IllustrationSUNROOF BLEW OFF WHILE CAR WAS TRAVELING 25 MPH. *AK
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
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: 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 reportsWHILE DRIVING VEHICLE, SEAT BELT AUTOMATICALLY DISENGAGES BY ITSELF, IT DOES NOT STAY LOCKED WHILE DRIVING. *AK CONSUMER STATED THE PROBLEM GETS WORSE WHEN THE WEATHER IS COLD, THE BELT WOULD DISENGAGE WHEN STOPPING OR SLOWING DOWN.*SLC
THE MASTER CYLINDER FAILED X2 RESULTING IN MY REAR ENDING A JEEP. THE REPAIR COST TO THE CAR AND TO REPLACE THE DEFECTIVE MASTER CYLINDER COST ME OVER $1500 OUT OF POCKET . THIS SHOULD NOT HAVE FAILED IN LESS THAN 70,000 MILES. THE 2ND TIME IT WENT OUT I WAS ON THE FREEWAY AND FORTUNATELY WAS ABLE TO GET OFF AND USE MY EMERGENCY…
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THE MASTER CYLINDER FAILED X2 RESULTING IN MY REAR ENDING A JEEP. THE REPAIR COST TO THE CAR AND TO REPLACE THE DEFECTIVE MASTER CYLINDER COST ME OVER $1500 OUT OF POCKET . THIS SHOULD NOT HAVE FAILED IN LESS THAN 70,000 MILES. THE 2ND TIME IT WENT OUT I WAS ON THE FREEWAY AND FORTUNATELY WAS ABLE TO GET OFF AND USE MY EMERGENCY BRAKE TO GET IT TO THE SHOP. THIS IS NOT ACCEPTABLE AS SATURN IS SUPPOSED TO BE A RELIABLE CAR. TO HAVE A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE IN A CAR WITH APPROX 26K ON IT IS JUST NOT AN OPTIONL.
THIS TIRE SUFFERED A CATASTROPHIC FAILURE AT 65 M.P.H. FOR NO APPARENT REASON ON A STRAIGHT STRETCH OF HIGHWAY. I HAVE PERSONALLY CHECKED THE INFLATION AND WEAR PATTERNS ON THESE TIRES WEEKLY, INFLATING THEM PER SATURN'S RECOMENDED P.S.I (POSTED IN THE DOOR JAM). THESE TIRES ARE NOWHERE NEAR THE WEAR-BAR INDICATORS, AND SHOW A…
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THIS TIRE SUFFERED A CATASTROPHIC FAILURE AT 65 M.P.H. FOR NO APPARENT REASON ON A STRAIGHT STRETCH OF HIGHWAY. I HAVE PERSONALLY CHECKED THE INFLATION AND WEAR PATTERNS ON THESE TIRES WEEKLY, INFLATING THEM PER SATURN'S RECOMENDED P.S.I (POSTED IN THE DOOR JAM). THESE TIRES ARE NOWHERE NEAR THE WEAR-BAR INDICATORS, AND SHOW ABSOLUTELY NO IRREGULAR WEAR DUE TO MISALIGNMENT ETC. ETC. THE SIDEWALLS COMPLETELY (AND INSTANTLY) SEPARATED FROM THE TREAD, IT IS A CLEAN SEPARATION SIMILAR TO THAT WHICH IS REGULARLY SEEN ON TRACTOR-TRAILER RETREAD FAILURES. I STILL POSESS THE FAILED TIRE, AND SHOWED IT TO THE FIRESTONE DEALER. HE WAS REASONABLE, AND OFFERED ME A DISCOUNT RATE ON REPLACEMENT TIRES. THERE IS NO EXPLANATION FOR THIS FAILURE, AND IF IT WOUD HAVE OCCURRED ON A CURVE IN THE ROAD A POTENTIALLY DAMAGING ACCIDENT MAY HAVE TAKEN PLACE. I BELIEVE THIS TIRE WAS DEFECTIVE, AND THEREFORE AM REPORTING IT TO YOU IN THE HOPE THAT IF THIS IS A COMMON OCCURENCE A WARNING MAY BE POSTED. A SATURN COUPE HAS A VERY LOW CENTER OF GRAVITY, AND THIS IS THE ONLY REASON MY CAR DID NOT LOSE CONTROL (OR OVERTURN). IF YOU WISH TO OBTAIN A PICTURE OF THIS TIRE PLEASE E-MAIL ME AT THE GIVEN ADDRESS (RTAYLOR229@YAHOO.COM). I WILL BE MORE THAN HAPPY TO SCAN IN A PICTURE. IF I AM NOT CONTACTED BY OCTOBER-5-01 I WILL ASSUME THAT IT IS O.K. FOR ME TO DISPOSE OF THE TIRE CARCASS. THANK YOU. *AK (DOT NUMBER: W2V9VFB217 TIRESIZE: P195/60R15)
TREAD SEPARATION. TREAD CAME COMPLETELY OFF TIRE. STEAL BELT IS SHOWING AND THERE IS A HOLE IN THE TIRE. CAUSED BODY DAMAGE TO CAR. I AM NOT SURE WHAT THE NUMBERS ARE , BUT I HAVE TWO SETS OF NUMBERS FOR THE TIRES. ONE SET IS BM01854-1 THE OTHER IS P195/60R15 87H MTS. VERY UNSAFE TIRES.
CAR MAKES MANY RATTLING AND BUZZING NOISES WHILE VEHICLE IS IN OPERATION. NOISES ARE HEARD IN THE DASHBOARD NEAR THE FRONT WINDSHIELD, DOOR PANELS, AND ALSO THE UPPER BACK SEAT AREAS. NOISES ARE LOUD AT CERTAIN RPM CRUISING SPEEDS. NOISES CANNOT BE REMEDIED. I MUST TURN THE MUSIC ON IN VEHICLE TO AVOID THE ANNOYANCE.*AK
FRONT SEAT SLIDES BACK WHEN ACCELERATING, AND SLIDES FORWARD WHEN COMING TO A STOP. THEN SEAT BELTS TIGHTEN UP. *AK
THE TRANSMISSION FAILED PREMATURELY AND THE CONSUMER IS REQUESTING REPLACEMENT BE COMPENSATED, THE MANUFACTURER WOULD NOT ALLOW FOR ANOTHER MECHANIC TO PERFORM THE REPLACEMENT OTHER THAN A SATURN DEALERSHIP OR THE WARRANTY WOULD NOT BE WARRANTED, CONSUMER REQUESTING REIMBURSEMENT FOR WARRANTY REPAIR OF THE TRANSMISSION. *MJS
I'M FROM CANADA. NO SAFETY DEFECT LISTED IN SUMMARY. *AK
HORN BUTTONS SUNK INSIDE OF THE STEERING WHEEL, CONSUMER CANNOT USE HORN. DEALER SAYS NOTHING CAN BE DONE. *AK *ML
Official recalls
0No 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
0No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.