RoadVitals

1996 Saab 900 Electrical Problems

Owner-reported complaints naming the electrical system, filed with NHTSA

Data refreshed

Electrical reportsComplaints 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.
12
Latest Nov 4, 2005
Share of all reportsThis category as a share of every owner report on file for this model year. One report can name more than one component, so the categories overlap.
25%
of 48 total
Crash or fire reportedReports in this category whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. The reporter's own answer on the NHTSA form, not a verified finding.
3
Injuries or deaths reportedTotals the submitters entered on their own reports in this category. Not verified by NHTSA and not a casualty statistic.
0

What this page shows

Reports naming the electrical system — wiring, battery, charging, control modules, infotainment and electrical accessories. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 1996 Saab 900 submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 12 reports on file name it.

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

Owner reports naming electrical

Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed

Electrical
Filed Nov 4, 2005

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

NHTSA ID
10141798
Incident
Nov 2, 2005
Mileage
99,000 mi
Electrical
Filed Jul 29, 2005

PRIOR TO DI FAILURE, STARTING IMPAIRMENT AND MISFIRES DETECTED WITH CEL. UPON FAILURE, CAR WOULD NOT RUN AND STEERING WAS LOST. TO CORRECT FAILURE, NEW DI WAS FITTED AFTER IT WAS BROKEN. SYMPTOMS SHOULD HAVE BEEN REASON ENOUGH TO CHANGE IT EARLY. *NM

NHTSA ID
10130620
Incident
Oct 13, 2003
Mileage
100,000 mi
Electrical
Filed Apr 29, 2003
Fire reported

ON APRIL 27, 2003, MY SAAB 900 SE HAD AN ELECTRICAL FAILURE WHILE DRIVING WITHIN A MINUTE HAD COMPLETELY DESTROYED THE CAR. THE "CHECK BATTERY" LIGHT CAME ON ALONG WITH THE HAZARD LIGHT. MY WIFE WAS DRIVING THE CAR IN HEAVY TRAFFIC AND JUST ESCAPED THE VEHICLE WHEN IT WAS ENGULFED IN FLAMES. THE POLICE HAD TO CALL ME TO GET THE LICENSE PLATE NUMBER AND VIN, AS THEY HAD MELTED. THE CAR HAD 72,000 MILES AND HAD BEEN CHECKED TWICE IN THE PAST YEAR. JUST MONTHS BEFORE IT HAD BEEN COMPLETELY INSPECTED. THE CAR WAS IN SHOW ROOM CONDITION. *JB

NHTSA ID
10016693
Incident
Apr 27, 2003
Mileage
72,000 mi
Heating & air conditioningElectricalFuel system
Filed Dec 14, 2000

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK

NHTSA ID
737809
ElectricalEngineTransmission
Filed Oct 24, 2000
Fire reported

AFTER A 30 MINUTES OF DRIVING VEHICLE WAS PARKED IN A PARKING LOT. SMOKE WAS NOTICED COMING FROM UNDERNEATH THE HOOD AREA BEFORE A FIRE STARTED. FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS ON SITE TO PUT OUT FIRE. SAAB HAS BEEN CONTACTED.*AK VEHICLE TRAVELING, CHECK THE ENGINE LIGHT APPEARED AND STAYED ON THE CAUSE WAS DETERMINED TO BE A SENSOR. THE VEHICLE SLIPS WHILE IN GEAR AND BEFORE GOING INTO GEAR DUE TO LOSS OF FLUID BY LTHE LEAKING TRANSMISSION. *YH

NHTSA ID
873699
Incident
Apr 27, 1997
Body & structureHeating & air conditioningElectrical+3 more
Filed Aug 9, 1999

REMOTE ALARM SYSTEM FAILED. NLM

NHTSA ID
547823
Incident
May 16, 1996
Electrical
Filed Jul 1, 1998

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM FAILURE, CAUSING CHECK ENGINE/TRANSMISSION INDICATOR LIGHTS TO FAIL. QCAW

NHTSA ID
605231
Incident
Mar 1, 1996
Body & structureElectricalInterior & seats+1 more
Filed Oct 27, 1997

CRACKED WINDSHIELD.

NHTSA ID
604451
Incident
Aug 12, 1996
Electrical
Filed Sep 8, 1997

THREE FAILURES OF THE CD PLAYER.

NHTSA ID
603820
ElectricalInterior & seats
Filed Aug 28, 1997

TRUNK LATCH RELEASE FAILED SEVERAL TIMES.

NHTSA ID
603963
Incident
Dec 1, 1996
ElectricalSteering
Filed Apr 21, 1997

BATTERY FAILED.

NHTSA ID
603155
Incident
Nov 5, 1995
Electrical
Filed Jan 3, 1997
Fire reported

VEHICLE IDLING IN PARKED POSITION, OCCUPANTS SMELLED FUNNY ODOR, SMELL GOT WQRSE, SUBSEQUENTLY FIRE STARTED COMING FROM UNDERHOOD, VEHICLE AVAILABLE FOR INSPECTION. *AK

NHTSA ID
807075
Incident
Dec 26, 1996

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.

Other components reported on this vehicle

Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own

Elsewhere on this vehicle

Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .