2002 Saab 9-5 Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other 9-5 years
- Far more complaints than other years 4th of 14 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 6 recalls: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 65 complaints with NHTSA about the 2002 Saab 9-5. That ranks 4th out of 14 9-5 model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is electrical system (33 complaints, 51%), typically at around 47,000 miles. Complaints mention 2 crashes, 5 fires, 2 injuries. There are 6 safety recalls covering this model year. NHTSA has opened 1 defect investigation involving it.
- 65owner complaints
- 6safety recalls
- 1NHTSA investigations
- 2complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2002 Saab 9-5 problems
Complaints grouped by the part of the car owners reported, with the median mileage when the problem happened.
| Problem area | Complaints | Share | Median miles | Owners mention most | Typical repair cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Electrical System | 33 | 51% | 47,000 | — | — |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 13 | 20% | 40,450 | — | — |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 6 | 9% | 52,750 | — | — |
| Fuel System, Other | 3 | 5% | 66,500 | — | — |
| Power Train | 3 | 5% | 68,000 | — | — |
| Seat Belts | 3 | 5% | 125,000 | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 3 | 5% | 43,000 | — | — |
| Air Bags | 2 | 3% | 128,000 | — | — |
| Steering | 2 | 3% | 51,000 | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 2 | 3% | 61,750 | — | — |
| Exterior Lighting | 1 | 2% | 65,002 | — | — |
| Latches/locks/linkages | 1 | 2% | 9,100 | — | — |
| Seats | 1 | 2% | — | — | — |
| Structure | 1 | 2% | 36,000 | — | — |
| Tires | 1 | 2% | 114,580 | — | — |
| Wheels | 1 | 2% | 114,580 | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2002 Saab 9-5 recalls (6)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Seats:front assembly:head restraint
Problem: Saab is recalling 57,389 my 2002-2008 9-5 series vehicles for failing to comply with the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 201, "occupant protection in interior impact." during compliance testing, one of the upper interior occupant protection test points exceeded the standard's requirements.
Risk: In the event of a vehicle crash, personal injury to occupants may occur.
Fix: Dealers will install a-pillar trim with improved energy-absorbing capability free of charge. The recall began on november 25, 2008. Owners may contact saab at 1-800-955-9007.
Fuel system, gasoline:delivery:hoses, lines/piping, and fittings
Problem: On certain passenger vehicles, the fuel pump retaining tabs holding the fuel lines were damaged during production.
Risk: Over time, this could cause the fuel lines to loosen from the pump resulting in fuel leakage. If an ignition source were present, the fuel may ignite resulting in a vehicle fire.
Fix: Dealers will develop a securing bracket that will secure the fuel lines to the fuel pump even if the plastic retaining tabs should break. The recall began on june 13, 2007. This is an expansion of previous recall campaigns - see 04v557 and 06v126. Owners may contact saab at 1-800-955-9007.
Electrical system:ignition:module
Problem: Certain passenger vehicles equipped with 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 january 2003. The recall is expected to begin during december 2005. Owners may contact saab at 1-800-955-9007. Note: this recall is an expansion of a previous campaign (please see 05v399).
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.
Wheels:hub
Problem: On certain passenger vehicles, if an owner changes their wheels/tires between summer and winter using a steel wheel in the winter and an alloy wheel in the summer, it is possible for rust and contamination to build up on the wheel hub during the steel wheel usage. If this occurs and the contamination is not removed, it is possible that after the tire change service, some of this contamination could flake or grind away resulting in reduced clamping force of the wheel to the hub. Over several seasons, it is possible that this reduced force could result in fractures developing in the wheel bolts due to wheel to hub movement.
Risk: These fractures would result in wheel bolt breakage, allowing the wheel to detach from the wheel hub, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Owners will be contacted by mail and asked whether they change between steel and alloy wheels. If they do engage in this practice, they will be instructed to bring their cars to an authorized dealer. The dealer will remove the wheels, clean any contamination from the wheel and wheel hub, and replace the wheels using new improved bolts with attached washers. Owner notification began march 31, 2003. 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.
Steering:linkages:knuckle:spindle:arm
Problem: The steering knuckle castings on certain passenger vehicles may have been contaminated during the casting process.
Risk: These knuckles can break, resulting in possible loss of steering control.
Fix: Dealers will inspect the steering knuckle for the casting number. If the knuckle was in the defective batch, the steering knuckle will be replaced. Owner notification is expected to begin during january 2002. 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.
To see whether a specific car still has an open recall, enter its VIN on NHTSA's official recall lookup. You can also decode a VIN here.
NHTSA defect investigations
- Engine stall/ engine compartment fires (PE05017) — opened Apr 7, 2005, closed Sep 23, 2005, led to recall 05V399000.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
The engine on my 4 cylinder saab 9-5 (2002) has suddenly stopped while driving at least 4 times since owning the car, both on the highway and in slower traffic. The first time i reported officially (2007) to the dealer, "no cause was identified." i noticed the last time that it happened (around may…
Ignition switch shut off while on a busy highway twice! Once in 2006 and once later another year plus once in a driveway (car purchased used in the fall of 2005). The saab switch is located in the center console and if it is hit it switches off and shuts down the car, same as recalled switches in…
Tl* the contact owns a 2002 saab 95. The contact stated while driving approximately 60 mph, the vehicle stalled on a major highway. The contact was able to restart the vehicle. The failure was diagnosed by an authorized dealer who stated to repair the direct ignition cassette. The failure recurred…
On feb 20, 2013, i went to gillys, a local tire company, sold me two tires and welded a cracked rim. On mar 2, 2013 the tire blew out and upon inspection at walmart automotive. It was discovered the tire was illegally plugged on inner wall. The rim had recracked. This violates 49 cfr 570.10 wheel…
Hello...i need to ask for your help. I have a 2002 saab 9-5 which has a problem with the front passenger side seat belt. It does not retract and therefore the passenger is unprotected. I know that saab has a history of this being a problem. My attempts to get some help from saab have been futile…
Other Saab 9-5 years
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2011 9-5 | 9 | 0 |
| 2010 9-5 | 2 | 0 |
| 2009 9-5 | 2 | 1 |
| 2008 9-5 | 20 | 2 |
| 2007 9-5 | 17 | 2 |
| 2006 9-5 | 23 | 2 |
| 2005 9-5 | 11 | 2 |
| 2004 9-5 | 19 | 2 |
| 2003 9-5 | 47 | 4 |
| 2002 | 65 | 6 |
| 2001 9-5 | 104 | 4 |
| 2000 9-5 | 119 | 3 |
| 1999 9-5 | 118 | 2 |
| 1998 9-5 | 1 | 0 |
See all Saab 9-5 problems by year, every Saab model, or the VIN decoder.
Similar Saab models
Embed this 2002 Saab 9-5 badge on your site
Copy this code into your blog or forum post. It shows live complaint and recall counts and links back here.
Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 2002 Saab 9-5?
Owners most often report electrical system, engine and engine cooling, fuel system, gasoline problems. The top one, electrical system, accounts for 33 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2002 Saab 9-5?
Yes, 6 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 2002 Saab 9-5 a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other 9-5 model years, the 2002 has far more complaints than most years. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.