58 of the 554 complaints filed about the Saturn SC1 are about the braking system — 10% of everything owners reported. The worst model year for it is 1993.
58
Complaints
10%
Share of all complaints
18
Crashes
0
Fires
PARKING BRAKE
EMERGENCY HAND BRAKE LOCK FAILURE ON HOT DAY CAUSING THE CAR TO ROLL BACK SUDDENLY. REQUIRING CAR TO BE PLACED IN 1ST GEAR TO AVOID ROLL BACK. HAND BRAKE LEVER WILL NOT STAY IN PLACE WHEN TRIED TO REPLACE THE BUTTON THAT HAND SPRUNG FREE FROM THE LEAVER HOLE DUE TO HEAT OF CAR IN THE DAY IT WOULD NOT STAY PUT.
NHTSA complaint #10140905 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
CONSUMER COMPLAINED ABOUT MULTIPLE FAILURES. THE TRUNK FAILED TO CLOSE ON ITS OWN. WHILE DRIVING THE TRUNK WOULD OPEN AND WOULD NOT CLOSE, AND WILL NOT LOCK. ALSO, CONSUMER APPLIED THE BRAKES AND PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR. THE BRAKES GRABBED SLOWLY AND CAUSED LOSS OF BRAKING POWER. CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER FOR INSPECTION. CAUSE HAD NOT BEEN DETERMINED.
NHTSA complaint #10094725 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
PARKING BRAKE
THE PLASTIC BUTTON THAT ATTACHES TO THE SPRING TO LOCK THE EMERGENCY BREAK INTO PLACE BROKE. THIS PIECE IS APPROXIMATELY ONE OUNCE AT MOST AND IT BROKE WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS UNOCCUPIED AND NOT ON AN INCLINE. HAD THE VEHICLE BEEN ON A HILL, IT WOULD HAVE GREATLY INCREASED THE CHANCES OF INJURIES AND/OR FATALITIES. WHEN I CONTACTED SATURN, I WAS ADVISED THAT THE REPAIR WOULD COST $250 AND THAT IT WAS COMMON ENOUGH TO WHICH IT HAD BEEN SEEN MULTIPLE TIMES BY THE MECHANICAL REPRESENTATIVE TO WHICH I WAS SPEAKING. I WAS FURTHER ADVISED THAT SINCE AN EMERGENCY BREAK IS NOT A SAFETY MECHANISM, IT WOULD NOT BE SUBJECT TO A RECALL OR A RECALL RELATED INVESTIGATION.
NHTSA complaint #10019833 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
PARKING BRAKE:CONVENTIONAL
BUTTON POPPED OUT OF END OF "HAND BRAKE". DEALER VERY FAMILAR WITH PROBLEM. NEW BUTTON NOT AVAILABLE EXCEPT AS PART OF EXPENSIVE PACKAGE. DT
NHTSA complaint #768874 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS
WHILE IN MOTION, CONSUMER PLACED THE VEHICLE IN CRUISE CONTROL, MAINTAINING A SPEED OF 66 MPH. CONSUMER HAD TO APPLY THE BRAKES TO AVOID AN ACCIDENT. CONSUMER FELT THE BRAKES CATCH, THEN THERE WAS A LETTING GO FEELING. THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO FISHTAIL FROM SIDE TO SIDE. THE VEHICLE WAS UNRESPONSIVE TO THE BRAKING EFFORTS. CONSUMER TRIED TO EXIT THE ROAD. THE VEHICLE HIT THE RISING OF THE MEDIAN AND FLIPPED ONTO ITS ROOF. CONSUMER SUFFERED VARIOUS BODILY INJURIES. CONSUMER REQUESTS THE DEFECTS ENDURED BE INVESTIGATED, CONSUMER LOOKED AT THE BOTTOM OF THE VEHICLE AND OBSERVED THAT THE RIGHT REAR WHEEL HAD DE-BEADED AND HAD NO AIR, THIS IS WHAT CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO FISHTAIL, TIRE IS A FIRESTONE LEMANS HR TUBLPS 195/60R15, IN THE ACCIDENT, THE AIRBAG FAILED TO DEPLOY.
NHTSA complaint #567756 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE; LOST CONTROL AND FLIP OVER AND NEITHER THE AIR BAG DEPLOY. DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. *MR THE BRAKE FAILED TO STOP THE VEHICLE.
NHTSA complaint #8019984 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
THE BRAKE FAILED TO STOP THE VEHICLE.
NHTSA complaint #8019984 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
DRIVER ATTEMTPED TO ENTER LEFT LANE ON INTERSTATE WHILE TRAVELING AT 65-67 MPH. WHILE ENTERING LANE, AND AT DIAGONAL, HAD TO HIT BARKES SUDDENLY DUE TO DRIVER IN CAR IMMEDIATELY AHEAD OF VEHICLE LEAVING RIGHT LANE WITHOUT NOTICE. HIT BARKES AND REAR RIGHT WHEEL "GAVE' AND CAR REAR END BEGAN TO FISHTAIL UNCONTROLLABLY. DRIVER HAD TO EXIT HIGHWAY TO CETER V-SHAPED MEDIAN. TRAVELING AT HIGH, THOUGH REDUCED RATE OF SPEED. CAR TRAVELED DOWN NEAR INCLINE INTO V OF MEDIAN CENTER. CAR HIT ASCENDING AREA OF MEDIANWITH FRONT (80%) LEFT (20%) PORTION OF VEHICLE. TORE OFF FOGS LIGHTS, BROKE LOWER AIR DAM AND TORE OFF LICENSE PLATE BRACKETT WHILE CRUMPLING LICENSE PLATE. LEFT FRONT TIRE HIT INCLINED AREA OF MEDIAN. VEHICLE FLIPPED ONTO ROOF. DESPITE IMPACT, AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. DRIVER SUFFERED CONCUSSION, BODY LACERATIONS, CERVICAL FRACTURE.BUMPER TRAVEL.
NHTSA complaint #766975 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
PARKING BRAKE:CONVENTIONAL
PARKING BRAKE BUTTON MOST OF THE TIME FAILS TO ENGAGE.
NHTSA complaint #8018095 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
WHILE APPROACHING A RIGHT CURVE AND APPLYING BRAKES, BRAKE PEDAL HARDENED, AND BRAKES FAILED. MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. *AK CONSUMER MISSED THE CURVE AND DROVE DOWNHILL APPROXIMATELY 50 FEET, CRASHING INTO A TREE, THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY, THERE WAS ONE INJURY. *SLC
NHTSA complaint #8015660 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS
WHILE DRIVING ABOUT 40 MPH ON HIGHWAY AND UPON DEPRESSING BRAKE PEDAL PEDAL WENT STRAIGHT TO FLOORBOARD, CAUSING EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE , AND RESULTING IN VEHICLE VEERING INTO ANOTHER LANE. CONSUMER HAD VEHICLE TOWED TO DEALER.
NHTSA complaint #8003090 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:MASTER CYLINDER
THE MASTER CYLINDER FAILED X2 RESULTING IN MY REAR ENDING A JEEP. THE REPAIR COST TO THE CAR AND TO REPLACE THE DEFECTIVE MASTER CYLINDER COST ME OVER $1500 OUT OF POCKET . THIS SHOULD NOT HAVE FAILED IN LESS THAN 70,000 MILES. THE 2ND TIME IT WENT OUT I WAS ON THE FREEWAY AND FORTUNATELY WAS ABLE TO GET OFF AND USE MY EMERGENCY BRAKE TO GET IT TO THE SHOP. THIS IS NOT ACCEPTABLE AS SATURN IS SUPPOSED TO BE A RELIABLE CAR. TO HAVE A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE IN A CAR WITH APPROX 26K ON IT IS JUST NOT AN OPTIONL.
NHTSA complaint #752800 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
WHILE DRIVING AT 30MPH CONSUMER TOOK FOOT OFF ACCELERATOR AND VEHICLE KEPT GOING. SHE THEN APPLIED BRAKES; BUT, IT DID NOT SLOW VEHICLE. APPLIED TRANSMISSION, AND TACHOMETER WENT TO 3000 RPMS. SHE THEN RELEASED TRANSMISSION, AND VEHICLE KEPT SPEED OF 35 MPH. SHE APPLIED BRAKES AND TRANSMISSION, VEHICLE SLOWED AND ENGINE RACED. BUT, STOPPED AT LIGHT. SHE LET GO OF TRANSMISSION AND BRAKES, AND BY THAT TIME SHE HAD SHIFTED UP TO 3RD GEAR WITHOUT APPLYING ACCELERATOR, VEHICLE REACHED 35 MPH. AFTER 1/2 TO 3/4 MILE ENGINE STOPPED RACING, AND CONSUMER WAS ABLE TO STOP VEHICLE. DEALER FOUND NOTHING WRONG WITH VEHICLE. MILES AT INCIDENT 19800. *AK *SLC
NHTSA complaint #893957 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
PARKING BRAKE:CONVENTIONAL
THE BUTTON THAT HOLDS EMERGENCY BRAKE POPPED OUT. THE BRAKE WILL NO LONGER STAY UP.
NHTSA complaint #741102 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC
I'M FROM CANADA. NO SAFETY DEFECT LISTED IN SUMMARY.
NHTSA complaint #726116 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:ROTOR
FRONT ROTORS WENT OUT. DEALER HAD TO REPLACE ROTORS AND BRAKE PADS PER CONSUMER'S COST. DEALER HAS ADVISED CONSUMER THAT ROTORS WERE DEFECTIVE. THIS PROBLEM COULD HAVE CAUSED AN AUTOMOBILE ACCIDENT.
NHTSA complaint #866523 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS
BRAKES MALFUNCTION. YH
NHTSA complaint #552188 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
WHEN DRIVING AT 50 MPH AND UPON MAKING A NORMAL STOP BRAKE PEDAL TRAVELED TO THE FLOORBOARD, CAUSING EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE, AND RESULTING IN VEHICLE RUNNING INTO A FIELD OVER A RAILROAD. VEHICLE WAS TOTALED. *AK
NHTSA complaint #861129 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC
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 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
PARKING BRAKE:CONVENTIONAL:MECHANICAL
PLASTIC EMERGENCY PARKING BRAKE CRACKED, CAUSING EMERGENCY PARKING BRAKE TO BECOME INOPERATIVE. THIS TIP SHOULD BE MADE OF METAL AS IS THE REST OF THE PARKING BRAKE. *AK.ET.
NHTSA complaint #850228 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.