2000 Saab 9-5 problems and owner complaints
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
102 owner complaints analyzed
3 distinct recall campaigns
78,000 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2000 model year. Data snapshot: . 84 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Electrical System:Ignition:Module is the most frequently named component, appearing in 41 of 102 complaints (40.2%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Engine operation | 22 | 21.6% |
| Braking behavior | 17 | 16.7% |
| Electrical and battery issues | 17 | 16.7% |
| Fuel system concerns | 7 | 6.9% |
| Steering behavior | 4 | 3.9% |
| Transmission and shifting | 1 | 1.0% |
Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.
Component breakdown
Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Electrical System:Ignition:Module | 41 |
| Electrical System | 10 |
| Electrical System:Ignition | 10 |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip:Control Unit/Module | 7 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Exhaust System:Emission Control:Catalytic Convertor | 4 |
| Fuel System, Gasoline:Delivery:Hoses, Lines/Piping, And Fittings | 4 |
| Visibility:Defroster/Defogger/Hvac System | 4 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling | 3 |
Electrical System:Ignition:Module: 41; Electrical System: 10; Electrical System:Ignition: 10; Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip:Control Unit/Module: 7; Engine And Engine Cooling:Exhaust System:Emission Control:Catalytic Convertor: 4; Fuel System, Gasoline:Delivery:Hoses, Lines/Piping, And Fittings: 4; Visibility:Defroster/Defogger/Hvac System: 4; Engine And Engine Cooling: 3
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 2 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 8 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 26 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 29 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 17 |
| 150,000 and above | 2 |
Under 25,000: 2; 25,000 to 49,999: 8; 50,000 to 74,999: 26; 75,000 to 99,999: 29; 100,000 to 149,999: 17; 150,000 and above: 2
75,000 to 99,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (29). 18 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.
Complaints over time
Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 2000 | 1 |
| 2002 | 2 |
| 2003 | 2 |
| 2004 | 9 |
| 2005 | 15 |
| 2006 | 29 |
| 2007 | 26 |
| 2008 | 5 |
| 2009 | 5 |
| 2010 | 4 |
| 2011 | 3 |
| 2016 | 1 |
2000: 1; 2002: 2; 2003: 2; 2004: 9; 2005: 15; 2006: 29; 2007: 26; 2008: 5; 2009: 5; 2010: 4; 2011: 3; 2016: 1
Pattern summary
Electrical System:Ignition:Module leads the component reports. Engine operation appears in 22 complaint narratives. Braking behavior appears in 17 complaint narratives. Electrical and battery issues appears in 17 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.
Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.
Complaint evidence
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
Owner report 10052795 · 2004-01-10 (January 10, 2004)
2000 SAAB 9-5 SEDAN SUDDENLY STALLED OUT AT 60 MPH AS 2 TRACKER TRAILERS NEARLY COLLIDED INTO MY VEHICLE. NO SHOULDERS ON THIS HIGHWAY LEAVING MY FAMILY IN A HORRIBLY DANGEROUS PLACE. VERMONT STATE POLICE RESPONDED TO PROVIDE PROTECTION. THE CASSETTE WHICH HOUSES THE IGNITION FAILED. BOTH THE DEALER AND OTHER OWNERS HAVE EXPRESSED THAT THIS OCCURS AL THE TIME WITH SAABS AND THERE IS NO WAY TO PREVENT THESE CARS FROM STALLING AT ANY TIME!*AK
Owner-reported narrative. 38,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10052795 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10089074 · 2004-09-03 (September 3, 2004)
DIRECT IGNITION CASSETTE (DIC) FAILURE 2000 SAAB 9-5 AERO THE DIC ON MY 2000 SAAB 9-5 AERO FAILED AT 65MPH CAUSING ENGINE FAILURE AND SUBSEQUENT LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL. NO RESTART. VIEWED OWNER FEEDBACK AT WWW.SAABNET.COM AND REALISED DIC FAILURE RATE ON 9-5 MODEL (ALL YEARS) SEEMS EXTREMELY HIGH. OWNERS HAVE COMMENTED THAT SAAB RECOGNIZES THE DEFECT AND IN SOME CASES PROVIDES SPARE DIC'S BUT HAS DECLINED TO RECALL. SAAB REFUSED TO COMMENT, TO ME, ON THE FAILURE RATE OR DEFECT TREND FOR THIS DIC. THE DIC FAILS WITHOUT WARNING CAUSING EN…
Owner-reported narrative. 36,300 miles reported. Look up ODI 10089074 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10064569 · 2004-04-05 (April 5, 2004)
ON TWO OCCASIONS, THERE HAS BEEN A TOTAL LOST OF POWER TO THE CAR. THE FIRST TIME ON A SIDE STREET GOING ABOUT 25 OR 30. AFTER HAVING THE CAR LOOKED AT A SAAB DEALERSHIP, I WAS TOLD NOTHING WAS WRONG WITH THE CAR AND SENT ON MY WAY. OVER THIS PAST WEEKEND WHILE DRIVING ON I-95 AT ABOUT 70 MPH IT HAPPENED AGAIN WHILE I WAS IN THE MIDDLE LANE. NO STEERING, NO BRAKES, NO NOTHING. EVERY PERSON I HAVE TALKED TO WHO HAS OWNED A SAAB (MODEL AND YEAR DIFFERENCE DO NOT SEEM TO MATTER) HAS EXPERIENCED THIS PROBLEM. THE MECHANICS ARE NOW SAYING THA…
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10064569 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10116148 · 2005-03-31 (March 31, 2005)
EMERGENCY BRAKE CABLE. IT SEEMS THE ROUTING OF THE CABLE CAUSES WEAR AND HAS ALLOWED WATER TO ENTER THE CABLE AND FREEZE, RENDERING THE E. BRAKE NON FUNCTIONAL DURING THE WINTER MONTHS. AS THE VEHICLE HAS HAD THE ISSUE SINCE IT HAD APP 62,000 MILES I HAVE TRIED TO GET SAAB TO CORRECT A SIT IS A SAFTEY ITEM, BUT TO NO AVAIL.
Owner-reported narrative. 62,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10116148 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10109061 · 2005-01-07 (January 7, 2005)
ENGINE AND ELECTRICAL SYSTEM. (THE HOOD BURNED) *SC ACCORDING TO THE REPORT, THE FIRE WAS A RESULT IN THE POWER STEERING SYSTEM WHICH ALLOWED FLUID TO LEAK ON THE EXHAUST WHICH CAUSED THE FIRE. *JB
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10109061 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10150470 · 2006-02-16 (February 16, 2006)
WHEN EXITING THE INTERSTATE, THE CAR SUDDENLY LOST POWER AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. THERE WAS THEN A SMELL LIKE AN OVERLOADED OR BURNING ELECTRICAL OR ELECTRONIC PART. WE DROVE TO THE FIRST SAFE PLACE TO STOP THE CAR, CHECKED UNDER THE HOOD AND FOUND NO FIRE BUT THE SMELL WAS VERY STRONG. WE CALLED THE NEAREST SAAB DEALER AND HAD THEM MAKE ARRANGEMENTS TO TOW THE CAR IN. AFTER CHECKING THE CAR, THEY FOUND THAT THE IGNITION MODULE HAD BURNED-OUT WHICH IN TURN ALLOWED RAW GAS IN THE EXHAUST TO DAMAGE THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER. THERE IS AN …
Owner-reported narrative. 67,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10150470 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10170159 · 2006-10-02 (October 2, 2006)
CONSUMER SAAB AERO 9-5 CLIP HOLD THE GAS TANK BROKE, SPILLING GASOLINE ALL OVER THE CAR, THE ROAD AND EXHAUST LINES. *TS ***NAR*** A CLIP THAT WAS HOLDING THE GAS HOSE IN PLACE BROKE, WHICH REQUIRED THE REPLACEMENT OF THE ENTIRE FUEL PUMP. *JB
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10170159 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10175862 · 2006-12-11 (December 11, 2006)
I WAS TRAVELING NORTH ON ROUTE 93 NORTH OF BOSTON IN RUSH HOUR. SOMEONE STARTED FLASHING LIGHTS AND HONKING AT ME. I PULLED OVER (FORTUNATELY 150 FEET BEFORE THE BREAKDOWN LANE IS USED AS A TRAVEL LANE) AND SMELLED GAS. THE HIGH-PRESSURE FUEL LINE HAD POPPED OFF THE FUEL TANK UNDER THE ACCESS PLATE UNDER THE REAR SEAT. I CLEANED UP THE MESS AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE, PUSHED THE FUEL LINE BACK IN, LET IT SIT FOR 15 MINUTES AND THEN PROCEEDED HOME. THE WHITE RETAINING CLIP IS NOT BROKEN. I DON'T KNOW HOW THE FUEL LINE CAME OUT, BUT THIS IS NOW…
Owner-reported narrative. 70,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10175862 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10057922 · 2004-02-11 (February 11, 2004)
INTERMITTENTLY, WHILE DRIVING AT 50 MPH POWER STEERING WHEEL LOCKED. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER, WHO INSPECTED VEHICLE FOUR TIMES, BUT COULD NOT DUPLICATE OR RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. *AK
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10057922 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10194231 · 2007-06-26 (June 26, 2007)
WATER PUMP FAILURE, TRANSMISSION MOUNT FAILURE MAY HAVE ATTRIBUTED TO ECM MODULE FAILURE, TURBO SEAL FAILURE, CATALYTIC CONVERTER FAILURE. CAR DIED AND HAD TO TOWED OFF A HIGHWAY. *AK
Owner-reported narrative. 83,320 miles reported. Look up ODI 10194231 at NHTSA ↗