IllustrationOIL IS CONSUMED COMPLETELY BETWEEN 2,000 TO 3,000 MILES WITH VEHICLE IN DEALERSHIP EVERY OTHER WEEK. DEALERSHIP POLISHED HEADS, ETC., ANOTHER DEALERSHIP CONDUCTED AN OIL CONSUMPTION TEST WHICH FOUND SEVERAL LEAKS AND OTHER AREAS THAT WAS CONTAMINATED WITH OIL. PLEASE DESCRIBE DETAILS. *AK
1993 Saturn SC1
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 1993 Saturn SC1 do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 39.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all SC1 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: 6 of 58 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.
- Seats. Review the 12 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Service Brakes, Hydraulic. Review the 12 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Electrical System. Review the 9 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
11 crash reports1 fire reports7 injury reports
What owners actually said
58 reportsROTORS CONTAMINATED WITH SAND/SALT, CAUSING VEHICLE VIBRATION WHEN BRAKING.
DRIVER'S SEAT COLLAPSED DURING REAR-END COLLISION, CAUSING SERIOUS SPINAL INJURY TO DRIVER. *AK
AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION: WHEN PUT VEHICLE IN REVERSE DOES NOT ENGAGE IMMEDIATELY UNLESS PRESSED ON THE ACCELERATOR VIGOROUSLY. THERE IS A DELAY AND THE VEHICLE MOVES ABRUPTLY AND IS DIFFICULT TO CONTROL. *AK
UNEVEN WEAR ON FRONT BRAKE PADS DUE TO CALIPERS MALFUNCTIONING.
TIMING CHAIN TENSIONER FAILED CAUSING, ENGINE TO SEIZE.
PREMATURE INFLATION OF THE DRIVER'S SIDE AIRBAG, OWNER FEELS AIRBAG WAS OVERSENSATIVE. *AK
HAD TO REPLACE THE BATTERY THREE TIMES WITH ONLY SEVENTEEN THOUSAND MILES ON IT. TT
ROTORS HAVE BEEN REPAIRED THREE TIMES FOR WARPING. TT
REAR OF CAR STARTED TO PULL LEFT/APPLIED BRAKES CAR SPUN OUT OF CONTROL HITTING A WALL. LEFT REAR WHEEL BROKE OFF. *SD
Official recalls
293V132000 · Electrical System:alternator/generator/regulator
Aug 10, 1993
THE GENERATOR ELECTRICAL WIRING IS NOT PROTECTED AGAINST EXCESSIVE CURRENT FLOW WHICH MAY BE CAUSED BY AN ELECTRICAL SHORT CIRCUIT IN THE GENERATOR.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: SHOULD AN ELECTRICAL SHORT CIRCUIT OCCUR IN THEGENERATOR, THE GENERATOR WIRING HARNESS WOULD EXPERIENCE EXCESSIVE CURRENT FLOW.UNDER CERTAIN CONDITIONS, ENOUGH HEAT COULD BE GENERATED TO IGNITE SURROUNDINGMATERIALS. IF THIS OCCURS, AN UNDERHOOD FIRE COULD RESULT WITH OR WITHOUT THEENGINE RUNNING AND WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING.
Remedy: THE GENERATOR WIRING HARNESS WILL BE REPLACED WITH ONE THAT WILL OPEN AS A FUSE WOULD UNDER CERTAIN EXCESSIVE CURRENT FLOW CONDITIONS.
93V094000 · Electrical SYSTEM:12V/24V/48V Battery:cables
May 25, 1993
THE POSITIVE BATTERY CABLE TERMINAL AT THE STARTER SOLENOID MAY BE FORMED INCORRECTLY. INCORRECTLY FORMED TERMINALS CAN CONTACT THE STARTER SOLENOID HOUSING AND CAUSE AN ELECTRIC SHORT CIRCUIT.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: AN ELECTRICAL SHORT CIRCUIT BETWEEN THE BATTERY CABLE ANDTHE STARTER HOUSING CAN RESULT IN AN UNDERHOOD FIRE.
Remedy: INSPECT AND, IF NECESSARY, ADJUST THE CLEARANCE BETWEEN THE POSITIVE BATTERY CABLE TERMINAL SO THAT IT DOES NOT CONTACT THE STARTER SOLENOID HOUSING.
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
2EA95003 · Cruise Control Failures
Opened Feb 24, 1995 · Closed May 31, 1996
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Equipment
THIS INVESTIGATION DOCUMENTED HTE FUNCTIONAL ABERATIONS THAT HAVE OCCURRED IN THE PERFORMANCE OF THE SUBJECT CRUISE CONTROL SYSTEM.MOST OF THE MALFUNCTIONS INVOLVED FAILURE OF THE SYSTEM TO PROPERLY REGULATE VEHICLE SPEED WHEN ENGAGED, FAILURE OF THE SYSTEM TO ENGAGE, OR SELF-DISENGAGEMENT OF THE SYSTEM. THESE PROBLEMS WERE INVESTIGATED AND STEPS TAKEN BY THE MANUFACTURER TO REMEDY THEIR OCCURRENCES.SERVICE PROCEDURES WERE ISSUED FOR VEHICLES IN USE, AND A DESIGN MODIFICATION MADE FOR NEW VEHICLES.NO CONFIRMED ALLEGATIONS OF FAILURE OF THE SYSTEM TO DISENGAGE UPON COMMAND WERE IDENTIFIED.IMPROVED QUALITY CONTROL PROCEDURES AND DESIGN MODIFICATIONSIN THE SYSTEM WERE UNDERTAKEN TO ENSURE A MORE CONSISTENT LEVEL OF SYSTEM PERFORMANCE.THE DETAILS OF THESE FINDINGS AND THE RESULTING CONCLUSIONS ARE CONTAINED INTHE SUBJECT ENGINEERING ANALYSIS CLOSING REPORT.A SAFETY-RELATED DEFECT TREND WAS NOT IDENTIFIED AT EHIS TIME AND FURTHER USE OF AGENCY RESOURCES DOES NOT CONSTITUTE A FINDING BY NHTSA THAT A SAFETY-RELATED DEFECT DOES NOT EXIST.THE AGENCY WILL TAKE FURTHER ACTION IF WARRANTED BY THE CIRCUMSTANCES.
PE94079 · Cruise Control Failure
Opened Nov 7, 1994 · Closed Feb 24, 1995
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Equipment
There is no summary currently available