Total Complaints
1 filings
SATURN S-SERIES COUPE · model year
1997 SATURN S-SERIES COUPE
1 NHTSA complaints for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1997SATURNS-SERIES COUPE carries 1 consumer safety complaint in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 0 crashes, 0 fires, 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 S-SERIES COUPE is vehicle speed control:cruise control 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 COUPE. 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
0
Crashes
0
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 |
|---|---|
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:CRUISE CONTROL | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20051004VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:CRUISE CONTROL
THIS HAS BEEN AN INTERMITTENT, RECURRING PROBLEM WITH THE CRUISE CONTROL. IN THE MOST RECENT INCIDENT, I WAS DRIVING ON INTERSTATE AND SET CRUISE CONTROL AT 70 MPH. THE CAR GRADUALLY BEGAN ACCELERATING, REACHING A SPEED OF OVER 90 MPH. I FIRST APPLIED THE BREAKS, THEN PRESSED THE STOP SWITCH ON THE CRUISE CONTROL, AND FINALLY TURNED THE CONTROL OFF, BUT THE CAR CONTINUED TO ACCELERATE. WHEN I APPLIED THE BREAKS THE ENGINE RACED AND RPMS ROSE. I PUT THE CAR IN NEUTRAL AND APPLIED BREAKS, BUT THE ACCELERATION CONTINUED. I FINALLY EXITED THE INTERSTATE, PUT THE CAR IN NEUTRAL AND BRAKED TO A STOP THEN TURNED THE IGNITION OFF. THIS IS ABOUT THE 6TH TIME THIS HAS HAPPENED AND I NO LONGER FEEL SAFE USING THE CRUISE CONTROL. I REPORTED THIS TO SATURN ABOUT THREE YEARS AGO, BUT THEY SAID THERE WAS NO RECORD OF THE PROBLEM. I PLAN TO TAKE THE CAR TO SATURN TO HAVE THEM CHECK IT OUT. *JB
Mileage: 50,000
Compare 1997SATURNS-SERIES COUPE 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 COUPE have?▼
The 1997 SATURN S-SERIES COUPE has 1 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1997 SATURN S-SERIES COUPE?▼
The most-complained component for the 1997 SATURN S-SERIES COUPE is VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:CRUISE CONTROL with 1 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include various components.
Is the 1997 SATURN S-SERIES COUPE 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.