Problems · NHTSA complaints

1997 Saturn SC problems

Owners filed 33 complaints about the 1997 Saturn SC with NHTSA between Dec 1996 and Mar 2022. The most-cited component is electrical system (10).

Complaints
33
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
4
Reported by owners
Fires
1
Reported by owners
Injuries
1
People reported injured
Deaths
1
Reported to NHTSA
01 —By component

Complaints by component

One complaint can cite several components
  1. Electrical system10
  2. Seat belts6
  3. Engine and engine cooling4
  4. Tires3
  5. Power train3
  6. Air bags3
  7. Exterior lighting2
  8. Engine1
  9. Service brakes1
  10. Equipment1
  11. Steering1
  12. Seats1
  13. Visibility1
  14. Structure1

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.

Data from NHTSA Complaints API · synced Oct 28, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
02 —Trend

When complaints were filed

Does it get worse with age? Complaints per calendar year filed
View as table
Model yearComplaints filed per calendar year
19961
19970
19984
19991
20005
20015
20020
20031
20045
20050
20060
20070
20082
20091
20100
20111
20120
20135
20140
20151
20160
20170
20180
20190
20200
20210
20221

Mileage at failure isn’t a structured field in NHTSA complaint data, so we don’t chart it. Some owners mention it in their reports below.

03 —Owner reports

Top problems in owners’ words

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first

Electrical system

10 reports
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 SATURN SC. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE FAILURE OCCURRED WHEN THERE WERE NUMEROUS KEYS ON THE KEY RING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 103,000. *TT *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled May 27, 2015Electrical systemODI 10721642

Seat belts

6 reports1 related recall
“Right front passenger seat belt male mechanism is locked up and will not extend to lock in female mechanism. Unusable.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Mar 15, 2022Seat beltsODI 11456745

Engine and engine cooling

4 reports
“WHILE DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY AT APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH ALL OF A SUDDEN SMOKE CAME FROM UNDER THE HOOD. VEHICLE BECAME SQUARELY. THERE WAS A CRACK IN THE CYLINDER HEAD, SPILLING OIL ALL OVER THE EXHAUST SYSTEM, WHICH CAUSED SMOKE AND GOT OIL ALL OVER THE TIRES. IT BLEW OUT 4 QUARTS OF OIL VERY RAPIDLY, CAUSING THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE TO SWIRL ALL OVER THE ROAD. THE ENTIRE VEHICLE WAS FILLED WITH OIL SMOKE, MAKING VISIBILITY VERY DANGEROUS. THERE WAS A VERTICAL CRACK ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE CYLINDER HEAD THAT WENT ALL THE WAY BACK TO THE MIDDLE OF THE CYLINDER HEAD WHICH HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH THE COOLING SYSTEM. IT ONLY EFFECTED THE OIL. THIS DEFECT WAS NEXT TO THE AIR CONDITIONING COMPRESSOR. THE CASTING DID NOT LOOK LIKE VERY GOOD QUALITY. IT WAS NOT REINFORCED AS IT SHOULD BE. *AK”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Nov 17, 2004Engine and engine coolingODI 10101232

Tires

3 reports
“I WAS DRIVING THE ABOVE MENTIONED VEHICLE (SATURN SC1 1997) NORTH BOUND ON FL TURNPIKE WHEN THE ROAD FELT REALLY BUMPY AND SUDDENLY PIECES OF DEBRIS STARTED FLYING BY THE WINDOW AND A LARGE BUNDLE OF WIRES WAS FLAPPING ON THE HOOD, COMING FROM THE FRONT OF THE CAR; WHICH I HAD TO EASED OVER TO THE LEFT SHOULDER, GOT OUT OF THE VEHICLE IMMEDIATELY AND CONTACTED GEICO ROAD SERVICE. APPARENTLY, THE CHAIN OF EVENTS THAT OCCURRED WERE AS FOLLOWS: THE LEMANS/BRIDGESTONE TIRE (P195-60R15) TREAD COMPLETED PEELED OFF THE TIRE WITH SUCH FORCE..THAT IT GOT SHREDDED THE FENDER AND RIPPED OUT A LARGE BUNDLE OF ELECTRICAL CABLES THAT WAS IN THE FENDER. THE TIRE REMAINED INFLATED, THE WIRE CABLE RAN FROM THE FUSE BOX IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT OVER THE WHEEL IN THE FENDER, TO PROVIDE POWER TO VIRTUALLY EVERY ELECTRICAL COMPONENT IN THE CAR, AND WAS RIPPED OUT OF THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT. A HIGHLY HAZARDOUS & DANGEROUS INCIDENT...THE PICTURES ARE EXTREMELY IMPRESSIVE! BE CAREFUL!!!! *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jul 5, 2013Electrical system, Tires, EngineODI 10523229

Power train

3 reports
“I BOUGHT MY SATURN SC1 SERIES 1997 AT 83,000 MILES. THE SERVICE ENGINE LIGHT WAS ON. HAD IT CHECKED AT AUTO ZONE, SECOND GEAR TO RATIO WAS OFF, A FEW THOUSAND MILES LATER, 90,000 I LOST REVERSE. I DROVE WITHOUT REVERSE FOR 2 YEARS UNTIL I COULD AFFORD TO GET IT FIXED. THE TRANSMISSION GUY TOLD ME THAT THE NUT/BOLT THAT HOLDS THE GEARS TWISTED OFF CRACKED THE SHELL OF THE TRANSMISSION. NOT GOOD AT ALL, I HAD TO PUT A FULL BOTTLE OF TRANNY FLUID IN IT 2-3 TIMES A WEEK FOR ALMOST 2 YEARS. AND HAD TO PAY FOR IT MYSELF AS IT WAS A DEFECT OF THE MAKER, NOT MINE. I WILL NEVER BUY ANOTHER SATURN. EVER. SAD THING IS, I'M STILL PAYING ON IT. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jul 1, 2009Power trainODI 10275494

Air bags

3 reports1 crash
“WHILE DRIVING 3 MPH, THE FRONTAL AIR BAGS DEPLOYED INADVERTENTLY. THIS CAUSED THE PASSENGER TO SUSTAINED MINOR INJURIES. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER DETAILS. *JB”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Nov 2, 2004Air bagsODI 10099237
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Oct 28, 2026

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.