Recalls, owner-reported complaints, investigations and safety data
Data refreshed
Our database contains 39 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 1996 Saturn SC1, most frequently naming the electrical, engine and visibility categories. 2 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Feb 1996 | 1 | 1 |
| Sep 1996 | 1 | 2 |
| Oct 1996 | 1 | 3 |
| Jul 1997 | 2 | 5 |
| Nov 1997 | 1 | 6 |
| May 1998 | 1 | 7 |
| Jun 1998 | 2 | 9 |
| Oct 1998 | 1 | 10 |
| Feb 1999 | 1 | 11 |
| Apr 1999 | 1 | 12 |
| Jul 1999 | 1 | 13 |
| Aug 1999 | 1 | 14 |
| Sep 1999 | 1 | 15 |
| Feb 2000 | 2 | 17 |
| Aug 2000 | 1 | 18 |
| Dec 2000 | 2 | 20 |
| Jun 2001 | 1 | 21 |
| Sep 2001 | 1 | 22 |
| Aug 2002 | 1 | 23 |
| Dec 2002 | 1 | 24 |
| Jul 2003 | 3 | 27 |
| Aug 2003 | 1 | 28 |
| Sep 2003 | 1 | 29 |
| Oct 2003 | 1 | 30 |
| Nov 2004 | 1 | 31 |
| Jan 2005 | 1 | 32 |
| Sep 2005 | 1 | 33 |
| Oct 2005 | 1 | 34 |
| May 2006 | 1 | 35 |
| May 2009 | 1 | 36 |
| Jul 2010 | 1 | 37 |
| Dec 2010 | 1 | 38 |
| Aug 2012 | 1 | 39 |
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
HORN STARTED BLOWING ALL BY ITSELF, I COULD NOT GET IT TO STOP , THEN AN ELECTRICAL SMELL (BURNING) . MY HUSBAND DISCONNECTED THE HORN FUSE AND BATTERY , INSPECTION OF FUSE SHOWED IT HAD BLOWN . AFTER WAITING A FEW MINUTES WE RECONNECTED THE BATTERY ALL OK, EXCEPT HORN DOES NOT WORK NOW. THIS IS THE SECOND SUCH INCIDENT WITH HORN, DEALER REPAIRED LAST TIME 2-20-2010. *TR
FRAME ON PASSENGER SIDE FAILED ON SECOND SATURN. THIS CAUSED THE CAR TO STOP AND MOTOR TO FAIL BELOW BOTTOM OF THE CAR. ALSO BROKE CV JOINT TO TRANSMISSION. VERY COMMON. *TR
1996 SATURN SC2, WHILE DRIVING THE SUNROOF BLEW OFF INTO THE ROADWAY AND BROKE. *BF ACCORDING TO THE POLICE REPORT, THE BRACKETS RUSTED DUE TO THE AGE OF THE VEHICLE AND SHOWED SIGNS OF DAMAGE FROM THE WEATHER. (OHIO TRAFFIC CRASH REPORT # 10-0198-89)*JB UPDATED 08/05/10 *BF UPDATED 09/01/10. *LJ UPDATED 09/02/10*JB
I OWN 1996 SATURN SC2 PURCHASED IN 2007,IT IS SPORTY AND I FELL IN LOVE WITH IT. NOW HOWEVER I AM VERY UNHAPPY,THE STARTER WENT FIRST,THEM THE GENERATOR. THE OTHER DAY MY HUSBANDS SUBARU WAS DOWN WHILE RUNNING HIM FOR PARTS MY CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON FLASHING THE CAR STARTED MISSING BUCKING AND LOST POWER,I MANAGED TO GET IT HOME,I AM DISABLED MY HUSBAND IS LAID OFF & DOES ALL REPAIR WORK,HAS TRIED EVERYTHING AND IT MAKES NO DIFFERENCE. THE CAR HAS HAD A OIL LEAK SINCE I PURCHASED IT WE HAVE BEEN UNABLE TO FIND WERE IT IS,AND IT JUST GETS WORSE. THIS IS MY SECOND SATURN,I DROVE MY FIRST AN SL1 4 YEARS AND NEVER HAD TO REPAIR IT. BUT THIS CAR HAS MAJOR ISSUES AND I MUST HAVE A RELIABLE AUTO,WITH NO MONEY WHERE DO I GO? HELP SATURN KNOWS ABOUT THESE ISSUES AND SHOULD PAY FOR REPAIRS,I EXPECT TO HAVE SOME REPAIRS WITH A CAR THIS OLD BUT THIS IS OUTRAGEOUS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! *TR
I WOULD LIKE TO FILE A COMPLAINT ON THE CAR MANUFACTURER SATURN BECAUSE LIKE MANY PEOPLE WE HAVE BEEN DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD AND A LITTLE PLASTIC BUSHING THAT HOLDS THE SHIFTER AND TRANSMISSION CABLE HAS BROKEN INTO PIECES. SATURN SHOULD REPLACE THESE PLASTIC PIECES WITH MORE DURABLE AND RELIABLE ONES BECAUSE THE DEALERSHIPS WANT TO CHARGE OVER 300 DOLLARS TO REPLACE A 30 CENT PIECE OF PLASTIC. *NM
EMERGENCY HAND BRAKE LOCK FAILURE ON HOT DAY CAUSING THE CAR TO ROLL BACK SUDDENLY. REQUIRING CAR TO BE PLACED IN 1ST GEAR TO AVOID ROLL BACK. HAND BRAKE LEVER WILL NOT STAY IN PLACE WHEN TRIED TO REPLACE THE BUTTON THAT HAND SPRUNG FREE FROM THE LEAVER HOLE DUE TO HEAT OF CAR IN THE DAY IT WOULD NOT STAY PUT. *NM
I PARKED MY 1996 SATURN SC2 ALONG A STREET AND WENT INTO WORK. WHEN I WAS HEADED OUT TO MY CAR A FEW HOURS LATER, I HEARD A CAR HORN THAT SOUNDED LIKE IT WAS ABOUT TO FAIL. I SOON REALIZED THAT IT WAS MY CAR'S HORN THAT WAS SOUNDING. I ENTERED THE VEHICLE AND TRIED TO QUIET THE HORN BY PRESSING THE HORN BUTTONS. NOTHING HAPPENED. I OPENED THE HOOD ON THE CAR TO SEE IF THERE WAS ANYTHING I COULD DO TO STOP THE HORN FROM SOUNDING. ALTHOUGH THE HORN WAS VERY WEAK BY NOW, IT WAS STILL SOUNDING. I DROPPED THE HOOD CLOSED, AND THE HORN STOPPED. WHEN I GOT BACK INTO THE CAR, I FOUND OUT THAT THE HORN NOW WOULD NOT OPERATE. I LATER CHECKED THE FUSE FOR THE HORN AND DISCOVERED THAT IT HAD BLOWN. I TRIED TO REPLACE THE FUSE, BUT EACH TIME I PUT A REPLACEMENT FUSE IN THE SLOT FOR THE HORN, IT IMMEDIATELY WAS BLOWN. I RESEARCHED THE SITUATION ON THE INTERNET AND FOUND THE REFERENCE TO THE RECALL FOR THE HORN ASSEMBLY ON THE 1996 AND 1997 SATURNS. TO ME, THE CIRCUMSTANCES STATED ON THE RECALL ARE IDENTICAL, EXCEPT FOR THE FACT THAT I RETURNED TO MY CAR BEFORE IT CAUGHT FIRE. SEVERAL PEOPLE WHO WERE WORKING ON A HOUSE NEARBY MY CAR SAID THE HORN HAD BEEN SOUNDING FOR SOME TIME, EVEN THOUGH I HAD NOT USED IT THAT MORNING. CURRENTLY, MY VEHICLE WILL NOT PASS INSPECTION FOR PENNSYLVANIA BECAUSE OF THE FAULTY HORN ASSEMBLY. *NM
THIS HAS BEEN AN ONGOING PROBLEM WITH SATURN GENERALLY AND SATURN (GALLES) OF ALBUQUERQUE, NM SPECIFICALLY. 3 SEPARATE TIMES THEY HAVE WRECKED MY ENGINE! THIS HAS BEEN DUE TO OIL LEAKAGE INTO THE SPARK PLUGS AND THE VALVE GASKET COVER IS WARPED. THIS HAS YET TO HAVE BEEN CORRECTED PROPERLY BY SATURN. I HAVE NOW TAKEN IT TO ANOTHER MECHANIC WHO IS ABLE TO FIX IT CORRECTLY. IT HAS NOT CAUSED A SAFETY ISUUE...YET.*AK
A bulletin sent by a manufacturer to its dealers. Not a recall, and repairs are not necessarily free.
SEATS
CUSTOMERS MAY COMPLAIN OF DAMAGE IN THE MIDDLE SECTION(S) OF THE DRIVER'S OR PASSENGER'S FRONT SEAT BACK COVER AND/OR WHEN REPLACING A FRONT SEAT BACK COVER THE LISTING POCKETS ARE MISSING. *TT
SUSPENSION
EXPERIENCING A RATTLE OR CLICK NOISE FROM THE REAR OF VEHICLE WHEN TURNING AT SLOW SPEEDS AND/OR DRIVING OVER UNEVEN SURFACES. *YC
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.