1997 SATURN SW Problems & Recalls
Detailed safety information and owner complaints
Problem Breakdown
Compare to Other Years
Common Problems
TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 1997 SATURN SW. WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH, THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED, BUT FAILED TO STOP THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE EMERGENCY BRAKE WAS APPLIED, BUT ALSO FAILED TO STOP THE VEHICLE. AS A RESULT, THE CONTACT CRASHED INTO ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED, BUT...
THIS 1997 SATURN SW2 HAS GM'S IGNITION PROBLEM. THE AIR BAGS WERE BLOWN ONCE THIS FRIED THE WIRES BELOW THE STEARING AND NOW THEY SAY THIS IS NOT. AT THE TIME THE VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION, STREET, I JUST PUSHED IT OFF THE ROAD FOR THE 3RD TIME IN 2 WEEKS AND NOW I MAY LOOSE EVERYTHING I HAVE IN MY LIFE...
Mileage: 139,000
THIS 1997 SATURN SW2 HAS GM'S IGNITION PROBLEM. THE AIR BAGS WERE BLOWN ONCE THIS FRIED THE WIRES BELOW THE STEARING AND NOW THEY SAY THIS IS NOT. AT THE TIME THE VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION, STREET, I JUST PUSHED IT OFF THE ROAD FOR THE 3RD TIME IN 2 WEEKS AND NOW I MAY LOOSE EVERYTHING I HAVE IN MY LIFE...
Mileage: 139,000
THIS 1997 SATURN SW2 HAS GM'S IGNITION PROBLEM. THE AIR BAGS WERE BLOWN ONCE THIS FRIED THE WIRES BELOW THE STEARING AND NOW THEY SAY THIS IS NOT. AT THE TIME THE VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION, STREET, I JUST PUSHED IT OFF THE ROAD FOR THE 3RD TIME IN 2 WEEKS AND NOW I MAY LOOSE EVERYTHING I HAVE IN MY LIFE...
Mileage: 139,000
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 SATURN SW. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE ATTEMPTING TO START THE VEHICLE, SMOKE STARTED TO EMIT FROM THE IGNITION AFTER THE KEY WAS INSERTED INTO THE IGNITION SWITCH. THE CONTACT IMMEDIATELY REMOVED THE KEY AND TOWED THE VEHICLE TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE TECHNICIAN ...
Mileage: 150,000
THE ENGINE TURNS OFF DURING DRIVING OR COMING TO A STOP IF I LEAVE THE VEHICLE OVERNIGHT OR 4HRS LATER IT WILL START AND RUN FOR ABOUT A HOUR THEN IT TURNS OFF, HAD A DIAGNOSTIC COMPUTER CHECK AND THEY SAID THEY CAN NOT FIND THE PROBLEM. REPLACED THE IGNITION COILS, SPARK PLUGS, SPARK PLUG CABLES, G...
THE ENGINE TURNS OFF DURING DRIVING OR COMING TO A STOP IF I LEAVE THE VEHICLE OVERNIGHT OR 4HRS LATER IT WILL START AND RUN FOR ABOUT A HOUR THEN IT TURNS OFF, HAD A DIAGNOSTIC COMPUTER CHECK AND THEY SAID THEY CAN NOT FIND THE PROBLEM. REPLACED THE IGNITION COILS, SPARK PLUGS, SPARK PLUG CABLES, G...
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 SATURN SW2. THE VEHICLE HAS FIRESTONE FIREHAWK ATX TIRES. WHILE DRIVING 50 MPH, THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO DRAG. SHE REMOVED HER FOOT FROM THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL AND ALLOWED THE VEHICLE TO DECELERATE. THE VEHICLE THEN BEGAN BUMPING AND JUMPING. THE VE...
Mileage: 92,000
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 25 MPH SLOWING DOWN TO MAKE A LEFT TURN, A LOUD NOISE CAME FROM UNDER THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A LOCAL INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP FOR INSPECTION. UPON INSPECTION, THE MECHANIC DETERMINED THE TRANSMISSION BLOWN FROM THE INSIDE OUT AND NEEDED TO BE RE...
Mileage: 90,100
WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH THE ENGINE FAILED WITHOUT WARNING. THE SERVICE DEALER STATES THE IGNITION COIL PACK HAD MALFUNCTIONED. *NM THE VEHICLE WAS BEING DRIVEN ON THE HIGHWAY WHEN THE INCIDENT OCCURRED. *SC
Mileage: 55,445
CONSUMER STATED DOOR BELL WAS ACTING AS IF THE LIGHTS WERE ON, AND THE KEY WAS IN THE IGNITION. SHE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER/MECHANIC, HE KEPT PRESSING ON THE BUTTON, AND GOT IT TO SHUT OFF. THEN HE REINSERTED THE KEY INTO THE IGNITION AND VEHICLE BEGAN TO SMOKE. AFTER MECHANIC EXAMINED ...
I CALLED SATURN OF EATONTOWN, NJ REPORTING AN ELECTRICAL PROBLEM WITH THE IGNITION AND DOOR BELL ALARM-IT RANG CONSTANTLY. I WAS TOLD BY THE SERVICE MANGER NOT TO WORRY, USE A LITTLE CW SPREAD; 3 DAYS LATER, THE STEERING COLUMN AND IGNITION CAUGHT ON FIRE. SATURN IS REFUSING TO HONOR SAFETY RECAL...
Mileage: 59,200
A BOLT IN TRANSMISSION BROKE OFF AND BROKE THROUGH THE CASING, CAUSING TRANSMISSION FLUID TO LEAK.. VEHICLE COULD CATCH FIRE. CONTACTED DEALER. *AK
CONSUMER RECEIVED A NOTICE REGARDING A DEFECTIVE FUEL PUMP, HOWEVER WHEN CONSUMER WENT TO THE DEALERSHIP, HE WAS INFORMED THAT THEY WOULD NOT REPLACE THE FUEL PUMP UNTIL IT FAILED, BUT WAS TOLD TO KEEP THE LETTER UNTIL THE FUEL PUMP FAILED, ON 3 SEPARATE OCCASIONS CONSUMERS VEHICLE EXPERIENCED HARD ...
FUEL PUMP WAS REPLACED, SATURN HAD SENT CONSUMER A LETTER STATING THAT THE FUEL PUMP MAY FAIL PREMATURELY AND CAUSE EXTENDED CRANK TIME, LOSS OF POWER, AND POSSIBLE NO START CONDITIONS, SATURN GAVE A RREPLACEMENT COVERAGE OF 6 YEARS/75000 MILES, HOWEVER 5 MONTHS AFTER FUEL PUMP REPLACEMENT, THE FUEL...
FUEL PUMP WAS REPLACED, SATURN HAD SENT CONSUMER A LETTER STATING THAT THE FUEL PUMP MAY FAIL PREMATURELY AND CAUSE EXTENDED CRANK TIME, LOSS OF POWER, AND POSSIBLE NO START CONDITIONS, SATURN GAVE A RREPLACEMENT COVERAGE OF 6 YEARS/75000 MILES, HOWEVER 5 MONTHS AFTER FUEL PUMP REPLACEMENT, THE FUEL...
TIRE WAS READY TO THROW TREAD (FIRESTONE AFFINITY TOURING TI - P185-65R15). NLM
CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING 30MPH ON HIGHWAY AND WAS APPROACHING A STOP LIGHT WHEN SHE APPLIED BRAKES, AND BRAKE PEDAL WAS GUSHY AND WENT ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR AND VEHICLE WOULDN'T STOP.*AK
THE PASSENGER'S SEAT BELT WOULD NOT COME OUT OF THE LAP BELT AREA THEREBY NOT ALLOWING ME TO FASTEN MY BELT. IT IS AGAINST THE LAW TO DRIVE UNBELTED BUT I COULD NOT BELT UP. WORKED FINE THE DAY BEFORE. DEALER SAID BELT MUST BE REPLACED BUT I MUST PAY VEHICLE IS PAST THE 3YR 36000 MILE WARRANTY. I MA...
THROTTLE HANGS AND "RATCHETS" UPWARD WITH SPEED (CRUISE) CONTROL ENGAGED. TURNING SPEED CONTROL SWITCH TO "OFF" DOES NOT CORRECT THE CONDITION, NEITHER DOES APPLYING THE BRAKES. MANUALLY DEPRESSING THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL IN AN ATTEMPT TO UN-STICK THE THROTTLE CAUSED FURTHER UPWARD "RATCHETING" OF TH...
ONGOING PROBLEM WITH BRAKES SQUEALING WHEN THEY WERE APPLIED WITHIN THE FIRST MILE OF DRIVING,. THEN BRAKES FAILED. DEALER NOTIFIED, AND INFORMED CONSUMER THAT IT WAS A NORMAL CONDITION. ASKING NHTSA TO SHED SOME LIGHT ON THIS MATTER.*AK
UPON STARTING VEHICLE A HUGE AMOUNT OF SMOKE CAME FROM THE STEERING COLUMN. DRIVER SHUT OFF THE IGNTION AND REMOVED THE KEY. VEHICLE WOULD NOT START AFTERWARDS. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A LOCAL MECHANIC, WHERE ALL WIRING IN THE STEERING COLUMN WAS FOUND TO BE BURNED. INSURANCE COMPANY NOT SURE WHA...
SEATBELT WILL NOT UNREEL FROM OPEN POSITION ,AND WILL NOT RELEASE, CAUSING LOSS OF PROTECTION. *AK
NO SUMMARY.
THE SEAT BELTS IN OUR SATURN DO NOT ALLOW US TO INSTALL CHILD CAR SEATS IN SUCH A MANNER THAT THEY DO NOT MOVE. WE HAVE PURCHASED A CAR BED FOR OUR BABY - DUE ANY MOMENT - ONLY TO FIND THAT WE CANNOT SECURE A CAR SEAT WITH BELTS THAT COME OUT OF THE CENTER OF THE SEAT. SATURN SAYS THEIR BELTS COMP...
BRAKE LIGHTS FAILED.
HORN FAILED. NLM
WINDSHIELD WASHER JETS FAILED. NLM
VEHICLE WAS PARKED OUTSIDE, WARMING UP AND ALL PEOPLE WERE IN THE HOUSE WHEN VEHICLE WENT INTO GEAR AND DROVE THROUGH THE GARAGE. *AK
WHILE DRIVING DOME LIGHT WOULD COME ON AND FLICKER. VEHICLE HAS BEEN IN/OUT OF DEALER SHOP ON FOUR OCCASIONS, AND PROBLEM STILL UNABLE TO BE RESOLVED. *AK
FRONT BRAKES WORN, CAUSING DIFFICULTY DURING EMERGENCY STOPS.
ANTI LOCK BRAKES MAKE SHRILL NOISE AND THE PEDAL GOES TO THE FLOOR, BRAKES WORN EXCESSIVELY.
FRONT AIR BAGS DEPLOYED WITHOUT WARNING AND FOR NO APPARENT REASON.
CONSTANT CYCLICAL VIBRATION WHILE IN 5TH GEAR AND TRAVELLING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS.
TRANSMISSION SLIPPED, CAUSING ACCIDENT.