1996 Saab 900 Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other 900 years
- Far more complaints than other years 2nd of 6 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 3 recalls: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 48 complaints with NHTSA about the 1996 Saab 900. That ranks 2nd out of 6 900 model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is electrical system (11 complaints, 23%), typically at around 99,000 miles. Complaints mention 3 fires. There are 3 safety recalls covering this model year. NHTSA has opened 2 defect investigations involving it.
- 48owner complaints
- 3safety recalls
- 2NHTSA investigations
- 0complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 1996 Saab 900 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 | 11 | 23% | 99,000 | — | — |
| Power Train | 10 | 21% | — | — | — |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 9 | 19% | 100,000 | — | — |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 6 | 13% | 58,857 | — | — |
| Air Bags | 5 | 10% | 100,000 | — | — |
| Equipment | 5 | 10% | 58,857 | — | — |
| Exterior Lighting | 3 | 6% | — | — | — |
| Steering | 3 | 6% | — | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 3 | 6% | — | — | — |
| Seats | 2 | 4% | — | — | — |
| Structure | 2 | 4% | — | — | — |
| Suspension | 2 | 4% | — | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 2 | 4% | — | — | — |
| Visibility | 2 | 4% | — | — | — |
| Latches/locks/linkages | 1 | 2% | — | — | — |
| Seat Belts | 1 | 2% | — | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 1 | 2% | — | — | — |
| Wheels | 1 | 2% | — | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
1996 Saab 900 recalls (3)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Exterior lighting:headlights
Problem: 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."
Risk: If the headlamp assemblies are replaced, customers may not be able to properly aim the headlights.
Fix: 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.
Vehicle speed control
Problem: Corrosion around the zinc-coated throttle control lever bushing can cause the throttle lever to bind.
Risk: This binding can result in the throttle plate not returning to the closed position when the throttle pedal is released and a subsequent loss of throttle control.
Fix: Dealers will replace the zinc-coated throttle control lever bushing with a nickel-coated bushing and bolt.
Seat belts:front:anchorage
Problem: During static testing of belt anchorage points, the outboard attachment plate being used in the testing deformed and detached from the seat anchorage. This does not comply with fmvss no. 209, "seat belt assemblies" and no. 210, "seat belt assembly anchorages."
Risk: Consequence of non-compliance: the belt may not latch properly increasing the risk of injury to an occupant should a vehicle crash occur.
Fix: Dealers will inspect the safety belt assemblies for the date of manufacture. Any assembly with date year 96 week 10 day 2 will be replaced.
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
- Defective water pump pulley (DP00008) — opened Sep 25, 2000, closed Nov 19, 2001.
- New wheel bolts (SQ98018) — opened Oct 9, 1998, closed Oct 27, 1998.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
Passenger airbag deployed for no reason while driving car, no warning lights on dashboard, no impact, no precipitating event occured
Driving smoothly at 50 mph in 1996 saab 900 se turbo, 99k miles. Engine rpm suddenly but smoothly drops to zero and stopped in a very unsafe place on the highway. Car would not re-start. Absolutely no faults of any kind occurred during the months leading up to this incident. This car's direct…
In june 2003, a crack was discovered in the fuel tank of my 1996 saab 900s. The tank was replaced. On 28 july 2004, the replacement tank was discovered to have a leak and was replaced. On 1 september 2005, the second replacement tank was diagnosed as leaking.*jb
Prior to di failure, starting impairment and misfires detected with cel. Upon failure, car would not run and steering was lost. To correct failure, new di was fitted after it was broken. Symptoms should have been reason enough to change it early. *nm
While driving ball bearrings exploded in the lower engine. Consumer heard a loud boom. The vehicle was full of clean oil. Consumer contacted the maufacturer and the dealer. Vehicle is currently at dealer. *ak
Other Saab 900 years
See all Saab 900 problems by year, every Saab model, or the VIN decoder.
Similar Saab models
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Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 1996 Saab 900?
Owners most often report electrical system, power train, engine and engine cooling problems. The top one, electrical system, accounts for 11 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 1996 Saab 900?
Yes, 3 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 1996 Saab 900 a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other 900 model years, the 1996 has far more complaints than most years. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.