IllustrationWHILE DRIVING ABOUT 40 MPH ON HIGHWAY AND UPON DEPRESSING BRAKE PEDAL PEDAL WENT STRAIGHT TO FLOORBOARD, CAUSING EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE , AND RESULTING IN VEHICLE VEERING INTO ANOTHER LANE. CONSUMER HAD VEHICLE TOWED TO DEALER. *AK
1997 Saturn SC1
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 1997 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: 10 of 61 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.
- Seat Belts. Review the 14 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Electrical System. Review the 12 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Power Train. Review the 12 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
7 crash reports0 fire reports5 injury reports
Service Brakes, Hydraulic complaints
7 reportsFRONT ROTORS WENT OUT. DEALER HAD TO REPLACE ROTORS AND BRAKE PADS PER CONSUMER'S COST. DEALER HAS ADVISED CONSUMER THAT ROTORS WERE DEFECTIVE. THIS PROBLEM COULD HAVE CAUSED AN AUTOMOBILE ACCIDENT. *AK
WHEN DRIVING AT 50 MPH AND UPON MAKING A NORMAL STOP BRAKE PEDAL TRAVELED TO THE FLOORBOARD, CAUSING EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE, AND RESULTING IN VEHICLE RUNNING INTO A FIELD OVER A RAILROAD. VEHICLE WAS TOTALED. *AK *ML
AT 21,000 MILES THE BRAKES STARTED TO PULSATE. THE DEALER REPLACED THE WARPED ROTORS AND SCORED PADS. AT 42, 000 MILES THE SAME THING OCCURRED HOWEVER THE DEALER WOULD ONLY PAY HALF OF THE COST. THEY REPLACED THE ROTORS AND SAID THE PADS WERE FINE. NOW AT 51,000 MILES THE BRAKES ARE AGAIN BEGINNING TO PULSATE
I TOOK MY SATURN IN FOR ROUTINE MAINTENENCE AND REQUESTED THEY CHECK MY BRAKES. UPON INSPECTION THEY FOUND BOTH FRONT ROTORS WITH MANY CRACKS. THE BEARINGS NOR SPINDLE WERE REPLACED, AND BRAKES WERE FINE. I SUSPECT MANUFACTURE DEFECT. THEY SAID POSSIBLY I COULD HAVE BEEN ON LONG TRIP WHICH WOULD HEAT UP ROTORS AND DRIVEN THR…
Read full complaint
I TOOK MY SATURN IN FOR ROUTINE MAINTENENCE AND REQUESTED THEY CHECK MY BRAKES. UPON INSPECTION THEY FOUND BOTH FRONT ROTORS WITH MANY CRACKS. THE BEARINGS NOR SPINDLE WERE REPLACED, AND BRAKES WERE FINE. I SUSPECT MANUFACTURE DEFECT. THEY SAID POSSIBLY I COULD HAVE BEEN ON LONG TRIP WHICH WOULD HEAT UP ROTORS AND DRIVEN THRU PUDDLE OF WATER WHICH COULD HAVE CAUSE STEEL ROTORS TO CRACK. LUCKILY I CAUGHT THIS IN TIME BEFORE AN ACCIDENT COULD HAVE OCCURRED. *AK
DISC BRAKE SYSTEM FAILED, ROTORS WARPED. *YC
WHILE DRIVING WITH CRUISE CONTROL ACTIVATED THE VEHICLE WAS BRAKING AND THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED UP TO 80 MPH. THE BRAKING SYSTEM WAS INOPERATIVE, CAUSING A FRONTAL ACCIDENT WITH THE BARRIERS IN WHICH THE DRIVER'S AND PASSENGER'S AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY, FAILING TO PROTECT THE OCCUPANTS IN THIS ACCIDENT. *AK
Official recalls
397V161000 · Seat Belts:front:retractor
Sep 22, 1997
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. IF THE DRIVER OR FRONT PASSENGER SAFETY BELT IS PULLED OUT MUCH FASTER THAN NORMAL, A NUMBER OF TIME, THE LOCK-UP FEATURE OF THE RETRACTOR WILL NOT WORK PROPERLY.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: IN A RAPID DECELERATION OR VEHICLE CRASH, THE OCCUPANT WOULD NOT BE PROPERLY RESTRAINED INCREASING THE RISK OF PERSONAL INJURY.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE DRIVER AND FRONT PASSENGER SAFETY BELT RETRACTOR.
97V162000 · Exterior Lighting:headlights
Sep 22, 1997
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. THE SECTION OF THE OWNER'S HANDBOOK TITLED "HORIZONTAL AIM" DOES NOT SPECIFICALLY INSTRUCT AN OWNER HOW TO ADJUST THE HEADLAMP HORIZONTAL AIM. THIS DOES NOT COMPLY WITH REQUIREMENTS OF FMVSS NO. 108, "LAMPS, REFLECTIVE DEVICES, AND ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT."
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: A VEHICLE'S HEADLAMP WOULD NOT BE PROPERLY ADJUSTED CAUSING VISIBILITY PROBLEMS TO ONCOMING VEHICLES.
Remedy: OWNERS ARE BEING PROVIDED WITH A LABEL WITH THE CORRECT INFORMATION ON HEADLAMP HORIZONTAL AIM TO BE PLACED OVER THE EXISTING TEXT IN THE OWNER'S HANDBOOK. IF AN OWNER DESIRES, THEIR DEALER CAN PLACE THE STICKER IN THE OWNER'S HANDBOOK FOR THEM.
96V153000 · Seats
Aug 23, 1996
THE FRONT PASSENGER SEATS HAVE LESS LOCK PAWL ENGAGEMENT ON THE INBOARD FORE/AFT ADJUSTER THAN SPECIFIED. THIS DOES NOT COMPLY WITH FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 207, "SEATING SYSTEMS."
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THIS CONDITION COULD RESULT IN SEAT MOVEMENT WITH A BELTED OCCUPANT DURING A MODERATE TO SEVERE FRONTAL IMPACT.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT AND REPLACE THE PASSENGER SEAT INBOARD FORE/AFT ADJUSTER.
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.