1996 Saturn SC1 problems
Owners have filed 43 complaints with NHTSA about the 1996 Saturn SC1. Electrical system is the most reported problem area, at 23% of complaints. Next are engine (19%) and wipers, windshield & visibility (12%).
At a glance
- Complaints
- 43 filed with NHTSA
- Most reported
- Electrical system 23% of complaints
- Crashes and fires
- 6 and 1
- Injuries and deaths
- 2 and 0
- Typical mileage
- 80,000 miles 11 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 | 0 |
| 20k to 40k miles | 1 |
| 40k to 60k miles | 2 |
| 60k to 80k miles | 2 |
| 80k to 100k miles | 2 |
| 100k to 120k miles | 2 |
| 120k to 140k miles | 0 |
| 140k to 160k miles | 1 |
| 160k to 180k miles | 0 |
| 180k to 200k miles | 1 |
| 200k+ miles | 0 |
What the data shows
Of the 11 complaints that include odometer readings, half describe a problem before roughly 80,000 miles.
Safety-related details: 6 complaints mention a crash; 1 complaint mentions a fire; 2 injuries reported.
Looking only at complaints filed within five years of the model year (so older and newer years are comparable), the 1996 ranks 7th most-complained-about out of 8 model years of the Saturn SC1 with enough data (20 complaints in that window).
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 lost control of auto and hit light pole, air bags did not deploy. Consumer sustained injuries due to accident. *slc
Automobile was not running and engine was cold, it had only been backed down the driveway into the street. It had been sitting approx 10 minnutes before it burst into flames.
During frontal impact at 45 to 50 MPH, the driver's and passnger's side air bags did not deploy. Please provide details.
Sunroof failed to close when it started to rain....took to saturn to be looked at and they told me it was the cables...they then told me it would cost $954.00 to fix, the sunroof has barely been used on this car, as I have been the only owner and would know, it seems ridiculous that it would break after only a few uses, seems more like a defective part. Because the sunroof is stuck partially open it caused water damage to the slider, and I have to push it down every time I get into or out of the car.
Frame on passenger side failed on second saturn. This caused the car to stop and motor to fail below bottom of the car. Also broke cv joint to transmission. Very common.