Problems · NHTSA complaints
1996 Saab 900 problems
Owners filed 48 complaints about the 1996 Saab 900 with NHTSA between Jan 1996 and Feb 2024. The most-cited component is electrical system (10).
Complaints
48
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
0
Reported by owners
Fires
3
Reported by owners
Injuries
0
People reported injured
Deaths
0
Reported to NHTSA
Complaints by component
One complaint can cite several components
- Electrical system10
- Engine and engine cooling8
- Power train8
- Fuel system, gasoline6
- Air bags5
- Equipment3
- Vehicle speed control3
- Suspension2
- Exterior lighting2
- Steering2
- Seats1
- Seat belts1
- Wheels1
- Service brakes, hydraulic1
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 Oct 30, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
When complaints were filed
Does it get worse with age? Complaints per calendar year filed
5
10
5
5
4
3
7
4
1
3
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
View as table
| Model year | Complaints filed per calendar year |
|---|---|
| 1996 | 5 |
| 1997 | 10 |
| 1998 | 5 |
| 1999 | 5 |
| 2000 | 4 |
| 2001 | 3 |
| 2002 | 7 |
| 2003 | 4 |
| 2004 | 1 |
| 2005 | 3 |
| 2006 | 0 |
| 2007 | 0 |
| 2008 | 0 |
| 2009 | 0 |
| 2010 | 0 |
| 2011 | 0 |
| 2012 | 0 |
| 2013 | 0 |
| 2014 | 0 |
| 2015 | 0 |
| 2016 | 0 |
| 2017 | 0 |
| 2018 | 0 |
| 2019 | 0 |
| 2020 | 0 |
| 2021 | 0 |
| 2022 | 0 |
| 2023 | 0 |
| 2024 | 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
10 reports3 fires
“DRIVING SMOOTHLY AT 50 MPH IN 1996 SAAB 900 SE TURBO, 99K MILES. ENGINE RPM SUDDENLY BUT SMOOTHLY DROPS TO ZERO AND STOPPED IN A VERY UNSAFE PLACE ON THE HIGHWAY. CAR WOULD NOT RE-START. ABSOLUTELY NO FAULTS OF ANY KIND OCCURRED DURING THE MONTHS LEADING UP TO THIS INCIDENT. THIS CAR'S DIRECT IGNITION CASSETTE WAS REPLACED ONCE ALREADY IN JAN. 2000 BY THE PREVIOUS OWNER. *JB”
Engine and engine cooling
8 reports1 fire
“WHILE DRIVING BALL BEARRINGS EXPLODED IN THE LOWER ENGINE. CONSUMER HEARD A LOUD BOOM. THE VEHICLE WAS FULL OF CLEAN OIL. CONSUMER CONTACTED THE MAUFACTURER AND THE DEALER. VEHICLE IS CURRENTLY AT DEALER. *AK”
Power train
8 reports1 fire
“INTERMITTENTLY GEARBOX LIGHT WILL LIGHT, CAUSING VEHICLE TO LOSE 1ST AND SECOND GEAR. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE AS VEHICLE MAY NOT GET UP TO HIGHTWAY SPEEDS AT RAMPS, ALMOST CAUSING A REAR END COLLISION. THIS IS A KNOW ISSUE W/ SAAB. I CONTACTED THEM REGARDING THIS PROBLEM. THEY STATED THERE ARE NO SAFETY ISSUES OPEN ON THIS VEHICLE. OVER 25 POSTS FOR THIS SAME PROBLEM ON SAABNET.COM. DEALER HAS TRIED TO REPAIR VEHICLE TWICE WITHOUT SUCCESS. I HAVE SPENT OVER $800.00 TRYING TO REPAIR THIS SAFETY PROBLEM . PLEASE HELP. *AK”
Fuel system, gasoline
6 reports
“IN JUNE 2003, A CRACK WAS DISCOVERED IN THE FUEL TANK OF MY 1996 SAAB 900S. THE TANK WAS REPLACED. ON 28 JULY 2004, THE REPLACEMENT TANK WAS DISCOVERED TO HAVE A LEAK AND WAS REPLACED. ON 1 SEPTEMBER 2005, THE SECOND REPLACEMENT TANK WAS DIAGNOSED AS LEAKING.*JB”
Air bags
5 reports
“Passenger airbag deployed for no reason while driving car, no warning lights on dashboard, no impact, no precipitating event occured”
Equipment
3 reports
“NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK”
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Oct 30, 2026
Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.