1997 SATURN SC Complaints

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 *TR

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 IS DRAINED.

I WAS DRIVING MY 1997 SC SATURN NORTH BOUND FL TURNPIKE WHEN THE ROAD FELT REALLY BUMPY AND SUDDENLY THE ENGINE ELECTRICAL (CABLES/WIRES)COMPONENTS FLEW & SPLASH AGAINST THE WINDSHIELD BLOCKING MY VIEW, "OH MY GOD" I IMMEDIATELY EDGE TO THE LEFT SHOULDER, GOT OUT OF THE VEHICLE TO ASSESS THE SITUATION, CONTACTED GEICO ROAD SERVICE. I WAS SHOCKED TO SEE THAT ONE OF THE LEMANS TIRE (RIGHT PASSENGER SIDE) TREAD HAD COMPLETELY PEELED & BLOWN OFF. APPARENTLY, AS THE TIRE BEGAN TO FAIL THE STEEL BELTS FROM THE TIRE DESTROYED THE INNER FENDER, THE OUTER FENDER AND RIPPED OUT THE MAIN WIRING HARNESS THAT PROVIDED POWER TO ALL ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS INSIDE THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT SUCH AS DOOR LOCKS, WINDOWS ETC. IT APPEARS THAT THE PLACEMENT OF THIS WIRING HARNESS OVER THE FRONT WHEEL SHOULD HAVE BEEN THROUGH THE FIREWALL AND NOT OVER A WHEEL AND WITH NO PROTECTION. *TR

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 LEFT SHOULDER, GOT OUT OF THE VEHICLE IMMEDIATELY AND CONTACTED GEICO ROAD SERVICE. APPARENTLY, THE CHAIN OF EVENTS THAT OCCURRED WERE AS FOLLOWS: THE LEMANS/BRIDGESTONE TIRE (P195-60R15) TREAD COMPLETED PEELED OFF THE TIRE WITH SUCH FORCE..THAT IT GOT SHREDDED THE FENDER AND RIPPED OUT A LARGE BUNDLE OF ELECTRICAL CABLES THAT WAS IN THE FENDER. THE TIRE REMAINED INFLATED, THE WIRE CABLE RAN FROM THE FUSE BOX IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT OVER THE WHEEL IN THE FENDER, TO PROVIDE POWER TO VIRTUALLY EVERY ELECTRICAL COMPONENT IN THE CAR, AND WAS RIPPED OUT OF THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT. A HIGHLY HAZARDOUS & DANGEROUS INCIDENT...THE PICTURES ARE EXTREMELY IMPRESSIVE! BE CAREFUL!!!! *TR

I TRIED BRAKING HARD AND MY PEDAL WENT COMPLETELY TO THE FLOOR BEFORE THE CAR STOPPED AND THEN I HIT A CAR ON THE SIDE. I COULD HAVE AVOIDED IT IF MY BRAKES WEREN'T BAD. I HAD NEW BRAKE PADS ON ALL 4 WHEELS AND IT WAS STILL LOW. *TR

DRIVERS SEAT SLIDES BACKWARDS WITHOUT USING THE "ADJUSTMENT LEVER". SOMETIMES JUST BACKING UP AT 3-5 MPH, ALSO AT HWY SPEEDS. ALSO SLIDES BACKWARDS AFTER BEING ADJUSTED BY THE DRIVER-ALWAYS ADJUSTED WHILE PARKED, NEVER MOVING. ALSO, SEATBELTS WORKED FINE UNTIL RECALL NOTICE (99-2000/"REPAIRED" BY JIM BUTLER SOUTH COUNTY SATURN, ST LOUIS, MO) THEN WOULD NOT RETRACT, MUST FEED BELTS BACK INTO SLOT; WILL NOT RETURN TO DEALER, AS TOO MANY BAD EXPERIENCES W/THIS DEALERSHIP. APPROX 2002-03 (APPROX 80-100K MILES) STARTED USING 2 QTS OIL PER MONTH, NOW USES 3+ QTS PER MONTH MINIMUM. APPROX 2009 STARTED USING ENIGINE COOLANT EXCESSIVELY; MUST CARRY EXTRA QTS OIL, 1 GALLON ENGINE COOLANT IN CAR AT ALL TIMES, CHECKING AT EVERY FUEL FILL-UP OR BEFORE LEAVING HOME. BATTERY DEAD OCT 2011, REPLACED-STILL LOSES CHARGE OVERNIGHT;CHANGED SPARK PLUGS, FUSES, IGNITION-COULD REMOVE KEY WHILE CAR STILL RUNNING WHILE STOPPED. STILL SITTING IN DRIVEWAY AS CANNOT FIGURE OUT ELEC PROBLEM. 206K MI. PURCH 10-96 WITH 13 MI ON IT. *TR

1997 SATURN SC. CONSUMER WRITES IN FOLLOW UP TO A REQUEST FOR ADJUSTMENT ON HIS GENERAL TIRES DUE TO PREMATURE WARE *TGW THE CONSUMER WARRANTY CLAIM WAS DENIED BASED ON THE STATED POSITION THAT THE TIRES WERE OLDER THAN THE WARRANTY COVERED; 72 MONTHS. THE CONSUMER STATED HE WAS UNDER THE IMPRESSION THE TIRES WERE NEW WHEN HE PURCHASED THEM ON NOVEMBER 18, 2006. HE WAS NOT INFORMED THAT THE TIRES HAD BEEN SITTING ON THE SHELF FOR 3 YEARS. *JB

I BOUGHT MY SATURN SC1 SERIES 1997 AT 83,000 MILES. THE SERVICE ENGINE LIGHT WAS ON. HAD IT CHECKED AT AUTO ZONE, SECOND GEAR TO RATIO WAS OFF, A FEW THOUSAND MILES LATER, 90,000 I LOST REVERSE. I DROVE WITHOUT REVERSE FOR 2 YEARS UNTIL I COULD AFFORD TO GET IT FIXED. THE TRANSMISSION GUY TOLD ME THAT THE NUT/BOLT THAT HOLDS THE GEARS TWISTED OFF CRACKED THE SHELL OF THE TRANSMISSION. NOT GOOD AT ALL, I HAD TO PUT A FULL BOTTLE OF TRANNY FLUID IN IT 2-3 TIMES A WEEK FOR ALMOST 2 YEARS. AND HAD TO PAY FOR IT MYSELF AS IT WAS A DEFECT OF THE MAKER, NOT MINE. I WILL NEVER BUY ANOTHER SATURN. EVER. SAD THING IS, I'M STILL PAYING ON IT. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 SATURN SC2. THE CONTACT EXPERIENCED DIFFICULTY REMOVING THE KEY FROM THE IGNITION. HE MADE SEVERAL ATTEMPTS BEFORE THE KEY RELEASED; HOWEVER, THE IGNITION SWITCH WAS IN THE ACCESSORY POSITION. THE DRIVER MANEUVERED THE KEY IN DIFFERENT POSITIONS FOR APPROXIMATELY FIVE TO TEN MINUTES. SUDDENLY, THE IGNITION KEY WAS REMOVED FROM THE DESIGNATED OFF POSITION. THE FAILURE OCCURRED INTERMITTENTLY AND WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR INSPECTION AND THEY DISCOVERED RECALL NUMBER 97-C02 (IGNITION CYLINDER). THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THE VIN WAS EXCLUDED FROM THE RECALL. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 216,000.