1997 Saturn SC1 Problems

What owners report

Owners of this model year most often write about seat belts that will not retract or release, along with electrical problems such as a stuck ignition key or wiring that smoked under the dash. Manual and automatic transmission complaints center on hard shifting and, in a few cases, sudden loss of drive, and a number of reports describe the engine using large amounts of oil and then seizing. Many reports come from vehicles with well over 75,000 miles, though belt and brake complaints appear at lower mileage too.

1. 1
   Seat belts

   Seat belt retractor jams or will not release

   • 9 complaints (15%)
   • median 95,000 mi at 9.5 yrs old (3 state mileage, few)
   • 1 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 1998–2012

   Owners describe front seat belts that lock up in the retractor and will not pull out, or pull out and then fail to retract, sometimes after the belt had already been replaced. Several mention that a recall covered the retractor but their vehicle was not included because of the VIN. Others say the dealer replaced parts more than once without solving the problem, and at least one was told a recall repair had already been done in an earlier year. Reported across a wide mileage range, including under 50,000 miles and again past 100,000 miles.

   Recall 97V161000

   What to check: Pull each front belt out fully and let it retract several times; slow, smooth retraction and a clean lock-up are what to look for. Ask whether recall 97V161000 was applied to this VIN and keep any paperwork.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “1) passanger side rear seatbelt locked up and would not realease - making it impossible to use for transporting my infant son in his carseat. Drivers side rear seatbelt will not lock into place - which also makes it impossible to transport my son. Someone tried to fix the seatbelts, but had no luck. 2) placed my son in the passanger side after it was fixed - and his carseat flipped up side down - while I was driving around a curve in the are where we live. 3) had more seatbelts given to me from a junk yard in the area. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10114017, filed 2005-03

   “When driver crashed hiead-on into a telephone pole, the seat belt did not lock, causing driver's head to hit windshield. Also the air bags did not deploy until after driver was thrown back into the seat from the impact. Driver's head, knees and wrist were injured in the crash. The vehicle had been totalled. Please provide any further information.”

   NHTSA complaint #844441, filed 1999-08
2. 2
   Transmission and drivetrain

   Manual transmission hard to shift or shift linkage breaks

   • 9 complaints (15%)
   • median 75,000 mi at 7.6 yrs old (3 state mileage, few)
   • 1 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 1998–2007

   Owners of manual cars describe difficulty engaging first, second and third gear, sometimes almost impossible from a stop, and in one case the shift linkage broke while driving. Several say the dealer replaced the transmission housing, shifter cable, shift board and clutch without curing it. Automatic owners report delayed or refused engagement, including reverse failing until the car cools, and two reports describe a sudden loss of drive with a broken part inside the transmission. Spread from about 45,000 to 170,000 miles, with hard-shifting reports appearing at moderate mileage.

   What to check: On a manual, run through every gear with the engine off and on, and check for a loose or notchy shifter. On an automatic, test reverse and drive from cold and again once warm, and check the fluid color and level.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “We bought a used Saturn 2 years ago from a dealership. Since the day we got the car home we had transmission problems. Mainly when my wife would drive it to get our small children to day care, and she would go to work. When the transmission warmed up it gave her a hard time getting it into gear. Countless times of sitting in the middle of the intersection waiting to turn the light turned red and the opposite traffic got green and started heading toward her honking, she was franticly trying to get the car into gear. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10190983, filed 2007-05, 75,000 miles

   “While driving our Saturn sc2 at approximately 30mph we heard a loud explosion and the vehicle stopped moving. My husband and I exited the vehicle to see what the problem was. The only sign at that time that something was wrong with the vehicle was that there was fluid leaking from underneath the car. We had the vehicle brought back to the house to see what was wrong. My husband looked underneath the car and found a large hole in the rear of the transmission. We then called Saturn service and asked that the vehicle be towed. …”

   NHTSA complaint #700799, filed 1998-11
3. 3
   Engine cooling

   Engine burns oil and can seize

   • 11 complaints (18%)
   • median 56,549 mi at 7.4 yrs old (2 state mileage, few)
   • filed 1997–2005

   Owners describe the engine consuming large amounts of oil between changes, with no low-oil warning before it seized while driving. Some had engines rebuilt or replaced only to have the oil use return later. Others report stalling or a no-start traced to the crank angle sensor, a broken crankshaft, or collapsed motor mounts. Oil consumption mostly noted from about 60,000 miles upward, with engine replacement reports around 65,000 to 150,000 miles.

   What to check: Check the oil level and look for a dark, gassy smell, and ask the seller how much oil the car uses between changes. Listen for a knock at idle and look at mount condition if the engine shakes.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Vehicle has only 37,000 miles on it, engine is dead. Will cost over $3000 for new engine. This car has been in for numerous repairs, many problems, and most were never fixed. I approached the dealership in summer 2000 about going to arbitration re: having vehicle replaced, and they refused to provide the area representatively name and number. I got it anyway and filed a complaint. Dealer promised to rectify all issues, and repaired several problems, which have all recurred (and worse) since the warranty expired. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10008295, filed 2003-03, 37,100 miles

   “I bought my Saturn in may of 1999, at 20,000 miles. It was previously a lease vehicle. At 73,000 miles, the engine started to burn over 2.5 quarts of oil every 3000 miles. The car was under warranty and the engine was rebuilt. At approximately 150,000 miles the engine started burning again. I have to have my oil changed every 1500 to 2000 miles now. I have been told, by multiple mechanics, that this is a common problem with the Saturn sc2s. I've also had the ignition replaced. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10031182, filed 2003-08
4. 4
   Brakes

   Front rotors crack, warp or pedal sinks

   • 6 complaints (10%)
   • typically at 3.1 yrs old
   • 2 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 1999–2002

   Owners report cracked front rotors found during a routine inspection, and pulsation that returned after rotors and pads were replaced. Several describe the brake pedal going to the floor during a normal stop, extending stopping distance; in one report the car went off the road and was totaled. Pulsation and rotor complaints are reported from around 20,000 miles upward, with pedal-to-floor reports at higher mileage.

   What to check: Inspect the front rotors for cracks or deep scoring and feel for pulsation through the pedal during a test drive. Ask when the brake fluid was last replaced and whether the pedal stays firm when held.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “I took my Saturn in for routine maintenence and requested they check my brakes. Upon inspection they found both front rotors with many cracks. The bearings nor spindle were replaced, and brakes were fine. I suspect manufacture defect. They said possibly I could have been on long trip which would heat up rotors and driven thru puddle of water which could have cause steel rotors to crack. Luckily I caught this in time before an accident could have occurred.”

   NHTSA complaint #707034, filed 1999-05

   “At 21,000 miles the brakes started to pulsate. The dealer replaced the warped rotors and scored pads. At 42, 000 miles the same thing occurred however the dealer would only pay half of the cost. They replaced the rotors and said the pads were fine. Now at 51,000 miles the brakes are again beginning to pulsate”

   NHTSA complaint #714494, filed 1999-11
5. 5
   Electrical system

   Ignition key sticks and dash wiring smoke

   Mentioned in 5 of 44 sampled complaints

   Owners report difficulty turning the key or getting it out of the ignition, with the switch sometimes stopping short of the off position; rekeying and replacing the lock cylinder did not always help. A separate group describes smoke coming from the dash or steering column, with a shop finding a burned wiring harness or a melted ignition ground wire. In at least one case a fuse blew and the engine stopped. Mostly described on cars past 100,000 miles, with some reports earlier in the vehicle's life.

   What to check: Check that the key turns smoothly through all positions and comes out cleanly, and look for scorched or repaired wiring under the dash and around the steering column.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Smoke started coming from vehicle while pulling out from a driveway. Dealership examined vehicle and determined ground wire for ignition had burned out and melted. Consumer states that smoke originated under dash, the ignition switch failed causing ground wire to short out and melt, this is what caused the smoke, the 30 amp fuse under the hood tripped as designed, causing engine to stop.”

   NHTSA complaint #8001534, filed 2002-01

   “Consumer stated that when he got into vehicle and tried to start it vehicle began to smoke around the dash and steering column. Vehicle filled up with smoke. Consumer took vehicle to repair shop, wa stold by technician that wiring harness had been fried. *akthey stated that it was the main wiring harness and it would cost him 4-5 thousands dollars to repair, and more if it damaged something else.”

   NHTSA complaint #10038036, filed 2003-09

Buying note. These are old, high-mileage cars, so condition matters more than the model's reputation: check the seat belts, brakes and ignition switch carefully, and confirm oil use before buying. Ask for records of recalls and past transmission or engine work, since several complaints describe repeat repairs.

Summary written with AI from a sample of 44 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.