Total Complaints
17 filings
SAAB 9000 · model year
1988 SAAB 9000
17 NHTSA complaints for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1988SAAB9000 carries 17 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 0 crashes, 3 fires, 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 1988 9000 is service brakes, hydraulic:antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip with 3 filings, followed by electrical system:wiring:interior/under dash (2) and fuel system, gasoline (2). 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 9000. 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.
17
Complaints
0
Crashes
3
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 |
|---|---|
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP | 3 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:INTERIOR/UNDER DASH | 2 |
| FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE | 2 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FUSES AND CIRCUIT BREAKERS | 1 |
| VISIBILITY:POWER WINDOW DEVICES AND CONTROLS | 1 |
| INTERIOR LIGHTING | 1 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE | 1 |
| EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL:RADIO/TAPE DECK/CD ETC. | 1 |
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL | 1 |
| FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY | 1 |
| SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:RECLINER | 1 |
| SEATS | 1 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FRONT UNDERHOOD | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20000322SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
VEHICLE EXPERIENCING ONGOING PROBLEM WITH BRAKE FAILURE. PROVIDE FURTHER DETAILS. *AK
19960117FireFUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
THE VEHICLE QUICKLY ENGULF IN FLAMES, THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED EA95-0920A. TT
19950911FireSEATS
DRIVERS SEAT STARTED TO BURN. RESULTING IN OCCUPANTS CLOTHES CATCHING ON FIRE. ALSO ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRE. EXPLAIN IN MORE DETAIL. TT
19950911FireELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FRONT UNDERHOOD
DRIVERS SEAT STARTED TO BURN. RESULTING IN OCCUPANTS CLOTHES CATCHING ON FIRE. ALSO ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRE. EXPLAIN IN MORE DETAIL. TT
19950907SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:RECLINER
DRIVERS SEAT BACK IS ADJUSTABLE. ON TWO OCCASIONS BACK COLLAPSED WITH NO WARNING. PLEASE DESCRIBE DETAILS. TT
19950627SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
THE ABS SYSTEM FAILED, AND PRIOR TO THAT THE ABS LIGHT COMES ON AND THE BRAKES MAKE NOISE WHEN APPLIED, DEALER CAN FIND NOTHING WRONG. TT
19950615FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY
FUEL LINE LEAK UNDER VENT OF FUEL TANK AND NEAR CENTER OF UNDER CARRIAGE. *SKD
19950608ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
TIMING BELT CHAIN FAILED.
19950608EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL:RADIO/TAPE DECK/CD ETC.
POWER ANTENNA FAILED.
19950608VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
SPEED CONTROL REGULATOR FAILED. *SKD
19950323SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
ANTI-LOCK BRAKES FAIL INTERMITTENTLY. *SKD
19950323FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
FUEL SYSTEM SHORTS OUT.
19950323INTERIOR LIGHTING
LIGHTS FREQUENTLY GO OUT ON DASH AND DASH MAKES CRACKLING NOISE, ALSO TOXIC ODOR COMING FROM DASH AREA.
19950314ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:INTERIOR/UNDER DASH
CONSUMER WAS DRIVING AND SMOKE CAME FROM THE DASH BOARD. TT
19950228ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:INTERIOR/UNDER DASH
UPON RETURNING TO PARKED CAR OWNER SMELLED SMOKE AND VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE. POINT OF ORIGIN CONSOLE AREA BEHIND HEATING CONTROL/DASHBOARD ELEMENT. TT
19950227VISIBILITY:POWER WINDOW DEVICES AND CONTROLS
POWER WINDOWS CEASE TO OPERATE INTERMITTENTLY, NOW QUITTING ALTOGETHER. TT
19950221ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FUSES AND CIRCUIT BREAKERS
FUSE BOX BECOMES EXTREMELY HOT. TT
Compare 1988SAAB9000 to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 1988 SAAB 9000 have?▼
The 1988 SAAB 9000 has 17 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 3 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1988 SAAB 9000?▼
The most-complained component for the 1988 SAAB 9000 is SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP with 3 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:INTERIOR/UNDER DASH and FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE.
Is the 1988 SAAB 9000 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.