1998 Ford Escort vs 1998 Saturn SL
Complaints, recalls, TSBs, investigations and safety ratings side by side, from official federal data. Last verified Aug 8, 2026. Raw complaint counts are not adjusted for sales volume.
| Metric | 1998 Ford Escort | 1998 Saturn SL |
|---|---|---|
| NHTSA complaints | 375 | 168 |
| Recall campaigns | 0 | 0 |
| Service bulletins (TSBs) | 125 | 17 |
| Investigations | 1 | 0 |
| Crash reports | 84 | 23 |
| Fire reports | 11 | 2 |
| NCAP overall rating | — | — |
| EPA MPG (combined) | 25–28 | 25–28 |
| Median reported incident mileage | 75,000 mi | 66,250 mi |
Reported problems side by side
| Component | Ford Escort | Saturn SL |
|---|---|---|
| Air Bags | 75 | 8 |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 49 | 28 |
| Power Train | 43 | 33 |
| Electrical System | 43 | 16 |
| Suspension | 50 | 4 |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 32 | 16 |
| Seat Belts | 17 | 17 |
| Visibility | 16 | 17 |
Symptoms owners describe
| Stalling | 25 | 8 |
| Vibration / shaking | 17 | 6 |
| Hesitation / surging | 13 | 0 |
| Shifting problems | 6 | 0 |
| Clunking / rattling | 6 | 0 |
1998 Ford Escort
1998 Saturn SL
Compare all Ford Escort vs Saturn SL years →
Method. Complaints are unique NHTSA reports. A vehicle that sold more units will naturally accumulate more complaints — use shares and read the underlying reports before drawing conclusions.