Owner-reported complaints naming the electrical system, filed with NHTSA
Data refreshed
Reports naming the electrical system — wiring, battery, charging, control modules, infotainment and electrical accessories. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2002 Saturn Sc submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 12 reports on file name it.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed
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.
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.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 SATURN SC. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED IN A LOT, THE CONTACT HAD TO MAKE NUMEROUS ATTEMPTS AND EXERT FORCE TO UNLOCK THE STEERING WHEEL. AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC REPLACED THE IGNITION MODULE AND COIL SPRING. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 5,000.
THE KEYS TO THE IGNITION SWITCH HAVE WORN DOWN SO MUCH THAT THEY WILL NOT WORK. I PURCHASED NEW KEY BLANKS, WENT TO THE DEALER AND HAD THEM COPY THE KEYS. THE DEALER HAD TO RUN THE KEYS THROUGH THE MACHINE TWICE TO CUT THEM PROPERLY. THE NEW KEYS WORK, BUT A VERY GREAT DEAL OF FRICTION IS FELT WHEN THE KEY IS INSERTED OR REMOVED. THE KEY DRAGS BADLY IN THE IGNITION SWITCH LOCK. THE IGNITION SWITCH HAS WORN OUT. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 SATURN SC. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE FAILED TO START. THE VEHICLE WAS ABLE TO START AFTER NUMEROUS ATTEMPTS. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE FAILURE WAS INTERMITTENT. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO REPLACED THE IGNITION CYLINDER AND ISSUED NEW KEYS. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 44,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 SATURN SC. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN THE KEY WAS PLACED IN THE IGNITION, THE THEFT SYSTEM ACTIVATED AND THE ENGINE FAILED TO START. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A PRIVATE MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE IGNITION SWITCH NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 89,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 91,654. UPDATED 04/30/14 MA UPDATED 06/03/14
AFTER READING SEVERAL CASES OF WHICH SATURN IGNITION LOCKING UP. SO I THOUGHT I WOULD GIVE IT A SHOT TO FILE A COMPLAINT TO SEE IF MANY A RECALL WILL BE ISSUED. I REALLY NEVER HAD ANY PROBLEMS WITH MY SATURN UNTIL A FEW MONTHS AGO WHEN I TRIED TO START MY CAR AND THE KEY WOULD NOT TURN OVER. I JUST THOUGHT IT WAS SOMETHING I WAS DOING WRONG AFTER THIS HAPPENING EVERYDAY I KNEW SOMETHING WAS WRONG. RIGHT NOW I AM LOOKING INTO GETTING THIS FIXED BEFORE I HAVE MAJOR PROBLEMS LIKE I HAVE READ WITH OTHER CUSTOMERS OF SATURN. STEERING WHEEL LOCKING UP WHILE DRIVING OR THE CAR NOT BEING ABLE TO BE TURNED OFF. MINE CAR IS NOT TO THAT POINT BUT I KNOW IF I LET IT GO IT WILL GET TO THIS POINT. THE TUMBLERS ARE BAD IN MY SATURN IM NOT SURE HOW MUCH IT WILL BE TO FIX BUT THERE SHOULD DEF BE A RECALL ON THIS MATTER. ESP IF YOUR STEERING WHEEL LOCKS UP WHEN DRIVING THIS IS NOT SAVE FOR ANYONE! I DRIVE A 2002 SATURN SC1. *TR
THE SPARK PLUG WIRES ARE ARCHING AND SPARKING WHICH COULD POTENTIALLY CAUSE A FIRE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, WHO INITIALLY CHANGED THE SPARK PLUGS. DEALER CONTACTED THE DIVISION OFFICE WHICH TOLD HIM TO PUT THE OLD SPARK PLUGS BACK ON THE VEHICLE. *AK *MR
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.
Data on this page last refreshed .