Problems · NHTSA complaints
2003 Saab 9-5 problems
Owners filed 49 complaints about the 2003 Saab 9-5 with NHTSA between Feb 2003 and Dec 2020. The most-cited component is electrical system (25).
Complaints
49
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
1
Reported by owners
Fires
0
Reported by owners
Injuries
3
People reported injured
Deaths
0
Reported to NHTSA
Complaints by component
One complaint can cite several components
- Electrical system25
- Engine and engine cooling9
- Tires5
- Suspension5
- Fuel system, gasoline4
- Fuel/propulsion system3
- Power train3
- Equipment3
- Vehicle speed control2
- Structure2
- Engine1
- Seat belts1
- Seats1
- Air bags1
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
When complaints were filed
Does it get worse with age? Complaints per calendar year filed
2
3
4
6
4
6
8
3
3
1
3
4
0
1
0
0
0
1
View as table
| Model year | Complaints filed per calendar year |
|---|---|
| 2003 | 2 |
| 2004 | 3 |
| 2005 | 4 |
| 2006 | 6 |
| 2007 | 4 |
| 2008 | 6 |
| 2009 | 8 |
| 2010 | 3 |
| 2011 | 3 |
| 2012 | 1 |
| 2013 | 3 |
| 2014 | 4 |
| 2015 | 0 |
| 2016 | 1 |
| 2017 | 0 |
| 2018 | 0 |
| 2019 | 0 |
| 2020 | 1 |
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.
Top problems in owners’ words
Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
Electrical system
25 reports1 related recall
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1993 BUICK REGAL. THE CONTACT STATED THAT ALL DOOR LOCKS WOULD BECOME STUCK WHEN ACTIVATED BY THE ELECTRONIC DOOR LOCK SYSTEM. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 41,000.”
Engine and engine cooling
9 reports
“MY CAR WAS BUILT IN 2002 AS WELL AS OTHERS REPORTED, I PURCHASED IT USED 3 YEARS AGO WITH 64K MILES. MY DIRECT IGNITION CONTROL IN 2003 9-5 LINEAR SEDAN 2.3T CEASED. UPON RESEARCH, MY DIC IS THE ORIGINAL PART 9197559 TK3.6 2000-2002 ARE RECALLED AND 'SOME' 2003 VIN'S. WITH THE OVER ABUNDANCE OF DIC FAILURES WITH THE EXACT SAME PART NUMBER, THESE NEED TO BE RECALLED AS A WHOLE. UPON REMOVAL OF THE DIC, THE ENGINE IS LEAKING AT THE SEAMS OF THE HEAD FROM WHERE THE BOLTS ARE LOCATED, INSIDE THE DIC AND ENGINE SECTION IS PERFECTLY CLEAN. BOLTS IN THE HEAD OF THE ENGINE LOOSE, 1 WAS LIFTED OUT ENOUGH TO JUST REMOVE STRAIGHT OUT. CAR BLOWS BLUEISH SMOKE WHEN IT WAS STARTING, SWITCHES ARE DEFECTIVE (GM KNOWN ISSUE), OIL / ENGINE / HEAD KNOWN ISSUES, SUSPENSION KNOWN ISSUES (AMONG OTHER SERIOUS SAAB FAILURES). I HAVE SPENT THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS ON THIS VEHICLE SINCE PURCHASE. THE KNOWN RECALLS MUST BE EXPANDED TO INCLUDE THE PARTS, NOT JUST 'YEAR' OR 'SPECIFIC VIN'. THIS WAS SUPPOSED TO BE A SAFE, RELIABLE CAR BUT INSTEAD IS CAUSING SERIOUS FINANCIAL ISSUES. PLEASE HELP THE OWNERS ALL OVER THE WORLD, WE SHOULD NOT HAVE TO PAY FOR ALL OF THIS.. WE ALREADY PAID FOR THEIR…”
Tires
5 reports
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 SAAB 9-5 EQUIPPED WITH HANKOOK TIRES HKH405, SIZE 225-45-17. THE DOT AND SERIAL NUMBERS WERE NOT AVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A LOCAL MECHANIC FOR ROUTINE MAINTENANCE WHEN THE TECHNICIAN ADVISED THAT THE FRONT TIRES TREAD WAS WORN PREMATURELY. THE TIRES WERE REPLACED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 12,000 UPDATED 08-24-12 *BF”
Suspension
5 reports
“PURCHASED A "CERTIFIED PRE-OWNED" 2003 SAAB 9.5 AERO IN LATE AUGUST 2006 BEGAN HEARING HORRIBLE (AND WORSENING) GRINDING NOISE SOON AFTER PURCHASE. WE WERE THINKING IT WAS THE BRAKES NEEDING TO BE REPLACED...TOOK IT TO A WELL RESPECTED NATIONAL BRAKE SHOP WHO TOLD US WE NEEDED NEW RIGHT SIDE WHEEL BEARING AND THE COST WOULD BE OVER $700.00 THE CAR HAS LESS THAN 60000 MILE ON IT AND I HAVE DONE SOME RESEARCH TO FIND THAT I AM NOT THE FIRST PERSON TO HAVE THIS PROBLEM WITH THIS MAKE/MODEL THINK IT IS A DEFECT THAT COULD PROVE FATAL IF NOT ADDRESSED IMMEDIATELY.*JB”
Fuel system, gasoline
4 reports1 related recall
“CAR RUNS PERFECTLY AND AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS WILL RANDOMLY STALL. IF YOU CAN MANAGE TO NOT GET INTO AN ACCIDENT THE CAR WILL START RIGHT BACK UP AFTER YOU TURN OFF THE KEY AND RESTART. SOMETIMES EVERY COUPLE OF MILES, AND CAN GO SEVERAL MILES WITHOUT THE STALL. SEEMS TO ONLY HAPPEN AT CONSTANT SPEEDS. THIS IS A VERY DANGEROUS PROBLEM. DIAGNOSTIC CODES ARE P1230 AND P1261, BUT I THINK THESE ARE RESULTS OF THE SUDDEN STALL, AND NOT THE PROBLEM. *TR UPDATED 03/10/09. *LJ”
Fuel/propulsion system
3 reports
“I HAD TO REPLACE FUEL PUMP 3 TIMES IN 4 YEARS. IT SMELLED LIKE FUEL IN MY CAR.”
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.