1998 Saab 900 Recalls, Complaints & Specs
3 safety recalls list the 1998 Saab 900, and owners have filed 24 complaints with NHTSA. Check your own VIN below.
3 safety recalls for the 1998 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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Air bags: frontal
Vehicle description: passenger vehicles. Static electricity can build up within the passenger-side air bag module and create enough of a charge to cause an inadvertent air bag deployment. Most of these inadvertent deployments have occurred in cooler, dry weather, and have generally included dusting or wiping of the dashboard, starting…
Remedy: Dealers will install a front passenger-side air bag module grounding strap. Owner notification began september 24, 2001. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not…
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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.
24 owner complaints filed with NHTSA
Owners of the 1998 Saab 900 have filed 24 complaints with NHTSA. Reports cite 6 injuries and 0 deaths. The average mileage at failure in those reports is 109,153 miles. Complaints peaked in 1998 with 3 filed that year.
Most-reported components
What owners are reporting
“Car started and driven approx 50 yards and then came to traffic light and stopped. Driver noticed that the SRS light on the display panel was illuminated at stop light. Passenger AIRBAG deployed befor”
Owner complaint to NHTSA, July 30, 2017 · Air bags
“Warm engine was restarted and car driven to intersection roughly 50 yards away. At stop light, SRS light became illuminated and then passenger side AIRBAG deployed while car still stopped. Car then tu”
Owner complaint to NHTSA, July 30, 2017 · Air bags
Fuel economy and specs
EPA ratings for the 1998 Saab 900 (900S, 900S Convertible, 900SE, 900SE Convertible). Ranges cover every tested configuration.
| Combined | 19–22 mpg |
|---|---|
| City / Highway | 17–20 / 23–26 |
| Fuel | Regular |
| EPA class | Midsize Cars, Subcompact Cars |
| Engine | 4 cyl, 2/2.3 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 1998 Saab 900
How do I know if my 1998 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 1998 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 01V222000).
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.