AI Damage1991 Saturn SC: common problems
Owners of the 1991 Saturn SC filed 5 complaints with NHTSA, most often about seat belts and engine and cooling. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 5
- involving a crash
- 1
What fails most often
- 1 Seat belts 60% of all complaints
- 2 Engine and cooling 40% of all complaints
- 3 Steering 20% of all complaints
- Seat belts: 3 complaints (60% of all).
- Engine and cooling: 2 complaints (40% of all).
- Steering: 1 complaints (20% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
Engines and transmissions
US-market versions per EPA. On the right: how many NHTSA complaints name this engine or transmission type.
- 1.9 L · petrol · 4 cyl
- automatic, 4-speed
- manual, 5-speed
Drive: FWD
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 5 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).
Components owners complain about
| Component | Owner complaints | involving a crash | Technical service bulletins (TSB) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Seat belts | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Engine and cooling | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Steering | 1 | 1 | 0 |
What owners report
Short excerpts of NHTSA complaints in the original wording. These are owner statements not verified by NHTSA; personal data removed.
My wife was driving the car when smoke began to emit and the generator light was on. The car was towed to our house. Upon examining the vehicle, the engine block was cracked where the generator is screwed to the engine block. The vehicle was towed to saturn of dadeland on 05/29/1998.
When opening the door to get into the vehicle the seat belt retractor doesn't move. Once getting in and closing the door, the seat belt retractor still will not move. Ak consumer also stated that the engine had to be rebuilt.
Both front passive restraints fail to operate, w/owner notifying saturn manufacturer. Please describe details. Tt
When owners complained
NHTSA complaints by filing year. The peak shows at what age the problems show up most.
Comparison
By complaint count this model year ranks 14,282 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 39% most complained about).
On average one model year of the SC has 25 complaints (12 years in the data). This year has 5, below average.
What to check before buying
- Seat belts. Belt pretensioners after airbag deployment, SRS codes.
- Engine and cooling. Radiator and fan after a frontal hit, coolant level and condition, overheating.
- Steering. Steering play, power assist, rack and tie rods after a wheel impact.
Other years of this model
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 1991 Saturn SC?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: seat belts, engine and cooling, steering. Total complaints: 5. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: seat belts (40%), smoke, burning smell, fire (20%), steering or power steering problems (20%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 1991 Saturn SC?
NHTSA lists 0 manufacturer service bulletins for this year. A bulletin tells dealers how to diagnose or fix a known issue; it is not a recall.
Should I buy a 1991 Saturn SC from a US auction?
Owner complaints describe defects, not crash damage. Before bidding, check the components listed above and review the lot photos: VinWind builds a report of visible and hidden damage by VIN.
Other 1991 models
Read also
Sources: public NHTSA data (USA): service bulletins and owner complaints; YouTube: links to videos credited to their authors. Complaints are owner statements not verified by NHTSA, and describe defects rather than crash damage. Data updated 2026-11-05.