FaultScore

Saturn SC1 seat problems

81 of the 554 complaints filed about the Saturn SC1 are about the seats — 15% of everything owners reported. The worst model year for it is 1994.

81

Complaints

15%

Share of all complaints

18

Crashes

0

Fires

Seats complaints by model year

1991 SC1 2 2.5%
1992 SC1 2 2.5%
1993 SC1 12 14.8%

Median failure at 138,000 miles

1994 SC1 34 42.0%
1995 SC1 19 23.5%

Median failure at 70,000 miles

1997 SC1 3 3.7%

Median failure at 33,750 miles

1998 SC1 2 2.5%
1999 SC1 6 7.4%

Median failure at 49,000 miles

2001 SC1 1 1.2%

What owners said

1997 Saturn SC1 DE Soto, MO

SEATS

DRIVERS SEAT SLIDES BACKWARDS WITHOUT USING THE "ADJUSTMENT LEVER". SOMETIMES JUST BACKING UP AT 3-5 MPH, ALSO AT HWY SPEEDS. ALSO SLIDES BACKWARDS AFTER BEING ADJUSTED BY THE DRIVER-ALWAYS ADJUSTED WHILE PARKED, NEVER MOVING. ALSO, SEATBELTS WORKED FINE UNTIL RECALL NOTICE (99-2000/"REPAIRED" BY JIM BUTLER SOUTH COUNTY SATURN, ST LOUIS, MO) THEN WOULD NOT RETRACT, MUST FEED BELTS BACK INTO SLOT; WILL NOT RETURN TO DEALER, AS TOO MANY BAD EXPERIENCES W/THIS DEALERSHIP. APPROX 2002-03 (APPROX 80-100K MILES) STARTED USING 2 QTS OIL PER MONTH, NOW USES 3+ QTS PER MONTH MINIMUM. APPROX 2009 STARTED USING ENIGINE COOLANT EXCESSIVELY; MUST CARRY EXTRA QTS OIL, 1 GALLON ENGINE COOLANT IN CAR AT ALL TIMES, CHECKING AT EVERY FUEL FILL-UP OR BEFORE LEAVING HOME. BATTERY DEAD OCT 2011, REPLACED-STILL LOSES CHARGE OVERNIGHT;CHANGED SPARK PLUGS, FUSES, IGNITION-COULD REMOVE KEY WHILE CAR STILL RUNNING WHILE STOPPED. STILL SITTING IN DRIVEWAY AS CANNOT FIGURE OUT ELEC PROBLEM. 206K MI. PURCH 10-96 WITH 13 MI ON IT.

NHTSA complaint #10442293 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

1993 Saturn SC1 at 205,000 miles Mansfield, OH

SEATS

1993 SATURN SC2 FRONT SEAT BACK RECLINER MECHANISM FAILED CAUSING SEAT BACK TO RECLINE SUDDENLY AND ALMOST INJURING PASSENGER IN THE CAR. SEAT WILL NO LONGER STAY FORWARD WHICH RESULTS IN SEAT GOING BACK A SOON AS YOU PRESS GAS PEDAL.

NHTSA complaint #10402460 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

1993 Saturn SC1 at 75,006 miles Hurlburt Field, FL

SEATS

DRIVER'S SEAT BACK RECLINER MECHANISM FAILED CAUSING SEAT BACK TO RECLINE SUDDENLY AND LOSS OF CONTROL OF VEHICLE. DISASSEMBLY OF THE SEAT AND INSPECTION OF THE RECLINER MECHANISM REVEALED A DESIGN DEFECT WHICH MAKES SUDDEN FAILURE OF THIS MECHANISM HIGHLY LIKELY. FOR THE RECLINER TO HOLD THE SEAT BACK IN POSITION, TWO INTERNAL OPERATING LEVERS MUST REMAIN ALIGNED IN THE SAME PLANE. THESE ARE HELD IN ALIGNMENT BY A VERY THIN METAL PLATE (ABOUT 1MM THICK). THIS PLATE WAS BENT CAUSING THE INTERNAL OPERATING LEVERS TO MISALIGN AND THE SEAT BACK TO COLLAPSE. DUE TO THE THINNESS AND LACK OF STRENGTH OF THE ALIGNMENT PLATE, THIS FAILURE IS EXTREMELY LIKELY. YOUR DATABASE SHOWS AT LEAST TWO OTHER SIMILAR FAILURES IN 1993 SATURNS. ALSO NOTE NHTSA ORDERED A RECALL FOR THIS PROBLEM IN 1994 SATURNS. THE FAILED SEAT BACK RECLINER MECHANISM IS AVAILABLE FOR INSPECTION BY NHTSA PERSONNEL. THIS IS NOT A NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR ISSUE, SINCE THIS SEEMS TO BE A COMMON PROBLEM WITH OTHER 1993 SATURNS.

NHTSA complaint #10308353 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

1997 Saturn SC1 at 33,750 miles North Hollywood, CA Crash 1 injured

SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:RECLINER

I WAS INVOLVED IN A REAR END COLLISION AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT. MY VEHICLE IS A 1998 SATURN VIN[XXX]. I WAS AT A COMPLETE STOP WHEN A LARGE UTILITY VAN STRUCK MY VEHICLE. THE IMPACT SPEED WOULD BE AROUND 30MPH. UPON IMPACT, THE DRIVER SEAT FAILED - SHIFTING ME BACK TO THE REAR SEAT AND THEN I WAS JOLTED FORWARD AND HIT MY HEAD ON THE STEERING WHEEL. THE SEATBELT SYSTEM FAILED TO CONSTRICT MY BODY TO THE CAR SEAT. THE FRONT AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY. I SUFFERED HEAD, NECK, AND SOFT TISSUE DAMAGE TO MY SHOULDER AND MID BACK AREA. *JS INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA complaint #10170846 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

1995 Saturn SC1 at 70,000 miles Honolulu, HI

SEATS

MODEL: 1995 SATURN SC2 COUPE THROUGH NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR, THE DRIVER'S SEAT COLLAPSED BACKWARDS, THE INTERNAL METAL IS BENT, AND SO THE SEAT WILL NOT RETURN TO THE NORMAL POSITION. THE SEAT WAS ALREADY PARTIALLY BENT BACK WHEN THE CAR WAS RECALLED FOR REPAIRS. THAT RECALL CONCERNED THE FAILURE OF THE SEAT RECLINER MECHANISM. SATURN REPLACED THE MECHANISM, THE SEAT WAS UPRIGHT FOR A TIME, BUT THEN COLLAPSED FULLY AFTER MILD BACKWARD PRESSURE. IN RESPONSE TO THIS PROBLEM, SATURN SAID THAT THE METAL OF THE SEAT WAS BENT OUT OF SHAPE, THAT THE SEAT WON'T LOCK INTO AN UPRIGHT POSITION, AND THAT THIS PROBLEM WAS UNRELATED TO THE RECALL. THEREFORE I SHOULD PAY FOR A REPLACEMENT SEAT. I CONTEND THAT THE FORCES APPLIED TO THE SEAT ARE INTER-RELATED TO THE PROBLEMS OF THE RECLINER MECHANISM, AND THAT FAULTY ENGINEERING DESIGN HAS LED TO THE PROBLEM.

NHTSA complaint #10088170 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

1993 Saturn SC1 Seattle, WA Crash 1 injured

SEATS

VEHICLE WAS STOPPED WHEN REAR ENDED BY VEHICLE TRAVELING APPROX. 25 MPH. SEAT BACK COLLAPSED ON DRIVER'S SIDE TO 45 DEGREE ANGLE.BODY SHOP UNABLE TO REPAIR TO ORIGINAL CONDITION WITHOUT REPLACEMENT.

NHTSA complaint #10072379 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

1999 Saturn SC1 at 49,000 miles Citrus Heights, CA Crash 2 injured

SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:RECLINER

I WAS REAR-ENDED AT 65MPH ON 12-19. MY SEAT BACK COMPLETELY RECLINED AND PINNED MY 9 YEAR OLD SON. HE WAS UNCONCIOUS FOR SEVERAL SECONDS AND SUFFERED A CONCUSSION AND NECK PAIN. I SUFFERED NECK AND BACK INJURIES.

NHTSA complaint #10054534 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

1999 Saturn SC1 SAN Jose, CA Crash 1 injured

SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:RECLINER

DRIVER'S SEAT COMPLETELY RECLINED DURING REAR END COLLISION, RESULTING IN NECK AND BACK INJURIES.

NHTSA complaint #10025967 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

1993 Saturn SC1 at 138,000 miles Saint Paul, MN

SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:RECLINER

THE DRIVER SEAT BACK DID NOT STAY UP.

NHTSA complaint #10009178 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

1994 Saturn SC1 Lexington, KY

SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:RECLINER

RECLINER MECHANISM ON THE DRIVER SIDE SEAT IS NOT WORKING PROPERLY. MECHANISM DOES NOT HOLD IN PLACE, AND WHEN THE CONSUMER IS DRIVING, SEAT WILL FALL BACK. CONTACTED DEALER, AND THE DEALER IS NOT WILLING TO DO ANYTHING.

NHTSA complaint #8013833 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

1995 Saturn SC1 Call Springs, CO

SEATS

WHILE SITTING IN DRIVERS SIDE SEAT, CONSUMER HAPPENED TO STRETCH WITHOUT WARNING AND SEAT HAPPENED TO RECLINE ON ITS OWN. CONSUMER FOUND RECALL 9V045000 REGARDING SAME PROBLEM. CONTACTED DEALER, DEALER INDICATED THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT COVERED UNDER RECALL DUE TO VIN. *AK *SLC

NHTSA complaint #8013207 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

1994 Saturn SC1 Walhalla, SC

SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:POWER ADJUST

DRIVER'S SEAT WOULD INTERMITTENTLY RECLINE BY ITSELF WHILE DRVING. DEALER WAS NOTIFIED. *AK THE SEAT GEAR TEETH ARE WORN EXCESSIVELY.

NHTSA complaint #8012474 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

1999 Saturn SC1 Joliet, IL

SEATS

CHILD SEAT DOES NOT FIT SAFELY INTO THE VEHICLE, THIS STATEMENT CAME FROM THE FIRE AND POLICE DEPARTMENT, THE CONSUMER WAS ASKING FOR REFUND OR FOR AN EQUAL EXCHANGE. *YH

NHTSA complaint #564261 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

1999 Saturn SC1 Joliet, IL

SEATS

CHILD SEAT DOES NOT FIT SAFELY INTO THE VEHICLE, THIS STATEMENT CAME FROM THE FIRE AND POLICE DEPARTMENT, THE CONSUMER WAS ASKING FOR REFUND OR FOR AN EQUAL EXCHANGE. *YH

NHTSA complaint #564261 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

1999 Saturn SC1 Joliet, IL

SEATS

CONSUMER STATES THE CHILD SEAT DOES NOT FIT SAFELY INTO THE VEHICLE, THIS STATEMENT CAME FROM A FIRE AND POLICE DEPARTMENT, THE CONSUMER WAS ASKING FOR A REFUND OR FOR AN EQUAL EXCHANGE. *YH

NHTSA complaint #564261 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

1993 Saturn SC1 North Jackson, OH

SEATS

DRIVER SIDE SEAT BROKE, FRAME OF SEAT IS STICKING OUT, UPPER PART OF SEAT IS FLOPPING BACK AND FORTH. *JG

NHTSA complaint #8001451 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

1995 Saturn SC1 Mount Dora, FL

SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:RECLINER

WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE AND EACH TIME THAT IT ACCELERATES PASSANGERS SEAT WILL COLLAPSE BACKWARD JUST LIKE MENTIONED IN RECALL 99 V 045 000 FRONT SEAT BACK RECLINER. PLEASE PROVIDE MORE INFORMATION.

NHTSA complaint #6900683 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

1995 Saturn SC1 Colorado Springs, CO

SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:RECLINER

SAME ISSUE AS NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID 99V045000, EXCEPT MY CAR WAS MANUFACTURED ON 12/94. I BELIEVE THE EXISTING RECALL NEEDS TO BE EXPANDED.

NHTSA complaint #754876 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

1994 Saturn SC1 Davis, CA

SEATS

DRIVERS SIDE SEAT HAS A DEFECT, WHEN DRIVER BARELY LEANS OR PRESSES IT, THE SEATS RECLINED BACKWARDS WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING.*AK *SLC

NHTSA complaint #898390 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

1994 Saturn SC1 Seattle, WA

SEATS

TRACK WAS SUPPOSEDLY FIXED WHEN THE RECALL CAME OUT IN 1999. SAME DEFECT OCCURRED AGAIN IN 2001- I WAS MADE TO PAY FOR IT SATURN CITING THAT A 12 MONTH WARRANTY ON THIS RECALL HAD EXPIRED.

NHTSA complaint #751114 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Other Saturn SC1 problems