IllustrationTHE DESIGN OF PASSENGER'S SIDE AIR BAG IS DEFECTIVE. WHEN DEPLOYED IT CAN KILL YOUNG CHILDREN AND SMALL ADULTS. CONCERN ABOUT AIR BAG SAFETY (OTHER THAN SHORT PERSON). ADDED ON 09-07-1999. *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
What owners actually said
61 reportsWHEN PULLING OUT THE SEAT BELT ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE IT WOULD JAM IN THE RETRACTOR, BUT WOULD RELEASE AFTER 48 HOURS. THE WHOLE SEAT BELT WAS REPLACED ON NOVEMBER 28TH BY DEALERSHIP. THE SEAT BELT JAMMED AGAIN AND DID NOT RELEASE AT ALL. THE BELT WAS REPLACED AGAIN ON DECEMBER 23, 1997. THE SEAT BELT JAMMED AGAIN AND WAS REPLAC…
Read full complaint
WHEN PULLING OUT THE SEAT BELT ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE IT WOULD JAM IN THE RETRACTOR, BUT WOULD RELEASE AFTER 48 HOURS. THE WHOLE SEAT BELT WAS REPLACED ON NOVEMBER 28TH BY DEALERSHIP. THE SEAT BELT JAMMED AGAIN AND DID NOT RELEASE AT ALL. THE BELT WAS REPLACED AGAIN ON DECEMBER 23, 1997. THE SEAT BELT JAMMED AGAIN AND WAS REPLACED ON JAN 20, 1998 FOR THE THIRD TIME. *AK
DRIVER'S SAFETY BELT HAS BEEN REPLACED THREE TIMES.
REAR WINDOW EXTERIOR CLIPS, LOCATED AT THE BASE OF THE GLASS, SOUNDS LIKE A SQUEAKY MATTRESS.
REAR WINDOW EXTERIOR CLIPS, LOCATED AT THE BASE OF THE GLASS, SOUNDS LIKE A SQUEAKY MATTRESS.
WINDSHIELD GLASS CREATES FLUFFY SPOTS WHEN HUMIDITY IS HIGH, IMPAIRING DRIVER'S VISION. SPOTS FAILED TO BE REMOVED EVEN WITH WINDSHIELD WIPERS. MANUFACTURER DOESN'T FEEL THIS IS A SAFETY FACTOR, NO REMEDY TO CONSIDER. *AK
SPEEDOMETER INDICATES FALSE SPEED DUE TO POOR DESIGN.
SEAT BELT TIGHTENS ON ANY TYPE OF SUDDEN MOVEMENT.
UPON INITIAL START UP, AT RELEASE OF FOOT FROM ACCELERATOR PEDAL, VEHICLE STALLED OUT INTERMITTENTLY, ALSO, WHILE DRIVING AT APPROX. 35MPH AND WHEN ATTEMPTING TO SLOW/STOP VEHICLE ENGINE SHUTS DOWN, RENDERING INOPERATIVE POWER ASSIST, DEALERS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE FAILURE. *AK
BECAUSE OF THE SMALL SIZE AND RECESS NATURE OF THE HORN BUTTONS, THE DRIVER MUST LOOK DOWN AND FIND THE BUTTON PRIOR TO HONKING THE HORN. DRIVER ALMOST HAD AN 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.