Total Complaints
18 filings
SAAB 900 · model year
1988 SAAB 900
18 NHTSA complaints, 1 crash report for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1988SAAB900 carries 18 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 1 crash, 1 fire, 1 injury, 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 1988 900 is power train with 2 filings, followed by parking brake:conventional:mechanical:linkage and cable (2) and visibility:defroster/defogger/hvac system:fan/motor (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 1988 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.
18
Complaints
1
Crashes
1
Fires
1
Injuries
0
Deaths
Crashes Reported
1 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 |
|---|---|
| POWER TRAIN | 2 |
| PARKING BRAKE:CONVENTIONAL:MECHANICAL:LINKAGE AND CABLE | 2 |
| VISIBILITY:DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER/HVAC SYSTEM:FAN/MOTOR | 1 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION | 1 |
| POWER TRAIN:DRIVELINE:DIFFERENTIAL UNIT | 1 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:ROTOR | 1 |
| STEERING:LINKAGES:ARM:IDLER AND ATTACHMENT | 1 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM:FAN | 1 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM:RADIATOR ASSEMBLY | 1 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE | 1 |
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL | 1 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING | 1 |
| SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR | 1 |
| SEAT BELTS | 1 |
| SEATS | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20010110SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM
FRONT LEFT CONTROL ARM BROKE PULLING OUT OF DRIVEWAY CAUSING LOSS OF STEERING CONTROL, WHEEL TO FALL OFF AND CAUSING DAMAGE TO SHOCK, WHEEL BEARING AND C.V. JOINT. *AK
20001109SEATS
DRIVER'S SEAT ANCHORING BRACKET WHICH ATTACHES TO SEAT BASE BROKE AWAY FROM THE ATTACHMENT BOLT. ODOMETER BECAME INOPERABLE AND THIS SEEMS TO BE THE CASE ON MOST PRE-1990 MODELS AS STATED BY MECHANIC WHO SPECIALIZES IN SAAB REPAIRS. MECHANIC STATES THAT THIS ISSUE INVOLVES THE GEARING MECHANISM WITHIN THE ODOMETER.
20001109POWER TRAIN
DRIVER'S SEAT ANCHORING BRACKET WHICH ATTACHES TO SEAT BASE BROKE AWAY FROM THE ATTACHMENT BOLT. ODOMETER BECAME INOPERABLE AND THIS SEEMS TO BE THE CASE ON MOST PRE-1990 MODELS AS STATED BY MECHANIC WHO SPECIALIZES IN SAAB REPAIRS. MECHANIC STATES THAT THIS ISSUE INVOLVES THE GEARING MECHANISM WITHIN THE ODOMETER.
19990706SEAT BELTS
MOTORIZED SEAT BELTS ARE DEFECTIVE. SOMETIMES THEY DON'T ENGAGE, SOMETIMES THEY DON'T RELEASE. THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE, AND I FEEL THE MANUFACTURER SHOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE REPAIRS. *AK.
19990217SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR
THE LAP AND SHOULDER BELTS DON'T RETRACT. DEALER HAS A FIX. *AK
19980303ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING
HEAT SHIELD THAT PROTECTED THE WIRES ROT OUT, REPLACE HEAT SHIELD.
19970807PARKING BRAKE:CONVENTIONAL:MECHANICAL:LINKAGE AND CABLE
PARKING BRAKE STICK/FREEZE WHEN OUTSIDE TEMPERATURE IS FREEZING. *AK
19961114CrashVEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
SUDDEN ACCELERATION, CAUSING ACCIDENT/INJURY.
19961018FireENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
ENGINE MOTOR MOUNTS BROKE, CAUSING A FIRE, IN FOR REPAIRS TWICE. *AK
19961015POWER TRAIN:DRIVELINE:DIFFERENTIAL UNIT
PREMATURE WEAR OF RING & PINION GEAR; ALSO, PREMATURE WEAR OF FRONT BRAKE ROTORS; CRUISE CONTROL FAILURE, CAUSING VEHICLE TO SURGE AND COOLING FAN/THERMOSTAT FAILURE. *AK
19961015SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:ROTOR
PREMATURE WEAR OF RING & PINION GEAR; ALSO, PREMATURE WEAR OF FRONT BRAKE ROTORS; CRUISE CONTROL FAILURE, CAUSING VEHICLE TO SURGE AND COOLING FAN/THERMOSTAT FAILURE. *AK
19961015STEERING:LINKAGES:ARM:IDLER AND ATTACHMENT
PREMATURE WEAR OF RING & PINION GEAR; ALSO, PREMATURE WEAR OF FRONT BRAKE ROTORS; CRUISE CONTROL FAILURE, CAUSING VEHICLE TO SURGE AND COOLING FAN/THERMOSTAT FAILURE. *AK
19961015ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM:FAN
PREMATURE WEAR OF RING & PINION GEAR; ALSO, PREMATURE WEAR OF FRONT BRAKE ROTORS; CRUISE CONTROL FAILURE, CAUSING VEHICLE TO SURGE AND COOLING FAN/THERMOSTAT FAILURE. *AK
19961015ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM:RADIATOR ASSEMBLY
PREMATURE WEAR OF RING & PINION GEAR; ALSO, PREMATURE WEAR OF FRONT BRAKE ROTORS; CRUISE CONTROL FAILURE, CAUSING VEHICLE TO SURGE AND COOLING FAN/THERMOSTAT FAILURE. *AK
19960131PARKING BRAKE:CONVENTIONAL:MECHANICAL:LINKAGE AND CABLE
IN THE WINTER TIME THE EMERGENCY BRAKE CABLE FREEZES UP . TT
19950615ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION
INTERMITTENT STALLING, ALSO VEHICLE WON'T START. *SKD
19950517POWER TRAIN
SPEEDOMETER KEEPS BREAKING; REPLACED SIX TIMES WITHIN 6 YEARS; DOES NOT GIVE ACCURATE READINGS; UNSAFE DRIVING. TT
19950420VISIBILITY:DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER/HVAC SYSTEM:FAN/MOTOR
LOCATION OF DEFROSTER VENTS PREVENT WINDSHIELD FROM DEFROSTING ENTIRELY. *SKD
Compare 1988SAAB900 to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 1988 SAAB 900 have?▼
The 1988 SAAB 900 has 18 NHTSA complaints, 1 crashes, 1 fires, 1 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1988 SAAB 900?▼
The most-complained component for the 1988 SAAB 900 is POWER TRAIN with 2 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include PARKING BRAKE:CONVENTIONAL:MECHANICAL:LINKAGE AND CABLE and VISIBILITY:DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER/HVAC SYSTEM:FAN/MOTOR.
Is the 1988 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.