administration bulletin provides information regarding the field action…
PIP4723D2020-01-31Electrical SystemThis Preliminary Information communicates to the dealer the process for downloading or…
19NA2732019-12-02Electrical SystemThis informational bulletin provides information for dealers/technicians on Procedures to…
PIC4696E2019-11-22EquipmentThis Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician on how…

Common OBD-II trouble codes

The most common OBD-II codes for this vehicle's emissions system. These are standardized SAE J2012 definitions, not vehicle-specific fault reports.

P0420
Catalyst system efficiency below threshold — Bank 1
P0300
Random / multiple cylinder misfire detected
P0171
System too lean — Bank 1
P0455
Evaporative emission system leak detected — large leak
P0128
Coolant thermostat below regulating temperature
P0442
Evaporative emission system leak detected — small leak

VIN tools

Decode factory build data for a specific vehicle by VIN.

VIN
Decode a VIN to confirm the transmission and build data for a specific SL. OEM
Build data
Plant, GVWR class, engine and body data for any 17-character VIN.
Recalls
Check open recall campaigns against a specific vehicle by VIN.

Vehicles with shared specs

Find every vehicle that shares this one's battery, bulbs, oil capacity, platform or parts.

Reference guides

Cross-vehicle references for the kinds of data on this page.

Frequently asked

How much oil does the 1999 SL take?

4.2 qt of 5W-30 API, per the factory manual.

Does the 1999 SL have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 2 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.

What gas mileage does the SL get?

EPA figures are 23 city / 33 highway / 27 combined mpg.