1993 Saturn SC1

Routine

Owners filed 58 complaints about this vehicle with federal regulators, most often about the seats. It has been recalled 2 times.

What fails
ComponentReportsCrashesFiresInjuries
Seats › Front Assembly › Recliner6
101
Seats6
202
Vehicle Speed Control4
201
Seat Belts4
000
Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip3
101
Engine and Engine Cooling › Engine › Gasoline3
000
Engine and Engine Cooling › Engine3
000
Electrical System › Alternator/Generator/Regulator3
010
Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Foundation Components › Disc › Rotor2
000
Power Train › Automatic Transmission2
000

2 safety recalls

Part 573 reports
Electrical System › Alternator/Generator/Regulator93V132000
Filed Aug 10, 1993352,833 vehiclesGeneral Motors Corp.

Defect. THE GENERATOR ELECTRICAL WIRING IS NOT PROTECTED AGAINST EXCESSIVE CURRENT FLOW WHICH MAY BE CAUSED BY AN ELECTRICAL SHORT CIRCUIT IN THE GENERATOR.

Risk. SHOULD AN ELECTRICAL SHORT CIRCUIT OCCUR IN THEGENERATOR, THE GENERATOR WIRING HARNESS WOULD EXPERIENCE EXCESSIVE CURRENT FLOW.UNDER CERTAIN CONDITIONS, ENOUGH HEAT COULD BE GENERATED TO IGNITE SURROUNDINGMATERIALS. IF THIS OCCURS, AN UNDERHOOD FIRE COULD RESULT WITH OR WITHOUT THEENGINE RUNNING AND WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING.

Remedy. THE GENERATOR WIRING HARNESS WILL BE REPLACED WITH ONE THAT WILL OPEN AS A FUSE WOULD UNDER CERTAIN EXCESSIVE CURRENT FLOW CONDITIONS.

Electrical System › 12v/24v/48v Battery › Cables93V094000
Filed May 25, 199314,459 vehiclesGeneral Motors Corp.

Defect. THE POSITIVE BATTERY CABLE TERMINAL AT THE STARTER SOLENOID MAY BE FORMED INCORRECTLY. INCORRECTLY FORMED TERMINALS CAN CONTACT THE STARTER SOLENOID HOUSING AND CAUSE AN ELECTRIC SHORT CIRCUIT.

Risk. AN ELECTRICAL SHORT CIRCUIT BETWEEN THE BATTERY CABLE ANDTHE STARTER HOUSING CAN RESULT IN AN UNDERHOOD FIRE.

Remedy. INSPECT AND, IF NECESSARY, ADJUST THE CLEARANCE BETWEEN THE POSITIVE BATTERY CABLE TERMINAL SO THAT IT DOES NOT CONTACT THE STARTER SOLENOID HOUSING.

What owners reported

Newest filings
Seats
Filed May 23, 2011205,000 milesOH

1993 SATURN SC2 FRONT SEAT BACK RECLINER MECHANISM FAILED CAUSING SEAT BACK TO RECLINE SUDDENLY AND ALMOST INJURING PASSENGER IN THE CAR. SEAT WILL NO LONGER STAY FORWARD WHICH RESULTS IN SEAT GOING BACK A SOON AS YOU PRESS GAS PEDAL. *TR

Seats
Filed Feb 10, 201075,006 milesFL

DRIVER'S SEAT BACK RECLINER MECHANISM FAILED CAUSING SEAT BACK TO RECLINE SUDDENLY AND LOSS OF CONTROL OF VEHICLE. DISASSEMBLY OF THE SEAT AND INSPECTION OF THE RECLINER MECHANISM REVEALED A DESIGN DEFECT WHICH MAKES SUDDEN FAILURE OF THIS MECHANISM HIGHLY LIKELY. FOR THE RECLINER TO HOLD THE SEAT BACK IN POSITION, TWO INTERNAL OPERATING LEVERS MUST REMAIN ALIGNED IN THE SAME PLANE. THESE ARE HELD IN ALIGNMENT BY A VERY THIN METAL PLATE (ABOUT 1MM THICK). THIS PLATE WAS BENT CAUSING THE INTERNAL OPERATING LEVERS TO MISALIGN AND THE SEAT BACK TO COLLAPSE. DUE TO THE THINNESS AND LACK OF STRENGTH OF THE ALIGNMENT PLATE, THIS FAILURE IS EXTREMELY LIKELY. YOUR DATABASE SHOWS AT LEAST TWO OTHER SIMILAR FAILURES IN 1993 SATURNS. ALSO NOTE NHTSA ORDERED A RECALL FOR THIS PROBLEM IN 1994 SATURNS. THE FAILED SEAT BACK RECLINER MECHANISM IS AVAILABLE FOR INSPECTION BY NHTSA PERSONNEL. THIS IS NOT A NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR ISSUE, SINCE THIS SEEMS TO BE A COMMON PROBLEM WITH OTHER 1993 SATURNS. *TR

Electrical System › Alternator/Generator/RegulatorFire
Filed Jan 11, 2005106,000 milesOH

CONSUMER WAS DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 25 MPH AND SUDDENLY THE LIGHTS WENT DIM AND SMOKE BEGAN COMING FROM THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE. THE SERVICE MANAGER TOLD CONSUMER THAT THERE WAS A FIRE COMING FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT, AND THE WIRE THAT CONNECTED TO THE ALTERNATOR MELTED. *AK

Latches/Locks/Linkages › Trunk Lid › Lock
Filed Sep 30, 2004IL

CONSUMER COMPLAINED ABOUT MULTIPLE FAILURES. THE TRUNK FAILED TO CLOSE ON ITS OWN. WHILE DRIVING THE TRUNK WOULD OPEN AND WOULD NOT CLOSE, AND WILL NOT LOCK. ALSO, CONSUMER APPLIED THE BRAKES AND PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR. THE BRAKES GRABBED SLOWLY AND CAUSED LOSS OF BRAKING POWER. CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER FOR INSPECTION. CAUSE HAD NOT BEEN DETERMINED. *AK

Structure › Body › DoorCrash1 injured
Filed Aug 28, 2004156,000 milesCA

DUE TO PLASTIC DOOR SKIN (OUTER PANELING ) OPENING THE DOOR IN A LOW SPEED CAR ACCIDENT IN ADDITION TO PASSIVE SEAT BELT FALURE (INTERMITTENTLY WORKED)I WAS EJECTED FROM CAR AND LEFT PARALYZED. AUTOMATIC DOOR LOCKING WAS REJECTED BY SATURN DUE TO COST LEAVING SAFETY OUT OF CONCERN. *JB

SeatsCrash1 injured
Filed May 11, 2004WA

VEHICLE WAS STOPPED WHEN REAR ENDED BY VEHICLE TRAVELING APPROX. 25 MPH. SEAT BACK COLLAPSED ON DRIVER'S SIDE TO 45 DEGREE ANGLE.BODY SHOP UNABLE TO REPAIR TO ORIGINAL CONDITION WITHOUT REPLACEMENT.

Exterior Lighting › Hazard Flashing Warning Lights › Switch
Filed Feb 19, 2004CA

THE HAZARD LIGHTS STOPPED FLASHING WITHOUT ANY WARNING. PLEASE DESCRIBE FURTHER. *PH THE TURN SIGNALS WERE ALSO INOPERATIVE. *JB

Electrical System › 12v/24v/48v Battery › Cables
Filed Nov 5, 2003AZ

THE BATTERY CABLE FAILED WHICH CAUSED THE CONSUMER TO REPLACE THE BATTERY EVERY YEAR. A RECALL WAS ISSUED, HOWEVER, THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. *AK THE SATURN DEALER REFUSED TO FIX THE BATTERY CABLE. RECALL# 93V094000. *SCC *JB

Electrical System › Alternator/Generator/Regulator
Filed Nov 5, 200335 milesAZ

GENERATOR FAILED PREMATURELY, CAUSING VEHICLE TO STALL WHILE DRIVING. *AK THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. RECALL# 93V132000 *SCC THE CONSUMER STATED THE ALTERNATOR FAILED THREE TIMES. *JB

Seats › Front Assembly › Recliner
Filed Feb 24, 2003138,000 milesMN

THE DRIVER SEAT BACK DID NOT STAY UP. *JB

Power Train › Manual Transmission › Column Shift Assembly
Filed Nov 12, 2002KY

CONSUMER STATES THIS IS THIRD TIME HAS CHANGE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISION . DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. AND PROBLEM IS REOCUURING. MR

Seat Belts
Filed May 29, 2002CA

I AM CURIOUS AS TO WHETHER WE ARE THE ONLY ONES WHO HAVE EXPERIENCED THIS SEAT BELT FAILURE. BECAUSE OF CONSTRUCTION, THEY HAVE STOPPED RUNNING ACROSS THE TOP OF THE DOOR, AND THEY ARE EXPENSIVE TO REPLACE.*AK

Seats
Filed Jan 3, 2002OH

DRIVER SIDE SEAT BROKE, FRAME OF SEAT IS STICKING OUT, UPPER PART OF SEAT IS FLOPPING BACK AND FORTH. *JG *AK

Electrical System › Alternator/Generator/Regulator
Filed Sep 10, 2001MA

ALTERNATOR MOUNTING POINT ON ENGINE BLOCK BROKE, RELEASING ALTERNATOR. *AK

Seats › Front Assembly › Recliner
Filed Jul 5, 2001PA

CONSUMER STATES THE DRIVER'S SEAT COLLAPSED BACKWARD WHILE GETTING INTO VEHICLE, DEALER REPLACED THE SEAT BACK ADJUSTER MECHANISM AND LESS THAN ONE WEEK LATER, THE SEAT COLLAPSED AGAIN, CONSUMER RETURNED TO DEALER AND WAS TOLD THAT SOME EARLY MODELS HAD SEAT PROBLEMS, AND THE DEALER ADJUSTED OR BENT THE SEAT TO A MORE UPRIGHT POSITION, SOON AFTERWARDS, THE SEAT COLLAPSED AGAIN.*JB

Latches/Locks/Linkages › Doors › Latch
Filed Apr 25, 2001MI

DRIVER AND PASSENGER DOORS WILL NOT OPEN FROM INSIDE OF VEHICLE. CONSUMER IS TAKING IT TO A PRIVATE MECHANIC ON APRIL 26TH. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION/ATTACHMENTS.*AK

Tires
Filed Mar 19, 2001OH

WHILE EXITING THE TURNPIKE THE RIGHT FRONT TIRE AND RIM CAME OFF DAMAGING THE RIGHT FRONT FENDER (OHIO TRAFFIC CRASH REPORT). NLM

Engine and Engine Cooling › Exhaust System › Emission Control › Catalytic Convertor
Filed Mar 16, 2001CA

WHILE DRIVING CARBON MONOXIDE FUMES WOULD BE ENTERING VEHICLE THROUGH FLOORBOARD. WOULD HAVE STATIC ELECTRIC CHARGE TO LEFT KNEE. DOORS WERE EXCESSIVELY HEAVY TO OPEN OR CLOSE. DOOR LOCKS FAILED TO BE OPERATED PROPERLY. PANEL LIGHTS WOULD COME ON OR GO OFF BY THEMSELVES. TAKING VEHICLE TO DEALERSHIP TO HAVE MECHANIC CHECK IT OUT. *AK

Seats › Front Assembly › ReclinerCrash1 injured
Filed Dec 18, 2000MD

WHILE DRIVING AT 5-10 MPH ANOTHER VEHICLE TRAVELING AT 35 MPH REAR ENDED CONSUMER'S VEHICLE. DRIVER'S SEATBACK FELL INTO A CHILD BOOSTER SEAT WHICH WAS PLACED BEHIND ON DRIVER'S SIDE. SEAT FELL ON TOP OF CHILD'S LEG AND BROKE LEG. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

Seats › Front Assembly › Recliner
Filed Oct 2, 2000SC

WHILE DRIVING DRIVER'S SEATBACK MOVED UNEXPECTEDLY WHICH MAY CAUSE A LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL AND A CRASH. DEALER WAS NOT WILLING TO HELP CONSUMER. DEALER SAID NEEDED TO REPLACE BOTH SIDES OF THE SEAT RECLINER. *AK

20 of 58 complaints, reproduced as filed.

Across model years

Worst on record: 1994
YearComplaintsRecallsFiresDeathsAssessment
200125200Routine
20008200Routine
199921000Routine
199839000Routine
199761300Routine
199639010Routine
199559100Routine
199482110Routine
1993 — this page58210Routine
199215111Fatalities reported
19916100Routine

Compare every SC1 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: Aug 10, 1993. Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation.