1998 Saab 900 Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other 900 years
- About as many complaints as other years 3rd of 6 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 3 recalls: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 24 complaints with NHTSA about the 1998 Saab 900. That ranks 3rd out of 6 900 model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is air bags (12 complaints, 50%), typically at around 149,500 miles. Complaints mention 6 injuries. There are 3 safety recalls covering this model year. NHTSA has opened 4 defect investigations involving it.
- 24owner complaints
- 3safety recalls
- 4NHTSA investigations
- 0complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 1998 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Air Bags | 12 | 50% | 149,500 | — | — |
| Electrical System | 3 | 13% | 62,000 | — | — |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 2 | 8% | 50,000 | — | — |
| Exterior Lighting | 2 | 8% | — | — | — |
| Steering | 2 | 8% | 155,285 | — | — |
| Power Train | 1 | 4% | — | — | — |
| Seat Belts | 1 | 4% | 31,000 | — | — |
| Seats | 1 | 4% | — | — | — |
| Wheels | 1 | 4% | — | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
1998 Saab 900 recalls (3)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Air bags:frontal
Problem: Vehicle description: passenger vehicles. Static electricity can build up within the passenger-side air bag module and create enough of a charge to cause an inadvertent air bag deployment. Most of these inadvertent deployments have occurred in cooler, dry weather, and have generally included dusting or wiping of the dashboard, starting the car, or closing the door.
Risk: Unexpected air bag deployment can result in occupant injury.
Fix: Dealers will install a front passenger-side air bag module grounding strap. Owner notification began september 24, 2001. 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.
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.
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
- Inadvertent air bag deployment (PE01018) — opened May 24, 2001, closed Aug 9, 2001, led to recall 01V222000.
- Defective water pump pulley (DP00008) — opened Sep 25, 2000, closed Nov 19, 2001.
- Stop sale notice (SQ98023) — opened Oct 29, 1998, closed Nov 24, 1998.
- 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.
Car started and driven approx 50 yards and then came to traffic light and stopped. Driver noticed that the srs light on the display panel was illuminated at stop light. Passenger airbag deployed before car proceeded. Car driven to opposite side of street to park and assess situation. While car…
Warm engine was restarted and car driven to intersection roughly 50 yards away. At stop light, srs light became illuminated and then passenger side airbag deployed while car still stopped. Car then turned to go to other side of street to park. While car being driven crossing street, approx 5 mph…
I own a auto repair shop and was driving a customer vehicle. I was driving straight down the street at 20-25 mph when the passenger airbag exploded. It was a very scary experience, i pulled over to the side of the road. After a minute i decided i should pull the car a little more off the road , as…
I had just pulled out of a parking lot onto a street, going straight, at about 20 mph, when the passenger side airbag deployed. About a minute later, the driver side airbag deployed, hitting me. I pulled over. The car had not hit anything prior to deployment. The result is that the windshield is…
I was sitting in my car in a parking lot with the engine running. The car was in park when the passenger side air bag deployed. Gm will not fix the car and has offered a very low repurchase offer ($1100.00 less than kbb trade in value). *tr
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 1998 Saab 900?
Owners most often report air bags, electrical system, engine and engine cooling problems. The top one, air bags, accounts for 12 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 1998 Saab 900?
Yes, 3 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 1998 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 1998 has about as many complaints as a typical year. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.