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1999 Saturn Sc

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Similar to other model years

Owner complaints for the 1999 Saturn Sc do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 23.5.

About this comparison →

How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

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

What owners reported most

All reported categories

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: 10 of 24 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.

  • Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 7 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Air Bags. Review the 4 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Seats. Review the 3 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

5 crash reports1 fire reports4 injury reports

Power Train complaints

2 reports
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86,000 miles · Jan 18, 2010
Power Train

TODAY I WENT TO PUT MY 1999 5 SPEED SATURN SC1 INTO REVERSE. WHEN I DID, I FELT A POP AND WAS STUCK IN REVERSE. AFTER REMOVING THE CONSOLE, WE FOUND THAT THE PLASTIC BUSHING HOLDING THE GEARSHIFT ROD TO THE CABLE HAD SNAPPED. (LUCKILY I WAS IN A PARKING LOT WHEN THIS OCCURRED). THIS COULD'VE BEEN A DANGEROUS SITUATION. SATURN R…

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TODAY I WENT TO PUT MY 1999 5 SPEED SATURN SC1 INTO REVERSE. WHEN I DID, I FELT A POP AND WAS STUCK IN REVERSE. AFTER REMOVING THE CONSOLE, WE FOUND THAT THE PLASTIC BUSHING HOLDING THE GEARSHIFT ROD TO THE CABLE HAD SNAPPED. (LUCKILY I WAS IN A PARKING LOT WHEN THIS OCCURRED). THIS COULD'VE BEEN A DANGEROUS SITUATION. SATURN REFUSES TO SELL THE BUSHING BY ITSELF AND WILL ONLY SELL IT AS A PART OF A $250 GEARSHIFT CABLE KIT, EVEN THOUGH THE BUSHING IS THE ONLY BROKEN PART. THE SERVICE/PARTS EMPLOYEE ACKNOWLEDGED THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM, AND IF THE BUSHING WERE MADE OF METAL AND NOT PLASTIC IT PROBABLY WOULDN'T HAVE BROKEN. WE TEMPORARILY WIRED THE ROD TO THE CABLE TO GET HOME, BUT DO NOT FEEL SAFE DRIVING THE CAR UNTIL IT IS PERMANENTLY FIXED. IT IS A RIP-OFF THAT SATURN WILL NOT SELL THE REPLACEMENT PART FOR A REASONABLE PRICE. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10300201

Mileage unknown · Feb 3, 2003
Power Train

ON DECEMBER 22, 2002, I DISCOVERED A LEAK FROM MY CAR. I NEEDED SOMEONE TO LOOK AT THE CAR IMMEDIATELY JUST TO HAVE AN IDEA OF HOW SERIOUS THE LEAK WAS. AT 7 AM THE FOLLOWING MORNING I CALLED HIGHWOOD AUTO WHICH IS VERY CLOSE TO ME AND SOMEONE CAME AND TOWED THE CAR TO THE SHOP. THEY LATER CALLED TO SAY IT WAS A TRANSMISSION …

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ON DECEMBER 22, 2002, I DISCOVERED A LEAK FROM MY CAR. I NEEDED SOMEONE TO LOOK AT THE CAR IMMEDIATELY JUST TO HAVE AN IDEA OF HOW SERIOUS THE LEAK WAS. AT 7 AM THE FOLLOWING MORNING I CALLED HIGHWOOD AUTO WHICH IS VERY CLOSE TO ME AND SOMEONE CAME AND TOWED THE CAR TO THE SHOP. THEY LATER CALLED TO SAY IT WAS A TRANSMISSION LEAK AND I SHOULD CALL SATURN. UPON OF EXPLAINING MY SITUATION TO SATURN OF PARAMUS THEY TOLD ME MY WARRANTY WAS EXPIRED AND SUGGESTED I TRADE IN THE CAR FOR A NEW ONE. I LIVE IN AN AREA WHERE I NEED A CAR AT ALL TIMES AND SO I TOLD HIGHWOOD AUTO TO INVESTIGATE THE LEAK FURTHER. THEY TOOK THE CAR APART AND FOUND THAT THE TRANSMISSION HAS A HOLE. I CALLED SATURN CORPORATION AND THEY TOLD ME THAT THAT WAS UNUSUAL AND THAT THEY COULD ASSIST ME, BUT ONLY IF A SATURN TECHNICIAN LOOKS AT THE CAR. SATURN OF PARAMUS SAID THEY WOULD HAVE TO HAVE THE CAR TAKEN TO THEM INTACT. THIS WAS NOT POSSIBLE, SO I WENT AHEAD AND INSTRUCTED HIGHWOOD AUTO TO FIX MY CAR, AS I LIVE IN AN AREA WHERE I NEED ONE.

NHTSA ODI #10005181

Official recalls

1

99V280000 · Seat Belts:front:anchorage

Oct 20, 1999

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. THESE VEHICLES DO NOT COMPLY WITH REQUIREMENTS OF FMVSS NO. 210, "SEAT BELT ASSEMBLY ANCHORAGES." SOME OF THE VEHICLES WERE PRODUCED WITH SEAT BELT SHOULDER GUIDE ANCHOR BOLTS THAT WERE NOT ADEQUATELY TIGHTENED AT THE CENTER PILLAR AND COULD FALL OUT, MAKING THE SEAT BELT INOPERATIVE.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: IN THE EVENT OF A CRASH, THE SEAT OCCUPANT MAY NOT BE PROPERLY RESTRAINED.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT THESE VEHICLES FOR PROPER INSTALLATION AND TORQUE OF THE SEAT BELT SHOULDER GUIDE ANCHOR BOLTS.

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.