1996 Saturn SC1 Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other SC1 years
- About as many complaints as other years 3rd of 7 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- None on file
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 39 complaints with NHTSA about the 1996 Saturn SC1. That ranks 3rd out of 7 SC1 model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is electrical system (10 complaints, 26%), typically at around 80,000 miles. Complaints mention 6 crashes, 1 fire, 2 injuries. There are no safety recalls on file for this model year.
- 39owner complaints
- 0safety recalls
- 0NHTSA investigations
- 6complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 1996 Saturn SC1 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 | 26% | 80,000 | — | — |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 8 | 21% | 71,586 | — | — |
| Power Train | 4 | 10% | 93,990 | — | — |
| Visibility | 4 | 10% | 55,000 | — | — |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 3 | 8% | 34,000 | — | — |
| Steering | 3 | 8% | — | — | — |
| Air Bags | 2 | 5% | — | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 2 | 5% | — | — | — |
| Structure | 2 | 5% | 150,000 | — | — |
| Parking Brake | 1 | 3% | 110,000 | — | — |
| Tires | 1 | 3% | — | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 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
1996 Saturn SC1 recalls (0)
No safety recalls are on file for the 1996 Saturn SC1.
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.
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…
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…
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…
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…
Other Saturn SC1 years
See all Saturn SC1 problems by year, every Saturn model, or the VIN decoder.
Similar Saturn models
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Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 1996 Saturn SC1?
Owners most often report electrical system, engine and engine cooling, power train problems. The top one, electrical system, accounts for 10 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 1996 Saturn SC1?
No safety recalls are on file for this model year.
Was the 1996 Saturn SC1 a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other SC1 model years, the 1996 has about as many complaints as a typical year. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.