1998 Saturn SC recalls & problems
NHTSA lists 0 safety recalls for the 1998 Saturn SC and 13 owner complaints. The part owners complain about most is power train (4 reports), followed by engine and engine cooling (3). Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers – enter your VIN on nhtsa.gov/recalls to see whether your car still has an open recall.
1998 Saturn SC problems by component
| Component | Complaints | Crashes | Fires | Injuries | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Power Train | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Air Bags | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | |
| Electrical System | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Equipment | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Latches/Locks/Linkages | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Service Brakes | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Steering | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Tires | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Unknown or Other | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Latest owner complaints
Electrical System · Jun 30, 2016 · 147,646 miles · CA
Car key locks up in ignition, wont turn or come out. Cable to park mechanism wont disengage. Has happened multiple times, today it took 40 minutes of jiggling steering wheel,key, brake shifter to disengage to get the car started.
Unknown or Other · Jun 30, 2016 · 147,646 miles · CA
Car key locks up in ignition, wont turn or come out. Cable to park mechanism wont disengage. Has happened multiple times, today it took 40 minutes of jiggling steering wheel,key, brake shifter to disengage to get the car started.
Steering · Jun 30, 2016 · 147,646 miles · CA
Car key locks up in ignition, wont turn or come out. Cable to park mechanism wont disengage. Has happened multiple times, today it took 40 minutes of jiggling steering wheel,key, brake shifter to disengage to get the car started.
Tires · Mar 13, 2014 · TX
The tire that I believe is faulty, ran low on air for a little while, then I aired it up - everything was fine until I tried to go into town one evening and it felt like I was riding on my rim. It sounded awful. Once I was stopped at a street light, I opened my car door and there were pieces of tire just sitting underneath my car and under the tire. So I finally pulled into a…
Service Brakes · Jul 31, 2013 · CO
Button popped off emergency brake handle, rendering emergency brake inoperable. *tr
Latches/Locks/Linkages · May 26, 2009 · 97,112 miles · CA
As I'm pulling away from a stop sign, I go to shift into 2ND gear & it's as if my manual gear shifter is not attached to anything. I am now not in any gear , unable to shift into gear, & left coasting across a 4 lane, 2 way street. Also, both front seat seatbelts only retract about half way, and it has been that way from at least 17000 miles. *tr
Power Train · May 26, 2009 · 97,112 miles · CA
As I'm pulling away from a stop sign, I go to shift into 2ND gear & it's as if my manual gear shifter is not attached to anything. I am now not in any gear , unable to shift into gear, & left coasting across a 4 lane, 2 way street. Also, both front seat seatbelts only retract about half way, and it has been that way from at least 17000 miles. *tr
Engine and Engine Cooling · Jul 28, 2005 · 101,000 miles · WI
Car overheated on 4 lane highway. Had to pull over while cars were driving by. Replacement of head gasket at 101,000 miles. Car is still not working properly as head was replaced and now a ping had developed. 8JB
Vehicle Speed Control · Apr 5, 2005 · PA
While driving at any speed vehicle accelerated uncontrollably. Driver was able to maintain control of the vehicle, and drove it to the dealer for inspection. However, mechanic could not duplicate the problem. *ak
Engine and Engine Cooling · May 7, 2004 · CA
While the vehicle was parked consumer noticed fluid leaking from underneath. Consumer was able to drive the vehicle to the dealer for inspection, and mechanic determined that the cylinder head needed to be replaced due to crack inside of the engine. *ak
Power Train · Mar 25, 2004 · 80,085 miles · FL
Manuel shift handle disengaged from transmission cable on floor when shifting. Car was unable to be shifted to lower gear to cross highway safely .
Power Train · Jan 15, 2004 · PA
Air conditioning unit stopped cooling.dealer wanted to trouble shoot@$80.00/hour. Haynes service manual said to check fuse .replaced diode @$4.00 and fixed myself. Manual transmission whining in 2ND and 3RD gear. Checked transmission dipstick and transmission fluid was low. Added fluid and anything over 1 quart poured out. Had transmission shop check it out for blown seal and…
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Frequently asked questions
Does the 1998 Saturn SC have any recalls?
No safety recalls are listed for the 1998 Saturn SC in NHTSA's recall database. Recalls can still be issued later, so check again by VIN before buying.
What are the most common problems with the 1998 Saturn SC?
Based on 13 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the most reported areas are power train (4), engine and engine cooling (3), air bags (1).
Have there been crashes or injuries linked to the 1998 Saturn SC?
Owners reported 1 crash, 0 fires, 0 injuries and 0 deaths in complaints to NHTSA. These are unverified owner reports, not findings of fault.