FaultScore

1996 Saab 900 electrical problems

14 of the 78 complaints about the 1996 Saab 900 are about the electrical system — 18% of everything reported for this model year. Half of the failures with a mileage on record happened before 99,000 miles.

F

14

Complaints

0

Crashes

3

Fires

0

Injuries

Exactly what failed

12V/24V/48V Battery 4 28.6%
Electrical System 3 21.4%
Front Underhood 2 14.3%
Module 2 14.3%
Ignition 1 7.1%
Fuses AND Circuit Breakers 1 7.1%
Alternator/Generator/Regulator 1 7.1%

Electrical System across every Saab 900 year

1994 11 22.9%
1995 23 47.9%
1996 14 29.2%

What owners said

Filed with NHTSA, in their own words.

at 99,000 miles Corvallis, OR

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:MODULE

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 IGNITION CASSETTE WAS REPLACED ONCE ALREADY IN JAN. 2000 BY THE PREVIOUS OWNER.

NHTSA complaint #10141798 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 100,000 miles North Haven, CT

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:MODULE

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.

NHTSA complaint #10130620 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 72,000 miles Montclair, NJ Fire

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

ON APRIL 27, 2003, MY SAAB 900 SE HAD AN ELECTRICAL FAILURE WHILE DRIVING WITHIN A MINUTE HAD COMPLETELY DESTROYED THE CAR. THE "CHECK BATTERY" LIGHT CAME ON ALONG WITH THE HAZARD LIGHT. MY WIFE WAS DRIVING THE CAR IN HEAVY TRAFFIC AND JUST ESCAPED THE VEHICLE WHEN IT WAS ENGULFED IN FLAMES. THE POLICE HAD TO CALL ME TO GET THE LICENSE PLATE NUMBER AND VIN, AS THEY HAD MELTED. THE CAR HAD 72,000 MILES AND HAD BEEN CHECKED TWICE IN THE PAST YEAR. JUST MONTHS BEFORE IT HAD BEEN COMPLETELY INSPECTED. THE CAR WAS IN SHOW ROOM CONDITION.

NHTSA complaint #10016693 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Kingston, MA

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:12V/24V/48V BATTERY

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE.

NHTSA complaint #737809 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Kingston, MA

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:ALTERNATOR/GENERATOR/REGULATOR

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE.

NHTSA complaint #737809 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Kingston, MA

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE.

NHTSA complaint #737809 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

NEW Port, RI Fire

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FRONT UNDERHOOD

AFTER A 30 MINUTES OF DRIVING VEHICLE WAS PARKED IN A PARKING LOT. SMOKE WAS NOTICED COMING FROM UNDERNEATH THE HOOD AREA BEFORE A FIRE STARTED. FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS ON SITE TO PUT OUT FIRE. SAAB HAS BEEN CONTACTED.*AK VEHICLE TRAVELING, CHECK THE ENGINE LIGHT APPEARED AND STAYED ON THE CAUSE WAS DETERMINED TO BE A SENSOR. THE VEHICLE SLIPS WHILE IN GEAR AND BEFORE GOING INTO GEAR DUE TO LOSS OF FLUID BY LTHE LEAKING TRANSMISSION.

NHTSA complaint #873699 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Port Saint, FL

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FUSES AND CIRCUIT BREAKERS

CELLULAR PHONE KEPT BLOWING FUSES. NLM

NHTSA complaint #547823 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Port Saint, FL

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:12V/24V/48V BATTERY

BATTERY WENT DEAD. NLM

NHTSA complaint #547823 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

LOS Angele, CA

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

ELECTRICAL FAILURE.

NHTSA complaint #604451 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

LA Canada, CA

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM FAILURE, CAUSING CHECK ENGINE/TRANSMISSION INDICATOR LIGHTS TO FAIL. QCAW

NHTSA complaint #605231 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Rancho Palos Verdes, CA

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:12V/24V/48V BATTERY

BATTERY HAS FAILED SEVERAL TIMES.

NHTSA complaint #603963 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Santa Monica, CA

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:12V/24V/48V BATTERY

BATTERY FAILED.

NHTSA complaint #603155 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Monk Kisco, NY Fire

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FRONT UNDERHOOD

VEHICLE IDLING IN PARKED POSITION, OCCUPANTS SMELLED FUNNY ODOR, SMELL GOT WQRSE, SUBSEQUENTLY FIRE STARTED COMING FROM UNDERHOOD, VEHICLE AVAILABLE FOR INSPECTION.

NHTSA complaint #807075 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Other 1996 Saab 900 problems

← Full 1996 Saab 900 report