Problems · NHTSA complaints

2002 Saturn SC problems

Owners filed 38 complaints about the 2002 Saturn SC with NHTSA between Sep 2001 and Mar 2017. The most-cited component is electrical system (12).

Complaints
38
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
7
Reported by owners
Fires
2
Reported by owners
Injuries
9
People reported injured
Deaths
0
Reported to NHTSA
01 —By component

Complaints by component

One complaint can cite several components
  1. Electrical system12
  2. Air bags6
  3. Engine and engine cooling4
  4. Steering3
  5. Structure2
  6. Exterior lighting2
  7. Suspension2
  8. Service brakes, hydraulic2
  9. Service brakes1
  10. Engine1
  11. Power train1
  12. Fuel system, other1
  13. Seat belts1
  14. Seats1

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
20011
20021
20037
20041
20053
20062
20076
20082
20090
20101
20111
20120
20130
20148
20153
20161
20171

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

12 reports1 fire
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 SATURN SC. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE KEY FELL OUT OF THE IGNITION SWITCH WHILE DRIVING. AT TIMES, THE CONTACT HAD DIFFICULTY PLACING THE KEY IN AND OUT OF THE IGNITION SWITCH. THE IGNITION SWITCH WAS REPAIRED THREE TIMES. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS NOT AVAILABLE.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Oct 27, 2016Electrical systemODI 10919405

Air bags

6 reports5 crashes
“PASSENGER AIRBAG DEPLOYED WHILE DRIVING THROUGH A PARKING LOT AT APPROX. 15 MPH. CAR WENT OVER A SPEEDBUMP AND AIRBAG SPONTANEOUSLY DEPLOYED. NO PASSENGER WAS IN THE SEAT AT THE TIME. VEHICLE IGNITION "LOCKS" AFTER KEY IS REMOVED, SOMETIMES MAKING IT VERY DIFFICULT TO TURN KEY WHEN STARTING CAR AGAIN. KEY CAN ALSO BE REMIVED WHILE CAR IS IN MOTION WITHOUT TURNING OFF THE IGNITION. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Nov 3, 2014Air bagsODI 10651990

Engine and engine cooling

4 reports1 fire
“2002 SATURN SC1 LOST ENGINE--OIL IN COOLANT AT 80,000 MILES. THE MECHANIC THAT DISASSEMBLED THE ENGINE STATED THAT THE CAMSHAFT JOURNALS WERE WORN SO BAD THAT THE ENGINE COULD NOT BE RE-BUILT. REPLACED ENGINE 5 MONTHS AGO, LAST WEEK, AUTO TRANSMISSION STOPPED ENGAGING REVERSE GEAR. DISCUSSED WITH LOCAL SATURN DEALER WHO OFFERED NO HELP. THIS IS MY DAUGHTER'S CAR. MY CAR--2002 SATURN SC2 HAD TO HAVE AN ENGINE OVERHAUL AT 46,000 MILES DUE TO BURNED VALVES IN #2 CYLINDER. EXTENDED WARRANTY COVERED REPAIRS. OIL CONSUMPTION PRIOR TO OVERHAUL WAS EXCESSIVE (QT EVERY 1000 MILES--DEALER SAID NORMAL) MY AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION HAS AN INTERMITTENT EXTREMELY ROUGH DOWNSHIFT, WHICH WAS REPORTED TO SATURN DEALERS 4 TIMES WHILE IN WARRANTY. EACH TIME, THEY SAID THEY COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. OUR FAMILY BOUGHT THE CAR NEW, AND RECOMMENDED MAINTENANCE HAS BEEN PERFORMED. AT THIS TIME, I FEEL THAT SATURN HAS SOME WELL DOCUMENTED PROBLEMS WITH BOTH THE SINGLE CAM AND TWIN CAM ENGINES, AS WELL AS THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSIONS. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Sep 25, 2008Engine and engine cooling, Power trainODI 10243382

Steering

3 reports
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 SATURN SC. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED IN A LOT, THE CONTACT HAD TO MAKE NUMEROUS ATTEMPTS AND EXERT FORCE TO UNLOCK THE STEERING WHEEL. AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC REPLACED THE IGNITION MODULE AND COIL SPRING. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 5,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jul 2, 2014Steering, Electrical systemODI 10607790

Structure

2 reports
“ALMOST FROM THE START THE STEERING COLUMN WOULD LOCK UP TRYING TO START THE CAR. FRONT AND BACK LIGHTS HAVE WATER INSIDE, BRAKES HAVE NEVER WORKED RIGHT GOING ALL THE WAY TO FLOOR WITH NO AIR IN LINES. SUNROOF ALSO QUIT. FRONT DRIVER DOOR METAL CRACKS WHEN OPENING. ENGINE ALSO LOOKING LIKE TROUBLE. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Mar 29, 2014Steering, Structure, Service brakes, EngineODI 10575621

Exterior lighting

2 reports
“LEFT HEAD LIGHT HAS A LEAK OR WATER KEEPS GETTING IN AND BURNING OUT THE HEADLIGHT BULBS. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Feb 18, 2010Exterior lighting, StructureODI 10311869
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.