1997 Saturn SC Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other SC years
- More complaints than other years 3rd of 8 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 3 recalls: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 33 complaints with NHTSA about the 1997 Saturn SC. That ranks 3rd out of 8 SC model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is electrical system (10 complaints, 30%), typically at around 108,649 miles. Complaints mention 4 crashes, 1 fire, 1 injury. There are 3 safety recalls covering this model year.
- 33owner complaints
- 3safety recalls
- 0NHTSA investigations
- 4complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 1997 Saturn SC problems
Complaints grouped by the part of the car owners reported, with the median mileage when the problem happened.
| Problem area | Complaints | Share | Median miles | Owners mention most | Typical repair cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Electrical System | 10 | 30% | 108,649 | — | — |
| Seat Belts | 6 | 18% | 80,000 | — | — |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 5 | 15% | 40,001 | — | — |
| Air Bags | 3 | 9% | — | — | — |
| Power Train | 3 | 9% | 90,000 | — | — |
| Tires | 3 | 9% | 172,411 | — | — |
| Exterior Lighting | 2 | 6% | 150,000 | — | — |
| Visibility | 2 | 6% | — | — | — |
| Engine | 1 | 3% | 173,411 | — | — |
| Seats | 1 | 3% | — | — | — |
| Service Brakes | 1 | 3% | 115,500 | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 1 | 3% | — | — | — |
| Steering | 1 | 3% | — | — | — |
| Structure | 1 | 3% | — | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 1 | 3% | — | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
1997 Saturn SC recalls (3)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Seat belts:front:retractor
Problem: 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.
Risk: In a rapid deceleration or vehicle crash, the occupant would not be properly restrained increasing the risk of personal injury.
Fix: Dealers will replace the driver and front passenger safety belt retractor.
Exterior lighting:headlights
Problem: 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."
Risk: A vehicle's headlamp would not be properly adjusted causing visibility problems to oncoming vehicles.
Fix: 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.
Seats
Problem: 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."
Risk: This condition could result in seat movement with a belted occupant during a moderate to severe frontal impact.
Fix: Dealers will inspect and replace the passenger seat inboard fore/aft adjuster.
To see whether a specific car still has an open recall, enter its VIN on NHTSA's official recall lookup. You can also decode a VIN here.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
Right front passenger seat belt male mechanism is locked up and will not extend to lock in female mechanism. Unusable.
Tl* the contact owns a 1997 saturn sc. The contact stated that the vehicle stalled without warning. The failure occurred when there were numerous keys on the key ring. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 103,000. *tt…
Battery kept being drained.
I have 2 saturns (sc and sl) both are 1997's. Both have same electrical problem where battery will not hold charge. Something seems to be draining the power but no one can figure out what. Both cars start with a jump and run fine if driven often. But if the car sits for more than a day, the battery…
I was driving the above mentioned vehicle (saturn sc1 1997) north bound on fl turnpike when the road felt really bumpy and suddenly pieces of debris started flying by the window and a large bundle of wires was flapping on the hood, coming from the front of the car; which i had to eased over to the…
Other Saturn SC years
See all Saturn SC problems by year, every Saturn model, or the VIN decoder.
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Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 1997 Saturn SC?
Owners most often report electrical system, seat belts, engine and engine cooling problems. The top one, electrical system, accounts for 10 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 1997 Saturn SC?
Yes, 3 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 1997 Saturn SC a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other SC model years, the 1997 has more complaints than most years. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.