The Saab 9-5 has 9 NHTSA recall campaigns on record covering 1999–2009. On average a defect was admitted 3.62 years after the car was built, the slowest took 10 years. The most recalled system is Air Bags (2 campaigns). Owners also filed 430 complaints on this model — see what breaks.
What was recalled on the Saab 9-5
Grouped by system. Open any row for the campaigns themselves — what failed, what it risks and how the dealer fixes it, straight from the NHTSA filing.
Air Bags 2 Read
What's wrong. General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2006-2011 Saab 9-3 vehicles manufactured May 31, 2002, to February 15, 2011, 2006-2009 Saab 9-5 vehicles manufactured June 7, 2005, to May 28, 2009, and 2008-2009 Saturn Astra vehicles manufactured April 11, 2007, to July 24, 2008. Upon deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, excessive internal pressure may cause the inflator to rupture
Risk. In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, the inflator could rupture with metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death
Fix. GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver's frontal air bag inflator on Saab 9-3 and 9-5 vehicles and will replace the driver's frontal airbag module on Saturn Astra vehicles, free of charge. The recall began on March 1, 2017. Owners may contact Saab customer service at 1-800-955-9007 or Saturn…
What's wrong. General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2006-2011 Saab 9-3 vehicles manufactured May 31, 2002, to February 15, 2011, 2006-2009 Saab 9-5 vehicles manufactured June 7, 2005, to May 28, 2009, and 2008-2009 Saturn Astra vehicles manufactured April 11, 2007, to July 24, 2008. Upon deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, excessive internal pressure may cause the inflator to rupture
Risk. In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, the inflator could rupture with metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death
Fix. GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver's frontal air bag inflator on Saab 9-3 and 9-5 vehicles and will replace the driver's frontal airbag module on Saturn Astra vehicles, free of charge. The recall began on March 1, 2017. Owners may contact Saab customer service at 1-800-955-9007 or Saturn…
What's wrong. General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2006-2011 Saab 9-3 vehicles manufactured May 31, 2002, to February 15, 2011, 2006-2009 Saab 9-5 vehicles manufactured June 7, 2005, to May 28, 2009, and 2008-2009 Saturn Astra vehicles manufactured April 11, 2007, to July 24, 2008. Upon deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, excessive internal pressure may cause the inflator to rupture
Risk. In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, the inflator could rupture with metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death
Fix. GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver's frontal air bag inflator on Saab 9-3 and 9-5 vehicles and will replace the driver's frontal airbag module on Saturn Astra vehicles, free of charge. The recall began on March 1, 2017. Owners may contact Saab customer service at 1-800-955-9007 or Saturn…
Electrical System 2 Read
What's wrong. Certain passenger vehicles equipped with b308 6-cylinder gasoline engines may experience overheating and burnout of the isolated gated bipolar transistor (igbt) within the ignition discharge module (idm) due to increased susceptibility to electrical loads
Risk. Overheating of the igbt occurs most often at engine start-up, but it may also occur while the engine is running. Engine stalling may occur, which could result in a crash
Fix. Dealers will inspect to see what version idm is in the vehicle and replace the idm if it is a version built prior to january 2003. The recall is expected to begin during december 2005. Owners may contact saab at 1-800-955-9007. Note: this recall is an expansion of a previous campaign (please see 05V399)
What's wrong. Certain passenger vehicles equipped with b205/b235 4-cylinder gasoline engines and b308 6-cylinder gasoline engines may experience overheating and burnout of the isolated gated bipolar transistor (igbt) within the ignition discharge module (idm) due to increased susceptibility to electrical loads
Risk. Overheating of the igbt occurs most often at engine start-up, but it may also occur while the engine is running. Engine stalling may occur, which could result in a crash
Fix. Dealers will inspect to see what version idm is in the vehicle and replace the idm if it is a version built prior to the introduction of qp3. An interim letter will be mailed to owners in october 2005, informing them of the condition. Parts are now available and owners will be notified to bring their vehicles in to…
What's wrong. Certain passenger vehicles equipped with b308 6-cylinder gasoline engines may experience overheating and burnout of the isolated gated bipolar transistor (igbt) within the ignition discharge module (idm) due to increased susceptibility to electrical loads
Risk. Overheating of the igbt occurs most often at engine start-up, but it may also occur while the engine is running. Engine stalling may occur, which could result in a crash
Fix. Dealers will inspect to see what version idm is in the vehicle and replace the idm if it is a version built prior to january 2003. The recall is expected to begin during december 2005. Owners may contact saab at 1-800-955-9007. Note: this recall is an expansion of a previous campaign (please see 05V399)
Seats 1 Read
What's wrong. Saab is recalling 57,389 my 2002-2008 9-5 series vehicles for failing to comply with the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 201, "occupant protection in interior impact." during compliance testing, one of the upper interior occupant protection test points exceeded the standard's requirements
Risk. In the event of a vehicle crash, personal injury to occupants may occur
Fix. Dealers will install a-pillar trim with improved energy-absorbing capability free of charge. The recall began on november 25, 2008. Owners may contact saab at 1-800-955-9007
What's wrong. Saab is recalling 57,389 my 2002-2008 9-5 series vehicles for failing to comply with the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 201, "occupant protection in interior impact." during compliance testing, one of the upper interior occupant protection test points exceeded the standard's requirements
Risk. In the event of a vehicle crash, personal injury to occupants may occur
Fix. Dealers will install a-pillar trim with improved energy-absorbing capability free of charge. The recall began on november 25, 2008. Owners may contact saab at 1-800-955-9007
What's wrong. Saab is recalling 57,389 my 2002-2008 9-5 series vehicles for failing to comply with the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 201, "occupant protection in interior impact." during compliance testing, one of the upper interior occupant protection test points exceeded the standard's requirements
Risk. In the event of a vehicle crash, personal injury to occupants may occur
Fix. Dealers will install a-pillar trim with improved energy-absorbing capability free of charge. The recall began on november 25, 2008. Owners may contact saab at 1-800-955-9007
Fuel System, Gasoline 1 Read
What's wrong. On certain passenger vehicles, the fuel pump retaining tabs holding the fuel lines were damaged during production
Risk. Over time, this could cause the fuel lines to loosen from the pump resulting in fuel leakage. If an ignition source were present, the fuel may ignite resulting in a vehicle fire
Fix. Dealers will develop a securing bracket that will secure the fuel lines to the fuel pump even if the plastic retaining tabs should break. The recall began on june 13, 2007. This is an expansion of previous recall campaigns - see 04V557 and 06V126. Owners may contact saab at 1-800-955-9007
What's wrong. On certain passenger vehicles, the fuel pump retaining tabs holding the fuel lines were damaged during production
Risk. Over time, this could cause the fuel lines to loosen from the pump resulting in fuel leakage. If an ignition source were present, the fuel may ignite resulting in a vehicle fire
Fix. Dealers will develop a securing bracket that will secure the fuel lines to the fuel pump even if the plastic retaining tabs should break. The recall began on june 13, 2007. This is an expansion of previous recall campaigns - see 04V557 and 06V126. Owners may contact saab at 1-800-955-9007
What's wrong. On certain passenger vehicles, the fuel pump retaining tabs holding the fuel lines were damaged during production
Risk. Over time, this could cause the fuel lines to loosen from the pump resulting in fuel leakage. If an ignition source were present, the fuel may ignite resulting in a vehicle fire
Fix. Dealers will develop a securing bracket that will secure the fuel lines to the fuel pump even if the plastic retaining tabs should break. The recall began on june 13, 2007. This is an expansion of previous recall campaigns - see 04V557 and 06V126. Owners may contact saab at 1-800-955-9007
Wheels 1 Read
What's wrong. On certain passenger vehicles, if an owner changes their wheels/tires between summer and winter using a steel wheel in the winter and an alloy wheel in the summer, it is possible for rust and contamination to build up on the wheel hub during the steel wheel usage. If this occurs and the contamination is not removed, it is possible that after the tire change service, some of this contamination could flake or grind away resulting in reduced clamping force of the wheel to the hub. Over several seasons, it is possible that this reduced force could result in fractures developing in the wheel bolts due to wheel to hub movement
Risk. These fractures would result in wheel bolt breakage, allowing the wheel to detach from the wheel hub, increasing the risk of a crash
Fix. Owners will be contacted by mail and asked whether they change between steel and alloy wheels. If they do engage in this practice, they will be instructed to bring their cars to an authorized dealer. The dealer will remove the wheels, clean any contamination from the wheel and wheel hub, and replace the wheels using…
What's wrong. On certain passenger vehicles, if an owner changes their wheels/tires between summer and winter using a steel wheel in the winter and an alloy wheel in the summer, it is possible for rust and contamination to build up on the wheel hub during the steel wheel usage. If this occurs and the contamination is not removed, it is possible that after the tire change service, some of this contamination could flake or grind away resulting in reduced clamping force of the wheel to the hub. Over several seasons, it is possible that this reduced force could result in fractures developing in the wheel bolts due to wheel to hub movement
Risk. These fractures would result in wheel bolt breakage, allowing the wheel to detach from the wheel hub, increasing the risk of a crash
Fix. Owners will be contacted by mail and asked whether they change between steel and alloy wheels. If they do engage in this practice, they will be instructed to bring their cars to an authorized dealer. The dealer will remove the wheels, clean any contamination from the wheel and wheel hub, and replace the wheels using…
What's wrong. On certain passenger vehicles, if an owner changes their wheels/tires between summer and winter using a steel wheel in the winter and an alloy wheel in the summer, it is possible for rust and contamination to build up on the wheel hub during the steel wheel usage. If this occurs and the contamination is not removed, it is possible that after the tire change service, some of this contamination could flake or grind away resulting in reduced clamping force of the wheel to the hub. Over several seasons, it is possible that this reduced force could result in fractures developing in the wheel bolts due to wheel to hub movement
Risk. These fractures would result in wheel bolt breakage, allowing the wheel to detach from the wheel hub, increasing the risk of a crash
Fix. Owners will be contacted by mail and asked whether they change between steel and alloy wheels. If they do engage in this practice, they will be instructed to bring their cars to an authorized dealer. The dealer will remove the wheels, clean any contamination from the wheel and wheel hub, and replace the wheels using…
Steering 1 Read
What's wrong. The steering knuckle castings on certain passenger vehicles may have been contaminated during the casting process
Risk. These knuckles can break, resulting in possible loss of steering control
Fix. Dealers will inspect the steering knuckle for the casting number. If the knuckle was in the defective batch, the steering knuckle will be replaced. Owner notification is expected to begin during january 2002. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the…
Equipment 1 Read
What's wrong. Vehicle description: passenger vehicles. The air bag alert label on the driver side visor was omitted. This does not conform to the requirements of fmvss no. 208, "occupant crash protection."
Risk. The vehicle occupant may not properly understand the operation of the air bag system and the need to use seat belts
Fix. Owners will be provided with an alert label to be installed on the visible side of the driver's sun visor. If an owner so desires, their dealer can install the label for them
How long a defect stays unadmitted
Campaign numbers encode the year of the announcement, so each recall on this model can be dated against the car it applies to.
| Measure | Value |
|---|---|
| Average gap before admission | 3.62 years |
| Slowest campaign | 10 years |
| Admitted 5+ years later | 31% |
| Campaigns on record | 9 |
Which 9-5 years were recalled most
Campaigns per model year. A year with more campaigns is not automatically worse — it may simply have sold in far greater numbers.
| Model year | Campaigns | Most recalled system |
|---|---|---|
| 2009 | Air Bags | |
| 2008 | Seats | |
| 2007 | Seats | |
| 2006 | Seats | |
| 2005 | Fuel System, Gasoline | |
| 2004 | Fuel System, Gasoline | |
| 2003 | Wheels | |
| 2002 | Steering | |
| 2001 | Air Bags | |
| 2000 | Air Bags | |
| 1999 | Wheels |
Check your own car
A campaign applies to a range of production, not to every car of the model. The only way to know whether yours is affected — and whether the repair was already done — is by VIN.
| Step | What you get |
|---|---|
| Enter the VIN above | Open campaigns for that exact vehicle, straight from NHTSA |
| Check the repair status | Whether the free fix has already been carried out on this car |
| Book at any franchised dealer | Recall work is free regardless of age, mileage or owner |
Go deeper
A campaign covers a production range. Yours is one car.
- Check whether this exact VIN is affected — and whether the fix was done
- Alerts if a new campaign lands on a car in your garage
- Full research report as a PDF you can hand to a mechanic
- Decode a whole list of VINs at once
- No ads, on every page
- No ads, no tracking — and much more
Frequently asked questions
How many recalls does the Saab 9-5 have?
9 NHTSA campaigns on record, covering 1999–2009. Not every campaign applies to every car — coverage is by production range, so check your VIN.
Is recall work free?
Yes. Safety recall repairs are free at any franchised dealer regardless of the car's age, mileage or how many owners it has had. That is a federal requirement, not a courtesy.
How do I know if my 9-5 still has an open recall?
Enter its VIN above. We show campaigns that apply to that exact vehicle and whether the repair has already been recorded as done.
Why did a defect take years to be recalled?
On this model the average gap between the car being built and the defect being admitted is 3.62 years, and the slowest campaign came 10 years later. Defects usually surface as they accumulate in the field: complaints pile up, an investigation opens, and only then is a campaign issued.