Saab 9-5 Reliability
662 NHTSA complaints (1998–2011). Complaint rate: 2841.2 per 1,000 vehicles.
Which Years to Buy & Avoid
Years auto-clustered by complaint volume relative to this model's median.
Bottom line: Avoid the 1999–2003 Saab 9-5. The 2009–2011 models had significantly fewer reported issues. Most common issue across all years: ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:MODULE.
Avoid These Years
Average
Better Years
A model's reputation is just the start.
Even within the “good” years, individual cars can have hidden accidents, title issues, or odometer rollbacks. Check the actual VIN before you buy — full history report for $4.99 (vs. Carfax $44.99).
Complaints by Model Year
NHTSA complaint count per model year
Common Saab 9-5 Problems
Most reported component complaints to NHTSA
| Component | Complaints | Crash % |
|---|---|---|
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:MODULE | 131 | 0.0% |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 104 | 0.0% |
| AIR BAGS | 56 | 8.9% |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION | 54 | 0.0% |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING | 22 | 0.0% |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE | 18 | 0.0% |
| FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS | 14 | 0.0% |
| EXTERIOR LIGHTING | 12 | 0.0% |
| TIRES | 11 | 0.0% |
| FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE | 11 | 0.0% |
Year-by-Year Breakdown
NHTSA complaint count per model year — click any year for full problems & recalls breakdown.
| Year | Generation | Complaints | Crashes | Fires | Details |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1999AVOID | — | 157 | 5 | 1 | View 1999View→ |
| 2000AVOID | — | 121 | 1 | 5 | View 2000View→ |
| 2001AVOID | — | 113 | 0 | 8 | View 2001View→ |
| 2002AVOID | — | 74 | 3 | 6 | View 2002View→ |
| 2003AVOID | — | 69 | 1 | — | View 2003View→ |
| 2004 | — | 30 | 1 | 3 | View 2004View→ |
| 2005GOOD | — | 15 | 2 | — | View 2005View→ |
| 2006 | — | 29 | 0 | — | View 2006View→ |
| 2007GOOD | — | 17 | 0 | — | View 2007View→ |
| 2008 | — | 21 | 0 | — | View 2008View→ |
| 2009GOOD | — | 2 | 0 | — | View 2009View→ |
| 2010GOOD | — | 2 | 0 | — | View 2010View→ |
| 2011GOOD | — | 11 | 0 | — | View 2011View→ |
See also: Saab 9-5accident & safety statistics from our vehicle history database.
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