IllustrationDT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE TRAVELING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE STALLED THEN THE ALARM ACTIVATED. AFTER DISCONNECTING AND RECONNECTING THE BATTERY, THE VEHICLE RESTARTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT SEEN BY A MECHANIC.
1996 Saab 9000
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Limited comparison data
There is not enough comparable history to draw a useful model-year comparison.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all 9000 years →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: 5 of 10 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.
- Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 4 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Power Train. Review the 3 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Electrical System. 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.
1 crash reports1 fire reports0 injury reports
Engine And Engine Cooling complaints
4 reports1996 SAAB 9000 AERO REAR-ENDED AN IZUZU RODEO. DAMAGE TO THE RODEO WAS ALMOST UNNOTICEABLE. SAAB ENGINE HOWEVER ERUPTED INTO FLAMES AND WAS A TOTAL LOSS. A FACTORY CERTIFIED TECHNICIAN LESS THAN 30 DAYS PRIOR TO FIRE HAD SERVICED SAAB. RESPONSE FROM SAAB CUSTOMER SERVICE - THE ISSUE DID NOT CONCERN SAAB AND WAS BETWEEN M…
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1996 SAAB 9000 AERO REAR-ENDED AN IZUZU RODEO. DAMAGE TO THE RODEO WAS ALMOST UNNOTICEABLE. SAAB ENGINE HOWEVER ERUPTED INTO FLAMES AND WAS A TOTAL LOSS. A FACTORY CERTIFIED TECHNICIAN LESS THAN 30 DAYS PRIOR TO FIRE HAD SERVICED SAAB. RESPONSE FROM SAAB CUSTOMER SERVICE - THE ISSUE DID NOT CONCERN SAAB AND WAS BETWEEN MY INSURANCE COMPANY AND ME. WAS TOLD BY SAAB THAT INSURANCE COMPANY WOULD SUBROGATE THE CLAIM IF THEY THOUGHT IT WAS WORTHWHILE. INSURANCE COMPANY (METLIFE) COMMENTED THAT LOSS WAS NOT LARGE ENOUGH TO PURSUE SUBROGATION. OBSERVED NO CONCERN THAT A PROBLEM COULD EXIST AND RAN INTO COMPLETE DENIAL OF ANY RESPONSIBILITY. CONCERN IS HOW AND WHY IT COULD HAVE HAPPENED AND UNDER SIMILAR CIRCUMSTANCES WILL OTHERS BE IN DANGER OF A LIKE HAZARD. INCIDENT IS WELL DOCUMENT VIA DIGITAL PHOTOGRAPHS ALONG WITH EXTENSIVE DETAIL FROM CONVERSATIONS WITH SAAB.*AK
THE DEALER REPLACED THE TRANSMISSION FOUR TIMES IN THE PAST TWO YEARS. *AK THE VEHICLE HAD TO BE DRIVEN MANUALLY AND STAYED IN 4TH GEAR. THE MECHANIC FOUND AN INTERNAL TRANSMISSION PROBLEM. THE REAR BRAKE PADS WERE WORN, THE TRANSMISSION OIL PUMP WAS WORN OUT, THE HAZARDS DID NOT WORK WHEN THE WEATHER WAS HOT, BUT WORKED W…
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THE DEALER REPLACED THE TRANSMISSION FOUR TIMES IN THE PAST TWO YEARS. *AK THE VEHICLE HAD TO BE DRIVEN MANUALLY AND STAYED IN 4TH GEAR. THE MECHANIC FOUND AN INTERNAL TRANSMISSION PROBLEM. THE REAR BRAKE PADS WERE WORN, THE TRANSMISSION OIL PUMP WAS WORN OUT, THE HAZARDS DID NOT WORK WHEN THE WEATHER WAS HOT, BUT WORKED WITH THE A/C IT DID NOT WORK. *SCC THE MUFFLER WAS REPLACED, THE DRIVE BELT AND PULLEYS WERE REPLACED, THE REAR BRAKE ROTORS WERE OUT OF SPECIFICATION AND THE BRAKE PADS WERE WORN, THE SEAT HEATER LIGHT SWITCH WAS REPLACED, THE OIL PUMP WAS WORN OUT *JB
THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION WAS REPLACED THREE TIMES. *PH THE FIRST TRANSMISSION WAS REPLACED DUE TO A WORN OUT OIL PUMP(THE FLUID WAS BURNED), AND THERE WAS A WHINING NOISE. THE SECOND INCIDENT HAPPENED WHILE THE CONSUMER WAS DRIVING AND THE TRANSMISSION DID NOT SHIFT PROPERLY (HAD TO DRIVE BACK MANUALLY/THE MECHANIC FOUND…
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THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION WAS REPLACED THREE TIMES. *PH THE FIRST TRANSMISSION WAS REPLACED DUE TO A WORN OUT OIL PUMP(THE FLUID WAS BURNED), AND THERE WAS A WHINING NOISE. THE SECOND INCIDENT HAPPENED WHILE THE CONSUMER WAS DRIVING AND THE TRANSMISSION DID NOT SHIFT PROPERLY (HAD TO DRIVE BACK MANUALLY/THE MECHANIC FOUND AN INTERNAL PROBLEM), THE VEHICLE STAYED IN FOURTH GEAR, AND HAD TO BE REPLACED WITH A REBUILT TRANSMISSION. THE REAR BRAKE PADS HAD WORN OUT. *SCC. THE SEAT HEATER LIGHT WAS INOPERATIVE, THE DEALER REPLACED THE SEAT HEATER SWITCH, THE EXHAUST SYSTEM WAS REPLACED, THE DRIVE BELT AND PULLEYS WERE REPLACED. THE MECHANIC STATED SOMETHING WITHIN THE VEHICLE WAS BUILT INCORRECTLY TO CAUSE THE TRANSMISSION TO FAIL. THE MOTOR FOR THE REAR WINDSHIELD WIPERS HAD TO BE REPLACED, WHICH CAUSED THE FRONT WINDSHIELD WIPERS NOT TO WORK, AND THE HAZARD LIGHTS WORKED INTERMITTENTLY. *JB
Official recalls
0No recalls in this snapshot.
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
1SQ98006 · Audio System Fires
Opened Apr 22, 1998 · Closed May 8, 1998
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Electrical System
SEE RESUME FOR DETAILS.