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1998 Saturn SC1

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Similar to other model years

Owner complaints for the 1998 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

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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: 11 of 39 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 13 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Seat Belts. Review the 10 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Visibility. Review the 5 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 reports0 fire reports3 injury reports

What owners actually said

39 reports
Mileage unknown · Sep 16, 2003
Engine And Engine CoolingCrashInjury

AT 60-65 MPH DRIVER HEARD A KNOCKING SOUND. THE NOISE LEVEL INCREASED RAPIDLY, THEN, ENGINE STALLED. VEHICLE WAS IN TRAVELING LANE ON THE HIGHWAY, CONSUMER EXITED VEHICLE, AND RAN TO SHOULDER. VEHICLE WAS REAR ENDED BY 5-6 DIFFERENT VEHICLES.*AK DEALER STATED ENGINE SEIZED DUE TO NO OIL IN RESERVOIR, THIS CAUSED A HOLE IN THE …

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AT 60-65 MPH DRIVER HEARD A KNOCKING SOUND. THE NOISE LEVEL INCREASED RAPIDLY, THEN, ENGINE STALLED. VEHICLE WAS IN TRAVELING LANE ON THE HIGHWAY, CONSUMER EXITED VEHICLE, AND RAN TO SHOULDER. VEHICLE WAS REAR ENDED BY 5-6 DIFFERENT VEHICLES.*AK DEALER STATED ENGINE SEIZED DUE TO NO OIL IN RESERVOIR, THIS CAUSED A HOLE IN THE ENGINE BLOCK. CONSUMER HAD OIL CHANGE DONE 200 MILES PRIOR TO THIS INCIDENT. PLEASE PROVIDE DOLLAR AMOUNT OF DAMAGE TO VEHICLE.

NHTSA ODI #10040022

Mileage unknown · Jul 14, 2003
Engine And Engine Cooling

CONSUMER STATES THAT WHILE DRIVING CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON. DEALER NOTIFIED.*AK

NHTSA ODI #10027127

Mileage unknown · May 30, 2003
Vehicle Speed Control

I AM THE OWNER OF A 1998 SATURN SC2, I BOUGHT IT IN MAY OF 2001, IN AUGUST OF 2001 IT BEGAN TO START ACTING UP. WHEN I AM IN NEUTRAL OR IN GEAR WITH THE CLUTCH ALL THE WAY IN, AND ALSO WHEN I AM JUST DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD, ENGINE WILL REV FOR NO REASON. I NOTICE THAT MY ENGINE IS REVVING HIGHER THAN USUAL. WHEN I STOP IT WIL…

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I AM THE OWNER OF A 1998 SATURN SC2, I BOUGHT IT IN MAY OF 2001, IN AUGUST OF 2001 IT BEGAN TO START ACTING UP. WHEN I AM IN NEUTRAL OR IN GEAR WITH THE CLUTCH ALL THE WAY IN, AND ALSO WHEN I AM JUST DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD, ENGINE WILL REV FOR NO REASON. I NOTICE THAT MY ENGINE IS REVVING HIGHER THAN USUAL. WHEN I STOP IT WILL GO FROM 1000 RPMS TO 3000 RPMS AND WILL STAY THAT WAY UNTIL I CUT OFF, AND WILL SOMETIMES JUST DROP BACK DOWN TO 1000 ALL WHILE I AM JUST SITTING THERE. I HAVE GONE TO THE SATURN DEALER A FEW TIMES AND TO 2 OTHER GARAGES IN MY AREAS. THE HAVE SAID THAT THEY HAVE CHECKED EVERYTHING AND COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG AND FOR ME JUST TO CUT OFF THE ENGINE IF IT REVS TO HIGH. THAT IS THE ONLY ADVISE THAT I WAS GIVEN. I EMAILED THE SATURN HEADQUARTERS AND THEY ADVISED ME TO DO THE SAME THING. I KNOW THAT THIS IS NOT THE NORMAL ACTIVITY OF A CAR. I AM CURRENTLY A COLLEGE STUDENT WORKING PART TIME AND I CAN NOT TAKE A CHANCE THAT THIS IS A MAJOR PROBLEM WITH MY CAR OR THAT THE CAR DIES ALL TOGETHER. *AK

NHTSA ODI #10020742

54,500 miles · May 22, 2003
Engine And Engine Cooling

INTERMITTENT STALLING WHENEVER VEHICLE COMES TO A STOP OR CRUISES ALONG WITHOUT FOOT PRESSING ON THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL. VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED ON ONE OCCASION, AND CONSUMER WAS INFORMED THAT THE PROBLEM COULD NOT BE DUPLICATED. *NLM

NHTSA ODI #10019128

Mileage unknown · May 1, 2003
Engine And Engine Cooling

WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLES CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON THE DASHBOARD AND THE VEHICLE OVERHEATED. *NLM

NHTSA ODI #10017973

Mileage unknown · Apr 24, 2003
Engine And Engine Cooling

THE VEHICLE OVER HEATED WITHOUT WARNING. *JB

NHTSA ODI #10017557

Mileage unknown · Apr 1, 2003
Seat Belts

SEAT BELT RETRACTOR ON DRIVER SIDE NO LONGER WORKS, THIS ALLOWS THE BELT TO BECOME CAUGHT IN THE DOOR, DAMAGING THE STRAP. *JB

NHTSA ODI #10013752

Mileage unknown · Jan 8, 2003
Visibility

WHILE DRIVING WITH THE DEFROST/RECIRCULATION FEATURE ON, THE FROST FROM THE AIR CONDITIONER COOLING COILS COVER THE WINDSHIELD WITH VAPOR RESULTING IN POOR VISIBILITY. *TT *NLM

NHTSA ODI #10001901

91,000 miles · Dec 18, 2002
Engine And Engine Cooling

OIL PRESSURE SUDDENLY CHANGED AND FUMES CAME FROM UNDER HOOD. I PULLED CAR OFF INTERSTATE IMMEDIATELY AND CHECKED UNDER HOOD. UPON CHECKING OIL, FOUND THAT IT WAS COMPLETELY DRY. I HAVE KEPT REGULAR MAINTENANCE ON CAR, AS CAN BE VERIFIED BY SATURN. WAS TOLD THAT ENGINE WOULD HAVE TO BE REPLACED. THE CAR IS A 1998 SATURN SC2 WITH…

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OIL PRESSURE SUDDENLY CHANGED AND FUMES CAME FROM UNDER HOOD. I PULLED CAR OFF INTERSTATE IMMEDIATELY AND CHECKED UNDER HOOD. UPON CHECKING OIL, FOUND THAT IT WAS COMPLETELY DRY. I HAVE KEPT REGULAR MAINTENANCE ON CAR, AS CAN BE VERIFIED BY SATURN. WAS TOLD THAT ENGINE WOULD HAVE TO BE REPLACED. THE CAR IS A 1998 SATURN SC2 WITH 91,000 MILES.

NHTSA ODI #10000215

Mileage unknown · Jun 12, 2002
Seat Belts

CONSUMER STATES DRIVER?S SIDE RETRACTOR FAILED AND WAS FIXED, IT IS STARTING TO FAIL AGAIN, PASSENGER SIDE HAS ALSO FAILED. CONSUMER BELIEVES THAT THE SAFETY BELTS IN THE FRONT SEAT OF THE CAR USE AN INFERIOR RETRACTOR MECHANISM, CONSUMER STATES WHEN THE RETRACTING SYSTEM FAILS, IT IS DIFFICULT TO LOCATE AND WEAR THE BELTS, THE …

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CONSUMER STATES DRIVER?S SIDE RETRACTOR FAILED AND WAS FIXED, IT IS STARTING TO FAIL AGAIN, PASSENGER SIDE HAS ALSO FAILED. CONSUMER BELIEVES THAT THE SAFETY BELTS IN THE FRONT SEAT OF THE CAR USE AN INFERIOR RETRACTOR MECHANISM, CONSUMER STATES WHEN THE RETRACTING SYSTEM FAILS, IT IS DIFFICULT TO LOCATE AND WEAR THE BELTS, THE BELT GETS SLAMMED IN THE DOOR AND CAUGHT IN THE SEAT ADJUSTMENT MECHANISM. *YD

NHTSA ODI #565428

Official recalls

0

No recalls in this snapshot.

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

0

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.