AI Damage1992 Saturn SC: common problems
Owners of the 1992 Saturn SC filed 16 complaints with NHTSA, most often about seat belts and structure. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 16
What fails most often
- 1 Seat belts 69% of all complaints
- 2 Structure 19% of all complaints
- 3 Electrical system 6% of all complaints
- 4 Engine and cooling 6% of all complaints
- 5 Equipment 6% of all complaints
- 6 Latches, locks, linkages 6% of all complaints
- 7 Seats 6% of all complaints
- 8 Tires 6% of all complaints
- Seat belts: 11 complaints (69% of all).
- Structure: 3 complaints (19% of all).
- Electrical system: 1 complaints (6% of all).
- Engine and cooling: 1 complaints (6% of all).
- Equipment: 1 complaints (6% of all).
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 16 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 | 11 | 0 | 0 |
| Structure | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Electrical system | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Engine and cooling | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Equipment | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Latches, locks, linkages | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Seats | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Tires | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Visibility | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Other | 1 | 0 | 0 |
What owners report
Short excerpts of NHTSA complaints in the original wording. These are owner statements not verified by NHTSA; personal data removed.
Hood release cable routing has caused leak in a/c tubing near coil. All refrigerant was lost. Routing of this cable is obviously flawed in several places aside from the a/c problem. Cable and/or nearby surfaces are damaged.
Firestone firehawk tire gta 195 60 r15 experienced blowout.
Driving on highway traveling 65mph, and a/c stopped working. While coming off highway, stopped to make a left turn, and smoke started coming out the hood. Turned vehicle off. Fire department put fire out. Had vehicle towed to the dealership, and was told that fire started in a/c assembly.
Seat belt motor was replaced once; now has failed again. Manufacturer's "fix" is a clip which enables user to hook up seatbelt manually.
Saturn manufactured automatic seatbelts in early model cars. They stopped doing that in subsequent model years. The seatbelts no longer go back and forth and sometimes will not go back into the locked position even when forced. I requested that they fix them and they quoted me a figure in excess of $600 each.
The driver side seat belt retractor is not working . Tt consumer states motorized belt made buzziing noises and had incomplete retraction, earlier the motor had quit all together, dealer declined to remedy defect due to out of warranty. Door has rattled since new.
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 9,040 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 25% most complained about).
On average one model year of the SC has 25 complaints (12 years in the data). This year has 16, below average.
What to check before buying
- Seat belts. Belt pretensioners after airbag deployment, SRS codes.
- Structure. Rails, pillars, panel gaps, signs of pulling or welding.
- Electrical system. Scan all modules, test the battery and alternator, inspect connectors near the impact zone.
- Engine and cooling. Radiator and fan after a frontal hit, coolant level and condition, overheating.
Other years of this model
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 1992 Saturn SC?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: seat belts, structure, electrical system. Total complaints: 16. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: seat belts (38%), A/C or heater (13%), knocking, grinding or other noise (6%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 1992 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 1992 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 1992 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.