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Saturn SCModel year report

2002 Saturn SC Problems

Complaints
38filed with NHTSA
Median mileage
65,000miles, 25 complaints with mileage
Recalls
0campaigns 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
27 mpgcombined, 1.9L 4-cyl FWD · 23 city / 34 hwy

Sources: NHTSA records for the 2002 Saturn SC (complaints, recalls, investigations), EPA fuel economy. Report an error

NHTSA recorded 38 consumer complaints for the 2002 Saturn SC. The part named most often is electrical system, with 12 complaints (32% of the total), followed by air bags (6) and brakes (4). 25 of the complaints include a mileage, and 36% of those were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the median is 65,000 miles. Of all complaints, 7 involved a crash, 2 a fire, 9 an injury, according to the filers. NHTSA lists 0 recall campaigns and 50 technical service bulletins for this model year. Electrical system complaints overlap with 10 technical service bulletins filed under the same part.

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: Fuel system (1), Seat belts (1), Seats (1), Tires (1), Transmission and drivetrain (1).

Example complaints

Electrical system: “Have been having issues with the vehicle turning the ignition as it jams and at times fearful it may not turn next time I try to start it .....but today while waiting at a red light...car running, radio on and interior dash lights on...everything just shut down....the engine continued to run...but the rest of the car died...I was very nervous waiting for the light to change .....wondering if it would allow me to even get home....within in 2 minutes the electrical did come back....I only purchased my Saturn in feb, as used but did not start seeing these issues until the past 2 months...but…”

NHTSA complaint #10633786, filed 2014-09, 141,000 miles

Air bags: “Passenger airbag deployed while driving through a parking lot at approx. 15 MPH. Car went over a speedbump and airbag spontaneously deployed. No passenger was in the seat at the time. Vehicle ignition locks after key is removed, sometimes making it very difficult to turn key when starting car again. Key can also be remived while car is in motion without turning off the ignition.”

NHTSA complaint #10651990, filed 2014-11, 150,000 miles

Brakes: “On august 16, 2003 I carried the car to a midas location to have my brakes and alignment checked. Upon leaving they gave me an estimate saying I needed my rotors resurfaced, rear brakes serviced, and my front brakes serviced. Which came to a total of $148.21. So, therefore I called Saturn, and had an appointment to have them check my brakes. On august 18, 2003 I took my car to the Saturn dealership of columbus, and they resurfaced my rotors and stated that was all that was wrong. …”

NHTSA complaint #10041556, filed 2003-10, 13,695 miles

Engine cooling: “At around 75000 miles I pulled into work, put it in park, and all of a sudden my engine started to rev, (increasing without leveling. I immediately turned off the car to stop the increased revving. I tried to turn the car on again , hoping it was a fluke. And it started again. I got it towed to the dealership, and they told me it had a vaccuum leak and had to have the intake gasket replaced. And that it was going to be extensive work to replace it.”

NHTSA complaint #10191555, filed 2007-05, 75,000 miles

Mileage when problems were reported

36% of the 25 complaints with a mileage were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the middle half falls between 37,200 and 90,000 miles.

12%0–108%10–2516%25–5016%50–7528%75–10016%100–1504%150+
Share of complaints by mileage when the problem was reported, in thousands of miles (25 complaints with mileage). Red bars: under 50,000 miles. Bucket widths differ. Median: 65,000 miles.

Complaints by year filed

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

’02’04’06’08’118’15’17
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 2002 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 manual253629$2,300
SC FWD1.9L 4-cyl5-speed manual233427$2,500
SC FWD1.9L 4-cyl4-speed automatic233226$2,600
SC FWD1.9L 4-cyl4-speed automatic223226$2,600

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

NHTSA lists no recall campaigns for the 2002 Saturn SC in the data used here. A recall can apply to some vehicles of a model year and not others, so check a specific vehicle by 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. 50 on record; the latest 10 are shown.

See all 50 bulletins →

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

How many NHTSA complaints does the 2002 Saturn SC have?

NHTSA recorded 38 consumer complaints for the 2002 Saturn SC as of Oct 27, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.

What part of the 2002 Saturn SC is reported most often?

Electrical system is named most often, in 12 complaints (32% of the total), followed by air bags with 6.

Has the 2002 Saturn SC been recalled?

NHTSA lists no recall campaigns for this model year in the data used here. To check a specific vehicle, enter its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

What gas mileage does the 2002 Saturn SC get?

The EPA rates the 2002 Saturn SC (SC, 1.9L 4-cyl) at 27 mpg combined, 23 city and 34 highway, with an estimated annual fuel cost of $2,500 at 15,000 miles a year. Other engine and drive versions are rated differently.

At what mileage are problems with the 2002 Saturn SC reported?

Among the 25 complaints that include a mileage, the median is 65,000 miles and the middle half falls between 37,200 and 90,000 miles; 36% were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles.

About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 27, 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.