KnownCarProblems2000 Saab 9-5 Problems and Recalls
Owners filed 119 complaints with NHTSA about the 2000 Saab 9-5, most often about the electrical (48% of complaints, typically around 80,000 miles). It is the most complained-about 9-5 model year since 2000 and has 3 recalls.
Most common 2000 Saab 9-5 problems
Electrical
57 complaints · 48%Half of these problems showed up before 80,000 miles. Parts named most often: ignition, instrument cluster/panel.
: the contact stated while traveling 35 MPH, the vehicle stalled without warning. There was an odor of smoke and the vehicle was pulled over. The vehicle would not restart and was towed to the dealership who determined the ignition discharge module failed and was replaced. There was an NHTSA recall, #05v399000…
Check engine light came on as I was leaving the maintenance shop. Personnel diagnosed it (using tech 2) as a bad direct ignition cassette. Loss of engine performance.
Brakes
16 complaints · 13%Half of these problems showed up before 67,500 miles. Parts named most often: antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip, power assist, antilock, foundation components.
I own a 2000 Saab 9-5 aero sedan. On june 14, 2007, I was driving this car when I experienced total loss of the braking system. This loss occurred completely without warning. The only way to stop the car was by engaging the emergency brake. Subsequent examination by a mechanic determined that the vacuum pump and brake…
Just as others have reported: dash lights came on: ABS, tcs off, warning triangle and brake. Check engine light came on after intermittent problem became permanent. Speedometer and odometer ceased to operate. Researched to discover a common problem with like vehicles (saabnet.com). Service technician confirmed that…
Fuel system
14 complaints · 12%Half of these problems showed up before 112,000 miles. Parts named most often: delivery, storage, fuel injection system.
The check engine light came on in my car and based on previous experience I immediately drove to the repair center. They checked the codes and discovered 3 errors related to the throttle body. They cleared the codes, drove the car and the light came on again. Since they did not have the part in stock I attempted to…
Driving in heavy traffic after leaving work, I noticed no loss of power until I attempted to merge with freeway traffic. Soon enough, though I did notice that the gas gauge needle was dropping quicker than normal, and the gasoline fumes became apparent after cracking the windows. The engine stalled for the third and…
Engine
14 complaints · 12%Half of these problems showed up before 83,000 miles. Parts named most often: exhaust system, engine, cooling system.
Water pump failure, transmission mount failure may have attributed to ECM module failure, turbo seal failure, catalytic converter failure. Car died and had to towed off a highway.
While driving, the vehicle stalled without warning. No restart. Internal failure of cat. Converter, replaced cat. Converter. The problem was the r & r ignition module. After the ignition repair, the consumer felt a loss of power. The consumer was informed that the catalytic converter was clogged.
Visibility and wipers
7 complaints · 6%Half of these problems showed up before 83,000 miles. Parts named most often: defroster/defogger/hvac system, glass, side/rear.
: the contact stated the defroster no longer defrosts the window on the driver's side. The dealer was alerted who determined there is a current technical service bulletin on this issue. This vehicle has not been taken to the dealer however the contact expressed that this problem was identified by the dealer as an…
The contact owns a 2000 Saab 95se wagon. The front windshield defroster on the driver's side was not operating normally; however, the passenge's side defroster was working. The windshield will not defrost during cold weather. The dealer stated replacing the box inside the dashboard would correct the failure. The…
Air bags
5 complaints · 4%Parts named most often: frontal, side/window.
Dt: the contact's wife on 4-18-05 was driving 2000 Saab. The car was in park when she moved the driver's side seat back, and the driver's side air bag deployed. She sustained injuries to upper left arm and the back of head. She did not go to the hospital or see a doctor. She occasionally had some problems with left…
Dt: the consumer's wife was in serious car accident and the side air bags did not deploy. Consumer's vehicle was hit on hit the passenger's side, and was hit so hard that the back passenger's door was stuck to the vehicle that hit it. The driver of the other vehicle admitted he had been going at 30 MPH when the side…
Complaints are owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects. One complaint can name several components, so shares add up to more than 100%.
2000 Saab 9-5 recalls
Electrical: module
Risk: Overheating of the igbt occurs most often at engine start-up, but it may also occur while the engine is running. Engine stalling may occur, which could result in a crash.
Fix: Dealers will inspect to see what version idm is in the vehicle and replace the idm if it is a version built prior to the introduction of qp3. An interim letter will be mailed to owners in october 2005, informing them of the condition. Parts are now available and owners will be notified to bring their vehicles in to the dealers to have the idm replaced by letter dated march 13, 2006. Owners may contact saab at 1-800-955-9007.
Full defect summary
Certain passenger vehicles equipped with b205/b235 4-cylinder gasoline engines and b308 6-cylinder gasoline engines may experience overheating and burnout of the isolated gated bipolar transistor (igbt) within the ignition discharge module (idm) due to increased susceptibility to electrical loads.
Wheels and tires: hub
Risk: These fractures would result in wheel bolt breakage, allowing the wheel to detach from the wheel hub, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Owners will be contacted by mail and asked whether they change between steel and alloy wheels. If they do engage in this practice, they will be instructed to bring their cars to an authorized dealer. The dealer will remove the wheels, clean any contamination from the wheel and wheel hub, and replace the wheels using new improved bolts with attached washers. Owner notification began march 31, 2003. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact saab at 1-800-955-9007.
Full defect summary
On certain passenger vehicles, if an owner changes their wheels/tires between summer and winter using a steel wheel in the winter and an alloy wheel in the summer, it is possible for rust and contamination to build up on the wheel hub during the steel wheel usage. If this occurs and the contamination is not removed, it is possible that after the tire change service, some of this contamination could flake or grind away resulting in reduced clamping force of the wheel to the hub. Over several seasons, it is possible that this reduced force could result in fractures developing in the wheel bolts due to wheel to hub movement.
Air bags
Risk: These vehicles do not comply with the requirements.
Fix: Dealers will clean the sunvisor surface and apply a new air bag alert label on both sunvisors. Owner notification began july 30, 2001. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact saab at 1-800-955-9007.
Full defect summary
Vehicle description: certain passenger vehicles fail to comply with requirements of fmvss no. 208, "occupant crash protection." the air bag alert labels may not be permanently affixed as required by this standard.
Recall repairs are free at any franchised dealer. Enter your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see which recalls are still open on your car.
NHTSA defect investigations
Engine stall/ engine compartment fires
Summary
Odi opened pe05-017 based on 35 reports of alleged engine stalling due to the failure of the idm cassette on the subject vehicles.all complainants reported that the engine shut down suddenly without warning and most reported that the vehicle would not restart.in 3 incidents, the complainants reported smoke and/or fire resulted from the idm failure.during pe05-017, additional failure data was identified as noted in the failure report summary above.the complaint data represents incidents where the complainants alleged a stall or fire.on september 13, 2005, general motors (gm) notified NHTSA of a safety defect on 95,081 my 2000-2002 saab 9-3 and 9-5 vehicles with 4-cylinder gasoline engines and
Questions about the 2000 Saab 9-5
- What are the most common problems with the 2000 Saab 9-5?
- By NHTSA owner complaints: electrical (57 complaints, typically around 80,000 miles); brakes (16 complaints, typically around 67,500 miles); fuel system (14 complaints, typically around 112,000 miles).
- How many recalls does the 2000 Saab 9-5 have?
- 3 recalls listed by NHTSA, the latest from September 14, 2005 (electrical). Check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see which ones are still open on your car.
- Is the 2000 a bad year for the Saab 9-5?
- It is the most complained-about 9-5 model year since 2000, with 119 complaints. Complaint counts are not adjusted for how many cars were sold, so popular years collect more of them, and the newest years have had less time to.