RoadVitals

1986 Saab 9000

Recalls, owner-reported complaints, investigations and safety data

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.
3
Latest Oct 10, 1998
Safety recallsA safety recall is issued when a manufacturer or NHTSA determines that a vehicle has a safety-related defect or does not comply with a federal motor vehicle safety standard. Recall repairs are free. Whether a specific vehicle is covered depends on its VIN — a recall listed for a model year does not necessarily apply to every vehicle of that year.
2
Latest Nov 2, 1990
InvestigationsNHTSA opens an investigation to examine whether a safety defect may exist. An open investigation is not a determination that a defect exists, and many investigations close without a recall. Investigations can, however, lead to one.
3
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.
2

Overview

Our database contains 3 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 1986 Saab 9000, most frequently naming the electrical, fuel system and interior & seats categories. 2 safety recalls have been issued covering this model year; 3 NHTSA investigations name it; and 3 manufacturer communications are on file.

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

What owners report

Complaints grouped by the component NHTSA recorded

  • Electrical133.3%
  • Fuel system133.3%
  • Interior & seats133.3%

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

Safety recalls

2 campaigns cover this model year

Recalls apply to specific vehicles, not to every vehicle of a model year. Check your VIN with NHTSA or your manufacturer's dealer to confirm whether a recall affects your vehicle.

Check a VIN on NHTSA.gov
90V001000

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH

Nov 2, 1990
24,379 units potentially affected
The defect: ABRASION ON THE PRINTED CIRCUIT CARD IN THE COMBINATION NEUTRAL SAFETY/BACKUP LAMP SWITCH OPERATED BY THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION GEAR SELECTOR MAY CAUSE RESIDUE TO COLLECT IN ELECTRICAL AREA ON THE CIRCUIT CARD.
The risk: THIS COULD CAUSE OVERHEATING OF THE SWITCH ASSEMBLY WITHSMOKE AND POSSIBLY A FIRE IN THE CENTER CONSOLE AREA.
The remedy: ADD AN ELECTRICAL CIRCUIT, INCLUDING A RELAY, TO THE BACKUP LAMP CIRCUIT TO REDUCE THE CURRENT THAT CAN FLOW THROUGH THE COMBINATION SWITCH.
SAAB CARS USA, INC.View on NHTSA.gov
86V143000

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:INTERIOR/UNDER DASH

Oct 27, 1986
9,590 units potentially affected
The defect: THE WIRING HARNESS MAY CHAFE AGAINST THE WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR BRACKET. CONSEQUENCE OF DEFECT: IF A SHORT CIRCUIT DEVELOPS, IT COULD RESULT IN A FIRE.
The remedy: AFFIX TWO RUBBER STRIPS TO THE VERTICAL EDGES OF THE WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR BRACKET.
SAAB CARS USA, INC.View on NHTSA.gov

Safety investigations

NHTSA inquiries naming this vehicle. An investigation is not a finding of a defect.

EA95020ClosedEngineering Analysis

PASSENGER COMPARTMENT FIRE

Opened Jun 30, 1995
Closed Jul 31, 1996

There is no summary currently available

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
PE95009ClosedPreliminary Evaluation

PASSENGER COMPARTMENT FIRES

Opened Feb 10, 1995
Closed Jun 30, 1995

There is no summary currently available

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
PE86064ClosedPreliminary Evaluation

SEAT TRACK/BELT FAILURE

Opened Jul 7, 1986
Closed Sep 9, 1986

ANALYSIS:A COMPLIANCE INFORMATION REQUEST (CIR) DATED MAY 30, 1986, HASBEEN SENT TO THE MANUFACTURER.NO RESPONSE HAS AS YET BEEN RECEIVED.THE OFFICE OF DEFECTS INVESTIGATION IS INTERESTED IN LEARNING WHETHER THEFAILURE DURING TEST REPRESENTS A DEFECT IN DESIGN, MATERIAL OR MANUFACTUREWHICH MANIFESTS ITSELF ONLY DURING DYNAMIC CONDITIONS.STATUS:AN INFORMATION REQUEST IS IN PREPARATION.PROPOSED ACTION:OPEN A PRELIMINARY EVALUATION AND SEND AN INFORMATIONREQUEST.===

SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY

Recent owner complaints

Reports submitted to NHTSA, shown in the owner's own words

Interior & seats
Filed Oct 10, 1998

FRONT SEAT BACKS HAVE ALMOST AN INCH OF FREE-PLAY FRONT TO REAR. THIS FREE PLAY IS FELT ON STOPS, FLOPPING BACK TO FRONT, PARTICULARLY ON DOWNHILL STOPS. MAY CAUSE BACK INJURY AND ROAD DISTRACTION.

NHTSA ID
781105
Electrical
Filed Mar 14, 1996
Fire reported

WHEN PUTTING A MATCH IN THE ASHTRAY THE MATCH CONTINUED TO BURN AND THE WHOLE DASH WENT UP IN FLAMES. PLEASE DESCRIBE.

NHTSA ID
980706
Incident
Mar 4, 1996
Fuel system
Filed Aug 14, 1995
Fire reported

VEHICLE CAUGHT FIRE WHILE PARKED AND INOPERATIVE.THE FIRE BEGAN UNDER THE HOOD IT CAUSED AN EXPLOSION.THE CAR WAS STARTED BY ITSELF.(EA95-020). TT

NHTSA ID
970417
Incident
Aug 3, 1994

Manufacturer communications

A bulletin sent by a manufacturer to its dealers. Not a recall, and repairs are not necessarily free.

2482035

BACKGROUD INFORMATION IN DIAGNOSING A DRIVEABILITY COMPLAINT OR THE CHECK ENGINE LAMP COMING ON. *YC

364

EXTERIOR LIGHTING:BACK UP LIGHTS:SWITCH

RECALL 278 - OVERHEATING OF BACK-UP LIGHT SWITCH- SAAB CARS USA, INC HAS NOTIFIED THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION (NHTSA) THAT A DEFECT WHICH RELATES TO MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY MAY EXIST IN CERTAIN 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989 AND EARLY 1990 9000 MODELS WITH AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION- APPROXIMATELY 24,000 VEHICLES WERE ORIGINALLY AFFECTED- THE DEFECT CONSISTS OF THE POSSIBILITY THAT THE COMBINATION NEUTRAL SAFETY/BACK-UP LIGHT SWITCH MAY OVERHEAT FROM THE CURRENT FLOW THROUGH THE BACK-UP LAMP CIRCUIT WHEN THE IGNITION IS SWITCHED ON AND THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION SELECTOR LEVER IS IN THE REVERSE (R) POSITION FOR LONG PERIODS OF TIME- IF OVERHEATING OF THE SWITCH ASSEMBLY DOES OCCUR, SMOKE, OR POSSIBLY, FIRE COULD DEVELOP IN THE CENTER CONSOLE AREA OF THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT EVEN IF THE ENGINE HAS BEEN SWITCHED OFF- THESE CARS WERE RECALLED TO MODIFY THE BACK-UP LIGHT WIRING CIRCUIT TO REDUCE THE MAXIMUM ELECTRICAL CURRENT FLOW THROUGH THE NEUTRAL SAFETY/BACK-UP LIGHT SWITCH, AND TO REPLACE THE SWITCH- RECALL 278. *JD

01/970731

POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION

ADJUSTMENT OF BEARING TENSION. *TW

Manufacturers file copies of the bulletins they send to dealers with NHTSA. These often describe diagnostic or repair procedures for a known condition. They are not recalls: repairs described in a bulletin are usually only free if the vehicle is still under warranty or the manufacturer has extended coverage.

Compare model years

Complaint and recall counts across every year of this model

Saab 9000 by model year
YearComplaintsRecallsInvestigationsIssue Index
1998110—
1997610—
1996100139.1
1995801—
1994144155.4
1993295152.1
1992194045.3
1991812—
1990712—
1989143266.6
1988123361.3
1987512—
1986Viewing323—
1985000—

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. Older model years have had longer for reports to accumulate.