1999 Saturn SC1

Routine

Owners filed 21 complaints about this vehicle with federal regulators, most often about the seats. No safety recall has been issued.

What fails
ComponentReportsCrashesFiresInjuries
Seat Belts › Front › Retractor3
000
Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip2
203
Seats › Front Assembly › Recliner2
203
Seats2
101
Visibility › Sun/Moon Roof Assembly1
000
Tires › Tread/Belt1
000
Suspension › Rear1
000
Steering › Column Locking › Anti-theft Device1
000
Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Foundation Components1
101
Seat Belts › Front › Anchorage1
000

What owners reported

Newest filings
Power Train › Manual Transmission › Floor Shift Assembly
Filed Aug 29, 2006CA

CONSUMER COMPLAINT CONCERNING THE 1999 SATURN SC2 SHIFTER ASSEMBLY DESIGN DEFECT. *TS THE CONSUMER WAS PULLING OUT OF A PARKING LOT WHEN HE LOST THE ABILITY TO SHIFT GEARS. UPON INSPECTION, THE FAILURE WAS ATTRIBUTED TO A BUSHING THAT CONNECTS THE LOWER OF THE STICK SHIFT TO THE CABLES ATTACHED TO THE TRANSMISSION. THE PART WAS MADE OF PLASTIC OR VINYL AND IT SPLIT APART AROUND THE ENTIRE CIRCUMFERENCE, THUS ALLOWING THE CABLES TO COME OFF THE SHIFTER. *JB

Suspension › Rear
Filed Feb 19, 200485,500 milesIN

REAR SWAY BAR LINK ON 99' SC2 COUPE GONE DRY AT 85,000 MILES. MAKING LOUD ANNOYING CREAKING NOISE. THESE UNITS ARE SEALED AND NOT MENT FOR PERIODIC LUBRICATION. WHEN CALL WAS PLACED TO SATURN PARTS DEPARTMENT TO PRICE REPLACEMENT PART, PARTS CLERK KNEW RIGHT AWAY OFF THE TOP OF HIS HEAD THAT IT WAS $80.00 PER LINK. THINK THEY SELL MANY OF THESE FOR CLERK TO KNOW PRICE WITHOUT LOOKUP. THINK THIS IS COMMON PROBLEM THAT SATURN IS NOT WILLING TO ADMIT.

Seats › Front Assembly › ReclinerCrash2 injured
Filed Jan 20, 200449,000 milesCA

I WAS REAR-ENDED AT 65MPH ON 12-19. MY SEAT BACK COMPLETELY RECLINED AND PINNED MY 9 YEAR OLD SON. HE WAS UNCONCIOUS FOR SEVERAL SECONDS AND SUFFERED A CONCUSSION AND NECK PAIN. I SUFFERED NECK AND BACK INJURIES.*AK

Parking Brake
Filed Jan 14, 200461,000 milesTX

THE PLASTIC BUTTON THAT ATTACHES TO THE SPRING TO LOCK THE EMERGENCY BREAK INTO PLACE BROKE. THIS PIECE IS APPROXIMATELY ONE OUNCE AT MOST AND IT BROKE WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS UNOCCUPIED AND NOT ON AN INCLINE. HAD THE VEHICLE BEEN ON A HILL, IT WOULD HAVE GREATLY INCREASED THE CHANCES OF INJURIES AND/OR FATALITIES. WHEN I CONTACTED SATURN, I WAS ADVISED THAT THE REPAIR WOULD COST $250 AND THAT IT WAS COMMON ENOUGH TO WHICH IT HAD BEEN SEEN MULTIPLE TIMES BY THE MECHANICAL REPRESENTATIVE TO WHICH I WAS SPEAKING. I WAS FURTHER ADVISED THAT SINCE AN EMERGENCY BREAK IS NOT A SAFETY MECHANISM, IT WOULD NOT BE SUBJECT TO A RECALL OR A RECALL RELATED INVESTIGATION.*AK

Seats › Front Assembly › ReclinerCrash1 injured
Filed Jul 12, 2003CA

DRIVER'S SEAT COMPLETELY RECLINED DURING REAR END COLLISION, RESULTING IN NECK AND BACK INJURIES.*AK

Seat Belts › Front › Retractor
Filed Mar 17, 2003VA

THE SEAT BELTS DO NOT RETRACT. IT TAKES OVER 10 MINUTES FOR THEM TO RETRACT ONCE YOU UNFASTEN THEM. MY SEAT BELTS WERE REPLACED WHILE UNDER WARRANTY AND THE PROBLEM WAS STILL NOT CORRECTED. I WAS TOLD "THAT IS HOW THEY WORK". I AM NOW HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THEM LOCKING WHILE DRIVING. THE LOCKING IS NOT TRIGGERED BY ANYTHING THAT WE HAVE FOUND IT JUST WON'T MOVE WHEN YOU TRY TO. YOU CAN'T MOVE UNLESS YOU UNDO THE SEAT BELT WAIT FOR IT TO RETRACT AND THEN REFASTEN IT. WHEN YOU UNFASTEN IT THERE IS A CLICKING NOISE AS IT RETRACTS. THERE HAS ALWAYS BEEN A PROBLEM WITH THEM WANTING TO HANG UP WHEN YOU PULL ON IT TO PUT IT ON. THIS PROBLEM HAS EXISTED SINCE JUST A FEW MONTHS AFTER I BOUGHT THE CAR. IT CONTINUED TO GET WORSE. AFTER NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS THEY REPLACED ALL THE SEAT BELTS IN THE CAR. THE SITUATION IMPROVED SLIGHTLY BUT THEN STARTED GETTING WORSE AGAIN. FROM THAT POINT ON THEY TOLD ME THAT THERE WAS NOTHING THAT COULD BE DONE. *NLM

Air BagsCrash
Filed Jan 15, 2003NY

CONSUMER CALLED COMPLAINING ABOUT HER AIR BAGS NOT DEPLOYING. ALSO STATED THAT SHE WAS INVOLVED ON A FRONTAL COLLISION. MANUFACTURE WAS NOT CONTACTED.

Visibility › Sun/Moon Roof Assembly
Filed Oct 15, 2002NC

THE SUN ROOF FAILED, AND TO HAVE IT FIXED COST 1200 DOLLARS. I CONTACTED SATURN OF CARY AND SATURN CUSTOMER ASSISTANCE AT 18005536000 AND TALKED TO PEGGY. SHE SAID SINCE IT WAS NOT FIXED AT A SATURN DEALER THEY WOULD NOT CONSIDER IT. I TOLD HER OF MY PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE WITH MY PREVIOUS SATURN BURNING UP ALL BY ITSELF, AFTER THEY REPLACED A VALVE COVER GASKET, AND THE CAR BEING TOTALED. THEY DID NOTHING ABOUT THAT, EITHER. I HAD THE SUN ROOF FIXED BY TECHNIQUEST OF CARY, WHO SUGGESTED I GET SATURN TO HELP ME WITH THE COST OF THIS, AS 1200 DOLLARS TO REPAIR THIS, AND SATURN SURPRIZINGLY KEEPING PLENTY OF THIS ITEMS IN STOCK, POINT OT A PROBLEM SATURN DOES NOT WANT TO ADMIT TO. MR

Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Foundation ComponentsCrash1 injured
Filed Oct 8, 2002VA

WHILE IN MOTION, CONSUMER PLACED THE VEHICLE IN CRUISE CONTROL, MAINTAINING A SPEED OF 66 MPH. CONSUMER HAD TO APPLY THE BRAKES TO AVOID AN ACCIDENT. CONSUMER FELT THE BRAKES CATCH, THEN THERE WAS A LETTING GO FEELING. THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO FISHTAIL FROM SIDE TO SIDE. THE VEHICLE WAS UNRESPONSIVE TO THE BRAKING EFFORTS. CONSUMER TRIED TO EXIT THE ROAD. THE VEHICLE HIT THE RISING OF THE MEDIAN AND FLIPPED ONTO ITS ROOF. CONSUMER SUFFERED VARIOUS BODILY INJURIES. CONSUMER REQUESTS THE DEFECTS ENDURED BE INVESTIGATED, CONSUMER LOOKED AT THE BOTTOM OF THE VEHICLE AND OBSERVED THAT THE RIGHT REAR WHEEL HAD DE-BEADED AND HAD NO AIR, THIS IS WHAT CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO FISHTAIL, TIRE IS A FIRESTONE LEMANS HR TUBLPS 195/60R15, IN THE ACCIDENT, THE AIRBAG FAILED TO DEPLOY. *JG

Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited SlipCrash2 injured
Filed Oct 1, 2002VA

WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE; LOST CONTROL AND FLIP OVER AND NEITHER THE AIR BAG DEPLOY. DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. *MR THE BRAKE FAILED TO STOP THE VEHICLE. *YH

Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited SlipCrash1 injured
Filed Sep 10, 2002VA

DRIVER ATTEMTPED TO ENTER LEFT LANE ON INTERSTATE WHILE TRAVELING AT 65-67 MPH. WHILE ENTERING LANE, AND AT DIAGONAL, HAD TO HIT BARKES SUDDENLY DUE TO DRIVER IN CAR IMMEDIATELY AHEAD OF VEHICLE LEAVING RIGHT LANE WITHOUT NOTICE. HIT BARKES AND REAR RIGHT WHEEL "GAVE' AND CAR REAR END BEGAN TO FISHTAIL UNCONTROLLABLY. DRIVER HAD TO EXIT HIGHWAY TO CETER V-SHAPED MEDIAN. TRAVELING AT HIGH, THOUGH REDUCED RATE OF SPEED. CAR TRAVELED DOWN NEAR INCLINE INTO V OF MEDIAN CENTER. CAR HIT ASCENDING AREA OF MEDIANWITH FRONT (80%) LEFT (20%) PORTION OF VEHICLE. TORE OFF FOGS LIGHTS, BROKE LOWER AIR DAM AND TORE OFF LICENSE PLATE BRACKETT WHILE CRUMPLING LICENSE PLATE. LEFT FRONT TIRE HIT INCLINED AREA OF MEDIAN. VEHICLE FLIPPED ONTO ROOF. DESPITE IMPACT, AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. DRIVER SUFFERED CONCUSSION, BODY LACERATIONS, CERVICAL FRACTURE.BUMPER TRAVEL. *AK

Seat Belts › Front › Retractor
Filed Sep 5, 2002KY

REAR SEAT BELT WOULD NOT RELEASE, RENDERING PASSENGER UNPROTECTED IN CASE OF A CRASH. DRIVER SEAT BELT WOULD NOT RETRACT, LEAVING SEAT BELT VERY LOOSE, AND RENDERING DRIVER UNPROTECTED IN THE EVENT OF AN ACCIDENT.*AK

Seat Belts › Front › Anchorage
Filed Jun 20, 2002ID

REAR PASSENGER SIDE OUTBOARD SEAT SEATBELT WILL NOT RETRACT. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER, AND DEALER STATED THAT SEATBELT ASSEMBLY NEEDED REPLACEMENT. *AK *JG

Engine and Engine Cooling › Engine
Filed Jun 19, 2002MD

WHILE DRIVING 20 MPH THERE WAS A CLUNK TYPE NOISE AND WITHOUT ANY INDICATION VEHICLE STALLED. DEALER NOTICED VALVE SPRING WAS BROKEN. MANUFACTURER AND DEALER WERE CONTACTED. *AK DEALER FOUND SPRING VALVE BROKE, CAUSING THE PISTON TO HIT THE VALVE AND BEND THE VALVE. MECHANIC STATES THAT THE PROBLEM WAS A RESULT OF A MANUFACTURER DEFECT. SATURN FINALLY AGREED TO PAY A PORTION OF COST TO INSTALL NEW ENGINE. *TT

Engine and Engine Cooling › Exhaust System › Emission Control
Filed Apr 19, 2002MI

SERVICE ENGINE SOON LIGHT CAME ON, MECHANIC STATES THE OXYGEN SENSOR FAILED AND NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. NLM SATURN WILL NOT REPLACE OR FIX THE UNIT, ALSO, CONSUMER HAD TO REPLACE A MUFFLER ON THE VEHICLE. *JG

Seats
Filed Feb 12, 2002IL

CONSUMER STATES THE CHILD SEAT DOES NOT FIT SAFELY INTO THE VEHICLE, THIS STATEMENT CAME FROM A FIRE AND POLICE DEPARTMENT, THE CONSUMER WAS ASKING FOR A REFUND OR FOR AN EQUAL EXCHANGE. *YH *JB

SeatsCrash1 injured
Filed May 25, 2001FL

DRIVER SEAT RECLINED UPON IMPACT DURING A REAR-END COLLISION, CAUSING INJURY TO DRIVER'S BACK AND NECK.*AK

Tires › Tread/Belt
Filed Sep 1, 2000PA

ALMOST WRECKED 3 TIMES. TREADS WORE OUT PREMATURELY. SHOULD BE INCLUDED IN INVESTIGATION. NOT SAFE BY ANY STANDARDS!( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: 195/50/R16 )

Electrical System › HornCrash
Filed Nov 15, 1999OR

WHILE TRAVELING NOTICED ANOTHER VEHICLE ABOUT TO HIT CONSUMER'S VEHICLE. CONSUMER COULD NOT LOCATE HORN BUTTONS BECAUSE THEY WERE TO SMALL ON STERRING WHEEL AS ARESULT, VEHICLE WAS IN AN ACCIDENT . PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

Seat Belts › Front › Retractor
Filed Nov 1, 1999NY

WITH NORMAL USE, THE REAR SEAT BELTS HAVE JAMMED UP 3 TIMES IN THE PAST 10 MONTHS I HAVE OWNED THE VEHICLE. THE SEAT BELTS DO NOT EXTEND OR RETRACT RENDERING THEM INOPERABLE.

20 of 21 complaints, reproduced as filed.

Across model years

Worst on record: 1994
YearComplaintsRecallsFiresDeathsAssessment
200125200Routine
20008200Routine
1999 — this page21000Routine
199839000Routine
199761300Routine
199639010Routine
199559100Routine
199482110Routine
199358210Routine
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.

Most recent recall on file: none. Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation.