1995 Saturn SC1 problems & reliability
59 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 1995 Saturn SC1. Last verified Aug 7, 2026. Complaints are unverified reports submitted by owners to the federal Office of Defects Investigation.
Each complaint is counted once (by NHTSA case number), even when it names several vehicles.
9 complaints report injuries (10 injured).
Most reported problems
| Component | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Seats → | 17 | 29% |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 7 | 12% |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 7 | 12% |
| Air Bags | 6 | 10% |
| Power Train | 6 | 10% |
| Electrical System | 4 | 7% |
| Exterior Lighting | 3 | 5% |
| Parking Brake | 3 | 5% |
| Visibility | 3 | 5% |
| Unknown OR Other | 2 | 3% |
Component groups as classified by NHTSA. A complaint can name more than one component, so shares may sum to more than 100%.
Complaints by incident year
What owners report
“My car sometimes shifts out of gear(automatic) and then the "service engine light" comes on. When put in reverse, pauses for a couple seconds then bangs into gear. This car has an intermittent problem with the trans which leads me to think that the trans is good but a sensor is bad. I have spoken to several people…”
Power Train · filed Aug 13, 2006
“Key can be removed from ignition when the car is not in park, which poses the danger of the car to move when the driver is not inside or prepared.*ak”
Electrical System · filed Mar 2, 2005
“My 1995 saturn sc-2 began evaporating motor oil, at the rate of a full quart every 300 miles. I took it to the dealer and they did a full engine rebuild, which was very expensive. My car performed slightly better afterwards but needed follow-up adjustments of the repaired parts; saturn failed to honor their warranty…”
Engine and Engine Cooling · filed Dec 18, 2004
Verbatim excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA. Reports are not independently verified.
Federal defect investigations
- FRONT SEAT BACK CAN RECLINE OR COLLAPSE
Recall Query RQ00005 · opened Feb 16, 2000 · closed Aug 19, 2000 · led to recall 99V045000
- CRUISE CONTROL FAILURES
Engineering Analysis EA95003 · opened Feb 24, 1995 · closed May 31, 1996
- CRUISE CONTROL FAILURE
Preliminary Evaluation PE94079 · opened Nov 7, 1994 · closed Feb 24, 1995
Safety recalls
No NHTSA recall campaigns name the 1995 Saturn SC1 in our current data. Recalls may apply only to certain VIN ranges — always confirm with a VIN check.
Check whether your specific vehicle is affected
Recall campaigns often cover only certain VIN ranges. Enter your VIN on the official NHTSA site to confirm whether your vehicle is included and whether the repair is still open.
Check VIN on NHTSA →Buying a used 1995 Saturn SC1?
- · Decode the seller’s VIN with our free VIN decoder to confirm the exact year, engine and trim.
- · Check for unrepaired recalls by VIN on NHTSA’s official lookup — recall repairs are free.