2006 Saab 9-5 Recalls, Complaints & Specs

2 safety recalls list the 2006 Saab 9-5, and owners have filed 23 complaints with NHTSA. Check your own VIN below.

safety recalls

owner complaints to NHTSA

20–22

MPG combined (EPA)

2 safety recalls for the 2006 Saab 9-5

Most recent first. Recall repairs are free at any authorised dealer. Click a recall for the full defect, consequence and remedy text.

Inflator module (air bags)

NHTSA 16V063000 Reported February 3, 2016 113,716 vehicles potentially affected General Motors LLC

General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2006-2011 Saab 9-3 vehicles manufactured May 31, 2002, to February 15, 2011, 2006-2009 Saab 9-5 vehicles manufactured June 7, 2005, to May 28, 2009, and 2008-2009 Saturn Astra vehicles manufactured April 11, 2007, to July 24, 2008. Upon deployment of the driver's frontal air bag,…

Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver's frontal air bag inflator on Saab 9-3 and 9-5 vehicles and will replace the driver's frontal airbag module on Saturn Astra vehicles, free of charge. The…
Head restraint (seats)

NHTSA 08V160000 Reported April 9, 2008 57,389 vehicles potentially affected SAAB CARS USA, INC.

Saab is recalling 57,389 my 2002-2008 9-5 series vehicles for failing to comply with the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 201, "occupant protection in interior impact." during compliance testing, one of the upper interior occupant protection test points exceeded the standard's requirements.

Remedy: Dealers will install a-pillar trim with improved energy-absorbing capability free of charge. The recall began on november 25, 2008. Owners may contact saab at 1-800-955-9007.

23 owner complaints filed with NHTSA

Owners of the 2006 Saab 9-5 have filed 23 complaints with NHTSA. The average mileage at failure in those reports is 77,017 miles. Complaints peaked in 2017 with 6 filed that year.

Most-reported components

Air bags13
Electrical system2
Engine2
Exterior lighting2
Engine and engine cooling1
Engine and engine cooling: engine1
Equipment: radio/tape deck/cd etc.1
Power train1

What owners are reporting

“Takata recall.i no longer have this vehicle,it was actually my daughters car but i was the co signer for her loan.this vehicle was traded in at van horn in fon du lac ,wi at least a year and a half ag”
Owner complaint to NHTSA, July 25, 2019 · Air bags

“2006 saab. Consumer writes in regards to driver AIRBAG inflator safety recall. *ld *js”
Owner complaint to NHTSA, May 22, 2018 · Air bags

Fuel economy and specs

EPA ratings for the 2006 Saab 9-5 (9-5 SportCombi). Ranges cover every tested configuration.

Combined	20–22 mpg
City / Highway	16–18 / 26–27
Fuel	Premium
EPA class	Midsize Cars, Midsize Station Wagons
Engine	4 cyl, 2.3 L
Transmission	Automatic (S5); Manual 5-spd

Compare Saab 9-5 model years

Recall and complaint counts for every Saab 9-5 model year in NHTSA's database.

Model year	Recalls	Complaints
1998 Saab 9-5	0	1
1999 Saab 9-5	2	118
2000 Saab 9-5	3	102
2001 Saab 9-5	4	82
2002 Saab 9-5	6	53
2003 Saab 9-5	4	47
2004 Saab 9-5	2	19
2005 Saab 9-5	2	11
2006 Saab 9-5	2	23
2007 Saab 9-5	2	17
2008 Saab 9-5	2	20
2009 Saab 9-5	1	2
2010 Saab 9-5	0	2
2011 Saab 9-5	0	9

Checking a specific 2006 Saab 9-5

How do I know if my 2006 Saab 9-5 has an open recall?

Enter your 17-character VIN above. The VIN is on the driver's side dashboard (visible through the windshield), the driver's door jamb sticker, and your registration or insurance card. The check runs against NHTSA's live database and tells you which campaigns list your vehicle. 2 campaigns currently list the 2006 Saab 9-5; your car may already have been repaired under some of them.

Is the recall repair free?

Yes. Under federal law, manufacturers must fix safety recalls at no charge for vehicles up to 15 years old from the date of sale to the first owner. Contact any authorised Saab dealer with your VIN and the NHTSA campaign number (for example 08V160000).

What is the difference between a recall and a complaint?

A recall is a safety campaign filed by the manufacturer or ordered by NHTSA, with a defined defect and remedy. A complaint is a report an owner sent to NHTSA; it is not verified, but patterns of complaints are what trigger NHTSA investigations and, eventually, recalls.

Other Saab models

9-31,346 complaints
900360 complaints
9-7X171 complaints
9000136 complaints
9-2X121 complaints
9-3 Convertible61 complaints
9551 complaints
Aero15 complaints

Source: NHTSA recall and complaint databases and EPA fuel economy data, October 2026. Complaint counts are owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects. Recall counts are safety campaigns that list this model year; whether a particular car was already repaired depends on its VIN. How this data is compiled.