1997 Saturn SC problems
Owners have filed 44 complaints with NHTSA about the 1997 Saturn SC. Electrical system is the most reported problem area, at 27% of complaints. Next are engine (16%) and seat belts (14%).
At a glance
- Complaints
- 44 filed with NHTSA
- Most reported
- Electrical system 27% of complaints
- Crashes and fires
- 4 and 1
- Injuries and deaths
- 1 and 1
- Typical mileage
- 103,000 miles 17 complaints with mileage
Source: NHTSA owner complaints
Where the complaints are
Share of this model year's complaints by the part of the car involved. One complaint can name more than one part, so the shares can add up to more than 100%.
When problems show up
View the numbers
| Mileage | Complaints |
|---|---|
| 0k to 20k miles | 4 |
| 20k to 40k miles | 0 |
| 40k to 60k miles | 0 |
| 60k to 80k miles | 0 |
| 80k to 100k miles | 3 |
| 100k to 120k miles | 4 |
| 120k to 140k miles | 0 |
| 140k to 160k miles | 1 |
| 160k to 180k miles | 5 |
| 180k to 200k miles | 0 |
| 200k+ miles | 0 |
What the data shows
Of the 17 complaints that include odometer readings, half describe a problem before roughly 103,000 miles.
Safety-related details: 4 complaints mention a crash; 1 complaint mentions a fire; 1 injury reported; 1 death reported.
Looking only at complaints filed within five years of the model year (so older and newer years are comparable), the 1997 ranks 4th most-complained-about out of 8 model years of the Saturn SC with enough data (18 complaints in that window). It is also covered by 3 safety recall campaigns.
What owners wrote
A few complaints as filed, shortened and with personal details removed. The first ones are among the most serious reports for this model year; the rest are typical.
Consumer recently recieved recall letter 99v-280 from saturn concerning seat belt failure, consumers child was a passenger and was killed in a vehicle collision and the consumer feels there is a possibility that the recalled component experienced failure and could have been the cause of death.
While driving 3 MPH, the frontal air bags deployed inadvertently. This caused the passenger to sustained minor injuries. Please provide further details.
When driving at 55 MPH vehicle was involved in a head-on collision, rear end damage. Vehicle went into an embankment, and neither driver's side nor passenger's side air bag deployed. Vehicle was a total loss. The vehicle hydroplaned and the driver spun around the front end and the rear end was damaged by hitting the highway center divide.
Vehicle to date is on it's 3rd battery & alternator with only 36,000 miles on it. Dealer said it was a flaw w/battery/alternator. Battery/alternator 1st replaced july - aug 2002 approx 16,000 miles, second replacement oct 2004 battery & alternator 32,000 approx miles. Battery prorated/replaced alternator - owner must pay for full repairs. Also, ignition has been replaced twice and repaired once.
I was driving the above mentioned vehicle (saturn sc1 1997) north bound on fl turnpike when the road felt really bumpy and suddenly pieces of debris started flying by the window and a large bundle of wires was flapping on the hood, coming from the front of the car; which I had to eased over to the left shoulder, got out of the vehicle immediately and contacted geico road service.