Total Complaints
2 filings
SAAB SAAB · model year
1999 SAAB SAAB
2 NHTSA complaints for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1999SAABSAAB carries 2 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 0 crashes, 0 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 1999 SAAB is visibility:defroster/defogger/hvac system with 1 filings, followed by electrical system:ignition (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 1999 SAAB. 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.
2
Complaints
0
Crashes
0
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 |
|---|---|
| VISIBILITY:DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER/HVAC SYSTEM | 1 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20050908ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION
THIS IS A RESPONSE RELATING NHTSA ACTION NUMBER : PE05017 LOTS OF THESE THINGS ARE FAILING. FRIENDS AT A DEALER TELL ME ONE A DAY WAS BEING TOWED IN. I HAVE SEEN A PILE OF AT LEAST 100 BAD ONES AT A DEALER. I HAVE SOME FAILED UNITS IN MY POSSESSION. THERE IS EVEN A COTTAGE INDUSTRY SELLING THEM ON EBAY. I HAVE SUPPLIERS WHO HAVE SOLD 100 UNITS IN ONE DAY. THIS PROBLEM EXISTS ON ALL 4CYL SAABS SOLD FROM 1999 UNTIL 2002 OR SO. *JB
20011016VISIBILITY:DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER/HVAC SYSTEM
DEFROSTER CONTROL ORIGINALLY MALFUNCTIONED IN APRIL 99 AND WAS RETURNED THREE ADDITIONAL TIMES TO BE REPAIRED UNDER WARRANTY (LAST TIME AT 62256 MILES. AT 87,000 THE CAR DID NOT HAVE DEFROST CAPABILITY AND THEY FINALLY REPLACED THE HEATER/DISTRIBUTION BOX WITH COST TO ME OF $603. I BELIEVE THIS IS A MANUFACTURER'S DEFECT OF SAFETY EQUIPMENT THAT I SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN RESPONSIBLE FOR PAYING. *AK
Compare 1999SAABSAAB to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 1999 SAAB SAAB have?▼
The 1999 SAAB SAAB has 2 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1999 SAAB SAAB?▼
The most-complained component for the 1999 SAAB SAAB is VISIBILITY:DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER/HVAC SYSTEM with 1 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION.
Is the 1999 SAAB SAAB 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.