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FaultScore report

1988 Saab 900 problems

Owners have filed 18 complaints about the 1988 Saab 900 with NHTSA between 1995 and 2001. The largest single group is the engine & cooling.

Read the complaints What breaks Worst years for the Saab 900
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Not graded

Too few complaints, or too short a model run, to compare fairly.

How this is worked out

The numbers

18

Complaints

1

Crashes reported

1

Fires reported

1

Injuries reported

How 1988 compares with every other Saab 900

Click any bar to open that year's report.

Complaints filed with NHTSA, by model year. Bar colour is the FaultScore grade: A B C D F ungraded

What breaks on a 1988 Saab 900

Every complaint is filed against a part. Follow any row for the complaints about that part alone.

Brakes 3 16.7%
Transmission & Drivetrain 3 16.7%
Engine & Cooling 3 16.7%

0 crashes, 1 fires

Seat Belts 2 11.1%
Electrical System 2 11.1%
Seats 1 5.6%
Windows, Mirrors & Wipers 1 5.6%
Acceleration & Cruise Control 1 5.6%

1 crashes, 0 fires

Suspension 1 5.6%
Steering 1 5.6%

When owners complained

A spike years after the car went on sale usually means a part wearing out on schedule across the whole fleet — the kind of pattern no single owner can see from inside their own car.

Apr 1995 peak 6 Jan 2001

NHTSA investigations into the 1988 Saab 900

An investigation is the step before a recall: the agency has seen enough complaints to look into a pattern itself. An open one means it thinks something may be wrong and nothing has been fixed yet.

PE93102 Opened 8 Dec 1993 Closed 21 Apr 1994 SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:RECLINER

SEAT BACK RECLINER FAILURE

PE89008 Opened 21 Oct 1988 Closed 26 Jan 1989 ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

BATTERY CABLE GROUNDING

Recalls on the 1988 Saab 900

A complaint is one owner's allegation. A recall is the point at which the manufacturer or a regulator agreed the defect is real and dangerous enough to fix for free — however old the car is.

Canada — Transport Canada

Canada runs its own recall programme, and its campaigns do not always mirror the American ones.

Recall 1989008 1,765 units in Canada

Electrical

THE WIRING HARNESS MAY CHAFE AGAINST SHARP EDGES UNDER THE DASHBOARD AND ALSO, IN THE 1988 VEHICLES, AGAINST A CARPET SUPPORT. IF A SHORT CIRCUIT DEVELOPS THERE IS A RISK OF SMOKE OR POSSIBLY FIRE INSIDE THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT. CORRECTION: FOUR RUBBER STRIPS WILL BE AFFIXED TO EDGES IN CRITICAL LOCATIONS AND THE MAIN HARNESS UNDER THE DASHBOARD WILL AT SOME LOCATIONS, BE COVERED BY A PLASTIC HOSE.

Recalls cover specific build ranges, so check your own vehicle by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls or, in Canada, Transport Canada.

Complaints that involved harm

Reports where the owner recorded a crash, a fire, an injury or a death.

NEW Meadow, ID Crash 1 injured

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

SUDDEN ACCELERATION, CAUSING ACCIDENT/INJURY.

NHTSA complaint #510318 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Bethesda, MD Fire

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE

ENGINE MOTOR MOUNTS BROKE, CAUSING A FIRE, IN FOR REPAIRS TWICE.

NHTSA complaint #803697 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

The most recent complaints

In the owners' own words, exactly as filed with NHTSA.

Plainville, CT

SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM

FRONT LEFT CONTROL ARM BROKE PULLING OUT OF DRIVEWAY CAUSING LOSS OF STEERING CONTROL, WHEEL TO FALL OFF AND CAUSING DAMAGE TO SHOCK, WHEEL BEARING AND C.V. JOINT.

NHTSA complaint #738820 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Watsontown, PA

SEATS

DRIVER'S SEAT ANCHORING BRACKET WHICH ATTACHES TO SEAT BASE BROKE AWAY FROM THE ATTACHMENT BOLT. ODOMETER BECAME INOPERABLE AND THIS SEEMS TO BE THE CASE ON MOST PRE-1990 MODELS AS STATED BY MECHANIC WHO SPECIALIZES IN SAAB REPAIRS. MECHANIC STATES THAT THIS ISSUE INVOLVES THE GEARING MECHANISM WITHIN THE ODOMETER.

NHTSA complaint #735839 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Watsontown, PA

POWER TRAIN

DRIVER'S SEAT ANCHORING BRACKET WHICH ATTACHES TO SEAT BASE BROKE AWAY FROM THE ATTACHMENT BOLT. ODOMETER BECAME INOPERABLE AND THIS SEEMS TO BE THE CASE ON MOST PRE-1990 MODELS AS STATED BY MECHANIC WHO SPECIALIZES IN SAAB REPAIRS. MECHANIC STATES THAT THIS ISSUE INVOLVES THE GEARING MECHANISM WITHIN THE ODOMETER.

NHTSA complaint #735839 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

NO. Chelmsford, MA

SEAT BELTS

MOTORIZED SEAT BELTS ARE DEFECTIVE. SOMETIMES THEY DON'T ENGAGE, SOMETIMES THEY DON'T RELEASE. THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE, AND I FEEL THE MANUFACTURER SHOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE REPAIRS. *AK.

NHTSA complaint #708277 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

KEY West, FL

SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR

THE LAP AND SHOULDER BELTS DON'T RETRACT. DEALER HAS A FIX.

NHTSA complaint #825099 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Rochester, NY

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING

HEAT SHIELD THAT PROTECTED THE WIRES ROT OUT, REPLACE HEAT SHIELD.

NHTSA complaint #511247 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Lexington, KY

PARKING BRAKE:CONVENTIONAL:MECHANICAL:LINKAGE AND CABLE

PARKING BRAKE STICK/FREEZE WHEN OUTSIDE TEMPERATURE IS FREEZING.

NHTSA complaint #518696 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

NEW Meadow, ID Crash 1 injured

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

SUDDEN ACCELERATION, CAUSING ACCIDENT/INJURY.

NHTSA complaint #510318 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Bethesda, MD Fire

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE

ENGINE MOTOR MOUNTS BROKE, CAUSING A FIRE, IN FOR REPAIRS TWICE.

NHTSA complaint #803697 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Chapel Hill, NC

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM:RADIATOR ASSEMBLY

PREMATURE WEAR OF RING & PINION GEAR; ALSO, PREMATURE WEAR OF FRONT BRAKE ROTORS; CRUISE CONTROL FAILURE, CAUSING VEHICLE TO SURGE AND COOLING FAN/THERMOSTAT FAILURE.

NHTSA complaint #509766 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Chapel Hill, NC

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:ROTOR

PREMATURE WEAR OF RING & PINION GEAR; ALSO, PREMATURE WEAR OF FRONT BRAKE ROTORS; CRUISE CONTROL FAILURE, CAUSING VEHICLE TO SURGE AND COOLING FAN/THERMOSTAT FAILURE.

NHTSA complaint #509766 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Chapel Hill, NC

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM:FAN

PREMATURE WEAR OF RING & PINION GEAR; ALSO, PREMATURE WEAR OF FRONT BRAKE ROTORS; CRUISE CONTROL FAILURE, CAUSING VEHICLE TO SURGE AND COOLING FAN/THERMOSTAT FAILURE.

NHTSA complaint #509766 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Chapel Hill, NC

STEERING:LINKAGES:ARM:IDLER AND ATTACHMENT

PREMATURE WEAR OF RING & PINION GEAR; ALSO, PREMATURE WEAR OF FRONT BRAKE ROTORS; CRUISE CONTROL FAILURE, CAUSING VEHICLE TO SURGE AND COOLING FAN/THERMOSTAT FAILURE.

NHTSA complaint #509766 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Chapel Hill, NC

POWER TRAIN:DRIVELINE:DIFFERENTIAL UNIT

PREMATURE WEAR OF RING & PINION GEAR; ALSO, PREMATURE WEAR OF FRONT BRAKE ROTORS; CRUISE CONTROL FAILURE, CAUSING VEHICLE TO SURGE AND COOLING FAN/THERMOSTAT FAILURE.

NHTSA complaint #509766 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Windsor, CT

PARKING BRAKE:CONVENTIONAL:MECHANICAL:LINKAGE AND CABLE

IN THE WINTER TIME THE EMERGENCY BRAKE CABLE FREEZES UP . TT

NHTSA complaint #978474 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

SAN Bruno, CA

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION

INTERMITTENT STALLING, ALSO VEHICLE WON'T START. *SKD

NHTSA complaint #481590 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Orange, CT

POWER TRAIN

SPEEDOMETER KEEPS BREAKING; REPLACED SIX TIMES WITHIN 6 YEARS; DOES NOT GIVE ACCURATE READINGS; UNSAFE DRIVING. TT

NHTSA complaint #965468 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Bedford, NH

VISIBILITY:DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER/HVAC SYSTEM:FAN/MOTOR

LOCATION OF DEFROSTER VENTS PREVENT WINDSHIELD FROM DEFROSTING ENTIRELY. *SKD

NHTSA complaint #481225 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.