Problems · NHTSA complaints

2001 Saab 9-5 problems

Owners filed 82 complaints about the 2001 Saab 9-5 with NHTSA between Aug 2001 and Jan 2024. The most-cited component is electrical system (47).

Complaints
82
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
0
Reported by owners
Fires
4
Reported by owners
Injuries
0
People reported injured
Deaths
0
Reported to NHTSA
01 —By component

Complaints by component

One complaint can cite several components
  1. Electrical system47
  2. Engine and engine cooling17
  3. Fuel system, gasoline14
  4. Wheels4
  5. Equipment2
  6. Tires1
  7. Service brakes, electric1
  8. Air bags1
  9. Fuel system, other1
  10. Service brakes, hydraulic1
  11. Vehicle speed control1
  12. Structure1
  13. Other / unknown1

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.

Data from NHTSA Complaints API · synced Nov 9, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
02 —Trend

When complaints were filed

Does it get worse with age? Complaints per calendar year filed
View as table
Model yearComplaints filed per calendar year
20012
20022
20035
20046
200522
200614
20079
200812
20094
20100
20111
20120
20131
20141
20151
20161
20170
20180
20190
20200
20210
20220
20230
20241

Mileage at failure isn’t a structured field in NHTSA complaint data, so we don’t chart it. Some owners mention it in their reports below.

03 —Owner reports

Top problems in owners’ words

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first

Electrical system

47 reports4 fires1 related recall
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 SAAB 9-5. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING AND FAILED TO RESTART. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE CONTACT'S RESIDENCE. THE VEHICLE WAS EVENTUALLY ABLE TO RESTART. THE FAILURE OCCURRED ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS. THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 05V399000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM). THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Sep 25, 2015Electrical systemODI 10776576

Engine and engine cooling

17 reports
“THE FIRST TIME THE OIL LIGHT CAME ON WAS IN MID OCTOBER 2006, AFTER ABOUT AN HOUR OF DRIVING. THERE WAS NO OTHER INDICATION OF A PROBLEM (NOISE, VIBRATION, CHANGE IN HANDLING, ETC). THE OIL HAD RECENTLY BEEN CHANGED, BUT IT WAS RECHECKED AND TOPPED OFF ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD ANYWAY. EVERYTHING SEEMED GOOD FOR ABOUT 20 MIN WHEN THE OIL LIGHT CAME BACK ON DURING A TURN. I WAS ON MY WAY TO THE AIRPORT SO I PARKED THE CAR AND TOOK IT TO A SERVICE SHOP TWO DAYS LATER WHEN I RETURNED. IT WAS GIVEN AN OIL CHANGE AND AN OVERALL CHECK. THE OIL LIGHT DID NOT COME ON DURING THE TEST DRIVE. I DROVE IT HOME WITH NO EXPLANATION AS TO WHY THE OIL LIGHT CAME ON IN THE FIRST PLACE. IN EARLY 2007, THE SAME THING HAPPENED AGAIN. THIS TIME THE ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON TOO. EVERYTHING WAS CHECKED OVER AND NOTHING FOUND WRONG. EVEN THE SENSORS WERE WORKING FINE. FOR THE NEXT YEAR AND A HALF, THE OIL AND ENGINE LIGHTS WOULD GO ON AND OFF AT ODD INTERVALS ACCOMPANIED BY NO OTHER SIGNS. SOMETIMES THEY WOULD ONLY FLICKER ON AND OFF DURING A SHORT DRIVE AND OTHER TIMES THEY WOULD STAY ON FOR WEEKS AND THEN GOING OFF AGAIN FOR NO REASON. EACH TIME, THE OIL AND ENGINE WOULD BE LOOKED OVER AND…”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Apr 20, 2009Engine and engine coolingODI 10266149

Fuel system, gasoline

14 reports1 related recall
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 SAAB 9-5. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, HE NOTICED AN OVERPOWERING ODOR OF GASOLINE AND THE FUEL WAS BURNING MUCH FASTER THAN NORMAL. AFTER STOPPING THE VEHICLE, HE NOTICED A LEAK. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THEY ADVISED HIM THAT THEY WOULD HAVE TO DROP THE ENTIRE FUEL TANK TO INSPECT THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NEITHER INSPECTED NOR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND THEY ADVISED HIM THAT HE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 07V087000 (FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE: DELIVERY: HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS). THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE APPROXIMATELY 122,500. UPDATED 01/20/12*LJ UPDATED 03/05/12”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Dec 8, 2011Fuel system, gasolineODI 10439001

Wheels

4 reports1 related recall
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 SAAB 9-5. WHILE DRIVING 15 MPH, THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE WHEEL DETACHED FROM THE VEHICLE WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE BECAME DIFFICULT TO CONTROL, SLAMMED TO THE GROUND, AND CAME TO A STOP. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A LOCAL MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE VEHICLE NEEDED A NEW ROTOR, HUB ASSEMBLY, AND FRONT RIM. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 194,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Apr 4, 2016WheelsODI 10853349

Equipment

2 reports1 fire
“ON TWO OCCASIONS OUR 2001SAAB,9.5 6 CYLINDER TRANSMISSION CASSETTE FAILED. LEAVING MY HUSBAND AND MY SELF STRANDED WITH A SMOLDERING CAR. ON OCT 19TH 05 WE WERE ABLE TO GET OFF THE HWY IN THE NICK OF TIME, HEAVY SMOKE HAD BEGUN TO POUR OUT FROM UNDER THE HOOD. THE FIRE WAS CONTAINED BUT THE IGNITION CASSETTE,THE CAUSE OF THE FIRE, THE WIRE HARNESS, BATTERY AND,SPARK PLUGS WERE DESTROYED AND HAD TO BE REPLACED. AT THE TIME OF THIS INCIDENCE WE WERE DRIVING IN THE SOUTHERN SIERRAS IN A SEASONAL DRY FOREST AREA. IT WAS FORTUNATE THAT A WE WERE ABLE TO PULL OFF THE ROAD IN A SAFE SPOT. ON AUG.15TH, 08. THE REPLACEMENT PART FAILED AGAIN AND AS BEFORE THE SPARK PLUGS, INSTALLED SEVERAL MONTHS PREVIOUSLY HAD TO BE REPLACED THE CONTINUED FAILURE OF THIS PART IN AN INTRINSIC MANUFACTURING DEFECT. SPECIFIC VIN NUMBERS OF THIS PART HAS BEEN RECALLED, BUT SAAB/ G.M NEEDS TO BE MADE TO RECALL ALL OF THESE AUTO'S AND REPLACE THE FLAWED IGNITION CASSETTE. NEITHER OF THE TWO IGNITION CASSETTES INSTALLED IN OUR CAR HAVE HAD THE VIN NUMBERS RECALLED. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Aug 25, 2008Electrical system, EquipmentFire reportedODI 10239651

Tires

1 report
“With only 670 miles on a new set of tires, an inspection for a completely unrelated reason found that there was a bulge in 3 of the 4 NEW tires. Installed in Jun, issue found in Dec; car is driven very little. Tires were purchased from Tire Rack and installed by Discount Tire. Inspection by Discount tire found the 3 defective tires. They report bulges as "impact damage". I have had one other tire ever with impact damage in 180,000 miles on this 20+ year old car. On this set of tires, there were no incidents, such as hitting a curb or pothole. I have to believe that these tires have a manufacturing defect. For all I know, they had a sidewall bulge from day one. I am replacing all four tires. I have contacted Vredestein customer service, at both domestic and international email customer service contacts. They have not answered, even with an acknowledgement of receipt.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jan 29, 2024TiresODI 11568403
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 9, 2026

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.