2003 Saab 9-5 recalls and problems

The 2003 Saab 9-5 has 4 recalls and 47 owner complaints on file with NHTSA; the most reported problem area is electrical system.

How the 2003 compares

High

Fewest complaintsMost complaints

High complaint count among 12 9-5 model years — 4th most.

4recalls

47complaints

1crashes

0fires

3injuries

73,000median miles

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, not verified and not adjusted for sales. Ranking compares this model's own years only.

Does your car have an open recall?
Recalls apply to specific vehicles. Only a VIN lookup on NHTSA's official site shows whether yours is affected and still unrepaired.

Check your VIN →

4 recalls

Seats

Apr 9, 2008 · NHTSA campaign 08V160000 · 57,389 vehicles

Problem: 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.

Original NHTSA wording

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.

Original NHTSA wording

IN THE EVENT OF A VEHICLE CRASH, PERSONAL INJURY TO OCCUPANTS MAY OCCUR.

Remedy & notes

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.

Saab recall no. 15204/E080101.customers May contact the national highway traffic safety administration's vehicle safety hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (tty: 1-800-424-9153); or go to http://www.safercar.gov.

Fuel System

Mar 7, 2007 · NHTSA campaign 07V087000 · 94,377 vehicles

Problem: On certain passenger vehicles, the fuel pump retaining tabs holding the fuel lines were damaged during production.

Original NHTSA wording

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.

Original NHTSA wording

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.

Remedy & notes

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.

Saab recall no. 07052 (15018, 06033). Customers May also contact the national highway traffic safety administration's vehicle safety hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (tty 1-800-424-9153), or go to http://www.safercar.gov.

Electrical System

Oct 26, 2006 · NHTSA campaign 06V410000 · 5,078 vehicles

Problem: 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.

Original NHTSA wording

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.

Original NHTSA wording

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.

Remedy & notes

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).

Saab recall no. 05087/15021B. Customers May also contact the national highway traffic safety administration's vehicle safety hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (tty 1-800-424-9153), or go to http://www.safercar.gov.

Wheels

Jan 13, 2003 · NHTSA campaign 03V006000 · 70,726 vehicles

Problem: 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.

Original NHTSA wording

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.

Original NHTSA wording

THESE FRACTURES WOULD RESULT IN WHEEL BOLT BREAKAGE, ALLOWING THE WHEEL TO DETACH FROM THE WHEEL HUB, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.

Remedy & notes

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 new improved bolts with attached washers. Owner notification began March 31, 2003. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact Saab at 1-800-955-9007.

Saab recall no. 15013. Customers can also contact the national highway traffic safety administration's auto safety hotline at 1-888-DASH-2-DOT (1-888-327-4236).

Recall text as published by NHTSA and the manufacturer.

What owners complain about

Unknown or other2

Vehicle Speed Control2

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA; one complaint can name several areas. Not verified by NHTSA.

Complaints by year filed

2003 vs. other Saab 9-5 years

Owner complaints by model year; the darker bar is the 2003. Click a bar to switch year.

Questions

Does the 2003 Saab 9-5 have recalls?

Yes — NHTSA lists 4 recall campaigns covering the 2003 Saab 9-5, the latest from Apr 9, 2008 (seats). A recall applies to specific vehicles: enter your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see whether yours is affected and still open.

What are the most common problems with the 2003 Saab 9-5?

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA most often mention electrical system (25), engine (9), fuel system (7). Complaints are consumer reports and are not verified by NHTSA.