2009 Saab 9-5 Problems, Complaints & Recalls

Source: NHTSA · Updated Sep 17, 2021 · 2 owner complaints analyzed

Compared with other 9-5 years
Not enough data 12th of 14 for complaints
NHTSA crash rating
Not rated

Owners have filed 2 complaints with NHTSA about the 2009 Saab 9-5. That ranks 12th out of 14 9-5 model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is air bags (2 complaints, 100%). There is 1 safety recall covering this model year. NHTSA has opened 1 defect investigation involving it.

Saab 9-5
Saab 9-5 sedan photographed in USA.. Representative photo; appearance varies by model year. Photo: IFCAR, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.

Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.

Compare with another car

Most common 2009 Saab 9-5 problems

Complaints grouped by the part of the car owners reported, with the median mileage when the problem happened.

Air Bags2
Problem areaComplaintsShareMedian milesOwners mention mostTypical repair cost
Air Bags2100%———

One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.

2009 Saab 9-5 recalls (1)

Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.

Air bags:frontal:driver side:inflator moduleFeb 3, 2016 · NHTSA campaign 16V063000 · 113,716 vehicles

Problem: General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2006-2011 Saab 9-3 vehicles manufactured May 31, 2002, to February 15, 2011, 2006-2009 Saab 9-5 vehicles manufactured June 7, 2005, to May 28, 2009, and 2008-2009 Saturn Astra vehicles manufactured April 11, 2007, to July 24, 2008. Upon deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, excessive internal pressure may cause the inflator to rupture.

Risk: In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, the inflator could rupture with metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

Fix: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver's frontal air bag inflator on Saab 9-3 and 9-5 vehicles and will replace the driver's frontal airbag module on Saturn Astra vehicles, free of charge. The recall began on March 1, 2017. Owners may contact Saab customer service at 1-800-955-9007 or Saturn customer service at 1-800-553-6000. GM's number for this recall is 28810.

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

  • Desiccated Air Bag Inflator Rupture (EA21002) — opened Sep 17, 2021, still open.

Recent owner reports

Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.

Tl* takata recall. The contact owns a 2009 saa 9-5. The contact received notification of nhtsa campaign number: 16v063000 (air bags); however, the part to do the repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The…

Air Bags · received Feb 22, 2017 · NHTSA complaint 10956283

Takata recall. The recall status is still indicating recall incomplete. Remedy not yet available. Went to dealership service dep't was told part not available. Received notice in may 2016. Very concerned that the fix for this extremely dangerous condition is not yet available. Need to have pressure…

Air Bags · received Jan 20, 2017 · NHTSA complaint 10946757

Other Saab 9-5 years

← 2008 9-5 · 2010 9-5 →

See all Saab 9-5 problems by year, every Saab model, or the VIN decoder.

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Frequently asked questions

What are the most common problems with the 2009 Saab 9-5?

Owners most often report air bags problems. The top one, air bags, accounts for 2 complaints.

Was there a recall on the 2009 Saab 9-5?

Yes, 1 safety recall. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.

Was the 2009 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 2009 has too little data to compare. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.