Vehicle make

SAAB

3,665 NHTSA complaints and 33 safety recalls across 12 models, every figure pulled straight from federal records.

Complaints
3,665
Recalls
33
Models
12

How does SAAB compare?

SAABTOYOTAAll makes

Complaints per model(lower is better)Beats TOYOTA
SAAB305
TOYOTA1,382
All makes500
Recalls per model(lower is better)Beats TOYOTA
SAAB2.8
TOYOTA3.7
All makes3.4

SAAB models by complaint volume

Top nameplates, all model-years combined

complaints

What this shows Within SAAB's lineup, the 9-3 carries the most NHTSA complaints. High-volume nameplates accumulate more filings simply because more of them are on the road, drill into a model for its per-year and per-component breakdown.

Source NHTSA consumer complaint database As of 2026

SAAB is registered with NHTSA as a vehicle manufacturer and carries 3,665 consumer safety complaints across 12 nameplates in the Office of Defects Investigation public database. The brand has been the subject of 33 safety recalls and is currently tied to 9 active or historical federal investigations. Every one of those figures is pulled directly from NHTSA's published datasets, not from owner forums, manufacturer marketing, or third-party reliability surveys, so the numbers you see reflect the same data federal regulators use when they decide whether to escalate a preliminary evaluation into an engineering analysis or a formal defect order.

Model-level volume varies widely inside any automaker's portfolio: best-sellers accumulate complaints simply because more vehicles are on the road, while limited-run trims and discontinued nameplates often carry disproportionately high complaint rates per unit sold. Inside SAAB's lineup, the single highest complaint count sits with the 9-3 (1,686 filings, model years 1994–2011), followed by 9-5 and 900. Use the table below to compare nameplate-by-nameplate counts, then drill into a specific model to see which components dominate and which model years concentrate the crash, fire, and fatality reports.

No open NHTSA investigations are currently tracked against SAAB in this dataset, meaning the Office of Defects Investigation is not, at this moment, reviewing a specific defect allegation for the brand. Recall status, by contrast, is backward-looking: it tells you what the manufacturer has already been compelled to remedy, not what they are being asked to remedy next. Together, complaints, investigations, and recalls form the three-layer early-warning system federal safety regulators have relied on since the National Traffic and Motor Vehicle Safety Act of 1966.

Which SAAB models get the most complaints?

ModelComplaints
9-31,686
9-5662
900549
9-7X237
9000196
9-2X148
9-3 CONVERTIBLE78
9562
AERO18
SAAB13
95212
9-4X4

NHTSA Investigations

Frequently Asked Questions

How many complaints has SAAB received?
SAAB has received 3,665 NHTSA complaints across 12 models and 33 safety recalls.
Is SAAB reliable?
SAAB has 3,665 total NHTSA complaints across all models. Compare complaint counts per model and model year to identify which SAAB vehicles have the fewest reported issues.
How do I check for SAAB recalls?
Browse SAAB models on PlainCars to see recall history by model and year, or visit NHTSA.gov and enter your VIN for official recall status. All recall data on PlainCars comes directly from NHTSA.
Where does SAAB complaint data come from?
All complaint and recall data is sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) Office of Defects Investigation. Complaints are filed by vehicle owners and NHTSA publishes them publicly.
What do SAAB complaints cover?
NHTSA complaints include consumer-reported issues with brakes, engines, airbags, steering, electrical systems, and other safety-related components. Each complaint may note crashes, fires, injuries, or deaths associated with the defect.

Vehicle Safety Guides

Top SAAB Models

Data as of 2025. Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) complaints database, NHTSA recall campaign API, NHTSA NCAP crash-test ratings, and NHTSA FARS for fatality cross-reference.