Reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers, shown in full
Data refreshed
Our database holds 118 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 1999 Saab 9-5. Each one is a report filed by an owner or driver and published by NHTSA without most of them being verified. A complaint is not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. Narratives are shown exactly as filed.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Showing 1–25 of 118 · page 1 of 5
DRIVER SIDE AIRBAG DEPLOYED WHILE DRIVING IN A SMOOTH STRAIGHTAWAY COUNTRY ROAD AT ABOUT 30-35 MPH. NO OTHER CAS WERE AROUND AT THE TIME AND NOBODY GOT SERIOUSLY HURT, ONLY A MINOR BRUISE ON THE ARM.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 SAAB 9-5. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE PARKED, THE PASSENGER'S SIDE IMPACT AIR BAG ERRONEOUSLY DEPLOYED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INVOLVED IN A CRASH OR ANY TYPE OF IMPACT. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A DEALER FOR A DIAGNOSTIC TEST HOWEVER, DEALER DID NOT PROVIDE AN EXPLANATION ON WHAT CAUSED THE AIR BAG TO INADVERTENTLY DEPLOY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 103,000.
MY VEHICLE WAS SOLD ORIGINALLY IN CALIFORNIA AND HAS BEEN A CALIFORNIA REGISTERED VEHICLE AT ALL TIMES. IT HAS REAR FOG LIGHTS INSTALLED WITH IT'S OWN SEPARATE SWITCH ON CLUSTER DASH FOR THEM . THIS VEHICLE DOES NOT COMPLY WITH THE CALIFORNIA VEHICLE CODE 24602 FOG TAIL LAMPS OR REAR FOG LIGHTS. AS THE CODE STATES: 24602.(B)(3) THE EDGE OF THE LENS OF THE LAMP SHALL BE NO CLOSER THAN FOUR INCHES FROM THE EDGE OF THE LENS OF ANY STOP LAMP OR BRAKE. THIS VEHICLES REAR FOG LIGHT LENSES AND BRAKE LIGHT LENSES ARE RIGHT UP AGAINST EACH OTHER WITH NO SPACE GIVEN BETWEEN THEM. I HAVE ASKED THE MANUFACTURER OWNER ,WHICH WAS GENERAL MOTORS AT THE TIME TO REMEDY ISSUE. THEY HAVE DECLINED ANY ASSISTANCE. I HAVE EXPLAINED THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUES WHICH WAS WRITTEN INTO CALIFORNIA LAW FOR A PURPOSE. THE PROBLEM IS WHEN USING THEM WHEN WARRANTED ATMOSPHERIC CONDITIONS REQUIRE AND DO TO THEIR PLACEMENT IT CAN BE CONSTRUED AS IF THE VEHICLE IS BRAKING AS COMING TO A STOP OR STOPPED. I VEHICLE BEHIND IT COULD PANIC BRAKE OR HARD STEER TO RIGHT OR LEFT CAUSING AN ACCIDENT . I HAVE ALSO WRITTEN TO THE ORIGINAL SALES DEALER FOR ASSISTANCE. I BELIEVE THIS SHOULD HAVE BEEN A RECALL FOR THIS MODEL VEHICLE . YOUR ASSISTANCE AND INVESTIGATION INTO THIS APPRECIATED. *TR
MY VEHICLE HAS A CRACK ABOUT 2 INCHES IN LENGTH ON THE RIGHT REAR SIDE ON ROOF TOP. I CAN PROVIDE PICTURES AND WOULD LIKE MY VEHICLE INVESTIGATED INTO ON THIS ISSUE. *TR
VACUUM BRAKE BOOSTER FILLED WITH OIL LEAKING FROM DEFECTIVE VACUUM PUMP RESULTING IN BRAKE FAILURE. DEFECTIVE ABS MODULE CAUSES BRAKES TO SUDDENLY LOCK UP IMMOBILIZING CAR. THIS IS A DESIGN FAILURE IN THE ELECTRONIC ABS BRAKING SYSTEM IN MY OPINION. *TR
ALL OF THESE REPAIRS IN ABOUT A TWO YEAR PERIOD: ABS MODULE, OIL COOLER, THROTTLE BODY, UPPER RADIATOR HOSE, AND BOTH DIC CASSETTES. THIS IS COMPLETELY UNACCEPTABLE FOR WHAT WAS ORIGINALLY A $40K CAR. I HAVE LOVED SAAB'S SINCE MY CHILDHOOD, BUT THIS ONE CAR HAS COMPLETELY TURNED ME OFF OF THEM. FIRST THE ABS MODULE WENT, HAD IT REBUILT ($150) AND NO IMPROVEMENT. SO I BOUGHT A NEW ONE ($350). THEN JUST AFTER THAT THE THROTTLE BODY DIED ($450). THEN JUST A FEW MONTHS LATER THE OIL COOLER ($1100) WENT OUT. IT RAN SMOOTH FOR A SHORT TIME, BUT THEN BOTH DIC'S DIED AT THE SAME TIME ($850). IT IS TIME FOR THIS CAR TO GO AWAY, AND I WILL NEVER BUY ANOTHER SAAB. WHY IS THERE A RECALL ON THE DIC FOR ALL SUBSEQUENT YEARS, BUT NO THE 1999'S? THANK SAAB!!! *TR
MY 1999 SAAB'S DIRECT IGNITION CASSETTE HAS FAILED -- A VERY COMMON OCCURRENCE IN THIS MODEL, FOR WHICH A RECALL WAS ISSUED. THAT RECALL, HOWEVER, EXCLUDED 1999 MODEL YEARS FOR REASONS UNKNOWN TO ANYONE I HAVE SPOKEN WITH. MY CAR IS ESSENTIALLY IDENTICAL TO A 2000 SAAB 9-5, WHICH IS COVERED UNDER RECALL. HAD MY PART FAILED WHILE DRIVING, I WOULD HAVE BEEN LEFT WITH NO POWER BRAKES, STEERING, ETC... THIS IS MY WIFE'S CAR, IN WHICH WE CARRY OUR NEWBORN DAUGHTER. IT'S A VERY LOW-MILEAGE CAR (83K MILES) THAT I TAKE METICULOUS CARE OF. THIS PART SHOULD NOT FAIL, AND SHOULD CERTAINLY BE RECALLED IF A PATTERN OF FAILURES EXISTS (WHICH IT DOES). THANK YOU! *TR
IGNITION CASSETTE FAILURE. *TR
1999 SAAB 9-5 WAGON PASSENGER SIDE (SIDE) AIRBAG DEPLOYED WHILE SITTING STILL. GM IS DRAGGING THEIR HEELS AND NOT OFFERING A RENTAL CAR AND I WAS TOLD TODAY THAT IF I NEED A CAR TO DRIVE, I CAN PICK THE CAR UP FROM DEALERSHIP BUT THEY CANNOT GUARANTEE THAT ANOTHER AIRBAG WILL NOT DEPLOY. THIS IS QUITE A SCARY PROSPECT. GM SENT AN INSPECTOR OVER A WEEK LATER AND I'M STILL WAITING ON A REPORT. MEANWHILE WE ARE STUCK WITHOUT A CAR AND NO GUARANTEE FOR PAYMENT ON A RENTAL SO NO RENTAL. *TR
1999 SAAB 9-5 ENGINE JUST SHUTS DOWN WHILE DRIVING OR IDLING. THERE WAS A RECALL OF THE IGNITION CONTROL UNIT ON THE 2000. DEALER SAID IT'S THE SAME PROBLEM ON THE 1999 BUT WASN'T INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. ICM HAS BEEN REPLACED TWICE AT THE DEALER, THE LAST TIME BEING 2 YEARS AGO AND NEEDS TO BE REPLACED AGAIN. GM SAYS NOTHING THEY CAN DO SINCE THE 1999 WASN'T INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. SOMEONE IS GOING TO GET HURT TAKING AN OFF RAMP ON THE HIGHWAY AND HAVING THE CAR JUST TURN OFF. *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 SAAB 9-5. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HER IGNITION CASSETTE WAS FAILING AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. WHEN SHE STARTS HER VEHICLE, IT MOVES SLUGGISHLY AND MAKES NOISE. THE CHECK ENGINE INDICATOR REMAINS ILLUMINATED AND AN EXCESSIVE AMOUNT OF FUMES EXIT THE EXHAUST. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE IGNITION CASSETTE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AND WAS HARMING THE ENGINE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 135,000.
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 SAAB 9-5. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH ON NORMAL ROAD CONDITIONS, PRESSURE WAS APPLIED TO THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL AND THERE WAS EXCESSIVELY LOW POWER. THE VEHICLE WAS OPERATING ROUGHLY AND WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE TECHNICIAN STATED THAT THE FAILURE WAS RELATED TO THE IGNITION CASSETTES. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. ON A SEPARATE OCCASION, THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR AN IDENTICAL FAILURE. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 73,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 109,000.
REAR TIRES HAVE BEEN WEARING OUR PREMATURELY. INSIDE TIRE WEAR. *TR
I WAS DRIVING DOWN A HILL (JACKMAN ST. AT WATER ST., APPLETON WI) WHEN MY '99 SAAB, WENT DEAD. AT THE BOTTOM OF THE HILL THERE IS A BLIND TURN TO THE LEFT, A STOP SIGN, AND A RAILROAD CROSSING JUST BEYOND THE INTERSECTION. THIS IS A VERY DANGEROUS SPOT TO HAVE YOUR CAR FAIL AND HAVE NO POWER TO THE BRAKES OR STEERING. THE REASON MY CAR STALLED WAS A FAILURE OF THE IGNITION CASSETTE. THE FIRST TIME THIS PART FAILED, IN 2002, THE SITUATION WAS NOT AS DANGEROUS, AND THEN IT WAS COVERED BY WARRANTY. I CONTACTED SAAB CUSTOMER SERVICE AND SENT A PHOTO OF THE HILL. THEY RESPONDED BY PHONE THAT THERE HAVE BEEN NO RECALLS FOR THIS PART, NOR WOULD THERE BE A RECALL. THEY REFUSED TO COVER THE COST OF THE TOW AND REPAIR. I THINK THAT LEAVES SAAB OWNERS VULNERABLE TO ACCIDENTS. I WAS LUCKY TO BE ABLE TO PULL OFF AT THE BOTTOM OF THE HILL WITHOUT HITTING A TRAIN OR CAUSING SERIOUS INJURY TO ANYONE. *TR
DEFECTIVE DASHBOARD SID. *TR
DASH BOARD DIGITAL DISPLAY (REFERRED TO AS SID) INOPERATIVE AND UNABLE TO REPORT VITAL SAFETY RELATED INFORMATION. *TR
AS REPORTED BY THE AUTO DEALERS SERVICE DEPARTMENT, A SEAM ON THE TOP OF THE NON-METALLIC FUEL TANK HAS SEPARATED AND DEVELOPED A LEAK. *TR
ENGINE SEIZED DUE TO OIL SLUDGING CAUSING THE CAR TO STOP IN TRAFFIC ON AN INCLINE AT NIGHT ON A STREET WITH OUT LIGHTING. IT SEIZED WITHOUT WARNING AND WAS PART OF A RECALL TWO YEARS AGO BUT I WAS NEVER NOTIFIED OF IT. I FOUND OUT AFTER THE INCIDENT FROM A REPAIR SHOP. *TR
DIRECT IGNITION CASSETTE FAILURE. IT CAUSED THE CAR TO STALL IN AN INTERSECTION. I WAS IN A TRAFFIC LANE TURNING LEFT WITH ONCOMING TRAFFIC WHEN IT FAILED. I REPLACED IT AT THE DEALER FOR $400.00. *TR
SHIFTER STUCK IN PARK. SECOND TIME IN A WEEK. *TR
I HAVE A SAAB 9-5 1999 WAGON. MY DIRECT IGNITION CASSETTE IS OVERHEATING CAUSING THE CAR TO MISS. I CHECKED ONLINE AND FOUND A RECALL ON THESE CASSETTES. THE RECALL THOUGH ONLY COVERS YEARS 2000-2002. MY CAR IS A FEW MONTHS BEFORE THE RECALL AND IS HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM. *TR
MY SON JUST PASSED HIS DRIVERS TEST AND WE WERE GOING HOME WHEN THE CAR STARTED MAKING NOISES AND THEN STALLED. SMOKE WAS COMING OUT OF THE CAR AND SMELLED LIKE BURNT RUBBER. MY SON LUCKILY WAS ABLE TO GET THE CAR TO THE SIDE (AVOIDED AN ACCIDENT). LIFTED HOOD THOUGHT CAR OVERHEATED. I TRIED STARTING THE CAR AND IT SPARKED AND STARTED SMOKING AGAIN. FOUND OUT IT WAS THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, IGNITION DISCHARGE MODULE. MY CAR IS A 1999 9-5 SAAB. I FOUND THAT THE 2000'S HAD A RECALL DUE TO THIS OVERHEATING AND COULD CAUSE A CRASH. THIS COULD OF CAUSED AN ACCIDENT. *TR
1999 SAAB 9-5 V6 (127,000 MILES). NO PRIOR RELATED PROBLEM BEFORE THIS INCIDENT. UPON START UP, VEHICLE RAN ROUGH AT IDLE. LOW POWER WHEN ATTEMPTING TO ACCELERATE. PARKED VEHICLE AND RAISED HOOD. NOTICED SMOKE COMING FROM IGNITION MODULE ON FRONT SIDE OF ENGINE, STRONG SMELL OF BURNING PLASTIC. ALSO SMELLED RAW GAS COMING FROM EXHAUST. CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. ENGINE STALLED AND WOULD NOT RUN AGAIN. THIS ALL TOOK PLACE IN LESS THAN 5 MINUTES. VEHICLE WAS TOWED BACK HOME. REPLACEMENT IGNITION CASSETTE CURRENTLY ON ORDER.
I RECENTLY PURCHASED A USED 1999 SAAB 9-5 SE SEDAN WITH A 2.3 LITRE ECOPOWER ENGINE WITH TURBO. BARELY 5 DAYS AFTER MY PURCHASE OF THIS VEHICLE THERE WAS A VERY SUDDEN ONSET OF A LOUD KNOCKING COMING FROM THE ENGINE. I IMMEDIATELY HAD THE CAR TOWED TO A DEALERSHIP THE SERVICE MANAGER AT WHICH INFORMED ME THAT THERE WAS A DAMAGED BALANCING SHAFT AND THAT MY ENGINE WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. I WAS TOLD THAT IT WAS DUE TO THE PRESENCE OF ENGINE SLUDGE. WHAT I WAS NOT TOLD, HOWEVER I DID FIND OUT WAS THAT ENGINE SLUDGE IS A PROBLEM KNOWN TO SAAB ON THIS CAR. HOWEVER IN ORDER FOR SAAB TO COVER THE COST OF REPAIR, I WOULD HAVE THE UNREASONABLE TASK OF PROVIDING SAAB WITH ALL MAINTENENCE RECORDS FOR A CAR THAT I'VE OWNED FOR 5 DAYS. AFTER MUCH TRACKING I WAS ABLE TO FIND A SATISFACTORY NUMBER OF RECEIPTS, HOWEVER SAAB STILL REFUSED TO COVER THE WARRANTY BECAUSE OF A DATE DISCREPANCY ON ONE OF THE RECEIPTS THAT IS COMPLETELY OUT OF MY CONTROL. *AK
1999 SAAB 9-5 4-CYLINDER SEDAN THREW ROD AT 53,000 ON BUSY I-85 IN ATLANTA WITH NO PREVIOUS WARNING WHATSOEVER (NO OIL LEAKS ON GARAGE FLOOR, NO ENGINE OR OIL PRESSURE WARNING LIGHTS, STRANGE NOISES, NOTHING). WAS ABLE TO GET TO SHOULDER WITHOUT INCIDENT. CAR HAD BEEN MAINTAINED REGULARLY. CONTACTED SAAB ASKING FOR REPAIR UNDER EXTENDED 8-YEAR WARRANTY ISSUED IN 2005 DUE TO PROBLEMS WITH THIS ENGINE RELATED TO OIL SLUDGE. SENT ALL REQUESTED RECORDS BECAUSE LOCAL DEALERSHIP SAID THEY DIDN'T HAVE ON FILE. REQUEST WAS DENIED. SENT FOLLOW-UP LETTER TO SAAB G.M. REQUESTING REPAIR. DENIED WITH NO EXPLANATION. PHONED ON 3/1/07 REQUESTING A WRITTEN EXPLANATION BE EMAILED. STILL HAVE NOT RECEIVED ALTHOUGH WAS TOLD IT WAS BEING SENT IMMEDIATELY. WAS TOLD BY PERSON I SPOKE WITH THAT THE CAR WAS OUTSIDE THE 8 YR. EXTENDED WARRANTY. SAAB WILL DO NOTHING EXCEPT OFFER A CUSTOMER LOYALTY DISCOUNT TOWARD A NEW VEHICLE. MINE IS PRACTICALLY NEW AT 53,000 MILES. LOW MILEAGE DUE TO SHORT TRIPS OF 3 MILES EACH WAY TO WORK. THIS DRIVING CONDITION WAS ONE SPECIFICALLY LISTED AS CONTRIBUTING TO SLUDGE. I DON'T WANT OR EXPECT A NEW CAR. I JUST WANT MINE REPAIRED. *NM
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.
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