2001 Saab 9-5 Electrical System Problems
Owners have filed 56 complaints with NHTSA about electrical system problems on the 2001 Saab 9-5, 54% of all complaints for this model year. Half of the reports with a mileage happened before 58,000 miles. The words owners use most often: “direct ignition” (32% of reports).
- 56electrical system complaints
- 58,000median miles at failure
- 0mention a crash
- 0mention an injury
- 1related recalls
- $2,750typical repair cost reported by owners
- 38%of reports with a speed happened at 50+ mph
What owners describe
Phrases that appear unusually often in these complaints compared with complaints about other cars.
- Direct ignition: mentioned in 18 of 56 complaints (32%)
- Catalytic converter: mentioned in 8 of 56 complaints (14%)
- Cassette failed: mentioned in 5 of 56 complaints (9%)
- Discharge module: mentioned in 5 of 56 complaints (9%)
How much does it cost to fix?
Owners who wrote down what they paid or were quoted put the typical electrical system repair on the 2001 Saab 9-5 at $2,750, and half of them between $1,200 and $3,400.
Based on 6 NHTSA complaints about this problem alone that state a repair bill or quote (2005–2006), converted to 2026 dollars with the U.S. consumer price index. These are owners' own figures, not a quote: they include dealer quotes, and owners who file complaints often faced larger repairs, so they can run higher than typical shop prices. Prices vary by shop, region and warranty coverage. How we calculate this.
At what mileage do electrical system problems happen?
Based on 49 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 56 complaints, 5 a fire.
Saab 9-5 electrical system complaints by model year
When owners reported it
Related recalls (1)
Electrical system:ignition:module
Problem: Certain passenger vehicles equipped with b205/b235 4-cylinder gasoline engines and b308 6-cylinder gasoline engines may experience overheating and burnout of the isolated gated bipolar transistor (igbt) within the ignition discharge module (idm) due to increased susceptibility to electrical loads.
Risk: Overheating of the igbt occurs most often at engine start-up, but it may also occur while the engine is running. Engine stalling may occur, which could result in a crash.
Fix: Dealers will inspect to see what version idm is in the vehicle and replace the idm if it is a version built prior to the introduction of qp3. An interim letter will be mailed to owners in october 2005, informing them of the condition. Parts are now available and owners will be notified to bring their vehicles in to the dealers to have the idm replaced by letter dated march 13, 2006. Owners may contact saab at 1-800-955-9007.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
Turbo malfunction at a cost of $455.00 and also engine filter box.vehicle still not running correctly.will only go at speed of 25 mph.repaired on 03/27/2018.started out smoking all over the place from exhaust.was told turbo went bad.i think a lot of these cars have this problem as i read on…
Tl* the contact owns a 2001 saab 9-5. While driving approximately 55 mph, the vehicle stalled without warning and failed to restart. The vehicle was towed to the contact's residence. The vehicle was eventually able to restart. The failure occurred on numerous occasions. The vin was not included in…
My 2001 saab 9-5 has been experiencing a check engine light for awhile on and off. The vehicle will sometimes stall randomly and not start until engine cools down. The codes for cel lead to direct ignition. A previous recall on these vehicles, one my vehicle received. I called dealer and they said…
Frequently asked questions
Do all 2001 Saab 9-5s have electrical system problems?
No. NHTSA has 56 owner complaints about electrical system for the 2001 Saab 9-5 (54% of the 104 complaints for this model year). Complaint data shows that the problem is reported, not how many of all cars sold are affected.
Was there a recall on the 2001 Saab 9-5 electrical system?
Yes: 1 safety recall list electrical system. Check your VIN on NHTSA.gov to see whether the fix was done on your car.
At what mileage do electrical system problems start?
The median reported mileage is 58,000 miles: half of the reports with a mileage came before that.
How much does it cost to fix electrical system problems on the 2001 Saab 9-5?
Owners report a typical cost of $2,750 (half paid between $1,200 and $3,400), from 6 complaints that state a repair bill or quote, in 2026 dollars.
What do owners say about electrical system problems on the 2001 Saab 9-5?
The most frequent phrase is “direct ignition”, in 18 of 56 complaints, followed by “catalytic converter” (8).
See all 2001 Saab 9-5 problems or electrical system problems across all 9-5 years.