Problems · NHTSA complaints

2001 Saab 95 problems

Owners filed 22 complaints about the 2001 Saab 95 with NHTSA between Jun 2001 and Apr 2018. The most-cited component is electrical system (8).

Complaints
22
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
1
Reported by owners
Fires
1
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 system8
  2. Engine and engine cooling6
  3. Fuel/propulsion system1
  4. Service brakes, hydraulic1
  5. Power train1
  6. Wheels1
  7. Fuel system, gasoline1
  8. Seat belts1
  9. Parking brake1
  10. Suspension1
  11. Exterior lighting1
  12. Tires1
  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 Oct 30, 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
20015
20025
20031
20042
20054
20062
20072
20080
20090
20100
20110
20120
20130
20140
20150
20160
20170
20181

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

8 reports1 fire
“TURBO MALFUNCTION AT A COST OF $455.00 AND ALSO ENGINE FILTER BOX.VEHICLE STILL NOT RUNNING CORRECTLY.WILL ONLY GO AT SPEED OF 25 MPH.REPAIRED ON 03/27/2018.STARTED OUT SMOKING ALL OVER THE PLACE FROM EXHAUST.WAS TOLD TURBO WENT BAD.I THINK A LOT OF THESE CARS HAVE THIS PROBLEM AS I READ ON FORUMS(SAAB,).THAT I HAVE SINCE JOINED.THE SAAB HAS 139,000 MILES..I WAS DRIVING ON A CITY STREET AT SPEED AROUND 35MPH.STARTED TO SMOKE HEAVY,BUT ONCE OUT OF CITY AS LONG AS I DROVE 50 MPH ON HIGHWAY SMOKE WAS DISPERSED FROM WIND AND MADE IT HOME BUT WHEN STOPPING FOR RED LIGHT WOULD BUCK AND TRY TO SHUT OFF.SMOKE NOT GOOD FOR ENVIRONMENT......”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Apr 8, 2018Electrical system, Unknown or other, Fuel/propulsion systemODI 11083893

Engine and engine cooling

6 reports1 fire
“I OWN A 2001 SAAB 95 SE V6. WAS DRIVING DOWN THE NJ TPK AND THE CAR LOST POWER AND HAD A SMALL ELECTRICAL LIKE FIRE UNDER THE HOOD. HAD TO GET THE CAR TOWED FROM THE NJ TURNPIKE OFF AND THEN AGAIN TO MY PLACE IN BENSALEM PA. TOTAL COST $77 + 66. FOUND OUT THAT THE DI CASSETTE BURNED OUT, COST ME APPROX $600 TO FIX. A DAY LATER THE CAT CONVERTER FAILS (CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AGAIN). THIS IS CERTAINLY DUE TO DI CASSETTE BURNING OUT. VERY FRUSTRATING FOR A CAR WITH ONLY 60K MILES ON IT. *NM”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jan 31, 2006Engine and engine cooling, Electrical systemFire reportedODI 10149105

Fuel/propulsion system

1 report

Service brakes, hydraulic

1 report
“TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 SAAB 95. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH, THE ABS WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A DEALER AND THEY STATED THAT THE ABS MODULE NEEDED TO BE REPAIRED. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 97,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 96,980. UPDATED 11/15/07 *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Oct 29, 2007Service brakes, hydraulicODI 10207280

Power train

1 report
“ABOUT 6 MONTHS AFTER THE SAAB SPECIFY TRANSMISSION FLUID CHANGE, MY 2001 SAAB 95SE WAGON WITH 66,363 MILES HAS DEVELOPED THE BELOW PROBLEM. APPROXIMATELY A MILE TO A MILE AND HALF AFTER DRIVING 20-40 MPH, THE CAR WOULDN'T MOVE FORWARD WHILE THE ENGINE WAS RUNNING FINE. TURNED THE IGNITION OFF FOR 10 MINUTES, RESTARTED THE CAR, MOVED ABOUT 100-200 FEET, THE SAME SYMPTOM HAPPENED AGAIN. THE CAR WAS TOWED TO AN INDY AND THEN TO A DEALER. INDY FOUND CODE P0730 BUT THE DEALER WAS NOT ABLE TO DUPLICATE THE SAME. DEALER CHARGED OVER $100 AND SAID THE CAR WAS FINE AFTER ALLEGEDLY TEST DRIVE "10 MILES". WE PICKED THE CAR. AFTER A MILE OF SLOW DRIVING, THE SAME SYMPTOM DEVELOPED. WITHOUT FINDING OUT WHAT'S THE CAUSE OF THIS PROBLEM NOR HAD THEY OPENED THE TRANSMISSION, THE DEALER CONCLUDED THAT I NEED A NEW TRANSMISSION. SAAB USA WAS INFORMED AND IT WAS SAAB USA DIRECTED ME TO THE DEALER. NOW THEY WANT TO CLOSE THE CASE, WITHOUT ANY ASSISTANCE. *NM”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Apr 6, 2006Power trainODI 10154737

Wheels

1 report
“DT: THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 SAAB 95. WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF A RECALL. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO DEALER FOR SERVICE AND REPAIR. THE INVOICE STATED THAT THERE WAS NOT A RECALL. THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT REPLACED LUGS: BOLTS. THE CONTACT WAS UNAWARE OF THIS RECALL. *AK *JB”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Oct 26, 2005WheelsODI 10138383
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.