IllustrationWHILE DRIVING SEATBACK MECHANISM RELEASED, CAUSING SEATBACK TO RECLINE BACKWARD. VEHICLE NOT INCLUDED IN RECALL. 99V045000. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS.*AK
1995 Saturn SC1
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 1995 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 59 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 17 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 7 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Service Brakes, Hydraulic. Review the 7 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
10 crash reports0 fire reports9 injury reports
What owners actually said
59 reportsI WAS REAR-ENDED BY A LARGE SUV WHILE I WAS STOPPED IN TRAFFIC AND WAS PUSHED INTO ANOTHER VEHICLE. I WAS WEARING MY SEAT BELT. MY NECK SNAPPED IN DURING THE ACCIDENT AND THE ENTIRE DRIVER SEAT COLLAPSED AND RECLINED FULLY DURING IMPACT.*AK
I HAVE BEEN TOLD BY SEVERAL MECHANICS THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THIS MODEL YEAR.
I HAVE BEEN TOLD BY SEVERAL MECHANICS THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THIS MODEL YEAR. NO SAFETY DEFECT LIST. *AK *NLM **DIMSII IVOQ ENTRY POSTED AFTER 12/12/02 CUT-OVER TO ARTEMIS*734321
WHEN VEHICLE CRASHED INTO THE PASSENGER'S SIDE OF A FORD, F150, SATURN TRAVELING A LITTLE OVER 35 MPH, THERE WAS NO DEPLOYMENT OF THE DRIVER'S SIDE OR PASSENGER'S SIDE AIR BAGS. VEHICLE WILL BE REPAIRED. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK
CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING ABOUT 30-35MPH, LIGHT WAS GREEN & MAKING LEFT TURN WHEN ANOTHER VEHICLE RAN INTO CONSUMER'S VEHICLE ON DRIVER'S SIDE. UPON IMPACT, AIRBAGS DIDN'T DEPLOY. DEALER WILL BE CONTACTED & FILE COMPLAINT.
I HAVE CONTACTED THE DEALER AND THEY FIXED THE WINDOW, BUT I HAD TO PAY FOR IT. I CAN'T BELIEVE THAT 2 WINDOWS QUIT WORKING WITHIN ONE MONTH OF EACH OTHER. THE MOTOR ON THE DRIVER SIDE WINDOW WENT OUT. THE MOTOR FOR THE SUNROOF STILL WORKS, BUT THE CABLES BROKE AND NOW THEY WANT TO CHARGE ME CLOSE TO $600.00 TO FIX IT! I CAN…
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I HAVE CONTACTED THE DEALER AND THEY FIXED THE WINDOW, BUT I HAD TO PAY FOR IT. I CAN'T BELIEVE THAT 2 WINDOWS QUIT WORKING WITHIN ONE MONTH OF EACH OTHER. THE MOTOR ON THE DRIVER SIDE WINDOW WENT OUT. THE MOTOR FOR THE SUNROOF STILL WORKS, BUT THE CABLES BROKE AND NOW THEY WANT TO CHARGE ME CLOSE TO $600.00 TO FIX IT! I CAN'T BELIEVE THAT THE CABLES WOULD COME APART LIKE THAT, I FEE THAT IT IS A DEFECTIVE PART, BUT NO ONE WANTS TO HELP ME WITH THIS! AS THEY ARE SAYING IT IS NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTY, BUT MY POINT IS THAT I DON'T USE THE SUNROOF ENOUGH FOR THIS TO HAPPEN! *AK
SEAT FALLS BACK WHEN ACCELERATING OR STOPPING, CAUSING SAFETY HAZARD. SATURN SENT LETTER TO INFORM OF RECALL, I WENT TO HAVE PROBLEM FIXED, SATURN DECLINED. STATING THAT THEY SENT THE LETTER IN ERRON, ALTHOUGH MY CAR HAS THE PROBLEM. *AK
PLASTIC EMERGENCY PARKING BRAKE CRACKED, CAUSING EMERGENCY PARKING BRAKE TO BECOME INOPERATIVE. THIS TIP SHOULD BE MADE OF METAL AS IS THE REST OF THE PARKING BRAKE. *AK.ET.
I CANNOT BELIEVE THAT A CAR, RECOMMENDED BY CONSUMER REPORTS, CAN HAVE SO MANY SERIOUS FAILURES! THANK GOD I PURCHASED THE EXTENDED VEHICLE WARRANTY. I LIVE ON A SMALL DISABILITY INCOME AND CANNNOT AFFORD EVEN THE CONSTANT $50.00 DEDUCTIBLE. CURRENTLY THE SUNROOF IS BROKEN AGAIN, THE PASSANGER WINDOW DOESN'T ALWAYS GO DOWN, THE …
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I CANNOT BELIEVE THAT A CAR, RECOMMENDED BY CONSUMER REPORTS, CAN HAVE SO MANY SERIOUS FAILURES! THANK GOD I PURCHASED THE EXTENDED VEHICLE WARRANTY. I LIVE ON A SMALL DISABILITY INCOME AND CANNNOT AFFORD EVEN THE CONSTANT $50.00 DEDUCTIBLE. CURRENTLY THE SUNROOF IS BROKEN AGAIN, THE PASSANGER WINDOW DOESN'T ALWAYS GO DOWN, THE GEAR INDICATOR FOR MY TRANSMISSION IS STUCK SOMEWHERE BETWEEN PARK AND REVERSE. I THOUGHT I PURCHASED A RELIABLE CAR. I HAVE HAD LESS PROBLEMS WITH CARS I PURCHASED THAT WERE 5 YEARS OLD AT THE TIME. THIS ONE IS NOT 5 YET!
Official recalls
199V045000 · Seats
Mar 12, 1999
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. SOME FRONT SEAT BACK RECLINER GEAR TEETH MAY WEAR EXCESSIVELY THROUGH REPEATED USE, AND COULD CAUSE THE SEAT BACK TO SLIP PARTIALLY REARWARD WHEN FORCE IS APPLIED.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: IF THIS HAPPENS WHILE THE VEHICLE IS BEING DRIVEN, IT COULD CAUSE A LOSS OF CONTROL, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE FRONT SEAT RECLINER MECHANISMS.
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
3RQ00005 · Front Seat Back Can Recline Or Collapse
Opened Feb 16, 2000 · Closed Aug 19, 2000
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Seats:front Assembly:recliner
No summary supplied.
EA95003 · 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