FaultScore

BMW M5 vs Saturn SC

Both cars' complete complaint records, side by side.

Read the totals carefully. NHTSA publishes no sales figures, so the car that sold more collects more complaints regardless of quality. The rows worth weighing are the proportions — the share of complaints that involved harm, and which part dominates.

Measure BMW M5 Saturn SC
Complaints on file 152 379
Model years covered 2000–2025 1991–2002
Worst model year 2006 1994
Best model year 2019 1998
Crashes reported 7 58
Fires reported 10 8
Injuries reported 6 31
Deaths reported 2 2
Most complained-about part Airbags Seats
Share of complaints involving harm 16.4% 26.1%

BMW M5 by year

Complaints filed with NHTSA, by model year. Bar colour is the FaultScore grade: A B C D F ungraded

What breaks

Airbags 47 30.9%
Engine & Cooling 26 17.1%
Transmission & Drivetrain 13 8.6%
Electrical System 10 6.6%
Seat Belts 10 6.6%
Seats 7 4.6%
Fuel & Propulsion 6 3.9%
Other & Unspecified 6 3.9%

Saturn SC by year

Complaints filed with NHTSA, by model year. Bar colour is the FaultScore grade: A B C D F ungraded

What breaks

Seats 54 14.2%
Engine & Cooling 52 13.7%
Seat Belts 39 10.3%
Airbags 30 7.9%
Brakes 29 7.7%
Transmission & Drivetrain 20 5.3%
Body & Structure 15 4.0%