FaultScore

Worst years for a Saturn SW

Owners have filed 274 complaints about the Saturn SW with NHTSA across model years 1992 to 2001. More of them are about the brakes than anything else.

Avoid

1994 Saturn SW

41 complaints — the highest FaultScore of any year, mostly brakes.

Cleanest on record

2000 Saturn SW

18 complaints — the lowest FaultScore of the graded years.

Every Saturn SW 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
2001 6 1 0 48,000 Fuel & Propulsion
2000 C 18 3 1 70,416 Engine & Cooling
1999 C 23 6 0 Airbags
1998 D 31 4 1 Engine & Cooling
1997 C 35 1 2 115,500 Electrical System
1996 C 31 1 2 Brakes
1995 D 52 9 1 99,000 Engine & Cooling
1994 D 41 13 1 Brakes
1993 C 35 1 2 Brakes
1992 2 2 2 Transmission & Drivetrain

What breaks on a Saturn SW

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

Brakes 47 17.2%

Worst in 1994

Engine & Cooling 36 13.1%

Worst in 1995

Worst in 1995

Electrical System 24 8.8%

Worst in 1997

Seats 21 7.7%

Worst in 1995

Acceleration & Cruise Control 17 6.2%

Worst in 1994

Seat Belts 17 6.2%

Worst in 1993

Airbags 15 5.5%

Worst in 1999

Fuel & Propulsion 15 5.5%

Worst in 1997

Windows, Mirrors & Wipers 11 4.0%

Worst in 1998

Body & Structure 8 2.9%

Worst in 1993

Other & Unspecified 7 2.6%

Worst in 1995

Suspension 6 2.2%

Worst in 1995

Steering 4 1.5%

Worst in 1994

Exactly what failed on a Saturn SW

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

Engine 18 19.4%
Automatic Transmission 14 15.1%
Recliner 11 11.8%
Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip 11 11.8%
Foundation Components 8 8.6%
Frontal 8 8.6%
Gasoline 7 7.5%
Rotor 7 7.5%
Pads 5 5.4%
Tread/Belt 4 4.3%

Complaints filed over time

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

Feb 1995 peak 9 Aug 2018

Compare the Saturn SW

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