Your vehicle report
1997 Saturn SC1
The problems owners report. The recalls to check. The evidence behind each.
Your vehicle at a glance
Complaint patterns and official recall records, kept distinct.
- Owner complaints
- 61
- Received Mar 1997 to Jan 2012
Owner reports
Most reported problems
- 1Seat belt fails to latch or retract9 complaints · 15% of this vehicle’s complaints
- 2Transmission fails or loses power while driving5 complaints · 8.2% of this vehicle’s complaints
- 3Glass shatters or cracks without impact4 complaints · 6.6% of this vehicle’s complaints
Official NHTSA records
Recalls to check
- Recall #97V161000Vehicle description: passenger vehicles. If the driver or front passenger safety belt is pulled out much faster than normal, a number of time, the lock-up feature of the retractor will not work properly.
- Recall #97V162000Vehicle description: passenger vehicles. The section of the owner's handbook titled "horizontal aim" does not specifically instruct an owner how to adjust the headlamp horizontal aim. This does not comply with requirements of FMVSS no. 108, "lamps, reflective devices, and associated equipment."
BrakeNews signals
Flagged complaint patterns
Unusual complaint patterns with no matched recall yet. A flag does not mean a recall will happen.
No problems currently meet BrakeNews’s flagging criteria. This is not a safety rating.
How flags are identifiedComplaint counts reflect reports submitted to NHTSA, not failure rates or a reliability ranking. Reported in these complaints: 7 crashes, 0 fires, 6 people injured, 0 deaths.
Explore by system
Where do owners report problems?
Choose an area on the car or a system below to explore the reported problems.
Illustrative only; not this vehicle’s exact design. Areas represent complaint categories, not confirmed defective parts.
Showing all 5 listed problems by system.
Engine & powertrain
Brakes
Electrical & lights
No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.
Airbags, belts & seats
Steering, suspension & tires
No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.
Body, doors & glass
Driver assistance
No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.
Other
No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.
Complaint history
When NHTSA received these reports. Changes in reporting alone do not establish a change in failure rates.
Show as a table
| Year | Complaints |
|---|---|
| 1997 | 5 |
| 1998 | 10 |
| 1999 | 10 |
| 2000 | 6 |
| 2001 | 6 |
| 2002 | 4 |
| 2003 | 5 |
| 2004 | 5 |
| 2005 | 3 |
| 2006 | 2 |
| 2007 | 1 |
| 2008 | 1 |
| 2009 | 2 |
| 2010 | 0 |
| 2011 | 0 |
| 2012 | 1 |
| 2013 | 0 |
| 2014 | 0 |
| 2015 | 0 |
| 2016 | 0 |
| 2017 | 0 |
| 2018 | 0 |
| 2019 | 0 |
| 2020 | 0 |
| 2021 | 0 |
| 2022 | 0 |
| 2023 | 0 |
| 2024 | 0 |
| 2025 | 0 |
| 2026 (to Oct 2026) | 0 |
| Total | 61 |
Problems owners report
Listed groups have at least 3 complaints. The page includes the 20 largest groups plus any additional flagged groups; some complaints are not assigned to a group.
| Problem | Complaints | Share | Share ratio | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Seat belt fails to latch or retract | 9 | 15% | – | NHTSA recall #97V161000 |
| Transmission fails or loses power while driving | 5 | 8.2% | – | |
| Glass shatters or cracks without impact | 4 | 6.6% | – | |
| Front brake rotors warp and wear early | 4 | 6.6% | – | |
| Engine suddenly shuts off while driving | 3 | 4.9% | – |
AI groups complaints by meaning; the groups are approximate. Share ratio compares the problem’s share of this vehicle’s complaints with its share on other vehicles over the last 24 months (shown from 3 recent complaints). A 2× ratio means twice the complaint share, not twice the failure risk. Flags mark unusual shares or recent surges after an AI review of the complaint content. “First signal” does not mean the pattern has persisted continuously.How recall estimates are calculated.
Recalls
NHTSA recall #97V161000September 22, 199726,135 vehicles affected
seat belts: front: retractor
Vehicle description: passenger vehicles. If the driver or front passenger safety belt is pulled out much faster than normal, a number of time, the lock-up feature of the retractor will not work properly.
In a rapid deceleration or vehicle crash, the occupant would not be properly restrained increasing the risk of personal injury.
Remedy
Dealers will replace the driver and front passenger safety belt retractor.
NHTSA recall #97V162000September 22, 199737,970 vehicles affected
exterior lighting: headlights
Vehicle description: passenger vehicles. The section of the owner's handbook titled "horizontal aim" does not specifically instruct an owner how to adjust the headlamp horizontal aim. This does not comply with requirements of FMVSS no. 108, "lamps, reflective devices, and associated equipment."
A vehicle's headlamp would not be properly adjusted causing visibility problems to oncoming vehicles.
Remedy
Owners are being provided with a label with the correct information on headlamp horizontal aim to be placed over the existing text in the owner's handbook. If an owner desires, their dealer Can place the sticker in the owner's handbook for them.
NHTSA recall #96V153000August 23, 19963,472 vehicles affected
seats
The front passenger seats have less lock pawl engagement on the inboard fore/aft adjuster than specified. This does not comply with federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 207, "seating systems."
This condition could result in seat movement with a belted occupant during a moderate to severe frontal impact.
Remedy
Dealers will inspect and replace the passenger seat inboard fore/aft adjuster.
Other model years
About this data
NHTSA complaints and recalls through October 2026. Complaints are counted once each, however many components they name. Original complaints are on NHTSA's page for the 1997 Saturn SC1.
Problem groups are formed by AI and may be approximate. BrakeNews flags unusual complaint patterns; they are not official defect findings. Investigation reports are written and checked by AI, with no human review. Owner reports do not establish that a defect exists.
Read the methodology and track record · Check current recalls by VIN