FaultScore report
Owners have filed 17 complaints about the 1988 Saab 9000 with NHTSA between 1995 and 2000. The largest single group is the electrical system.
17
Complaints
0
Crashes reported
3
Fires reported
0
Injuries reported
Click any bar to open that year's report.
Every complaint is filed against a part. Follow any row for the complaints about that part alone.
0 crashes, 1 fires
0 crashes, 1 fires
0 crashes, 1 fires
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.
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.
PASSENGER COMPARTMENT FIRE
PASSENGER COMPARTMENT FIRES
WIRE HARNESS CHAFING
SUMMARY:===
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 runs its own recall programme, and its campaigns do not always mirror the American ones.
Electrical
NOTE: VEHICLES WITH AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION RESIDUE ON THE CIRCUIT CARD MAY CAUSE AN ELECTRICAL SHORT IN THE BACK-UP LAMP CIRCUIT AND EVENTUAL OVERHEATING OF THE COMBINATION SAFETY/BACK-UP LAMP SWITCH ASSEMBLY. IF THIS SHOULD OCCUR, SMOKE OR POSSIBLY A FIRE MIGHT DEVELOP FROM THE CENTER CONSOLE AREA IN THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT. CORRECTION: AN ELECTRICAL CIRCUIT, INCLUDING A RELAY, WILL BE ADDED TO THE BACK-UP LAMP CIRCUIT. THIS WILL REDUCE THE MAXIMUM ELECTRIC CURRENT THAT CAN FLOW THROUGH THE COMBINATION SWITCH IN THE GEAR SELECTOR.
Brakes
ON VEHICLES WITH AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION AND ANTI-LOCK BRAKING SYSTEM (ABS) THE THROTTLE/KICK-DOWN CABLE AND GEAR SELECTOR WIRE MAY COME LOOSE AND RUB AGAINST ANY OF THE THREE STEEL BRAKE LINES CONNECTED TO THE VALVE BLOCK OF THE ABS SYSTEM HYDRAULIC BRAKE UNIT. CHAFING DAMAGE COULD RESULT IN LOSS OF BRAKE FLUID AND PARTIAL LOSS OF BRAKING FORCE WITH A SUBSEQUENT INCREASE IN STOPPING DISTANCE. CORRECTION: ROUTING OF THE THROTTLE/KICK-DOWN CABLE WILL BE CHANGED AND A NEW ATTACHMENT BRACKET WILL BE INSTALLED. BRAKE LINES AND VALVE BLOCK WILL BE INSPECTED FOR CHAFING AND CHAFED BRAKE LINES WILL BE REPLACED.
Engine
On certain Saab 9000S and 9000 turbo 16 vehicles, the ball chain between the cruise control vacuum regulator and the gas pedal arm may get caught in the upper end of the gas pedal arm. This may impede the full return of the gas pedal to the fully closed throttle position. (this defect cannot cause unintended acceleration). Correction: A plastic cover will be installed over the end of the gas pedal arm.
Engine
On certain Saab 9000S and 9000 turbo 16, the ball chain between the cruise control vacuum regulator and the accelerator pedal arm may get caught on the vacuum regulator attachment clip. This could prevent the throttle from returning to a fully closed position when the accelerator pedal is released. Correction: A plastic cap will be installed over the vacuum regulator clip.
Recalls cover specific build ranges, so check your own vehicle by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls or, in Canada, Transport Canada.
Reports where the owner recorded a crash, a fire, an injury or a death.
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
THE VEHICLE QUICKLY ENGULF IN FLAMES, THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED EA95-0920A. TT
NHTSA complaint #977667 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEATS
DRIVERS SEAT STARTED TO BURN. RESULTING IN OCCUPANTS CLOTHES CATCHING ON FIRE. ALSO ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRE. EXPLAIN IN MORE DETAIL. TT
NHTSA complaint #971833 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FRONT UNDERHOOD
DRIVERS SEAT STARTED TO BURN. RESULTING IN OCCUPANTS CLOTHES CATCHING ON FIRE. ALSO ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRE. EXPLAIN IN MORE DETAIL. TT
NHTSA complaint #971833 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
In the owners' own words, exactly as filed with NHTSA.
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
VEHICLE EXPERIENCING ONGOING PROBLEM WITH BRAKE FAILURE. PROVIDE FURTHER DETAILS.
NHTSA complaint #858984 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
THE VEHICLE QUICKLY ENGULF IN FLAMES, THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED EA95-0920A. TT
NHTSA complaint #977667 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEATS
DRIVERS SEAT STARTED TO BURN. RESULTING IN OCCUPANTS CLOTHES CATCHING ON FIRE. ALSO ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRE. EXPLAIN IN MORE DETAIL. TT
NHTSA complaint #971833 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FRONT UNDERHOOD
DRIVERS SEAT STARTED TO BURN. RESULTING IN OCCUPANTS CLOTHES CATCHING ON FIRE. ALSO ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRE. EXPLAIN IN MORE DETAIL. TT
NHTSA complaint #971833 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:RECLINER
DRIVERS SEAT BACK IS ADJUSTABLE. ON TWO OCCASIONS BACK COLLAPSED WITH NO WARNING. PLEASE DESCRIBE DETAILS. TT
NHTSA complaint #971686 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
THE ABS SYSTEM FAILED, AND PRIOR TO THAT THE ABS LIGHT COMES ON AND THE BRAKES MAKE NOISE WHEN APPLIED, DEALER CAN FIND NOTHING WRONG. TT
NHTSA complaint #967784 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY
FUEL LINE LEAK UNDER VENT OF FUEL TANK AND NEAR CENTER OF UNDER CARRIAGE. *SKD
NHTSA complaint #486246 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
SPEED CONTROL REGULATOR FAILED. *SKD
NHTSA complaint #489492 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
TIMING BELT CHAIN FAILED.
NHTSA complaint #489492 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL:RADIO/TAPE DECK/CD ETC.
POWER ANTENNA FAILED.
NHTSA complaint #489492 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
ANTI-LOCK BRAKES FAIL INTERMITTENTLY. *SKD
NHTSA complaint #481265 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
INTERIOR LIGHTING
LIGHTS FREQUENTLY GO OUT ON DASH AND DASH MAKES CRACKLING NOISE, ALSO TOXIC ODOR COMING FROM DASH AREA.
NHTSA complaint #481265 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
FUEL SYSTEM SHORTS OUT.
NHTSA complaint #481265 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:INTERIOR/UNDER DASH
CONSUMER WAS DRIVING AND SMOKE CAME FROM THE DASH BOARD. TT
NHTSA complaint #962030 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:INTERIOR/UNDER DASH
UPON RETURNING TO PARKED CAR OWNER SMELLED SMOKE AND VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE. POINT OF ORIGIN CONSOLE AREA BEHIND HEATING CONTROL/DASHBOARD ELEMENT. TT
NHTSA complaint #960756 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
VISIBILITY:POWER WINDOW DEVICES AND CONTROLS
POWER WINDOWS CEASE TO OPERATE INTERMITTENTLY, NOW QUITTING ALTOGETHER. TT
NHTSA complaint #960814 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FUSES AND CIRCUIT BREAKERS
FUSE BOX BECOMES EXTREMELY HOT. TT
NHTSA complaint #960223 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.