NHTSA Owner Complaint Log
This page lists owner-reported complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2002 Saab 9-5. Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA and do not by themselves prove a defect or defect rate.
CAR FAILED AT 70 MILES/HOUR ON EXPRESSWAY. JUST STOPPED. CAUSE WAS DIAGNOSED AS DIRECT IGNITION CASSETTE-WEB SEARCH SHOWS THIS TO BE A COMMON SAAB PROBLEM. WAS QUITE TERRIFYING AND DANGEROUS TO LOSE POWER ON EXPRESSWAY-DEFINITE SAFETY HAZARD. *AK
ON 13 OCCASIONS OVER THE LAST TWO YEARS, STARTING 9/13/03, THE CAR'S ENGINE MALFUNCTION AND AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION FAULT WARNING LIGHTS CAME ON AND THE CAR WAS AUTOMATICALLY PUT IN "LIMP-HOME" MODE. IN LIMP-HOME MODE, THE ENGINE IS DEPOWERED. THIS HAS HAPPENED WHEN DRIVING BOTH ON THE HIGHWAY AND IN THE CITY, CREATING A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION WHERE THE CAR IS IN THE MIDDLE OF TRAFFIC WITH LITTLE POWER TO MANUEVER. THE DEALERSHIP HAS ATTEMPTED TO REPAIR THIS 12 TIMES WITHOUT SUCCESS. VEHICLE IS LEASED. *JB
AT HIGHWAY SPEED THE DRIVERS SIDE FRONT BLINKER ASSEMBLY BROKE FREE FROM THE CAR BODY. THE ELECTRICAL WIRING REMAINED CONNECTED BETWEEN THE BLINKER ASSEMBLY AND VEHICLE. THIS CAUSED A WHIPPING ACTION OF BLINKER ASSEMBLY.
ON 3 SEPARATE OCCASIONS THE CAR HAS COMPLETELY SHUT DOWN, LOSING BRAKES, STEERING, POWER, ETC. THE 1ST AT 70 MPH ON FREEWAY, THE 2ND ON CITY ST. ABOUT 35 MPH AND THE 3RD IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD AT 20 MPH. SAAB HAS REPLACED 3 DIFFERENT THINGS. THE CAR IS TOO UNPREDICTABLE AND UNSAFE FOR DRIVING. *NLM
WHILE DRIVING AT 60 MPH ALL THE ELECTRICAL POWER TO THE VEHICLE SHUT DOWN. A FEW SECONDS LATER THE VEHICLE STALLED ON THE HIGHWAY. THIS HAS HAPPENED TWICE WITH THIS VEHICLE. THE FIRST TIME THE DEALER REPLACED THE TCM MODULE AND THE SECOND TIME THE CRANK SHAFT SENSOR WAS REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. *NM THE CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE STALLED A THIRD TIME. *JB
WHILE DRIVING ON THE NEW JERSEY TURNPIKE AT 70 MPH THE ENGINE SHUT DOWN, AND VEHICLE LOST POWER. CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER, AND COMPUTER WAS REPLACED. HOWEVER, VEHICLE CONTINUED TO SHUT DOWN.*AK..IN SPRING OF 2004 .GENERAL SALES AUTOMOTIVE COVER DEALER OF WESTCHESTER, PENNSYLVANIA TOLD CONSUMER THAT THE PROBLEM WAS DUE TO CARBON BUILDUP IN THE ENGINE. THEY CLEANED THE CYLINDER, AND TOLD CONSUMER THAT THIS WASN'T UNDER WARRANTY. THIS COST CONSUMER APPROXIMATELY $500.00. DESPITE THE CYLINDER'S BEING CLEANED VEHICLE CONTINUED TO STALL/HESITATE AT SPEED OF 35-45 MPH. BROUGHT VEHICLE BACK TO DEALER IN APRIL 2005, AND WAS INFORMED BY DEALER THAT THEY WEREN'T ABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. *AK THE CONSUMER FEEL AS THOUGH THIS IS A FRUSTRATING SITUATION AND FEELS IT IS UNSAFE WITH THESE RECURRING PROBLEMS.*SB
THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING, THE DEALER DIAGNOSED THE DIRECT IGNITION CASSETTE FAILED. *JB SCC
DRIVING AT STEADY 65 MPH, CAR SUDDENLY LOST POWER, AND ENGINE STOPPED AFTER I PULLED TO SIDE OF INTERSTATE.DIAGNOSED AS FAILED DIRECT IGNITION CASSETTE AND REPLACED BY DEALER.*AK
WHILE DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEED VEHICLE SHUT DOWN ,CAUSING LOSS OF POWER STEERING. PLEASE ADD ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION.*JB..*AK
CONSUMER STATED WHILE DRIVING 60MPH VEHICLE STALLED W/O WARNING CAUSING POWER STEERING AND BRAKE FUNCTIONS TO FAIL. CHECKED BY DEALER WHO CAN NOT DUPLICATE PROBLEM OR DETERMINE CAUSE. TS
THE CAR STALLED WITHOUT WARNING WHILE DRIVING, LOSING POWER STEERING AND BRAKES. EACH OCCURANCE HAPPENED WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH. DT
WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE WILL STALL OUT AND WILL START RIGHT BACK UP. CONTACTED DEALER, AND THE DEALER IS NOT WILLING TO DO ANYTHING.*AK
GAS GAUGE FUEL INDICATOR IS INOPERATIVE, AS A RESULT THE DRIVER IS UNABLE TO TELL HOW MUCH GAS IS IN THE TANK RESULTING IN THE VEHICLE RUNNING OUT OFF GAS AND LEAVING DRIVER STRANDED.*AK *NLM
PROBLEMS WITH DELAY IN REPORT OF WARRANTY CLAIM AND THE AVAILABILITY OF SERVICE.*MR THE VEHICLE STALLED IN TRAFFIC POSING A SAFETY HAZARD. UPON CONTACTING HIS LOCAL DEALER, THE CONSUMER WAS GIVEN AN APPOINTMENT FOR REPAIRS TWO WEEKS AFTER THE CALL. CONSUMER FELT THIS WAS UNACCEPTABLE, AND THIS SERIOUS SAFETY DEFECT SHOULDN'T WAIT AS LONG. CONSUMER IS HOLDING SAAB RESPONSIBLE FOR ANYTHING THAT MAY HAPPEN BETWEEN THE DATE OF THE PHONE CALL AND THE APPOINTMENT. *PH
WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH VEHICLE SUDDENLY STALLED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD. INTERMITTENTLY, THE ELECTRICAL MECHANISM TO OPEN THE TRUNK WAS NOT WORKING PROPERLY. *AK WHEN EXPOSED TO PROLONGED INTENSE SUNLIGHT/HEAT, THE INTERIOR CHILD RELEASE FEATURE WOULDN'T WORK EITHER. *PH
Data synced from NHTSA on May 4, 2026