Total Complaints
8 filings
SAAB 9000 · model year
1990 SAAB 9000
8 NHTSA complaints for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1990SAAB9000 carries 8 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 0 crashes, 2 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 1990 9000 is service brakes, hydraulic:antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip with 3 filings, followed by electrical system:wiring:front underhood (2) and power train:automatic transmission (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 1990 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.
8
Complaints
0
Crashes
2
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:FRONT UNDERHOOD | 2 |
| POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION | 1 |
| SEAT BELTS:FRONT:ANCHORAGE | 1 |
| POWER TRAIN | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20101021POWER TRAIN
VEHICLE WILL OCCASIONALLY BE HARD TO START, WHEN DOES START IT MISSES UNTIL REVVED TO CLEAR UP. TUNE UPS ARE PERFORMED AT RECOMMENDED MILEAGE. MY CAR IS A 1990, FIRST YEAR FOR SAAB DIRECT IGNITION. REPLACED IGNITION CASSETTE LESS THAN 30,000 MILES AGO, STARTING TO GO OUT AGAIN. DURING MY OWNERSHIP I HAVE REPLACED THE DIRECT IGNITION TWICE, I HAVE OWNED THE CAR APPROX 8 YEARS. I FEEL ALL OWNERS OF VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH THIS PART SHOULD BE REIMBURSED. I USED TO BE SAAB TECH AND THESE MODULES GO OUT WAY TOO OFTEN AND ARE EXPENSIVE TO REPLACE . *TR
Mileage: 230,000
19991011SEAT BELTS:FRONT:ANCHORAGE
NO SUMMARY
19971120SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
THE ABS WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED, INDICATING MALFUNCTION WITHIN THE SYSTEM. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK
19970624SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
WHEN APPLYING THE ABS BRAKES THE BRAKE PEDAL BECOMES HARD AND THE LIGHT COMES ON, BUT IT HAS NOT AFFECTED THE BRAKING OF THE VEHICLE JUST YET. *AK
19970620SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
THE ABS LIGHT CONTINUES TO COME ON, AND THE BRAKE PEDAL GETS REALLY HARD WHEN IT DOES AND THE BRAKES DO OPERATE. *AK
19950814POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
THE TRANSMISSION WAS REPLACED TWO TIMES PURCHASE CAR NEW ONLY CAN DRIVE IN REVERSE . TT
19950801FireELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FRONT UNDERHOOD
CAUGHT ON FIRE IN THE GARAGE FROM UNDER THE HOOD FROM THE WIRING HARNESS. PLEASE DESCRIBE. TT
19950801FireELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FRONT UNDERHOOD
CAUGHT ON FIRE IN THE GARAGE FROM UNDER THE HOOD FROM THE WIRING HARNESS. PLEASE DESCRIBE. TT
Compare 1990SAAB9000 to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 1990 SAAB 9000 have?▼
The 1990 SAAB 9000 has 8 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 2 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1990 SAAB 9000?▼
The most-complained component for the 1990 SAAB 9000 is SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP with 3 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FRONT UNDERHOOD and POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION.
Is the 1990 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.