RoadVitals

1990 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.
7
Latest Oct 21, 2010
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.
1
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.
2
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.
1

Overview

Our database contains 7 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 1990 Saab 9000, most frequently naming the brakes, electrical and powertrain (other) categories. 1 safety recall has been issued covering this model year; 2 NHTSA investigations name it; and 4 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

  • Brakes342.9%
  • Electrical114.3%
  • Powertrain (other)114.3%
  • Seat belts114.3%
  • Transmission114.3%

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

1 campaign 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

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

Recent owner complaints

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

Powertrain (other)
Filed Oct 21, 2010

VEHICLE WILL OCCASIONALLY BE HARD TO START, WHEN DOES START IT MISSES UNTIL REVVED TO CLEAR UP. TUNE UPS ARE PERFORMED AT RECOMMENDED MILEAGE. MY CAR IS A 1990, FIRST YEAR FOR SAAB DIRECT IGNITION. REPLACED IGNITION CASSETTE LESS THAN 30,000 MILES AGO, STARTING TO GO OUT AGAIN. DURING MY OWNERSHIP I HAVE REPLACED THE DIRECT IGNITION TWICE, I HAVE OWNED THE CAR APPROX 8 YEARS. I FEEL ALL OWNERS OF VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH THIS PART SHOULD BE REIMBURSED. I USED TO BE SAAB TECH AND THESE MODULES GO OUT WAY TOO OFTEN AND ARE EXPENSIVE TO REPLACE . *TR

NHTSA ID
10361579
Incident
Oct 1, 2010
Mileage
230,000 mi
Seat belts
Filed Oct 11, 1999

NO SUMMARY

NHTSA ID
713123
Incident
Oct 10, 1999
Brakes
Filed Nov 20, 1997

THE ABS WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED, INDICATING MALFUNCTION WITHIN THE SYSTEM. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

NHTSA ID
819313
Brakes
Filed Jun 24, 1997

WHEN APPLYING THE ABS BRAKES THE BRAKE PEDAL BECOMES HARD AND THE LIGHT COMES ON, BUT IT HAS NOT AFFECTED THE BRAKING OF THE VEHICLE JUST YET. *AK

NHTSA ID
813467
Incident
Jun 19, 1997
Brakes
Filed Jun 20, 1997

THE ABS LIGHT CONTINUES TO COME ON, AND THE BRAKE PEDAL GETS REALLY HARD WHEN IT DOES AND THE BRAKES DO OPERATE. *AK

NHTSA ID
813322
Incident
Jun 17, 1997
Transmission
Filed Aug 14, 1995

THE TRANSMISSION WAS REPLACED TWO TIMES PURCHASE CAR NEW ONLY CAN DRIVE IN REVERSE . TT

NHTSA ID
970521
Electrical
Filed Aug 1, 1995
Fire reported

CAUGHT ON FIRE IN THE GARAGE FROM UNDER THE HOOD FROM THE WIRING HARNESS. PLEASE DESCRIBE. TT

NHTSA ID
969669
Incident
Dec 12, 1992

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

01/950537

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:MODULE

ACC ELECTRONIC CONTROL MODULE. *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—
1990Viewing712—
1989143266.6
1988123361.3
1987512—
1986323—
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.