Most common 1997 Saturn SC problems
Share of the 33 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Saturn SC complaints by model year
Best SC years: 2000, 1998, 2001. Years to avoid: 1995. Compare all years →
1997 Saturn SC recalls (3)
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."
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.
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.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the driver and front passenger safety belt retractor.
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."
Remedy: Dealers will inspect and replace the passenger seat inboard fore/aft adjuster.
What 1997 Saturn SC owners say
Electrical system
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.
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. …
Seat belts
Right front passenger seat belt male mechanism is locked up and will not extend to lock in female mechanism. Unusable.
Tl contact owns a 1997 Saturn sc1. The contact stated that the lock feature of the seat belt retractor would not work properly. As a consequence, he is not properly restrained in the vehicle. The dealer stated that the VIN was not included in NHTSA campaign id number 97V161000 (seat belts:front:retractor), although the failures were identical. The contact paid $400 to have the retractor replaced; however, the failure recurred shortly afterwards. The manufacturer was unable to assist. The failure mileage was 80,000 and current mileage was 104,000.
Engine & cooling
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. …
While driving on the freeway at approximately 55 MPH all of a sudden smoke came from under the hood. Vehicle became squarely. There was a crack in the cylinder head, spilling oil all over the exhaust system, which caused smoke and got oil all over the tires. It blew out 4 quarts of oil very rapidly, causing the front of the vehicle to swirl all over the road. The entire vehicle was filled with oil smoke, making visibility very dangerous. There was a vertical crack on the right side of the cylinder head that went all the way back to the middle of the cylinder head which had nothing to do with the cooling system. It only effected the oil. This defect was next to the air conditioning compressor. The casting did not look like very good quality. It was not reinforced as it should be.
1997 Saturn SC engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.9L 4-cyl | 5-speed manual | FWD | 24 / 36 / 28 |
| 1.9L 4-cyl | 4-speed automatic | FWD | 23 / 33 / 27 |
EPA ratings. Class: Subcompact car.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 1997 Saturn SC a good car?
Based on 33 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 1997 SC rates average: about as many complaints as a typical year of the SC at the same age. Complaint counts don't account for sales volume or individual maintenance, so have any used car inspected before buying.
What is the most common problem with the 1997 Saturn SC?
The electrical system — 10 complaints, 30% of all complaints for this model year, most often about horn. Next are the seat belts (6) and engine & cooling (6).
How many recalls does the 1997 Saturn SC have?
There are 3 recalls for the 1997 Saturn SC, the most recent from September 22, 1997 (headlights). Recall repairs are free at any authorized dealer — check whether yours has been done with the VIN recall check.
What are the best and worst years of the Saturn SC?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2000, 1998 and 2001. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 1995. See the full Saturn SC years comparison.
At what mileage do 1997 Saturn SC problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 103,000 miles; 17% of problems with a recorded mileage started before 50,000 miles.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.