Total Complaints
1 filings
SATURN S SERIES · model year
1997 SATURN S SERIES
1 NHTSA complaints, 1 crash report for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1997SATURNS SERIES carries 1 consumer safety complaint in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 1 crash, 0 fires, 2 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 S SERIES is tires:tread/belt with 1 filings. 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 S SERIES. 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.
1
Complaints
1
Crashes
0
Fires
2
Injuries
0
Deaths
Crashes Reported
1 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 |
|---|---|
| TIRES:TREAD/BELT | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20010529CrashTIRES:TREAD/BELT
PE00 020; CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING ABOUT 20MPH ON A HIGHWAY SLOW BECAUSE SHE HEARD A SOUND LIKE A TICKING NOISE. SHE WAS ABLE TO PULL INTO A HOUSE DRIVEWAY. LEFT DRIVER'S SIDE TIRE TREAD SEPARATED FROM RIM. CONSUMER WAS HAVING MEDICAL PROBLEMS. *AK TIRE IS A FIRESTONE AFFINITY TOURING TI, P185/65R15, 86TMS, DOT W2FPAFA376, 2 PEOPLE WERE INJURED IN ACCIDENT. *SLC
Compare 1997SATURNS SERIES 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 S SERIES have?▼
The 1997 SATURN S SERIES has 1 NHTSA complaints, 1 crashes, 0 fires, 2 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1997 SATURN S SERIES?▼
The most-complained component for the 1997 SATURN S SERIES is TIRES:TREAD/BELT with 1 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include various components.
Is the 1997 SATURN S SERIES 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.