FaultScore

Worst years for a Saturn SC

Owners have filed 379 complaints about the Saturn SC with NHTSA across model years 1991 to 2002. More of them are about the seats than anything else.

Avoid

1994 Saturn SC

59 complaints — the highest FaultScore of any year, mostly seats.

Cleanest on record

1998 Saturn SC

17 complaints — the lowest FaultScore of the graded years.

Every Saturn SC year, graded

The grade compares each year against the rest of this model's own run — never against another car. Click any bar or row to open that year's report.

Complaints filed with NHTSA, by model year. Bar colour is the FaultScore grade: A B C D F ungraded
Year Grade Complaints Crashes Fires Median miles Most reported
2002 D 45 7 2 53,000 Electrical System
2001 C 29 4 1 85,000 Engine & Cooling
2000 8 2 0 Electrical System
1999 C 27 6 2 82,723 Engine & Cooling
1998 A 17 1 0 99,056 Transmission & Drivetrain
1997 D 44 4 1 103,000 Electrical System
1996 D 41 7 0 80,200 Engine & Cooling
1995 D 50 12 0 94,450 Seats
1994 F 59 9 1 Seats
1993 D 29 5 0 Seats
1992 24 0 1 Seat Belts
1991 6 1 0 Seat Belts

What breaks on a Saturn SC

Across every model year on file. Follow a row for that part's complaints and the year it was worst.

Seats 54 14.2%

Worst in 1994

Engine & Cooling 52 13.7%

Worst in 1999

Worst in 1997

Seat Belts 39 10.3%

Worst in 1994

Airbags 30 7.9%

Worst in 1995

Brakes 29 7.7%

Worst in 1995

Transmission & Drivetrain 20 5.3%

Worst in 1998

Body & Structure 15 4.0%

Worst in 1996

Steering 13 3.4%

Worst in 2001

Tires 13 3.4%

Worst in 1997

Windows, Mirrors & Wipers 12 3.2%

Worst in 1993

Other & Unspecified 11 2.9%

Worst in 2002

Acceleration & Cruise Control 10 2.6%

Worst in 1995

Fuel & Propulsion 8 2.1%

Worst in 1995

Exactly what failed on a Saturn SC

The named sub-assemblies behind those complaints, across every model year.

Recliner 33 27.7%
Frontal 17 14.3%
Gasoline 13 10.9%
Engine 13 10.9%
Retractor 8 6.7%
Foundation Components 8 6.7%
Automatic Transmission 8 6.7%
Body 7 5.9%
Switch 6 5.0%
Ignition 6 5.0%

Complaints filed over time

Every complaint about every Saturn SC, by the month it reached NHTSA.

Jan 1995 peak 14 Sep 2022

Compare the Saturn SC

Side by side on complaint history. Remember that raw totals track how many were sold as much as how good they were.