Federal complaints
82
How to read this file. Complaint records are unverified owner submissions to the federal safety agency. Counts are raw, not adjusted for sales volume or vehicle age. Recall campaigns apply to the model; only a VIN check shows whether this car is affected or repaired. Parts shown are named by an editorial note or listed as a search directory; none is a diagnosis. Full methodology.
Fault profile
Complaint-component records on this vehicle, grouped by family. A complaint naming two systems counts once in each.
Complaints are owner-reported and not verified by the agency.
Known issues
The component families with the most complaint records against this vehicle. Counts, crash and fire figures belong to the whole family, not to any single named issue. Parts listed are related system parts, not a diagnosis.
Seats
34 complaint records7 crash reports
"WHEN ANY KIND OF PRESSURE IS APPLIED TO THE DRIVER'S SIDE BACK REST, IT COLLPASES TO THE REAR. DEALER HAS SEEN VEHICLE. *AK..."- one owner's federal complaint about this system; it may not describe the issue named above
Parts
No specific part is named for this issue. Browse seats parts in the directory →
Engine & cooling
14 complaint records
"A CRACKED ENGINE CYLINDER HEAD CAUSED ENGINE TO BLOW UP, RESULTING IN VEHICLE BECOMING INOPERATIVE. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK..."- one owner's federal complaint about this system; it may not describe the issue named above
Parts
No specific part is named for this issue. Browse engine & cooling parts in the directory →
Seat belts
12 complaint records1 crash report
"DRIVER'S SEAT RECLINES AUTOMATICALLY UNDER ACCELERATION OR ANYTIME DRIVER LEANS BACK TOO HARD. ALSO PASSIVE RESTRAINT IS STUCK FORWARD...."- one owner's federal complaint about this system; it may not describe the issue named above
Parts
No specific part is named for this issue. Browse seat belts parts in the directory →
Federal defect investigations
Formal investigations opened by the federal safety agency into this vehicle. An investigation is the step between a complaint pattern and a recall; not every one results in one.
| Investigation | Status | Component | Subject |
|---|---|---|---|
| RQ00005 opened Feb 2000 | closed Aug 2000 | Seats | FRONT SEAT BACK CAN RECLINE OR COLLAPSE - led to recall 99V045000 |
| EA98017 opened Jul 1998 | closed Mar 1999 | Seats | SEAT BACK FAILURES - led to recall 99V045000 IN ITS LETTER DATED MARCH 5, 1999, GENERAL MOTORS STATED THAT IT WILL RECALL 136,300 MODEL YEAR 1994 AND 1995 SATURN VEHICLE (ALL MODELS) BUILT BETWEEN JANUARY 1994 AND AUGUST 1994.DURING THIS PERIOD, SATURN'S SEAT SUPPLIER MANUFACTURED RECLINER ASSEMBLIES... |
| EA95003 opened Feb 1995 | closed May 1996 | Equipment | CRUISE CONTROL FAILURES THIS INVESTIGATION DOCUMENTED HTE FUNCTIONAL ABERATIONS THAT HAVE OCCURRED IN THE PERFORMANCE OF THE SUBJECT CRUISE CONTROL SYSTEM.MOST OF THE MALFUNCTIONS INVOLVED FAILURE OF THE SYSTEM TO PROPERLY REGULATE VEHICLE SPEED WHEN ENGAGED, FAILURE OF THE SYSTEM... |
| PE94079 opened Nov 1994 | closed Feb 1995 | Equipment | CRUISE CONTROL FAILURE There is no summary currently available |
Recall campaigns
Safety-recall remedies are normally provided at no charge. Under US federal law the mandatory free remedy applies when the vehicle was no more than 15 years old at the time the defect was determined; manufacturers often cover older vehicles voluntarily. Canadian rules differ. Confirm eligibility with the manufacturer using the VIN. Each campaign number links to the federal record.
| Campaign | Component | Summary | Remedy |
|---|---|---|---|
| 99V045000 | Seats | VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. SOME FRONT SEAT BACK RECLINER GEAR TEETH MAY WEAR EXCESSIVELY THROUGH REPEATED USE, AND COULD CAUSE THE SEAT BACK TO SLIP PARTIALLY REARWARD WHEN FORCE IS APPLIED. | Normally free |
Transport Canada recalls
Recalls issued under Canadian law for this model year, from Transport Canada's Vehicle Recalls Database. Matched by model name, so a Canadian-market variant may appear here that was sold under another name in the US. Units are Canadian vehicles affected.
| Recall | System | Units (CA) | Summary |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1999040 1999-03-16 | Seats And Restraints | 11,260 | On certain vehicles, the front seat back recliner gear teeth may wear excessively through repeated use, and cause the seat to slip partially rearward when force is applied. |
Before you buy this vehicle
A test-drive checklist generated from this vehicle's own complaint and recall record.
- Run every power seat adjustment and check the seat frame.Motors that stall and seats that rock on their tracks are this vehicle's seat complaints.
- Cold-start it yourself and listen for the first thirty seconds.Knocking, ticking that fades as it warms, or blue or white smoke on startup are the sounds of this vehicle's engine cluster. Check the oil level and the coolant color, and ask whether the engine or its head gaskets have ever been out.
- Pull and release every belt.A belt that retracts slowly or a buckle that will not latch matches this vehicle's seat-belt cluster.
- Run the VIN against open recalls before you negotiate.This vehicle has 1 recall campaign on file. An open recall needs VIN-specific confirmation. Many are quick, no-charge fixes and worth negotiating over; an unresolved do-not-drive advisory, or a remedy the manufacturer has not yet made available, should stop the purchase until it is resolved.
- Ask for the service history in writing, then read it against this page.The complaint families above are where owners of this vehicle report trouble. Repairs in exactly those systems are evidence the car had the problem; no such repairs could mean it never developed it, or that it was never fixed. The test-drive items above are how you tell those apart.
Parts search directory
The generic parts list for this vehicle has its own page: a search launcher for every system, filtered by fuel type and era but not by engine, trim, or brake type. It is not a diagnosis and not a fitment guarantee.
Open the parts directory for this Saturn SC1 →