RoadVitals

1990 Saab 900 Problems

Owner-reported complaints filed with NHTSA, grouped by component

Data refreshed

Owner complaintsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
19
Latest Feb 6, 2003
Components namedHow many of our component categories appear on at least one report for this model year. One report can name several.
9
Crash or fire reportedComplaints whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. These are the reporter's own answers on the NHTSA form, not verified findings.
5

What this page shows

Everything below is an owner-reported complaint submitted to NHTSA about the 1990 Saab 900, grouped by the component NHTSA recorded on the report. These are not confirmed defects, and they are not recalls. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a category with more reports in it is not evidence that a part is defective.

Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.

Reports by component

Ranked by how many owner reports name each component category

  • Brakes735.0%
  • Driver assistance315.0%
  • Engine210.0%
  • Airbags210.0%
  • Electrical210.0%
  • Interior & seats15.0%
  • Suspension15.0%
  • Transmission15.0%
  • Visibility15.0%

Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.

Each component in detail

What the reports in each category say, in the owners' own words

Brakes

Reports naming service brakes, the antilock braking system, brake hoses, master cylinders or the parking brake.

7
reports

From owner reports, verbatim

WHEN APPLYING BRAKES IN AN EMERGENCY SITUATION , VEHICLE WILL STEER TO THE RIGHT, AND LOSE TOTAL CONTROL. *AK

NHTSA ID 854618 · filed Jan 27, 2000

WHILE DRIVING EXPERIENCE SINTERMITTENT ABS BRAKE FAILURE.

NHTSA ID 538399 · filed Jul 16, 1998

Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.

Driver assistance

Reports naming forward-collision avoidance, lane keeping, back-over prevention, cruise control and related electronic driver-assistance systems.

3
reports

From owner reports, verbatim

VEHICLE'S ENGINE WOULD SUDDENLY AND UNPREDICTABLY ACCELERATE AS THE RPMS DROPPED. AFTER REPLACEMENT OF THE IDLE CONTROL VALVE THE PROBLEM DID NOT REOCCUR.

NHTSA ID 527552 · filed Dec 26, 1997

CRUISE CONTROL FAILURE. *AK

NHTSA ID 509813 · filed Oct 17, 1996

Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.

Engine

Reports naming the engine itself — including stalling, misfires, oil consumption, cooling and internal engine components.

2
reports

From owner reports, verbatim

FRON ENGINE MOUNT FAILED, RESULTING IN VEHICLE PULLING TO ONE SIDE/LOSS OF CONTROL. *AK

NHTSA ID 526296 · filed Dec 10, 1997

WHILE DRIVING, ENGINE TIMING CHAIN BROKE; SPEED 35 MPH; ENGINE CONTINUED TO RUN, BUT WOULD NOT MOVE; SHUT DOWN COMPLETELY. TT

NHTSA ID 959361 · filed Jan 31, 1995

Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.

Airbags

Reports naming the air-bag system — deployment behaviour, inflators, sensors and warning lights.

2
reports

From owner reports, verbatim

WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A HEAD-ON COLLISION WITH AN SUV, BOTH TRAVELING AT 35 MPH, THERE WAS NO DEPLOYMENT OF THE DRIVER'S SIDE AIR BAG. THE SAAB HAS BEEN TOTALLED. *AK

NHTSA ID 823843 · filed Jun 2, 1998

AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY IN A HEAD-ON 35MPH CRASH. BOTH VEHICLES, TRAVELING IN OPPOSITE DIRECTIONS WERE BOTH TRAVELING AT 35MPH. DRIVER FRACTURED STERNUM AND THE FRONT END WAS FORCED BACK INTO THE ENGINE.

NHTSA ID 536438 · filed Jun 2, 1998

Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.

Electrical

Reports naming the electrical system — wiring, battery, charging, control modules, infotainment and electrical accessories.

2
reports

From owner reports, verbatim

ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRE, UNKNOWN SOURCE OF FIRE. TT

NHTSA ID 979398 · filed Feb 20, 1996

TURN ON CAR IN PARK CAR ACCELERATED ON THE NEXT BUSINESS DAY CAR WOULDN'T START WHEN DRIVING AND SLOWING DOWN CAR WOULDN'T CUT OFF . TT

NHTSA ID 977828 · filed Jan 19, 1996

Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.

Interior & seats

Reports naming seats, latches, locks, linkages and interior fittings.

1
report

From owner reports, verbatim

THE CAR WAS INVOLVED IN A REAREND COLLISION AND THE DRIVER'S SEATBACK FELL BACK, INJURING THE DRIVER. *AK

NHTSA ID 813829 · filed Jul 7, 1997

Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.

Suspension

Reports naming suspension components — springs, struts, shocks, control arms and related hardware.

1
report

From owner reports, verbatim

ATT: NHTSA I HAVE A 90 TURBO CONV AND WHILE DRIVING MY LOWER A-ARM BROKE WHERE THE WELD IS. I HAVE HEARD THIS TO BE A PROBLEM WITH 900'S THAT HAVE OVER 100,000 MILES ON THEM BUT HAVE FOUND NO RECALLS. I WAS DOING 65 MPH AT THE TIME IT BROKE BUT IF THIS HAD BEEN SOMEONE ELSE OR IF I HAD BEEN GOING FASTER YOU COULD HAVE LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE, LUCKILY I WAS ABLE TO PULL OVER WITH MINOR DAMAGE. THIS FAILURE DID NOT HAPPEN IN REVERSE AS MOST PEOPLE CLAIM.........IT HAPPENED WHILE MOVING FORWARD AT 65 MPH.........THIS IS MY CONCERN. IF THE ARM FATIGUES AT THE WELD STRESS POINT AND BREAKS WHILE BACKING UP JUST IMAGINE HOW BAD THE CRACK MUST BE BEFORE THIS HAPPENS. SINCE THE LOAD CAN'T BE AS GREAT ON THE ARM AS IT IS WHEN AT SPEED AND TURNING THIS IS A REAL PROBLEM THAT I WILL INVESTIGATE FURTHER. I WILL POST PIC'S AS SOON AS I GET IT BACK FROM THE SHOP. I SENT THIS E-MAIL TO SAAB CUSTOMER RELATIONS AND I'M WAITING FOR A RESPONSE WHICH I WILL FORWARD. I ALSO POSTED THIS ON SEVERAL SAAB WEBSITES. PLEASE IF ANYONE KNOWS OF SAFETY RECALLS FOR THIS LET ME KNOW, ALSO IF ANYONE KNOWS WHO TO CONTACT TO REPORT THIS I WOULD APPRECIATE A CONTACT SINCE THIS COULD LEAD TO SOMEONE GETTING HURT OR EVEN KILLED. ATT: SAAB USA I POSTED THIS ON SAABNET.COM AND HAVE HAD SEVERAL PEOPLE WITH THE SAME ISSUE E-MAIL ME. I'M ALSO GOING TO FORWARD THIS TO THE NHTSA SINCE I FEEL THIS IS A POTENTIALLY A SERIOUS PROBLEM THAT SHOULD BE FIXED WITH A RECALL. I HAVE A MORAL OBLIGATION TO INFORM OTHERS OF THIS AND WILL INVESTIGATE THIS MORE TO SEE IF ANYONE HAS BEEN SERIOUSLY HURT OR KILLED FROM THIS PROBLEM. THANKS FRANK 510-413-1663 [email protected]

NHTSA ID 10005411 · filed Feb 6, 2003

Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.

Transmission

Reports naming the automatic or manual transmission, including shifting behaviour, shudder, slipping and transmission control modules.

1
report

From owner reports, verbatim

ORIGINAL/REPLACEMENT TRANSMISSION FAILED. *SKD

NHTSA ID 486198 · filed May 10, 1995

Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.

Visibility

Reports naming windshields, glass, wipers, defrosters and mirrors.

1
report

From owner reports, verbatim

THE HEATER VALVE FAILED THAT CAUSED FLOOR BOARD ON THE PASSENGER SIDE TO GET WET. TT

NHTSA ID 970048 · filed Aug 9, 1995

Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.

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.

Elsewhere on this vehicle

Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .