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1996 Saturn SC1

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Similar to other model years

Owner complaints for the 1996 Saturn SC1 do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 39.

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How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

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Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.

What owners reported most

All reported categories

Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.

When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

Limited mileage data: 11 of 39 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.

NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.

What to inspect

Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.

  • Electrical System. Review the 10 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 8 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Power Train. Review the 4 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

6 crash reports1 fire reports2 injury reports

Power Train complaints

4 reports
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117,980 miles · May 12, 2006
Power Train

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…

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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

NHTSA ODI #10157471

70,000 miles · Nov 12, 2004
Power Train

AFTER ABOUT 70,000 MI I NOTICED TRANSMISSION WOULD NOT GO INTO REVERSE AFTER IT HEATED UP (ABOUT 50+ MI ON FWY). A TRANSMISSION SHOP TOLD ME THAT SATURNS HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THE "VALVE BODY". I HAD IT REPLACED AND IT COST ABOUT $350. ABOUT 20,000 MI LATER I STARTED HAVING THE SAME TROUBLE AGAIN. IT WASN'T THAT BAD AT FIRST SO I …

Read full complaint

AFTER ABOUT 70,000 MI I NOTICED TRANSMISSION WOULD NOT GO INTO REVERSE AFTER IT HEATED UP (ABOUT 50+ MI ON FWY). A TRANSMISSION SHOP TOLD ME THAT SATURNS HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THE "VALVE BODY". I HAD IT REPLACED AND IT COST ABOUT $350. ABOUT 20,000 MI LATER I STARTED HAVING THE SAME TROUBLE AGAIN. IT WASN'T THAT BAD AT FIRST SO I DID NOT HAVE IT LOOKED AT UNTIL RECENTLY (MI AT 150,000) I TOOK IT TO THE SATURN DEALERSHIP IN PALMDALE, CA. IN TALKING WITH THE SERVICE REP I WAS TOLD THAT SATURN HAD ORIGINALLY TOLD REPAIR TECHNICIANS TO REPLACE THE UPPER PORTION OF THE VALVE BODY AND THEN THEY FOUND OUT THAT WAS NOT FIXING THE PROBLEM SO NOW THEY ARE RECOMMENDING TO REPLACE THE COMPLETE VALVE BODY, WHICH I HAD DONE AT A COST OF ABOUT $1,100. SATURN KNEW ABOUT THIS PROBLEM, I KNOW PEOPLE WHO HAVE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM. WHAT IF I WAS MAKING A THREE POINT TURN AND COULD NOT GET IT INTO REVERSE TO GET OUT OF THE WAY OF ONCOMING TRAFFIC (I CAN THINK OF SEVERAL OTHER SAFETY RELATED EXAMPLES). MY QUESTION IS THIS, WHY HAS THIS PROBLEM NOT HAD A SAFETY RELATED RECALL? IS THERE SOME WAY I COULD GET REIMBURSED FOR THE APPROXIMATELY $1500 I HAVE HAD TO SPEND ON REPAIRS? THE OLD PART IS NOT AVAILABLE. *JB

NHTSA ODI #10098714

Mileage unknown · Sep 5, 2003
Power Train

CONSUMER NOTICED WHILE TRAVELING AT LOW SPEEDS VEHICLE WOULD NOT SHIFT INTO FOURTH GEAR.*AK

NHTSA ODI #10038334

Mileage unknown · Apr 28, 1999
Power Train

TRANSMISSION FAILED. MJS

NHTSA ODI #545277

Official recalls

0

No recalls in this snapshot.

Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗

NHTSA investigations

0

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.