Reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers, shown in full
Data refreshed
Our database holds 58 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 1993 Saturn SC1. Each one is a report filed by an owner or driver and published by NHTSA without most of them being verified. A complaint is not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. Narratives are shown exactly as filed.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Showing 1–25 of 58 · page 1 of 3
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. *TR
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. *TR
CONSUMER WAS DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 25 MPH AND SUDDENLY THE LIGHTS WENT DIM AND SMOKE BEGAN COMING FROM THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE. THE SERVICE MANAGER TOLD CONSUMER THAT THERE WAS A FIRE COMING FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT, AND THE WIRE THAT CONNECTED TO THE ALTERNATOR MELTED. *AK
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. *AK
DUE TO PLASTIC DOOR SKIN (OUTER PANELING ) OPENING THE DOOR IN A LOW SPEED CAR ACCIDENT IN ADDITION TO PASSIVE SEAT BELT FALURE (INTERMITTENTLY WORKED)I WAS EJECTED FROM CAR AND LEFT PARALYZED. AUTOMATIC DOOR LOCKING WAS REJECTED BY SATURN DUE TO COST LEAVING SAFETY OUT OF CONCERN. *JB
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.
THE HAZARD LIGHTS STOPPED FLASHING WITHOUT ANY WARNING. PLEASE DESCRIBE FURTHER. *PH THE TURN SIGNALS WERE ALSO INOPERATIVE. *JB
GENERATOR FAILED PREMATURELY, CAUSING VEHICLE TO STALL WHILE DRIVING. *AK THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. RECALL# 93V132000 *SCC THE CONSUMER STATED THE ALTERNATOR FAILED THREE TIMES. *JB
THE BATTERY CABLE FAILED WHICH CAUSED THE CONSUMER TO REPLACE THE BATTERY EVERY YEAR. A RECALL WAS ISSUED, HOWEVER, THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. *AK THE SATURN DEALER REFUSED TO FIX THE BATTERY CABLE. RECALL# 93V094000. *SCC *JB
THE DRIVER SEAT BACK DID NOT STAY UP. *JB
CONSUMER STATES THIS IS THIRD TIME HAS CHANGE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISION . DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. AND PROBLEM IS REOCUURING. MR
I AM CURIOUS AS TO WHETHER WE ARE THE ONLY ONES WHO HAVE EXPERIENCED THIS SEAT BELT FAILURE. BECAUSE OF CONSTRUCTION, THEY HAVE STOPPED RUNNING ACROSS THE TOP OF THE DOOR, AND THEY ARE EXPENSIVE TO REPLACE.*AK
DRIVER SIDE SEAT BROKE, FRAME OF SEAT IS STICKING OUT, UPPER PART OF SEAT IS FLOPPING BACK AND FORTH. *JG *AK
ALTERNATOR MOUNTING POINT ON ENGINE BLOCK BROKE, RELEASING ALTERNATOR. *AK
CONSUMER STATES THE DRIVER'S SEAT COLLAPSED BACKWARD WHILE GETTING INTO VEHICLE, DEALER REPLACED THE SEAT BACK ADJUSTER MECHANISM AND LESS THAN ONE WEEK LATER, THE SEAT COLLAPSED AGAIN, CONSUMER RETURNED TO DEALER AND WAS TOLD THAT SOME EARLY MODELS HAD SEAT PROBLEMS, AND THE DEALER ADJUSTED OR BENT THE SEAT TO A MORE UPRIGHT POSITION, SOON AFTERWARDS, THE SEAT COLLAPSED AGAIN.*JB
DRIVER AND PASSENGER DOORS WILL NOT OPEN FROM INSIDE OF VEHICLE. CONSUMER IS TAKING IT TO A PRIVATE MECHANIC ON APRIL 26TH. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION/ATTACHMENTS.*AK
WHILE EXITING THE TURNPIKE THE RIGHT FRONT TIRE AND RIM CAME OFF DAMAGING THE RIGHT FRONT FENDER (OHIO TRAFFIC CRASH REPORT). NLM
WHILE DRIVING CARBON MONOXIDE FUMES WOULD BE ENTERING VEHICLE THROUGH FLOORBOARD. WOULD HAVE STATIC ELECTRIC CHARGE TO LEFT KNEE. DOORS WERE EXCESSIVELY HEAVY TO OPEN OR CLOSE. DOOR LOCKS FAILED TO BE OPERATED PROPERLY. PANEL LIGHTS WOULD COME ON OR GO OFF BY THEMSELVES. TAKING VEHICLE TO DEALERSHIP TO HAVE MECHANIC CHECK IT OUT. *AK
WHILE DRIVING AT 5-10 MPH ANOTHER VEHICLE TRAVELING AT 35 MPH REAR ENDED CONSUMER'S VEHICLE. DRIVER'S SEATBACK FELL INTO A CHILD BOOSTER SEAT WHICH WAS PLACED BEHIND ON DRIVER'S SIDE. SEAT FELL ON TOP OF CHILD'S LEG AND BROKE LEG. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK
WHILE DRIVING DRIVER'S SEATBACK MOVED UNEXPECTEDLY WHICH MAY CAUSE A LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL AND A CRASH. DEALER WAS NOT WILLING TO HELP CONSUMER. DEALER SAID NEEDED TO REPLACE BOTH SIDES OF THE SEAT RECLINER. *AK
FAILED PREVIOUSLY, PAID $1600 TO SATURN IN 98 AND PROBLEM WAS NOT FIXED. 1-CYL WAS REPLACED WITH THIS WORK IN ADDITION TO SEVERAL OTHER THINGS. ENGINE PRACTICALLY REBUILT. EXISTED PRIOR TO THIS AROUND 1995-1997 AND WAS REPORTED AND TAKEN TO SATURN DEALERS WHO DID ABSOLUTELY NOTHING AFTER SEVERAL TIMES OF BRINGING IN THE VEHICLE. OIL LOSS WHICH MEANS IT'S BURNING UP SOMEPLACE BECAUSE IT'S NOT DRIPPING FROM UNDERNEATH. I HAD A DIAGNOSTIC DONE AND ALL THAT'S SAID IS THAT THERE IS AN OIL CONSUMPTION PROBLEM. THE VEHICLE RUNS VERY ROUGH AND IS NOT RELIABLE.
NO SUMMARY
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 (< 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. *AK
THE MOTORIZED SHOULDER BELT GRADUALLY STOPPED MOVING IN EITHER DIRECTION. NLM
I AM STILL CONTENT WITH MY 1993 SATURN BUT DISAPPOINTED THAT A PART THAT SHOULD HAVE LASTED MUCH LONGER FAILED IN OCTOBER, 1999. I WAS LOOKING FORWARD TO MAINTAINING THE LOW MILEAGE ON MY CARE, BUT WHEN THE ODOMETER AND SPEEDOMETER FROZE AT 30,555 MILES, ALL CREDIBILITY AND REMAINING MARKET VALUE DECEASED BECAUSE MY MILEAGE IS STUCK. I WAS TOLD THAT I NEEDED A "CLUSTER" AT THE COST OF $525.15. AN ODOMETER SHOULD LAST MUCH LONGER THAN 30,555 MILES, BUT MY EXTENDED WARRANTY EXPIRED IN 1998. *AK
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.
Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own
Data on this page last refreshed .