Total Complaints
24 filings
SAAB 9000 · model year
1989 SAAB 9000
24 NHTSA complaints, 2 crash reports for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1989SAAB9000 carries 24 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 2 crashes, 3 fires, 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 1989 9000 is power train:automatic transmission with 3 filings, followed by electrical system:starter assembly (3) and service brakes, hydraulic:antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip (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 1989 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.
24
Complaints
2
Crashes
3
Fires
1
Injuries
0
Deaths
Crashes Reported
2 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:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION | 3 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:STARTER ASSEMBLY | 3 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP | 2 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FUSES AND CIRCUIT BREAKERS | 1 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION | 1 |
| EXTERIOR LIGHTING:TAIL LIGHTS | 1 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 1 |
| FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE | 1 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE | 1 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:12V/24V/48V BATTERY | 1 |
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:CABLES | 1 |
| STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR | 1 |
| EXTERIOR LIGHTING:BACK UP LIGHTS:SWITCH | 1 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE | 1 |
| AIR BAGS:FRONTAL | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20000623SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
SAAB CUSTOMER ASSIST CTR DECLINED ALL FORM OF ASSISTANCE. NO SAFETY DEFECT LISTED IN THE SUMMARY. *AK
20000623PARKING BRAKE:CONVENTIONAL
SAAB CUSTOMER ASSIST CTR DECLINED ALL FORM OF ASSISTANCE. NO SAFETY DEFECT LISTED IN THE SUMMARY. *AK
20000623ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM
SAAB CUSTOMER ASSIST CTR DECLINED ALL FORM OF ASSISTANCE. NO SAFETY DEFECT LISTED IN THE SUMMARY. *AK
20000623POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
SAAB CUSTOMER ASSIST CTR DECLINED ALL FORM OF ASSISTANCE. NO SAFETY DEFECT LISTED IN THE SUMMARY. *AK
19990729CrashVEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:LINKAGES
WHILE PULLING OUT OF A PARKING SPACE, AS SOON AS THE CAR WAS PUT IN DRIVE, THE VEHICLE TOOK OFF. THE VEHICLE HIT OTHER CARS. DEALER HAS NOT SEEN VEHICLE. *AK
19980910ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM:FAN
COOLING FAN RELAY BURNED OUT MELTING THE RELAY FUSE BOX LOCATED UNDER THE HOOD.
19980209AIR BAGS:FRONTAL
ACCORDING TO MANUFACTURERS STANDARD EQUIPMENT, DRIVER SIDE AIG BAG SHOULD HAVE BEEN INSTALLED, HOWEVER IT'S NOT.
19970805CrashELECTRICAL SYSTEM:STARTER ASSEMBLY
VEHICLE SHUTS DOWN WITHOUT WARNING AND CAN SOMETIME BE RESTARTED WITH A BATTERY BOOST.
19960722ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:12V/24V/48V BATTERY
VEHICLE STALLING DUE TO BATTERY DISTRIBUTOR BLOCK. *SD
19960722VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:CABLES
THROTTLE CABLE REPAIRED PRIOR TO RECALL. *SD
19960722ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:STARTER ASSEMBLY
STARTER WILL NOT START WHEN VEHICLE IS HOT. *SD
19960722POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
TRANSMISSION FAILED 3 TIMES. *SD
19960722STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR
NOISE WHEN OPENING LEFT FRONT DOOR. *SD
19960722EXTERIOR LIGHTING:BACK UP LIGHTS:SWITCH
BACK UP LIGHT SWITCH OVERHEATED/REPAIRED PRIOR TO RECALL.
19960722ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
LEFT SIDE OF MOTOR MOUNT REPLACED DUE TO NOISE. *SD
19960617ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:STARTER ASSEMBLY
VEHICLE ENGINE OVERHEATS AND THE STARTER WILL NOT START. *AK
19951206FireENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
SAW SMOKE, POPPED HOOD ENGINE WAS ON FIRE. PLEASE GIVE MORE DETAILS. TT
19950725FireFUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
THE VEHICLE BURNED AND WAS TOTALLED. TT
19950718ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
THE ELECTRICAL INSTALLATION CAUSED THE IGNITION TO ALMOST GO OUT. PLEASE DESCRIBE. TT
19950609FireEXTERIOR LIGHTING:TAIL LIGHTS
AFTER DRIVEN/PARKED 30 MINS., VEHICLE BEGAN TO SMOKE AND FIRE STARTED IN AREA OF TAIL LIGHTS. PLEASE DESCRIBE DETAILS. TT
Compare 1989SAAB9000 to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 1989 SAAB 9000 have?▼
The 1989 SAAB 9000 has 24 NHTSA complaints, 2 crashes, 3 fires, 1 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1989 SAAB 9000?▼
The most-complained component for the 1989 SAAB 9000 is POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION with 3 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:STARTER ASSEMBLY and SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP.
Is the 1989 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.