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Saturn SCModel year report

1994 Saturn SC Problems

Complaints
51filed with NHTSA
Median mileage
147,000miles, 3 complaints with mileage
Recalls
1campaigns on record
Trend
StableComplaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are within 25% of the 3 years before.
NHTSA crash rating
—overall rating starts with 2011 models
EPA fuel economy
26 mpgcombined, 1.9L 4-cyl FWD · 23 city / 32 hwy

Sources: NHTSA records for the 1994 Saturn SC (complaints, recalls, investigations), EPA fuel economy. Report an error

What owners report

Owners of this 1994 Saturn SC most often describe seatbacks that recline, slip or collapse, sometimes while driving or when accelerating, and seat belts that stick, fail to retract or tear. Mileage is rarely stated, and the figures given are about 111,000 and 156,000 miles. Most complaints were filed in the late 1990s and early 2000s, and some owners say the dealer could not reproduce the seat problem.

  1. Seats

    Seatback reclining or collapsing while driving

    • 19 complaints (37%)
    • typically at 5.0 yrs old
    • 2 mention a crash, fire or injury
    • filed 1996–2002

    Owners describe seatbacks that recline or collapse while driving, especially when pressing the accelerator or after starting from a stop, and seats that slide back or will not stay upright under light pressure. Some describe a seatback collapsing and throwing the occupant into the rear seat, including after a rear-end collision, or broken seatbacks that recline during driving. Some owners say the dealer reported no problem, could not duplicate it, or called it normal wear, and some say the recall covering similar seats did not include their car because of its VIN. Mileage is not stated in these complaints; they mostly describe the seat moving while driving, including when accelerating from a stop.

    Recall 99V045000

    What to check: Check that each seat locks firmly in every position and that the seatback stays upright under light pressure, including when accelerating. Ask whether recall 99V045000 applies to this car by its VIN, since some complaints say cars were left out of the recall for that reason.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “Both driver and passenger seatbacks abruptly slipped into the reclining position upon accelerating from a stop. (it was kind of funny when it was the passenger side first, not so funny when the driver's seat started to do it.) on 12/31/98, I paid over $300 to have both seats repaired. I told the Saturn dealer that this seemed highly unusual and due to a faulty part. …”

    NHTSA complaint #707190, filed 1999-06

    “Driver's and passenger's seats are broken. When sitting in vehicle and leaning or giving any motions the seats slide backwards. When hand adjusting the seats, they will not stay in place, they will begin to slide backwards.”

    NHTSA complaint #825094, filed 1998-07
  2. Seat belts

    Seat belts sticking, tearing or not retracting

    • 7 complaints (14%)
    • median 111,000 mi at 10.5 yrs old (1 states mileage, few)
    • 2 mention a crash, fire or injury
    • filed 1995–2004

    Owners describe belts that stick in the door track or will not move into place, retract back and forth while driving, fail to retract, or tear, with some owners replacing belts more than once. Some say the dealer was notified but did not resolve the problem. A complaint also describes a belt that broke at the buckle in a frontal crash. Mileage is rarely stated; where it is, the figure is about 111,000 miles, and some reports describe problems when starting the car or while driving.

    What to check: Pull each belt out fully and let it retract, checking for smooth retraction and no sticking, on both the driver and rear seats. Look for tears or fraying in the webbing and buckle, and ask the seller whether any belts have been replaced.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “The drivers side seat belt is stuck in the middle of the door it started out just getting stuck occasionally and then would move all the way back now won't move at all. Talked to 4 other Saturn owners and they have the same problem. Now the passenger side seatbelt has started sticking. The engine was so messed up at about 68k they replaced the engine due to poor performance backfiring and leaking oil etc. The sunroof will not latch closed anymore. I went to open it one day and then it wont close. …”

    NHTSA complaint #746559, filed 2001-06

    “During a frontal impact accident the manual seat belt broke at the buckle, releasing the 230 lb driver out through the passenger's side window, resulting in a fatality.”

    NHTSA complaint #804704, filed 1996-11

Buying note. Inspect the seatbacks and seat belts on a test drive, since complaints about both are common for this model year. Ask the seller whether recall 99V045000 applies to this car and was completed, since some owners were told their car was not covered.

Summary written with AI from a sample of 28 NHTSA complaints for this model year (picked at random, with complaints that state a mileage and recent ones taken first), then checked automatically against the source records. Where a problem shows a complaint count, every complaint for this model year was matched with fixed keyword rules (written with AI and tested against the sample), and the mileage, age and repair figures are calculated from those complaints; owners' figures are as stated, not verified. Other counts refer to the sample. The excerpts come from NHTSA's public complaint records and are unverified; capitalisation is normalised, NHTSA staff notes are removed, and shortened text ends with “…”. Something wrong? Request a correction.

NHTSA recorded 51 consumer complaints for the 1994 Saturn SC. 3 of the complaints include a mileage, and 0% of those were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the median is 147,000 miles. Of all complaints, 8 involved a crash, 1 a fire, 5 an injury, 1 a death, according to the filers. NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign and 2 technical service bulletins for this model year.

Not compared (before 2008). Model years 2008–2023 of the same vehicle that have at least 25 complaints are compared, and a model needs at least 3 of them.

Which parts are reported most

Complaints can name more than one part, so the counts add up to more than the total. Select a part to see its complaints, recalls and bulletins.

Also reported: Engine (1), Steering (1), Visibility (wipers, defrost, mirrors) (1).

Example complaints

Seats: “While driving and if pressing the accelerator for more speed, seat back rest will collapse. This has happened more than 30 times, vehicle was taken to dealersiiip, and consumer was told that there was no problem.”

NHTSA complaint #840896, filed 1999-06

Seat belts: “Car seat belts are torn, owner said that this is the 3rd time this has happened. He also indicated that he had to replace the seat belts too many times.”

NHTSA complaint #809548, filed 1997-02

Air bags: “While driving in the local area vehicle was rearended, and driver's seatback collapsed. Also, driver's side air bag didn't deploy. Contacted manufacturer and was not able to help because of expired warranty.”

NHTSA complaint #853450, filed 1999-11

Mileage when problems were reported

0% of the 3 complaints with a mileage were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the middle half falls between 111,000 and 156,000 miles.

0%0–100%10–250%25–500%50–750%75–10067%100–15033%150+
Share of complaints by mileage when the problem was reported, in thousands of miles (3 complaints with mileage). Red bars: under 50,000 miles. Bucket widths differ. Median: 147,000 miles.

Complaints by year filed

Trend: stable. Complaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are within 25% of the 3 years before.

1995199710199910200120042015
Complaints by year the complaint was filed with NHTSA. Red bars: the last 3 full calendar years used for the trend. The current year (2026) is partial.

Fuel economy and running cost

EPA ratings for each 1994 Saturn SC version. Annual fuel cost is the EPA's estimate at its current fuel prices for 15,000 miles a year (55% city driving).

VersionEngineTransmissionCityHwyComb.Fuel / yr
SC FWD1.9L 4-cyl5-speed manual243428$2,400
SC FWD1.9L 4-cyl4-speed automatic233226$2,600
SC FWD1.9L 4-cyl5-speed manual223125$2,700
SC FWD1.9L 4-cyl4-speed automatic212924$2,800

Source: U.S. EPA and Department of Energy, fueleconomy.gov. Ratings are for comparing vehicles; real-world mileage varies with driving and conditions.

Recalls and investigations

Recall details for the 1994 Saturn SC → · Check a VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls

Technical service bulletins

TSBs are manufacturer notes to dealers about known repair procedures. They are not recalls and do not by themselves mean a vehicle has a fault. 2 on record; the latest 2 are shown.

Other model years of the Saturn SC

YearComplaintsMedian miRecallsCrash ★MPGScore (50 = typical)Trend
20023865,0000—27Not compared (before 2008)Stable
20012190,5002—27—Falling
20007142,0007—27—Not enough data
19992479,4461—27—Stable
19981397,1120—27—Not enough data
199733101,5523—27Not compared (before 2008)Falling
19962673,8150—27Not compared (before 2008)Stable
19953994,4502—27Not compared (before 2008)Stable
199451147,0001—26Not compared (before 2008)Stable
19932379,5001—26—Stable
199216—2—25—Stable
19915—1—25—Not enough data

All Saturn SC model years · Best and worst years by complaints

Frequently asked questions

What are the most common problems with the 1994 Saturn SC?

Owners of this 1994 Saturn SC most often describe seatbacks that recline, slip or collapse, sometimes while driving or when accelerating, and seat belts that stick, fail to retract or tear. The issues reported most often: Seatback reclining or collapsing while driving; Seat belts sticking, tearing or not retracting.

How many NHTSA complaints does the 1994 Saturn SC have?

NHTSA recorded 51 consumer complaints for the 1994 Saturn SC as of Oct 28, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.

What part of the 1994 Saturn SC is reported most often?

Seats is named most often, in 21 complaints (41% of the total), followed by seat belts with 11.

Has the 1994 Saturn SC been recalled?

NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign for this model year. To check a specific vehicle, enter its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

What gas mileage does the 1994 Saturn SC get?

The EPA rates the 1994 Saturn SC (SC, 1.9L 4-cyl) at 26 mpg combined, 23 city and 32 highway, with an estimated annual fuel cost of $2,600 at 15,000 miles a year. Other engine and drive versions are rated differently.

At what mileage are problems with the 1994 Saturn SC reported?

Among the 3 complaints that include a mileage, the median is 147,000 miles and the middle half falls between 111,000 and 156,000 miles; 0% were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles.

About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 28, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate. Fuel economy is from the EPA and DOE (fueleconomy.gov).

Complaint counts come from NHTSA’s public complaint database; we count each complaint once. The source records for this vehicle are on nhtsa.gov. Scores and trends are our own summaries of that data, described in the methodology. This page is not legal, safety or repair advice: for a specific vehicle, check its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls and ask a qualified mechanic. See an error? Tell us.