1993 Saturn SC: problems, recalls and reliability
1 recall and 23 owner complaints on record; most reports concern seats.
Data updated weekly · latest recall Aug 1993
All counts are reports filed with NHTSA in the United States - US market only, not worldwide totals.
Common problems
Computed from 23 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for this exact model year.
“Front passenger side seat back collapses randomly and quickly. This is very dangerous and could cause spinal injuries in the case of and accident. The passenger complained of a sore neck. I went to the saturn dealer and they said that I would have to purchase a new seat even though they know there are defects in the 1993 seats. *nlm”Owner report · Seats · May 2003
“Vehicle was rear ended while stopped and driver's seat went all the way back into full recline position. Consumer suffered whiplash and back pain. Vehicle was totalled.*ak *jg”Owner report · Seats · Jun 2002
“Reclining mechanism fails after a few years of use, which results in sudden recline of driver seat. Nearly caused me to crash on one occasion, after hitting the breaks and the pressure of my body made the seat recline. After contacting saturn, they told me the reclining mechanism was not recalled on the earlier models (before 1994 or 1995, I can't remember). I feel this is a problem, as the cars aren't that old when the mechaism fails. I have replaced the passenger seat already in 1999 , with the drivers seat unrepaired at this time. It causes a serious problem when driving, and saturn knows there is a problem.”Owner report · Seats · Nov 2001
Show 7 more owner reports
“Drivers seat collpased backward. Car parked, no damages. Dealer charged $160 to replace seat adjuster mehanism, drove home and seat ben nackwards again; dealer said seat frame bent. Says this is common on early saturns. Internet seach showed this to be problem with 94 saturns with a recall at one time for that year.*ak”Owner report · Seats · Feb 2001
“Automatic shoudler belts on the driver's and passenger's sides are stuck in the forward position on the rail. Dealer is aware of the problem. The problem has not been corrected. Please provide any further information. *ak”Owner report · Seat Belts · Oct 1999
“While driving at 70 mph, lost control of the steering. Then applied the brakes and they failed. Vehicle rolled over four to six times. *ak”Owner report · Steering · Jun 1999
“Came upon stop light vehicle started to fill with smoke. Shoulder belts attached to door moved up/down. Driver could not release button to get out. Smoke coming from under dashboard.turned vehicle off & seat belts stopped moving. Vehicle towed to dealer & was informed by mechanic it was an electrical short in wiring. *ak *sb”Owner report · Electrical System · Aug 1998
“The lockup convertor in the trans makes the car jump at low speeds. The only way to stop it is to remove the fuse that sends power the the convertor.”Owner report · Power Train · Aug 1998
“Consumer was driving at 70 mph and started having problems with the steering wheel. Applied brakes, and they went straight to the floorboard, and vehicle flipped over four to six times. *ak”Owner report · Service Brakes, Hydraulic
“Consumer was rearened by a vehicle with a 1 mph impact, at the time of impact driver's seat fell backward, could have caused injuries. Manufacturer stated seat was suppose to collapse ,and that was a safety feature. *ak the seat failed before the accident. *yh”Owner report · Seats
When filing, owners marked a crash in 4 of these complaints and injuries in 1 - self-reported to NHTSA, not verified accident statistics.
Recalls - 1 campaign
THE GENERATOR ELECTRICAL WIRING IS NOT PROTECTED AGAINST EXCESSIVE CURRENT FLOW WHICH MAY BE CAUSED BY AN ELECTRICAL SHORT CIRCUIT IN THE GENERATOR.
Remedy: THE GENERATOR WIRING HARNESS WILL BE REPLACED WITH ONE THAT WILL OPEN AS A FUSE WOULD UNDER CERTAIN EXCESSIVE CURRENT FLOW CONDITIONS.
How other years compare
Check your exact SC by VIN
Recalls and equipment differ between individual vehicles. Decode your VIN to see what applies to yours.
Open VIN decoderFrequently asked questions
Is the 1993 Saturn SC reliable?
NHTSA has 23 owner complaints and 1 recall campaign on record for the 1993 Saturn SC. The most complained-about area is seats.
Does the 1993 Saturn SC have open recalls?
1 recall campaign has been issued, the latest concerning electrical system:alternator/generator/regulator. Check your specific vehicle by VIN - recall repairs are free at franchised dealers.
Source: NHTSA recall campaigns and owner complaints (public domain). Counts reflect reports on file and are not a defect rate.