1996 Saab 900 Recalls, Complaints & Specs
3 safety recalls list the 1996 Saab 900, and owners have filed 48 complaints with NHTSA. Check your own VIN below.
3 safety recalls for the 1996 Saab 900
Most recent first. Recall repairs are free at any authorised dealer. Click a recall for the full defect, consequence and remedy text.
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Headlights (exterior lighting)
Vehicle description: passenger vehicles. The instructions for properly aiming the headlighting system were omitted. This does not meet the requirements of FMVSS no. 108, "lamps, reflective devices, and associated equipment."
Remedy: Owners will be sent aiming instructions, and directions for affixing these inserts to the owner guides. If an owner so desires, a dealer can affix the inserts in their owner guide for them.
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Vehicle speed control
Corrosion around the zinc-coated throttle control lever bushing can cause the throttle lever to bind.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the zinc-coated throttle control lever bushing with a nickel-coated bushing and bolt.
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Anchorage (seat belts)
During static testing of belt anchorage points, the outboard attachment plate being used in the testing deformed and detached from the seat anchorage. This does not comply with FMVSS no. 209, "seat belt assemblies" and no. 210, "seat belt assembly anchorages."
Remedy: Dealers will inspect the safety belt assemblies for the date of manufacture. Any assembly with date year 96 week 10 day 2 will be replaced.
48 owner complaints filed with NHTSA
Owners of the 1996 Saab 900 have filed 48 complaints with NHTSA; 3 describe a fire. The average mileage at failure in those reports is 88,310 miles. Complaints peaked in 1997 with 10 filed that year.
Most-reported components
What owners are reporting
“Passenger airbag deployed for no reason while driving car, no warning lights on dashboard, no impact, no precipitating event occured”
Owner complaint to NHTSA, February 2, 2024 · Air bags
“Driving smoothly at 50 MPH in 1996 saab 900 se turbo, 99k miles. Engine RPM suddenly but smoothly drops to zero and stopped in a very unsafe place on the highway. Car would not re-start. Absolutely no”
Owner complaint to NHTSA, November 4, 2005 · Electrical system
Fuel economy and specs
EPA ratings for the 1996 Saab 900 (900 Convertible). Ranges cover every tested configuration.
| Combined | 18–21 mpg |
|---|---|
| City / Highway | 15–18 / 23–26 |
| Fuel | Regular |
| EPA class | Midsize Cars, Subcompact Cars |
| Engine | 4/6 cyl, 2/2.3/2.5 L |
| Transmission | Automatic 4-spd; Manual 5-spd |
Compare Saab 900 model years
Recall and complaint counts for every Saab 900 model year in NHTSA's database.
| Model year | Recalls | Complaints |
|---|---|---|
| 1979 Saab 900 | 4 | 2 |
| 1980 Saab 900 | 2 | 0 |
| 1981 Saab 900 | 2 | 1 |
| 1982 Saab 900 | 1 | 1 |
| 1983 Saab 900 | 1 | 2 |
| 1984 Saab 900 | 1 | 2 |
| 1985 Saab 900 | 1 | 5 |
| 1986 Saab 900 | 2 | 9 |
| 1987 Saab 900 | 2 | 4 |
| 1988 Saab 900 | 2 | 13 |
| 1989 Saab 900 | 2 | 22 |
| 1990 Saab 900 | 0 | 19 |
| 1991 Saab 900 | 0 | 13 |
| 1992 Saab 900 | 0 | 21 |
| 1993 Saab 900 | 0 | 6 |
| 1994 Saab 900 | 8 | 44 |
| 1995 Saab 900 | 7 | 100 |
| 1996 Saab 900 | 3 | 48 |
| 1997 Saab 900 | 3 | 21 |
| 1998 Saab 900 | 3 | 24 |
| 1999 Saab 900 | 0 | 2 |
| 2000 Saab 900 | 0 | 1 |
Checking a specific 1996 Saab 900
How do I know if my 1996 Saab 900 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. 3 campaigns currently list the 1996 Saab 900; 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 96V077000).
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
- 9-5506 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.