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1998 Saturn Sc

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Limited comparison data

There is not enough comparable history to draw a useful model-year comparison.

About this comparison →
13Owner complaints

Model-year median: 23.5

0Recall campaigns

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0Investigations

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How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

Other model years Selected year
39
199526
199633
199713
199824
19997
200021
2001
Compare all Sc years →

Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.

What owners reported most

Power Train
4Engine And Engine Cooling
3Air Bags
1Electrical System
1Equipment
1
All reported categories
Latches/locks/linkages
1Service Brakes
1Service Brakes, Hydraulic
1Steering
1Tires
1Unknown Or Other
1Vehicle Speed Control
1

Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.

When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

Limited mileage data: 5 of 13 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.

NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.

What to inspect

Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.

  • Power Train. Review the 4 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 3 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Air Bags. Review the 1 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

1 crash reports0 fire reports0 injury reports

Power Train complaints

4 reports
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97,112 miles · May 26, 2009
Latches/locks/linkagesPower Train

AS I'M PULLING AWAY FROM A STOP SIGN, I GO TO SHIFT INTO 2ND GEAR & IT'S AS IF MY MANUAL GEAR SHIFTER IS NOT ATTACHED TO ANYTHING. I AM NOW NOT IN ANY GEAR , UNABLE TO SHIFT INTO GEAR, & LEFT COASTING ACROSS A 4 LANE, 2 WAY STREET. ALSO, BOTH FRONT SEAT SEATBELTS ONLY RETRACT ABOUT HALF WAY, AND IT HAS BEEN THAT WAY FROM AT LE…

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AS I'M PULLING AWAY FROM A STOP SIGN, I GO TO SHIFT INTO 2ND GEAR & IT'S AS IF MY MANUAL GEAR SHIFTER IS NOT ATTACHED TO ANYTHING. I AM NOW NOT IN ANY GEAR , UNABLE TO SHIFT INTO GEAR, & LEFT COASTING ACROSS A 4 LANE, 2 WAY STREET. ALSO, BOTH FRONT SEAT SEATBELTS ONLY RETRACT ABOUT HALF WAY, AND IT HAS BEEN THAT WAY FROM AT LEAST 17000 MILES. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10270017

80,085 miles · Mar 25, 2004
Power Train

MANUEL SHIFT HANDLE DISENGAGED FROM TRANSMISSION CABLE ON FLOOR WHEN SHIFTING. CAR WAS UNABLE TO BE SHIFTED TO LOWER GEAR TO CROSS HIGHWAY SAFELY .

NHTSA ODI #10063899

Mileage unknown · Jan 15, 2004
Engine And Engine CoolingPower Train

AIR CONDITIONING UNIT STOPPED COOLING.DEALER WANTED TO TROUBLE SHOOT@$80.00/HOUR. HAYNES SERVICE MANUAL SAID TO CHECK FUSE .REPLACED DIODE @$4.00 AND FIXED MYSELF. MANUAL TRANSMISSION WHINING IN 2ND AND 3RD GEAR. CHECKED TRANSMISSION DIPSTICK AND TRANSMISSION FLUID WAS LOW. ADDED FLUID AND ANYTHING OVER 1 QUART POURED OUT. HAD…

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AIR CONDITIONING UNIT STOPPED COOLING.DEALER WANTED TO TROUBLE SHOOT@$80.00/HOUR. HAYNES SERVICE MANUAL SAID TO CHECK FUSE .REPLACED DIODE @$4.00 AND FIXED MYSELF. MANUAL TRANSMISSION WHINING IN 2ND AND 3RD GEAR. CHECKED TRANSMISSION DIPSTICK AND TRANSMISSION FLUID WAS LOW. ADDED FLUID AND ANYTHING OVER 1 QUART POURED OUT. HAD TRANSMISSION SHOP CHECK IT OUT FOR BLOWN SEAL AND THEY FOUND INTERNAL METAL FRACTURE IN TRANSAXLE INNER CASE CAUSED BY SHEAR PIN MOVEMENT. SATURN ISSUED SERVICE MANUAL NOTIFICATION IN JAN.1998. DEALER AND SATURN ARE NO HELP. VEHICLE ONLY WARRANTEED 3 YEARS OR 36K EVEN THOUGH THIS HAS BEEN A KNOWN PROBLEM SINCE 1997. SATURN BLAMES OWNERS FOR THEIR BAD ENGINEERING AND DOES NOT STAND BEHIND THEIR CRAPPY VEHICLES

NHTSA ODI #10070205

Mileage unknown · Apr 10, 2000
Power Train

TRANSMISSION FAILURE RESULTED IN LEAKAGE. *MJS

NHTSA ODI #551807

Official recalls

0

No recalls in this snapshot.

Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗

NHTSA investigations

0

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.