Total Complaints
5 filings
SAAB 900 · model year
1985 SAAB 900
5 NHTSA complaints for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1985SAAB900 carries 5 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 0 crashes, 1 fire, 0 injuries, and 0 fatalities. No NCAP 5-star crash-test rating is available for this model year in the federal database.
Component-level analysis is where model-year complaints become actionable: the top complaint category for the 1985 900 is electrical system:wiring with 1 filings, followed by power train:automatic transmission (1) and electrical system:wiring:interior/under dash (1). Concentration in one or two component groups is the classic signature of a systemic defect; a flat distribution usually reflects normal aging, warranty complaints, or isolated build-plant variability.
NHTSA currently has 9 investigation files overlapping the 1985 900. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should pair the counters above with the complaint-by-year trend on the parent model page — a spike in a single year often tracks to a platform refresh, a new transmission supplier, or an updated ECU calibration. Use the related-complaint feed below to read raw owner narratives before deciding whether any pattern here affects your specific use case.
5
Complaints
0
Crashes
1
Fires
0
Injuries
0
Deaths
Crashes Reported
0 reports
Source
NHTSA ODI
Federal complaints database
Complaints vs. fleet median (215)
At or below the fleet median complaint volume.
Complaints by Component
| Component | Count |
|---|---|
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING | 1 |
| POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION | 1 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:INTERIOR/UNDER DASH | 1 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FRONT UNDERHOOD | 1 |
| SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM:LOWER ARM | 1 |
Recent Complaints
19990125SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM:LOWER ARM
WHILE REVERSING OUT OF DRIVEWAY, LEFT LOWER CONTROL ARM BROKE IN HALF, CAUSING THE WHEEL TO FALL INTO THE WELL AND THE VEHICLE TO BE STUCK.
19980618ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FRONT UNDERHOOD
WHILE TRAVELING AT 40 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED AND LOST ALL POWER. TECHNICIAN INDICATED THAT PLASTIC COVERING THE WIRING HARNESS WAS DETERIORATING AND CAUSED THE PROBLEM.
19980610ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:INTERIOR/UNDER DASH
OWNER CONCERNED OF YEAR 2000 EMBEDDED MICROCHIP FAILURES.
19961220POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
WHILE SHFTING IN AND OUT OF GEARS TRANSMISSION MAKES A LOT OF NOISE, USED CAR DEALER IS AVOIDING THE CONSUMER. *AK
19950214FireELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING
HEARD A POP INTERIOR FULL OF SMOKE. RESULTING IN ELECTRICAL FIRE. TT
Compare 1985SAAB900 to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 1985 SAAB 900 have?▼
The 1985 SAAB 900 has 5 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 1 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1985 SAAB 900?▼
The most-complained component for the 1985 SAAB 900 is ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING with 1 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION and ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:INTERIOR/UNDER DASH.
Is the 1985 SAAB 900 safe to buy?▼
Review the complaint history, crash and fire reports, safety ratings, and recall status on this page to make an informed decision. No NHTSA crash test rating is available for this model year. Compare with other model years using the links above.
Where does this data come from?▼
All complaint, recall, and safety rating data is sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Complaints are filed by vehicle owners through NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation.
Vehicle Safety Guides
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.
Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.