1996 Saab 900: recalls and complaints

NHTSA lists 3 recall campaigns for the 1996 Saab 900. The newest campaign is 98V038000. NHTSA received the report on 24 Feb 1998. The NHTSA record gives the component Exterior Lighting / Headlights. NHTSA has 47 complaints on file for this model year. 2 NHTSA investigations name this model year.

The NHTSA recall file shows no do-not-drive advisory and no park-outside advisory on these campaigns.

This page cannot show if a recall applies to one vehicle. The NHTSA VIN lookup shows the unrepaired recalls of one vehicle.

Remedy of the newest campaign, 98V038000, in the NHTSA record

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.

NHTSA VIN lookup

Complaint information entered into NHTSA’s Office of Defects Investigation vehicle owner's complaint database is used with other data sources to identify safety issues that warrant investigation and to determine if a safety-related defect trend exists.
NHTSA publishes these words. Source: NHTSA Datasets and APIs, section Complaints, read on 1 Oct 2026. Complaint file through 15 May 2019. Recall file through 29 Sep 2026.

Since the last update

No tracked figure of this page changed in a data update. What the log tracks

All updates to the register

Recall campaigns

3 campaigns, newest first. 146,063 units in total.

98V038000Received 24 Feb 1998. 92,505 units.
Exterior Lighting / Headlights
Defect, in the NHTSA record
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."
Consequence, in the NHTSA record
If the headlamp assemblies are replaced, customers may not be able to properly aim the headlights.
Remedy, in the NHTSA record
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.
Report filed by SAAB CARS USA, INC.. Owner notification date in the NHTSA record: 15 Jun 1998.
97V046000Received 21 Mar 1997. 52,500 units.
Vehicle Speed Control
Defect, in the NHTSA record
Corrosion around the zinc-coated throttle control lever bushing can cause the throttle lever to bind.
Consequence, in the NHTSA record
This binding can result in the throttle plate not returning to the closed position when the throttle pedal is released and a subsequent loss of throttle control.
Remedy, in the NHTSA record
Dealers will replace the zinc-coated throttle control lever bushing with a nickel-coated bushing and bolt.
Report filed by SAAB CARS USA, INC.. Owner notification date in the NHTSA record: 5 May 1997.
96V077000Received 3 May 1996. 1,058 units.
Seat Belts / Front / Anchorage
Defect, in the NHTSA record
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."
Consequence, in the NHTSA record
Consequence of non-compliance: the belt may not latch properly increasing the risk of injury to an occupant should a vehicle crash occur.
Remedy, in the NHTSA record
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.
Report filed by SAAB CARS USA, INC.. Owner notification date in the NHTSA record: 15 May 1996.

The campaign number opens the NHTSA record. Each quotation is the text of the NHTSA recall file.

Recall campaign: One recall in the NHTSA recall file, with one campaign number. A campaign can name many makes, models and model years.

Units: The number of vehicles or products that a recall can include. The manufacturer or the firm reports the number to the agency.

Complaints by component

47 complaints, 77 component mentions.

A complaint can name more than one component. Each component that a complaint names is one component mention. The figure per 1,000 component mentions shows how many of each 1,000 mentions name the component.

1996 Saab 900
All 1996 vehicles

1996 Saab 900: complaints by component, per 1,000 component mentions
Component	1996 900	All 1996 vehicles	900, all years	Mentions
Electrical System	181.8	83.8	146	14
Power Train	168.8	98.2	122.3	13
Engine and Engine Cooling	129.9	141.4	135	10
Fuel System, Gasoline	77.9	51.6	29.2	6
Equipment	77.9	22	36.5	6
Air Bags	51.9	66.6	74.8	4
Exterior Lighting	39	22.9	36.5	3
Vehicle Speed Control	39	41.9	51.1	3
Steering	39	48.9	21.9	3
Structure	39	39.4	40.1	3

The table shows the 10 components with the most mentions, of 18.

Complaints that report a crash: 0
Complaints that report a fire: 3
Injuries in the complaints: 0
Deaths in the complaints: 0
Date of the newest complaint: 4 Nov 2005

These figures are the entries of the persons who sent the complaints.

Complaint: A report about a possible safety problem that a person sends to NHTSA. This site shows the number of complaints and not their text.

Complaints about the 1996 Saab 900, by the year NHTSA received them. The largest year is 1997, with 10 complaints.

Investigations

NHTSA investigations that name the 1996 Saab 900
Number	Type	Subject	Component	Opened	Closed	Campaign
DP00008	Defect petition	DEFECTIVE WATER PUMP PULLEY	Engine and Engine Cooling	25 Sep 2000	19 Nov 2001
SQ98018	Safety query	NEW WHEEL BOLTS	Wheels	9 Oct 1998	27 Oct 1998

Investigation: A study of a possible safety defect by the NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. An investigation with no closing date in the NHTSA file is open.

Other model years

The number under each year is the number of recall campaigns.

19794
19802
19812
19821
19831
19841
19851
19862
19872
19882
19892
19900
19910
19920
19930
19948
19957
19963
19973
19983
19990
20000

A year without a link has fewer than 2 campaigns and fewer than 25 complaints. It has no page.

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Official channels

NHTSA VIN lookupNHTSA shows the unrepaired recalls of one vehicle from its VIN or its license plate.
NHTSA: report a safety problemThe NHTSA form for a complaint about a vehicle, a tire, a child seat or equipment.
NHTSA page of the 1996 Saab 900The recalls, the complaints and the investigations that NHTSA shows for this model year.

Cite this page

Recall Register. 1996 Saab 900: recalls and complaints. https://recallregister.com/vehicle/saab/900/1996/. Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation, recall, complaint and investigation files. Data through 29 Sep 2026.

Sources

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation
Licence: US government work, public domain
Recall file through: 29 Sep 2026
Complaint file through: 15 May 2019
First complaint in the file: 1 Jan 1995
Manufacturer in the recall file: SAAB CARS USA, INC.

The NHTSA record is the authority. A complaint count is the number of different complaint numbers for the make, the model and the model year. How the register is made. Report an error.

Questions

How many units are in the recall campaigns for the 1996 Saab 900?: 146,063 units in 3 campaigns. A campaign can name other models and model years, and its units include them.
How many recall campaigns does the Saab 900 have for all model years?: NHTSA lists 30 recall campaigns for the Saab 900, model years 1979 to 2000. 3 of them name the 1996 model year.
Which component do the complaints about the 1996 Saab 900 name most often?: Electrical System: 14 of 77 component mentions, or 181.8 per 1,000. For all 1996 vehicles the figure is 83.8 per 1,000.
Is an NHTSA investigation of the 1996 Saab 900 open?: No. Each of the 2 investigations that name this model year has a closing date in the NHTSA file.