U.S. public vehicle records

2008 Saab 9-7X: complaints, problems and recalls

Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.

Key facts

22 owner complaints analyzed

1 distinct recall campaigns

72,246 mi median reported failure mileage

Scope: 2008 model year. Data snapshot: 2026-09-12 (September 12, 2026). 17 complaints include usable failure mileage.

Owner-reported patterns

Most common problems

Exterior Lighting is the most frequently named component, appearing in 8 of 22 complaints (36.4%). A complaint can name multiple components.

Recurring terms in complaint narratives
Topic	Matching reports	Share of complaints
Electrical and battery issues	3	13.6%
Steering behavior	2	9.1%
Braking behavior	1	4.5%

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.

Exterior Lighting

Electrical System

Engine

Air Bags

Electronic Stability Control (Esc)

Steering

Equipment

Exterior Lighting:Headlights

Exterior Lighting: 8; Electrical System: 6; Engine: 4; Air Bags: 2; Electronic Stability Control (Esc): 2; Steering: 2; Equipment: 1; Exterior Lighting:Headlights: 1

Reported problems by failure mileage

Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.

Under 25,000

25,000 to 49,999

50,000 to 74,999

75,000 to 99,999

100,000 to 149,999

150,000 and above

Under 25,000: 1; 25,000 to 49,999: 0; 50,000 to 74,999: 9; 75,000 to 99,999: 3; 100,000 to 149,999: 3; 150,000 and above: 1

50,000 to 74,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (9). 5 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.

2009

2010

2014

2015

2016

2017

2019

2020

2009: 1; 2010: 1; 2014: 6; 2015: 2; 2016: 9; 2017: 1; 2019: 1; 2020: 1

Pattern summary

Exterior Lighting leads the component reports. Electrical and battery issues appears in 3 complaint narratives. Steering behavior appears in 2 complaint narratives. Braking behavior appears in 1 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.

Examples from the source records

Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.

Owner report 10280784 · 2009-08-18 (August 18, 2009)

MY FRONT WINDSHIELD HAS CRACKED DUE TO STRESS AND TEMPERATURE. THE AUTOMAKER IS TRYING TO CLAIM THAT THE BREAK IS DUE TO STONE IMPACT. THIS IS NOT TRUE. THE VEHICLE WAS SITTING IN A PARKING LOT FOR TWO WEEKS AND IT WAS VERY HOT. WHEN I WENT TO THE VEHICLE IT WAS CRACKED. ALSO WHEN A STONE IMPACTS THE WINDSHIELD IT WILL LEAVE A SPIDER FRACTURE AND THERE IS NOT SPIDER FRACTURE ON THIS VEHICLE. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 14,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10280784 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10321971 · 2010-04-09 (April 9, 2010)

2008 SAAB 9-7X 5.3I. CONSUMER EXPRESSES COMPLAINT AGAINST ANDERSON AUTOMOTIVE GROUP AND SAAB AUTOMOBILE USA. *TGW CONSUMER SENT IN DUPLICATE LETTER 3/25/2010. *KB CONSUMER SENT ADDITIONAL LETTER. *TGW THE STEERING WHEEL ROTATION SENSOR WAS REPLACED. *JB UPDATED 04/14/10.*JB UPDATED 04/30/10 THE CONSUMER THE ON-STAR SYSTEM HAS BEEN INOPERATIVE SINCE DECEMBER 3, 2009. THE CONSUMER WAS TOLD THE MODULE WAS DEFECTIVE. THE CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER TO HAVE IT REPAIRED. AFTER THE REPAIRS, THE CONSUMER WAS TOLD TO WAIT 24 HOURS AND…

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10321971 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10559397 · 2014-01-10 (January 10, 2014)

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 SAAB 9-7X. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE THE DRIVERS WINDOW WAS OPEN, HE ATTEMPTED TO CLOSE THE WINDOW BUT IT BECAME STUCK. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION AND THEY STATED THAT THE DOOR SWITCH NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 72,000.

Owner-reported narrative. 72,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10559397 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10607071 · 2014-06-30 (June 30, 2014)

WAS DRIVING DOWN SIDE STREET, REACHED FOR SOMETHING IN PASSENGER SEAT, DREW MY HAND BACK MAKING VERY GENTLE CONTACT WITH IGNITION KEY IN CENTER CONSOLE AND CAR SHUT OFF. I HARDLY TOUCHED THE KEY. THIS SECOND TIME IN EARLY JUNE, THOUGH I HIT IT WITH MY CUP (ICE TEA FROM MCDONALDS). THEN THIS WEEKEND IT HAPPENED AGAIN. IT IS VERY EASY TO BUMP IT WITH YOUR ARM AND HAVE IT SHUT OFF. I CALLED GMC AND THEY INFORMED ME THAT THEY WOULDN'T FIX IT, EVEN THOUGH TO ME IT SEEMS LIKE THE SAME ISSUE AS WITH THEIR OTHER CARS THAT ARE BEING RECAL…

Owner-reported narrative. 70,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10607071 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10626495 · 2014-08-19 (August 19, 2014)

POWER STEERING LINES UNDER THE CLAMP THAT BOLTS TO THE DRIVERS SIDE STRUT TOWER HAVE RUSTED THROUGH DUE TO MOISTURE AND VIBRATION CAUSING A LOSS IN FLUID DAMAGING THE PUMP. AFTER DOING A SEARCH I FOUND NUMEROUS POSTS ABOUT THIS SAME ISSUE ON THE TRAILBLAZER, ENVOY AND SAAB. POOR DESIGN AND LACK OF QUALITY CAUSED THE FAILURE. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 54,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10626495 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10648672 · 2014-10-19 (October 19, 2014)

I WAS TRYING TO SHUT DOWN MY CAR AND EVEN THOUGH MY CAR WAS IN PARK, I COULDN'T GET MY KEY OUT OF THE IGNITION. WHEN I WAS FINALLY ABLE TO, AFTER A FEW TIMES, THE BATTERY LIGHT STAYED ON. IT TOOK MULTIPLE ATTEMPTS UNTIL I COULD FINALLY SHUT OFF MY CAR WITH THE CAR BATTERY NOT BEING DRAINED. ADDITIONALLY, AND I DON'T KNOW WHEN THIS STARTED, BOTH OF THE BACK DOORS NO LONGER WILL OPEN FROM THE INSIDE AND THE SUV BACK WON'T OPEN FROM THE OUTSIDE. THE AC BLOWERS WILL BLOW COLD INTERMITTENTLY. THERE IS PLENTY OF COOLANT. NO DEALER WILL LOOK AT IT BEC…

Owner-reported narrative. 100,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10648672 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10653671 · 2014-11-09 (November 9, 2014)

THIS MODEL HAS FAULTY/SUBSTANDARD DESIGN. I HAVE HAD TO REPLACE RUSTED OUT TRUNK LATCH TWICE, DRIVERS SIDE WINDOW FAILS TO CLOSE AFTER SEVERAL REPAIRS, WINDSHIELD HAS CRACKED 3 TIMES, ( NEVER HAVE I PREVIOUSLY HAD A CRACK IN A WINDSHIELD) , HEADLIGHTS CONTINUE TO SHORT OUT AND HAVE BEEN REPLACED SEVERAL TIMES, AMONG MANY OTHER ISSUES. HAVE NO FAITH THAT THIS CAR HAS SAFE AIRBAGS. ? *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 50,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10653671 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10662391 · 2014-12-05 (December 5, 2014)

WHILE OPERATING MY VEHICLE AT APPROX. 70 MPH ON AN INTERSTATE, MY PASSENGER BUMPED THE IGNITION KEY, LOCATED BETWEEN THE GEAR SHIFTER AND CENTER CONSOLE. MY VEHICLE SHUT OFF WHILE TRAVELING DOWN THE HWY, AND IT HAPPENED OTHER TIMES, TOO. I'VE HAD THE SAME PROBLEMS WITH THE DRIVER SIDE DOOR MODULE, WHICH HAS COMPLETELY STOPPED WORKING. IT HAS ALWAYS HAD PROBLEMS AFTER GETTING ONLY SLIGHTLY WET. I'VE HAD PROBLEMS WITH FRONT PASSENGER WINDOW, POSSIBLY CAUSED BY THE SAME PROBLEM, AND EVERY DOOR IS LIKELY AFFECTED. SINCE THE DRIVER SIDE IS USED MO…

Owner-reported narrative. 50,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10662391 at NHTSA ↗

Recall history

1 distinct campaigns affect this selection. Announcement dates below are different from vehicle model years. A campaign may cover multiple years.

15V519000 · Exterior Lighting:Headlights

Reported: 2015-08-14 (August 14, 2015)

General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2007 Pontiac Grand Prix, 2006-2009 Buick LaCrosse, 2006-2007 Buick Rainier, Chevrolet Trailblazer, GMC Envoy, 2006 Chevrolet Trailblazer EXT, GMC Envoy XL, 2006-2008 Isuzu Ascender, and Saab 9-7x vehicles. In the affected vehicles, the headlamp driver module (HDM) may overheat and fail, causing the headlamps and daytime running lights to not illuminate.

Consequence: Headlamps that do not illuminate reduce the driver's ability to see the roadway and reduce the vehicle's visibility to oncoming vehicles, both of which increase the risk of a vehicle crash.

Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the HDM, free of charge. The recall began on May 17, 2016. Owners may contact Buick customer service at 1-800-521-7300 or Pontiac customer service at 1-800-762-2737. GM's number for this recall is 14291.

NHTSA campaign record ↗