Problems · NHTSA complaints
1999 Saturn SC problems
Owners filed 24 complaints about the 1999 Saturn SC with NHTSA between Oct 1999 and Jan 2016. The most-cited component is engine and engine cooling (7).
Complaints
24
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
5
Reported by owners
Fires
1
Reported by owners
Injuries
5
People reported injured
Deaths
0
Reported to NHTSA
Complaints by component
One complaint can cite several components
- Engine and engine cooling7
- Air bags4
- Seats3
- Structure2
- Electrical system2
- Power train2
- Seat belts2
- Visibility2
- Tires1
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 31, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
When complaints were filed
Does it get worse with age? Complaints per calendar year filed
1
4
1
2
6
4
2
0
0
1
0
1
0
0
0
1
0
1
View as table
| Model year | Complaints filed per calendar year |
|---|---|
| 1999 | 1 |
| 2000 | 4 |
| 2001 | 1 |
| 2002 | 2 |
| 2003 | 6 |
| 2004 | 4 |
| 2005 | 2 |
| 2006 | 0 |
| 2007 | 0 |
| 2008 | 1 |
| 2009 | 0 |
| 2010 | 1 |
| 2011 | 0 |
| 2012 | 0 |
| 2013 | 0 |
| 2014 | 1 |
| 2015 | 0 |
| 2016 | 1 |
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.
Top problems in owners’ words
Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
Engine and engine cooling
7 reports
“PURCHASED CAR JUNE OF 2004. CAR WAS ONE DAY OLD AND THE FUSE PANEL HAD TO BE REPLACED. THEN OIL WAS HAVING TO BE ADDED. CALLED SATURN AND WAS INFORMED SATURN CARS HAVE A BEEN KNOW TO GO THROUGH OIL. CAR SEEMED TO BE RUNNING HOT ADDED COOLENT TO NOTICE THE COOLENT SEEMED TO BE THICK WITH OIL. FLUSHED SYSTEM ADDED NEW COOLENT. CAR RAN EVEN HOTTER WAS TOLD OIL IN RADIATOR, NEED TO PUT IN NEW RADIATOR. DID THIS AND PROBLEM WAS NOT FIXED. WAS THEN TOLD HEADS WERE CRACKED. CALLED SATURN AFTER SEEING NUMEROUS PEOPLE ON WEB SITE WITH SAME EXACT PROBLEM. THEY INFORMED ME THERE WAS RECALLS ON FAULTY ENGINE UP TO 1999 MODEL. AND 2000 MODEL. MY CAR YEAR WAS MISSED.”
Air bags
4 reports4 crashes1 fire
“MY VEHICLE WAS MOVING ON THE FREEWAY, WHEN I WAS HIT FROM PASSENGER SIDE, DRIVERS SIDE HIT CONCRETE DIVIDER, AIRBAG KNOCKED ME OUT, AFTER FRONT OF CAR HIT EMBANKMENT, THEN I WOKE UP FROM THE SMOKE, SMELL OF FIRE COMING FROM AIRBAG.”
Seats
3 reports1 crash
“THE DRIVER'S SEAT ROCKED BACK AND FOURTH. *JB”
Structure
2 reports1 crash1 fire
“CONSUMER IS CONCERNED ABOUT THE PASSENGER SIDE SUN VISOR. THE VISOR HAS A MIRROR WITHOUT A COVER. WHEN POSITIONED TO BLOCK THE SUN, THE MIRROR CATCHES THE SUN RAYS AND REFLECTS TO OTHER DRIVERS AND PEDESTRIANS WHO COULD BE DISTRACTED, RESULTING IN AN ACCIDENT. *JG”
Electrical system
2 reports
“ON MAY 12, 2012 I TRIED TO START MY CAR AND IT WOULDN'T TURN OVER. I HAD IT TOWED TO THE LOCAL MECHANIC AND HE REPLACED THE IGNITION MODULE (PART NUMBER LX386) ON MY 1999 SATURN SC2. THEN ON DECEMBER 5, 2013, I WAS DRIVING ON THE GRAND CENTRAL PARKWAY IN NYC AND MY CAR DIED. LUCKILY I WAS ABLE TO SAFELY MAKE MY WAY OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE BUSY PARKWAY. I WAS TOWED TO MY MECHANIC AND ONCE AGAIN I HAD TO PAY TO REPLACE THE IGNITION MODULE. I'M WONDERING WHY MY CAR ISN'T ON THE RECALL LIST FOR THE GM IGNITION SWITCH AS I HAVE NOW HAD TO REPLACE THIS PART TWICE IN THE PAST 2 YEARS AND I'M VERY WORRIED THAT I CURRENTLY HAVE A FAULTY IGNITION SWITCH IN MY CAR WHICH COULD LEAD TO A DANGEROUS CRASH WHERE MY AIRBAGS WON'T DEPLOY. *TR”
Power train
2 reports
“TODAY I WENT TO PUT MY 1999 5 SPEED SATURN SC1 INTO REVERSE. WHEN I DID, I FELT A POP AND WAS STUCK IN REVERSE. AFTER REMOVING THE CONSOLE, WE FOUND THAT THE PLASTIC BUSHING HOLDING THE GEARSHIFT ROD TO THE CABLE HAD SNAPPED. (LUCKILY I WAS IN A PARKING LOT WHEN THIS OCCURRED). THIS COULD'VE BEEN A DANGEROUS SITUATION. SATURN REFUSES TO SELL THE BUSHING BY ITSELF AND WILL ONLY SELL IT AS A PART OF A $250 GEARSHIFT CABLE KIT, EVEN THOUGH THE BUSHING IS THE ONLY BROKEN PART. THE SERVICE/PARTS EMPLOYEE ACKNOWLEDGED THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM, AND IF THE BUSHING WERE MADE OF METAL AND NOT PLASTIC IT PROBABLY WOULDN'T HAVE BROKEN. WE TEMPORARILY WIRED THE ROD TO THE CABLE TO GET HOME, BUT DO NOT FEEL SAFE DRIVING THE CAR UNTIL IT IS PERMANENTLY FIXED. IT IS A RIP-OFF THAT SATURN WILL NOT SELL THE REPLACEMENT PART FOR A REASONABLE PRICE. *TR”
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Oct 31, 2026
Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.