2000 Saturn SC

Routine

Owners filed 7 complaints about this vehicle with federal regulators, most often about the electrical system. It has been recalled 7 times.

What fails
ComponentReportsCrashesFiresInjuries
Tires › Tread/Belt1
000
Tires › Sidewall1
000
Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Foundation Components1
100
Seats1
100
Seat Belts1
000
Power Train1
000
Electrical System1
000

7 safety recalls

Part 573 reports
Power Train › Automatic Transmission › Park/Neutral Start Interlock Switch00V310000
Filed Oct 12, 200065,000 vehiclesGeneral Motors Corp.

Defect. VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES, EQUIPPED WITH AUTOMATIC TRANSAXLES, FAIL TO COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FMVSS NO. 114, "THEFT PROTECTION." THESE VEHICLES WERE BUILT WITH AN IMPROPERLY ADJUSTED AUTOMATIC TRANSAXLE PARK LOCK CABLE ASSEMBLY. IF IMPROPERLY ADJUSTED, IT IS POSSIBLE TO SHIFT FROM THE "PARK" POSITION WITH THE IGNITION KEY REMOVED.

Risk. THIS CONDITION INCREASES THE RISK OF A CRASH RESULTING FROM THE UNINTENDED MOVEMENT OF PARKED VEHICLES.

Remedy. SATURN IS ASKING OWNERS AND RETAILERS TO PERFORM A FUNCTIONAL CHECK OF THE AUTOMATIC TRANSAXLE PARK LOCK CABLE ASSEMBLY OPERATION, AND IF NECESSARY, TO HAVE THE CABLE ADJUSTED. IF OWNERS ARE NOT COMFORTABLE PERFORMING THE FUNCTIONAL CHECK THEMSELVES, THEY CAN HAVE THEIR DEALER PERFORM THIS INSPECTION FOR THEM.

Fuel System, Gasoline › Storage › Tank Assembly00V309000
Filed Oct 12, 20006,092 vehiclesGeneral Motors Corp.

Defect. VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES FAIL TO COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FMVSS NO. 301, "FUEL SYSTEM INTEGRITY." THESE VEHICLES WERE BUILT WITH AN INADEQUATE VENT VALVE WELD ON THE TOP PORTION OF THE FUEL TANK.

Risk. FUEL SPILLAGE COULD OCCUR DURING REFUELING OR IF THE VEHICLE WERE INVOLVED IN A ROLLOVER. IF AN IGNITION SOURCE WERE PRESENT, A FIRE COULD OCCUR.

Remedy. DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE VEHICLE TO ENSURE THE FUEL TANK VENT VALVE IS PROPERLY WELDED. IF NECESSARY, DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE FUEL TANK ASSEMBLY.

Structure › Body99V297000
Filed Oct 27, 19997,505 vehiclesGeneral Motors Corp.

Defect. VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH A CONSOLE ARMREST FAIL TO COMPLY WITH REQUIREMENTS OF FMVSS NO. 201, "OCCUPANT PROTECTION IN INTERIOR IMPACTS." THE ARMRESTS WERE PRODUCED WITH A LATCH THAT WILL NOT WITHSTAND THE VERTICAL FORCE REQUIREMENTS OF THE STANDARD.

Risk. IN THE EVENT OF A CRASH, THE LATCH MAY OPEN AND THE ARMREST OR THE CONTENTS OF THE CONSOLE COULD INJURE AN OCCUPANT.

Remedy. DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE CONSOLE ARMREST LATCH.

Seat Belts › Front › Anchorage99V280000
Filed Oct 20, 1999265,698 vehiclesGeneral Motors Corp.

Defect. 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 THAT WERE NOT ADEQUATELY TIGHTENED AT THE CENTER PILLAR AND COULD FALL OUT, MAKING THE SEAT BELT INOPERATIVE.

Risk. IN THE EVENT OF A CRASH, THE SEAT OCCUPANT MAY NOT BE PROPERLY RESTRAINED.

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

Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Foundation Components99V231000
Filed Aug 24, 19995,373 vehiclesGeneral Motors Corp.

Defect. VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. THESE VEHICLES DO NOT COMPLY WITH REQUIREMENTS OF FMVSS NO. 135, "PASSENGER CAR BRAKE SYSTEMS." THESE VEHICLES WERE PRODUCED WITH BRAKE PIPE ATTACHMENT NUTS THAT MAY NOT BE TIGHTENED TO SPECIFICATIONS.

Risk. IF THE BRAKE PIPE NUTS ARE NOT PROPERLY TIGHTENED, BRAKE FLUID LEAKAGE COULD OCCUR, INCREASING THE BRAKE'S STOPPING DISTANCE.

Remedy. DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE BRAKE PIPE NUTS FOR LEAKAGE, VERIFY THEY ARE TIGHTENED TO SPECIFICATIONS, AND REPLACE THE BRAKE PIPES IF NEEDED.

Unknown or Other99V230000
Filed Aug 23, 19992,692 vehiclesGeneral Motors Corp.

Defect. VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. THESE VEHICLES DO NOT COMPLY WITH REQUIREMENTS OF FMVSS NO. 208, "OCCUPANT CRASH PROTECTION." SOME OF THESE VEHICLES WERE MANUFACTURED WITH WELDS IN THE INSTRUMENT PANEL CARRIER ASSEMBLY THAT DO NOT MEET SATURN QUALITY STANDARDS.

Risk. A FRONT SEAT OCCUPANT, PARTICULARLY AN UNBELTED OCCUPANT, MAY HAVE AN INCREASED RISK OF INJURY IN A FRONTAL CRASH.

Remedy. DEALERS WILL REPAIR THE VEHICLE'S INSTRUMENT PANEL CARRIER ASSEMBLY.

Structure › Body › Bumpers99V232000
Filed Aug 23, 19991,592 vehiclesGeneral Motors Corp.

Defect. VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. THESE VEHICLES DO NOT COMPLY WITH REQUIREMENTS OF FMVSS NO. 581, "BUMPER STANDARD." THESE VEHICLES WERE PRODUCED WITH REAR BUMPER FASTENERS THAT MAY BE LOOSE OR MISSING.

Risk. IF THE FASTENERS ARE LOOSE OR MISSING, THE REAR BUMPER MAY NOT ABSORB ENERGY AS IT WAS DESIGNED TO DO IN THE EVENT OF A REAR END COLLISION.

Remedy. DEALERS WILL VERIFY THAT THE REAR BUMPER BEAM FASTENERS ARE PRESENT AND PROPERLY TIGHTENED AND, IF MISSING, INSTALL NEW FASTENERS.

What owners reported

Newest filings
Electrical System
Filed Nov 24, 2014142,000 milesAL

DRIVING AND ALL ELECTRICAL POWER WAS SUDDENLY LOST, POWER STEERING LOST-HARD TO STEER. MANAGED TO PULL OVER - TURN OFF/ON IGNITION AND CAR STARTED BACKUP. *TR

SeatsCrash
Filed Jul 25, 2013WA

DRIVER SEAT RECLINER FAILURE. SAME PROBLEM THAT AFFECTED 1994 AND 1995 SATURNS (RECALLED AS WELL). GEAR TEETH IN RECLINER MECHANISM GET WORN OUT AND NO LONGER HOLD THE SEAT BACKREST UPRIGHT. THIS POSES A SAFETY ISSUE. *TR

Seat Belts
Filed Apr 12, 2010OH

I'M BUYING THIS CAR FROM A CAR DEALER J B BYRIDER. ON 3/26/10 I TOOK THE SATURN SC1 OUT FOR A TEST DRIVE DURING THE DAY TIME AND CAME BACK AND TOLD THEM ABOUT THE NOISE I HEARD COMING FROM THE BACK OF THE CAR. WAS TOLD THAT A PART WAS BEING ODOR. 3/30/10 TOOK THE CAR BACK TO THE DEALER TO LET THEM KNOW THAT THE SEAT BELT WAS COMING ACROSS MY NECK AND LOCKING, AND THE THERE WAS ONLY ONE LIGHT ON MY DASHBOARD SHOWING THE SPEED AND NOTHING ELSE. WAS TOLD ORDER A PART FOR THE SEAT BELT AND WOULD LOOK AT THE DASH BROAD WHEN I CAME BACK (IT WAS SAID THAT THE DASH BROAD LIGHTS WERE OK). 3/31/10 TOOK THE CAR TO A SATURN DEALER AND ASKED ABOUT THE DASH BOARD LIGHTS AND FOUND OUT THAT IT'S NOT OK. I CALLED JB BYRIDER AND SPOKE TO THE SERVICE MANGER AT 3:10 PM, WHOM SAID THAT HE KNEW WHO I WAS AND AGAIN THE PART WAS ORDER AND WOULD LOOK AT THE DASHBOARD LIGHTS WHEN I CAME IN FOR THE SEAT BELT. I DID NOT HEAR FROM THEM. SO ON 4/10/10 I TOOK THE CAR BACK AND THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT WAS CLOSE, DO NOT WORK ON SAT? SPOKE TO THE PERSON THAT SOLD ME THE CAR FIRST THEN TO THE ON THE SITE ON CALL MANGER. NEITHER WOULD WRITE UP A NEW SERVICE, AND I WAS TOLD TO CALL THE SERVICE MANGER AGAIN TODAY 4/11/10 AFTER 12 PM. NOW ON THE SERVICE ORDER THAT I HAVE IT SAY " VOID IF NOT USE IN 30 DAYS FROM THE SALE DATE WHICH AS 3/26/10. SO I EXPRESS THAT I FELT THAT IT MEANT THAT AFTER 30 DAYS ANYTHING THAT I WOULD ON MY CAR THAT WAS WRONG WOULD NOT BE TAKEN CARE OF. THE MANGER SAID WELL WHEN I TEST DROVE THE

Power Train
Filed Jan 14, 2005WI

THE VEHICLE'S TRANSMISSION LEAKED FLUID. *NM THE CONSUMER HAD THE TRANSMISSION REPAIRED AT A LOCAL TRANSMISSION SHOP AND REQUESTED REIMBURSEMENT FROM THE MANUFACTURER. THE MANUFACTURER REFUSED TO REIMBURSE THE MONEY BECAUSE THE REPAIRS WERE NOT MADE BY A SATURN DEALER. *NM

Tires › Tread/Belt
Filed May 29, 2002FL

TREAD SEPARATION FROM TIRE. *AK

Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Foundation ComponentsCrash
Filed Oct 30, 2001SC

CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING ABOUT 55MPH ON HIGHWAY. AND A DEER JUMPED IN FRONT OF VEHICLE . CONSUMER APPLIED BRAKES AND WAS FORCED ON THE SHOULDERS. DEALERSHIP WAS AWARE OF PROBLEM.*AK

Tires › Sidewall
Filed Jul 24, 2001IN

COMPLETE RUPTURE OF TIRE AT JUNCTION OF SIDEWALL (INSIDE) AND TREAD FOR APPROXIMATELY 180 DEGREES, WITH RADIATING RUPTURES IN THE SIDEWALL FROM THE WHEEL RIM TO THE TREAD RUPTURE.*AK (DOT NUMBER: W27J BCD TIRESIZE: P185/65R14)

7 of 7 complaints, reproduced as filed.

Across model years

Worst on record: 1994
YearComplaintsRecallsFiresDeathsAssessment
200238020Routine
200121210Routine
2000 — this page7700Routine
199924110Routine
199813000Routine
199733311Fatalities reported
199626000Routine
199539200Routine
199451111Fatalities reported
199323100Routine
199216210Routine
19915100Routine

Compare every SC year →

Reading this record

No unusual pattern of severe incidents in the complaint record.

Complaint counts track how many cars were sold and how long they have been on the road as much as they track quality. A common model from 2013 has had a decade to accumulate reports; a rare one from last year has not. The signal worth weighing is in the severity columns, in whether the same component keeps appearing, and in whether the manufacturer eventually opened a recall for it.

Recall repairs are free for as long as the recall stands. Check whether a specific car still has open work at NHTSA's VIN lookup.

Most recent recall on file: Oct 12, 2000. Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation.