Recalls, owner-reported complaints, investigations and safety data
Data refreshed
Our database contains 38 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 2002 Saturn Sc, most frequently naming the electrical, airbags and engine categories. 51 manufacturer communications are on file.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
When owners filed reports about this model year
| Month | Complaints filed | Cumulative |
|---|---|---|
| Sep 2001 | 1 | 1 |
| Apr 2002 | 1 | 2 |
| Jan 2003 | 1 | 3 |
| Apr 2003 | 1 | 4 |
| Jun 2003 | 1 | 5 |
| Aug 2003 | 1 | 6 |
| Sep 2003 | 1 | 7 |
| Oct 2003 | 2 | 9 |
| Sep 2004 | 1 | 10 |
| Feb 2005 | 1 | 11 |
| Aug 2005 | 1 | 12 |
| Sep 2005 | 1 | 13 |
| Aug 2006 | 2 | 15 |
| Feb 2007 | 1 | 16 |
| Apr 2007 | 1 | 17 |
| May 2007 | 1 | 18 |
| Jun 2007 | 1 | 19 |
| Aug 2007 | 1 | 20 |
| Nov 2007 | 1 | 21 |
| Jul 2008 | 1 | 22 |
| Sep 2008 | 1 | 23 |
| Feb 2010 | 1 | 24 |
| May 2011 | 1 | 25 |
| Feb 2014 | 1 | 26 |
| Mar 2014 | 1 | 27 |
| Jun 2014 | 2 | 29 |
| Jul 2014 | 1 | 30 |
| Aug 2014 | 1 | 31 |
| Sep 2014 | 1 | 32 |
| Nov 2014 | 1 | 33 |
| Mar 2015 | 1 | 34 |
| May 2015 | 1 | 35 |
| Nov 2015 | 1 | 36 |
| Oct 2016 | 1 | 37 |
| Mar 2017 | 1 | 38 |
Complaints grouped by the component NHTSA recorded
Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.
No recalls in our database for this model year
That does not guarantee a specific vehicle is unaffected — recalls are issued against VINs, and new campaigns are announced regularly. Check a VIN on NHTSA.gov.
Reports submitted to NHTSA, shown in the owner's own words
FRONT END ACCIDENT. NEITHER AIR BAG DEPLOYED. CAR WAS IN MOTION, WENT THROUGH A RAIL OVER A EMBANKMENT AND DOWN THE HILL INTO THE LAKE.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 SATURN SC. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE KEY FELL OUT OF THE IGNITION SWITCH WHILE DRIVING. AT TIMES, THE CONTACT HAD DIFFICULTY PLACING THE KEY IN AND OUT OF THE IGNITION SWITCH. THE IGNITION SWITCH WAS REPAIRED THREE TIMES. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS NOT AVAILABLE.
CAR HAS HAD ISSUES WITH THE STARTER OVER THE YEARS, REQUIRING COUNTLESS REPLACEMENTS BEFORE THE RECOMMENDED REPLACEMENT DATES. RECENTLY, A STARTER LASTED ONLY 6 MONTHS BEFORE FAILING. WHEN A MECHANIC LOOKED AT THE STARTER, HE SAID THAT THERE IS PROBABLY SOMETHING WRONG WITH THE IGNITION CAUSING THE STARTER TO CONTINUOUSLY RUN WHILE THE ENGINE IS ON. THIS RESULTED IN THE STARTER COMPLETELY BURNING UP ON THE INSIDE. SMOKE WAS VISIBLE FROM THIS STARTER. THE KEY ALSO SLIPS OUT OF THE IGNITION IN ANY POSITION, INCLUDING WHEN THE ENGINE IS ON AND CAR IS MOVING. THERE IS A RECALL FROM GM AFFECTING SATURN IGNITION SWITCHES AND IGNITION CYLINDERS, BUT IT DOES NOT INCLUDE 2002 SATURNS EVEN THOUGH THE PROBLEM IS THE SAME.
I CONTACTED GM'S CUSTOMER SERVICE REGARDING MY IGNITION SWITCH WHICH IS STUCK ON ACCESSORY AND HAS BEEN DRAINING MY BATTERY. MY CAR WAS A YEAR BEFORE THE RECALLED IGNITION SWITCHES IN OTHER SATURN BUT AFTER SIGNIFICANT RESEARCH IT APPEARED TO BE SIMILAR ISSUES THAT THE MAJORITY OF THE RECALLS HAD. THEY REFERRED ME TO A CHEVY DEALERSHIP FOR A QUOTE AND SAID THAT THEY WOULD DETERMINE IF IT WOULD BE COVERED. WHEN I ARRIVED THE DEALERSHIP SAID THEY HAD SEEN MANY OF THESE ISSUES BUT GM ALWAYS REFUSED TO COVER AND THAT I SHOULD CALL THEM TO GET A CASE NUMBER. AFTER SPENDING 45 MINUTES ON THE PHONE WITH A REPRESENTATIVE TO DETERMINE IF I WAS ELIGIBLE I WAS THEN PASSED TO ANOTHER REPRESENTATIVE WHO TOLD ME THAT BECAUSE THE IGNITION SWITCH DID NOT TURN WHILE DRIVING, IT WAS MY PROBLEM BECAUSE MY CAR IS OVER 10 YEARS OLD AND PARASITIC DRAINS WERE NOT THEIR REMIT. I ASKED IF THESE WERE IN THE SAME BATCH AS THE RECALLED SWITCHES BECAUSE THEY SHOULD TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR ALL FAULTY SWITCHES WITHIN THAT TIME FRAME AND THEY TOLD ME TO FILE A COMPLAINT WITH NHTSA. I REACHED OUT TO THEIR DIGITAL CUSTOMER SERVICE REPS WHO WERE ABLE TO ISSUE ME A CASE NUMBER AND SAID THAT SOMEONE WOULD CALL ME WITHIN 24 HOURS AND NO ONE CALLED. I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT 2002 SWITCHES ARE INVESTIGATED FOR POSSIBLE RECALL ISSUES AND I HAVE MY CASE NUMBER ON FILE IN CASE ANYONE ACTUALLY HELPS ME THERE. *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 SATURN SC. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE FAILED TO START UNTIL AFTER AWAITING SEVERAL HOURS LATER. THE FAILURE RECURRED ON A SEPARATE OCCASION. ALSO,THE KEY BECAME EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO TURN IN THE IGNITION SWITCH. IN ADDITION, THE KEY RELEASED INDEPENDENTLY FROM THE IGNITION SWITCH ON NUMEROUS TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 134,000.
PASSENGER AIRBAG DEPLOYED WHILE DRIVING THROUGH A PARKING LOT AT APPROX. 15 MPH. CAR WENT OVER A SPEEDBUMP AND AIRBAG SPONTANEOUSLY DEPLOYED. NO PASSENGER WAS IN THE SEAT AT THE TIME. VEHICLE IGNITION "LOCKS" AFTER KEY IS REMOVED, SOMETIMES MAKING IT VERY DIFFICULT TO TURN KEY WHEN STARTING CAR AGAIN. KEY CAN ALSO BE REMIVED WHILE CAR IS IN MOTION WITHOUT TURNING OFF THE IGNITION. *TR
HAVE BEEN HAVING ISSUES WITH THE VEHICLE TURNING THE IGNITION AS IT JAMS AND AT TIMES FEARFUL IT MAY NOT TURN NEXT TIME I TRY TO START IT .....BUT TODAY WHILE WAITING AT A RED LIGHT...CAR RUNNING, RADIO ON AND INTERIOR DASH LIGHTS ON...EVERYTHING JUST SHUT DOWN....THE ENGINE CONTINUED TO RUN...BUT THE REST OF THE CAR DIED...I WAS VERY NERVOUS WAITING FOR THE LIGHT TO CHANGE .....WONDERING IF IT WOULD ALLOW ME TO EVEN GET HOME....WITHIN IN 2 MINUTES THE ELECTRICAL DID COME BACK....I ONLY PURCHASED MY SATURN IN FEB, AS USED BUT DID NOT START SEEING THESE ISSUES UNTIL THE PAST 2 MONTHS...BUT HAVE ALSO NOTICED THAT THIS CAR MODEL IS NOT ON ANY RECALL LIST WITH OTHERS DISPLAYING THE SAME ISSUES. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 SATURN SC. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE IGNITION TURNED FROM THE ON POSITION TO THE OFF POSITION ON ITS OWN. THE FAILURE OCCURRED SEVERAL TIMES. AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC STATED THAT THE IGNITION SWITCH FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THE VIN WAS EXCLUDED FROM NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V171000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM). THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 98,000.
A bulletin sent by a manufacturer to its dealers. Not a recall, and repairs are not necessarily free.
This PI communicates the requirement to provide a pico file to receive diagnostic assistance from TAC.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Vehicle Wide Programming (VWP) is a new process to update software on GM Vehicles. It provides the ability via a single selection within Techline Connect to first identify which modules need updating and then proceed to updating affected modules (with some exceptions). The updating of modules is completed in parallel instead of the technician needing to update one module at a time. This allows a more streamlined approach for dealers and customers.
This bulletin provides information for use on a Product Assistance Claim (PAC), which is formerly known as a Product Allegation Resolution (PAR) claim.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
This service bulletin provides information for dealers/technicians on Service Programming System (SPS) Error Codes E4398, E4399, E4401, E4403, M4404, M4413, M6954, M6955, E4414, E4423, E4491, E4492, or E6961 and resolution information.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
This bulletin provides information for electrical ground repairs using new General Motors replacement fasteners with conductive finish.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
This technical bulletin advises of a new fuel injection cleaner kit used for decarbonizing the intake valves to correct conditions of rough idle, Crank no start, extended crank or misfire, MIL with DTCs, and explains how Top Tier fuels should be used to reduce carbon build-up.
Manufacturers file copies of the bulletins they send to dealers with NHTSA. These often describe diagnostic or repair procedures for a known condition. They are not recalls: repairs described in a bulletin are usually only free if the vehicle is still under warranty or the manufacturer has extended coverage.
Complaint and recall counts across every year of this model
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers. Older model years have had longer for reports to accumulate.