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1998 Saab 900

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Limited comparison data

There is not enough comparable history to draw a useful model-year comparison.

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How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

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Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.

What owners reported most

All reported categories

Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.

When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

Limited mileage data: 13 of 24 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.

NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.

What to inspect

Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.

  • Air Bags. Review the 12 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Electrical System. Review the 3 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 2 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

0 crash reports0 fire reports6 injury reports

Engine And Engine Cooling complaints

2 reports
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50,000 miles · Mar 6, 2007
Engine And Engine Cooling

CHRONIC, ABRUPT STALLING PROBLEMS FOR 3+ YEARS. DEALERSHIP HAS TRIED TO REPAIR ON AT LEAST, 15+ OCCASIONS. DEALERSHIP HAD IT AT THEIR FACILITY FOR OVER 3 MONTHS ONE PERIOD, CONDUCTING DIAGNOSTIC TESTS. PARTS CHANGED: SENSORS; MULTIPLE TIMES, WIRING HARNESS, "MAIN COMPUTER CHIP" AND VARIOUS OTHER PARTS. THE CAR ABRUPTLY STALLS.…

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CHRONIC, ABRUPT STALLING PROBLEMS FOR 3+ YEARS. DEALERSHIP HAS TRIED TO REPAIR ON AT LEAST, 15+ OCCASIONS. DEALERSHIP HAD IT AT THEIR FACILITY FOR OVER 3 MONTHS ONE PERIOD, CONDUCTING DIAGNOSTIC TESTS. PARTS CHANGED: SENSORS; MULTIPLE TIMES, WIRING HARNESS, "MAIN COMPUTER CHIP" AND VARIOUS OTHER PARTS. THE CAR ABRUPTLY STALLS. IT WILL STALL AT ANYTIME - WHETHER DRIVING, COASTING, AT A STOP, OR ON THE EXPRESSWAY. IT WILL STALL WITHOUT WARNING AND IS VERY DIFFICULT TO CONTROL THE VEHICLE SAFELY TO THE ROADSIDE MULTIPLE TIMES OVER AND OVER WITHOUT CAUSING A COLLISION. I JUST GOT THE VEHICLE BACK FROM THE DEALERSHIP AGAIN LAST WEEK AFTER THEY "POSSIBLY FIXED IT AGAIN" . I DROVE A DISTANCE OF 15 MILES BEFORE THE CAR STARTED STAMMERING, JERKING AND STALLING AGAIN. IT TOOK ME OVER AN HOUR TO DRIVE THE RETURN FEW BACK HOME, WHICH WAS A HARROWING EXPERIENCE. THE VEHICLE IS KEPT GARAGED BY ME, IN MINT BODY CONDITION INSIDE AND OUT AND ONLY HAS 65,000 MILES ON IT. SAAB HAS OFFERED TO APPLY 4,000 CREDIT TOWARD A PURCHASE OF ANOTHER VEHICLE FROM THEM. IT IS CLEAR SAAB KNOWS THAT THIS VEHICLE IS DEFECTIVE OR WOULD NOT HAVE MADE OFFER. UNFORTUNATELY, THE VEHICLE IS WORTH MUCH MORE THAN WHAT THEY HAD OFFERED; ASIDE FROM BEING MECHANICALLY DEFECTIVE/UNREPAIRABLE, THEY CAN'T TRACE THE PROBLEM IN THEIR VEHICLE THAT THEY MADE. I CAN'T AFFORD TO GET IN ANOTHER CAR PYMT AND AM IN REAL FEAR THAT WILL BE INVOLVED IN A CRASH IN THIS CLEARLY DEFECTIVE VEHICLE. I HAD PREVIOUSLY FILED A COMPLAINT FOR EXACT THIS SAME MECHANICAL PROBLEM (THAT STILL HAS NOT BEEN RESOLVED NOR EVEN INVESTIGATED BY THE ODI OR NHTSA). I SEE POSTS ALL OVER THE INTERNET WITH SAME OR SIMILAR PROBLEMS WITH SAAB VEHICLES. SOMEONE NEEDS TO INVESTIGATE THIS PROBLEM AS IT IS VERY SERIOUS AND DANGEROUS TO HAVE THESE VEHICLES ON THE ROAD. UNFORTUNATELY, I'M SURE THAT I AM NOT THE ONLY ONE THAT HAS NO OTHER OPTION THAN TO DRIVE A VEHICLE LIKE THIS. *JB

NHTSA ODI #10184358

Mileage unknown · Oct 3, 2002
Engine And Engine Cooling

KEEP HEARING THIS IS COMMON PROBLEM, COULD BE DANGEROUS TO OPERATE WHEN TOP IS STUCK OPEN. THIS SHOULD NOT HAPPEN TO A 4 YR OLD CAR DEALER WANTS $ 1,700. FOR NEW MOTOR. MR

NHTSA ODI #768074

Official recalls

3

01V222000 · Air Bags:frontal

Jul 2, 2001

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. STATIC ELECTRICITY CAN BUILD UP WITHIN THE PASSENGER-SIDE AIR BAG MODULE AND CREATE ENOUGH OF A CHARGE TO CAUSE AN INADVERTENT AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT. MOST OF THESE INADVERTENT DEPLOYMENTS HAVE OCCURRED IN COOLER, DRY WEATHER, AND HAVE GENERALLY INCLUDED DUSTING OR WIPING OF THE DASHBOARD, STARTING THE CAR, OR CLOSING THE DOOR.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: UNEXPECTED AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT CAN RESULT IN OCCUPANT INJURY.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSTALL A FRONT PASSENGER-SIDE AIR BAG MODULE GROUNDING STRAP. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN SEPTEMBER 24, 2001. OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON AN AGREED UPON SERVICE DATE AND DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT SAAB AT 1-800-955-9007.

98V139000 · Equipment:other:labels

Jun 23, 1998

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. THE AIR BAG ALERT LABEL ON THE DRIVER SIDE VISOR WAS OMITTED. THIS DOES NOT CONFORM TO THE REQUIREMENTS OF FMVSS NO. 208, "OCCUPANT CRASH PROTECTION."

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: THE VEHICLE OCCUPANT MAY NOT PROPERLY UNDERSTAND THE OPERATION OF THE AIR BAG SYSTEM AND THE NEED TO USE SEAT BELTS.

Remedy: OWNERS WILL BE PROVIDED WITH AN ALERT LABEL TO BE INSTALLED ON THE VISIBLE SIDE OF THE DRIVER'S SUN VISOR. IF AN OWNER SO DESIRES, THEIR DEALER CAN INSTALL THE LABEL FOR THEM.

98V038000 · Exterior Lighting:headlights

Feb 24, 1998

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. THE INSTRUCTIONS FOR PROPERLY AIMING THE HEADLIGHTING SYSTEM WERE OMITTED. THIS DOES NOT MEET THE REQUIREMENTS OF FMVSS NO. 108, "LAMPS, REFLECTIVE DEVICES, AND ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT."

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: IF THE HEADLAMP ASSEMBLIES ARE REPLACED, CUSTOMERS MAY NOT BE ABLE TO PROPERLY AIM THE HEADLIGHTS.

Remedy: OWNERS WILL BE SENT AIMING INSTRUCTIONS, AND DIRECTIONS FOR AFFIXING THESE INSERTS TO THE OWNER GUIDES. IF AN OWNER SO DESIRES, A DEALER CAN AFFIX THE INSERTS IN THEIR OWNER GUIDE FOR THEM.

Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗

NHTSA investigations

4

PE01018 · Inadvertent Air Bag Deployment

Opened May 24, 2001 · Closed Aug 9, 2001

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Air Bags

ALLEGED THAT THE PASSENGER-SIDE FRONTAL AIR BAG DEPLOYED INADVERTENTLY WITHOUT A FRONTAL CRASH.

DP00008 · Defective Water Pump Pulley

Opened Sep 25, 2000 · Closed Nov 19, 2001

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Engine And Engine Cooling

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SQ98023 · Stop Sale Notice

Opened Oct 29, 1998 · Closed Nov 24, 1998

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Visibility

SEE RESUME FOR DETAILS.

SQ98018 · New Wheel Bolts

Opened Oct 9, 1998 · Closed Oct 27, 1998

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Wheels

saab issued a tsb informing dealers about a new wheel mounting bolt.If the issue is loosening of the lug nut, this could lead to bolt fatigue and the potential for a wheel separation.