1997 Saturn Z Recalls, Complaints & Specs
2 safety recalls list the 1997 Saturn Z, and owners have filed 1 complaint with NHTSA. Check your own VIN below.
2 safety recalls for the 1997 Saturn Z
Most recent first. Recall repairs are free at any authorised dealer. Click a recall for the full defect, consequence and remedy text.
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Horn (electrical system)
Vehicle description: passenger vehicles. These vehicles were produced or serviced with a horn assembly which could fail. The horn could either become inoperable or activate without the driver pressing the horn button.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the horn assembly.
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Switch (electrical system)
It is possible to remove the ignition key while the cylinder is in the run position. This does not comply with the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 114, "theft protection."
Remedy: Dealers will perform a functional check of the ignition cylinder and, if necessary, to have the vehicle's ignition cylinder re-coded. Owners can perform this functional check themselves if they so desire.
1 owner complaint filed with NHTSA
Owners of the 1997 Saturn Z have filed 1 complaint with NHTSA. The average mileage at failure in those reports is 168,000 miles. Complaints peaked in 2008 with 1 filed that year.
Most-reported components
What owners are reporting
“Horn was sounding with no one in the car. Smoke was coming from the horn, under the hood. Unplugged the horn. Same problem as seen in recall 98v307000. *tr”
Owner complaint to NHTSA, October 17, 2008 · Electrical system
Compare Saturn Z model years
Recall and complaint counts for every Saturn Z model year in NHTSA's database.
| Model year | Recalls | Complaints |
|---|---|---|
| 1994 Saturn Z | 1 | 0 |
| 1995 Saturn Z | 1 | 1 |
| 1996 Saturn Z | 1 | 0 |
| 1997 Saturn Z | 2 | 1 |
| 2002 Saturn Z | 1 | 0 |
Checking a specific 1997 Saturn Z
How do I know if my 1997 Saturn Z has an open recall?
Enter your 17-character VIN above. The VIN is on the driver's side dashboard (visible through the windshield), the driver's door jamb sticker, and your registration or insurance card. The check runs against NHTSA's live database and tells you which campaigns list your vehicle. 2 campaigns currently list the 1997 Saturn Z; your car may already have been repaired under some of them.
Is the recall repair free?
Yes. Under federal law, manufacturers must fix safety recalls at no charge for vehicles up to 15 years old from the date of sale to the first owner. Contact any authorised Saturn dealer with your VIN and the NHTSA campaign number (for example 97V055000).
What is the difference between a recall and a complaint?
A recall is a safety campaign filed by the manufacturer or ordered by NHTSA, with a defined defect and remedy. A complaint is a report an owner sent to NHTSA; it is not verified, but patterns of complaints are what trigger NHTSA investigations and, eventually, recalls.
Other Saturn models
- Ion4,343 complaints
- Vue2,351 complaints
- SL2,218 complaints
- LS1,458 complaints
- Aura1,439 complaints
- Outlook1,352 complaints
- Sky516 complaints
- SC1413 complaints
Source: NHTSA recall and complaint databases and EPA fuel economy data, October 2026. Complaint counts are owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects. Recall counts are safety campaigns that list this model year; whether a particular car was already repaired depends on its VIN. How this data is compiled.