1997 Saab 900 Recalls, Complaints & Specs
3 safety recalls list the 1997 Saab 900, and owners have filed 21 complaints with NHTSA. Check your own VIN below.
3 safety recalls for the 1997 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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Labels (equipment)
Vehicle description: passenger vehicles. The air bag alert label on the driver side visor was omitted. This does not conform to the requirements of FMVSS no. 208, "occupant crash protection."
Remedy: Owners will be provided with an alert label to be installed on the visible side of the driver's sun visor. If an owner so desires, their dealer can install the label for them.
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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.
21 owner complaints filed with NHTSA
Owners of the 1997 Saab 900 have filed 21 complaints with NHTSA. Reports cite 2 injuries and 0 deaths. The average mileage at failure in those reports is 102,204 miles. Complaints peaked in 1999 with 3 filed that year.
Most-reported components
What owners are reporting
“I went to put my seat belt on and it caught on something and wouldn't let me extract the belt from the retractor. This vehicle registration is not-operative. *tr”
Owner complaint to NHTSA, August 4, 2014 · Seat belts
“Tl* the contact owns a 1997 saab 900. The contact stated that while parking, the air bags deployed haphazardly. The air bag deployment caused the windshield to become cracked and the contact to suffer”
Owner complaint to NHTSA, October 15, 2012 · Air bags
Fuel economy and specs
EPA ratings for the 1997 Saab 900 (900 Convertible). Ranges cover every tested configuration.
| Combined | 19–21 mpg |
|---|---|
| City / Highway | 16–18 / 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 1997 Saab 900
How do I know if my 1997 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 1997 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 97V046000).
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.