1997 Saab 900 Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other 900 years
- About as many complaints as other years 4th of 6 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 3 recalls: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 21 complaints with NHTSA about the 1997 Saab 900. That ranks 4th out of 6 900 model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is power train (3 complaints, 14%), typically at around 124,719 miles. Complaints mention 2 injuries. There are 3 safety recalls covering this model year. NHTSA has opened 2 defect investigations involving it.
- 21owner complaints
- 3safety recalls
- 2NHTSA investigations
- 0complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 1997 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Power Train | 3 | 14% | 124,719 | — | — |
| Air Bags | 2 | 10% | 64,500 | — | — |
| Electrical System | 2 | 10% | 75,000 | — | — |
| Seat Belts | 2 | 10% | 99,250 | — | — |
| Seats | 2 | 10% | — | — | — |
| Structure | 2 | 10% | 120,000 | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 2 | 10% | 129,027 | — | — |
| Wheels | 2 | 10% | — | — | — |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 1 | 5% | — | — | — |
| Equipment | 1 | 5% | — | — | — |
| Exterior Lighting | 1 | 5% | — | — | — |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 1 | 5% | 107,000 | — | — |
| Latches/locks/linkages | 1 | 5% | 120,000 | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 1 | 5% | 75,000 | — | — |
| Steering | 1 | 5% | 75,000 | — | — |
| Suspension | 1 | 5% | — | — | — |
| Visibility | 1 | 5% | — | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
1997 Saab 900 recalls (3)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Equipment:other:labels
Problem: Vehicle description: passenger vehicles. The air bag alert label on the driver side visor was omitted. This does not conform to the requirements of fmvss no. 208, "occupant crash protection."
Risk: The vehicle occupant may not properly understand the operation of the air bag system and the need to use seat belts.
Fix: Owners will be provided with an alert label to be installed on the visible side of the driver's sun visor. If an owner so desires, their dealer can install the label for them.
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.
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.
I went to put my seat belt on and it caught on something and wouldn't let me extract the belt from the retractor. This vehicle registration is not-operative. *tr
Tl* the contact owns a 1997 saab 900. The contact stated that while parking, the air bags deployed haphazardly. The air bag deployment caused the windshield to become cracked and the contact to suffer minor hearing lost. The vehicle was towed to a local mechanic. The mechanic stated the vehicle was…
1997 saab 900 se turbo- direct ignition cassette failure caused vehicle to stall in middle of road. *tr
My driver side inside door handle broke, massachusetts will not pass it due to it being a safety hazard. We took the door apart fixed the door and then tested the locks to make sure they still work. It was then that the deadlock was engaged. We realized that last night if a child was in the car…
Failure in 1997 saab 900 se of direct ignition cassette. There was a recall for year model 2000-2002, but earlier model years fail too. *jb
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 1997 Saab 900?
Owners most often report power train, air bags, electrical system problems. The top one, power train, accounts for 3 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 1997 Saab 900?
Yes, 3 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 1997 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 1997 has about as many complaints as a typical year. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.