IllustrationSUDDEN FAILURE (CRACK) IN CYLINDER HEAD. *PH
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
Compare all Sc years →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
What owners actually said
24 reportsWHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE OVERHEATED AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON THE DASHBOARD. *NM THE CONSUMER RECEIVED A LETTER FROM THE MANUFACTURER WHICH STATED THAT SOME VEHICLE EQUIPPED WITH 1.9 LITER ENGINES MAY DEVELOP A CRACK INTERNAL TO THE CYLINDER HEAD. THE LETTER ALSO STATED THAT THIS SPECIAL POLICY PROVIDED COVER…
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WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE OVERHEATED AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON THE DASHBOARD. *NM THE CONSUMER RECEIVED A LETTER FROM THE MANUFACTURER WHICH STATED THAT SOME VEHICLE EQUIPPED WITH 1.9 LITER ENGINES MAY DEVELOP A CRACK INTERNAL TO THE CYLINDER HEAD. THE LETTER ALSO STATED THAT THIS SPECIAL POLICY PROVIDED COVERAGE FOR A PERIOD OF 6 YEARS/100000 MILES. AT APPROXIMATELY 45000 MILES A CRACK WAS DISCOVERED. THE DEALER REFUSED TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE UNTIL THE CONSUMER AUTHORIZED A $500. DIAGNOSTIC. THE CONSUMER REFUSED. *NM
I TOOK MY 1999 SATURN SC1 IN TO THE DEALER FOR A RESONATOR REPLACEMENT AND WHEEL ROTATION AND BALANCE AT 49,091 MILES. THE DEALER CALLED ME TO SAY THE UPPER ENGINE MOUNT HAD TO BE REPLACED. LAST WEEK, WHEN WE TOOK MY WIFE'S 1996 SL1 IN FOR ENGINE NOISE, WE WERE ALSO TOLD WE HAD TO REPLACE THE ENGINE MOUNT. WITH MY 1999 SC1, I…
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I TOOK MY 1999 SATURN SC1 IN TO THE DEALER FOR A RESONATOR REPLACEMENT AND WHEEL ROTATION AND BALANCE AT 49,091 MILES. THE DEALER CALLED ME TO SAY THE UPPER ENGINE MOUNT HAD TO BE REPLACED. LAST WEEK, WHEN WE TOOK MY WIFE'S 1996 SL1 IN FOR ENGINE NOISE, WE WERE ALSO TOLD WE HAD TO REPLACE THE ENGINE MOUNT. WITH MY 1999 SC1, IT HAS BEEN TAKEN IN FOR ALL REGULARLY SCHEDULED MAINTENANCE -- WHY DOES THE ENGINE MOUNTS ON SATURNS NEED REPLACING?. *JB
THE DRIVER'S SEAT ROCKED BACK AND FOURTH. *JB
THE DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT DOES NOT HOLD ITS POSITION. PH
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.
CONSUMER STATES THAT THE VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A DIRECT FRONTAL COLLISION AT 35 MPH. UPON IMPACT THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOYED. RESULTING IN MINOR INJURIES. DEALER WOULD BE NOTIFIED. FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*JB
CONSUMER IS CONCERNED ABOUT THE PASSENGER SIDE SUN VISOR. THE VISOR HAS A MIRROR WITHOUT A COVER. WHEN POSITIONED TO BLOCK THE SUN, THE MIRROR CATCHES THE SUN RAYS AND REFLECTS TO OTHER DRIVERS AND PEDESTRIANS WHO COULD BE DISTRACTED, RESULTING IN AN ACCIDENT. *JG
IN WINTER FRONT WINDSHIELD AND FRONT WINDOW GLASSES WILL FREEZE, AND WILL NOT GET CLEAR, EVEN WHEN USING HEATER. DEALER HAD BEEN CONTACTED, BUT HAD NO RESOLUTION TO PROBLEM.*AK
CONSUMER WAS DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 65 -70 MPH AND FELL ASLEEP BEHIND WHEEL AND WAS REARENDED. AT THAT TIME, IT WAS TOO LATE FOR CONSUMER TO STOP, AND VEHICLE FELL INTO DITCH. DUAL AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY, WHICH COULD HAVE CAUSED INJUIRES. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK
Official recalls
199V280000 · 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
0No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.