Total Complaints
4 filings
SATURN EV1 · model year
1997 SATURN EV1
4 NHTSA complaints for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1997SATURNEV1 carries 4 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 0 crashes, 1 fire, 0 injuries, and 0 fatalities. No NCAP 5-star crash-test rating is available for this model year in the federal database.
Component-level analysis is where model-year complaints become actionable: the top complaint category for the 1997 EV1 is electrical system:12v/24v/48v battery with 3 filings, followed by electrical system (1). Concentration in one or two component groups is the classic signature of a systemic defect; a flat distribution usually reflects normal aging, warranty complaints, or isolated build-plant variability.
NHTSA currently has 14 investigation files overlapping the 1997 EV1. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should pair the counters above with the complaint-by-year trend on the parent model page — a spike in a single year often tracks to a platform refresh, a new transmission supplier, or an updated ECU calibration. Use the related-complaint feed below to read raw owner narratives before deciding whether any pattern here affects your specific use case.
4
Complaints
0
Crashes
1
Fires
0
Injuries
0
Deaths
Crashes Reported
0 reports
Source
NHTSA ODI
Federal complaints database
Complaints vs. fleet median (215)
At or below the fleet median complaint volume.
Complaints by Component
| Component | Count |
|---|---|
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:12V/24V/48V BATTERY | 3 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20000911ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
THESE VEHICLES WERE PRODUCED WITH A CHARGE PORT ASSEMBLY THAT MAY FAIL DURING A CHARGING EVENT, RECALL ISSUED HOWEVER OWNER HAS NOT BEEN ABLE TO RECEIVE NEW VEHICLE AT THIS TIME, RECALL SOLUTION IS NOT SUFFICIENT. *ET
20000908ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:12V/24V/48V BATTERY
EVI VEHICLE IS ON RECALL BECAUSE A DEFECT IN THE CHARGE PORT COULD CAUSE TO OVERHEAT (00V-069), HOWEVER CONSUMER IS NOT HAPPY WITH IT. YH
20000508ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:12V/24V/48V BATTERY
VEHICLES WERE BUILT WITH A CHARGE PORT ASSEMBLY PRIOR TO RECALL THAT MAY FAIL DURING A CHARGING EVENT (00V-069), RECALL DOES NOT REMEDY THE FAILURE. YH (ATTORNEY AT LAW)
20000222FireELECTRICAL SYSTEM:12V/24V/48V BATTERY
SOMETIMES WHEN THE HEATER WAS RUNNING, I HEARD A POP NOISE FROM LEFT FRONT AREA OF THE CAR. WITH OUT WARNING OR ENGINE LIGHTS. WHILE CHARGING UP ELECTRICAL BATTERY VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE. *AK.ET.
Compare 1997SATURNEV1 to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations
EA11014Engineering AnalysisClosed
Electric Power Steering Failure
RQ10004Recall QueryClosed
Electric Power Steering Failure
PE09016Preliminary EvaluationClosed
OUTSIDE DOOR HANDLES STICK UNLATCHED
PE08061Preliminary EvaluationClosed
TIMING CHAIN BREAKS, ENGINE STALL
DP08002Defect PetitionClosed
TIMING CHAIN FAILURE-STALL
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 1997 SATURN EV1 have?▼
The 1997 SATURN EV1 has 4 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 1 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1997 SATURN EV1?▼
The most-complained component for the 1997 SATURN EV1 is ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:12V/24V/48V BATTERY with 3 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include ELECTRICAL SYSTEM.
Is the 1997 SATURN EV1 safe to buy?▼
Review the complaint history, crash and fire reports, safety ratings, and recall status on this page to make an informed decision. No NHTSA crash test rating is available for this model year. Compare with other model years using the links above.
Where does this data come from?▼
All complaint, recall, and safety rating data is sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Complaints are filed by vehicle owners through NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation.
Vehicle Safety Guides
Data as of 2025. Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) complaints database, NHTSA recall campaign API, NHTSA NCAP crash-test ratings, and NHTSA FARS for fatality cross-reference.
Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.