Most common 1999 Saab 9-5 problems
Share of the 118 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Saab 9-5 complaints by model year
Best 9-5 years: 2006, 2007, 2011. Years to avoid: 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003. Compare all years →
1999 Saab 9-5 recalls (2)
Wheels › Hub
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.
Remedy: 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.
Equipment › Other › Labels
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.
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal safety investigators have looked into a possible defect involving the 1999 Saab 9-5:
Engine stall/ engine compartment fires
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…
What 1999 Saab 9-5 owners say
Electrical system all 70 →
My son just passed his drivers test and we were going home when the car started making noises and then stalled. Smoke was coming out of the car and smelled like burnt rubber. My son luckily was able to get the car to the side (avoided an accident). Lifted hood thought car overheated. I tried starting the car and it sparked and started smoking again. Found out it was the electrical system, ignition discharge module. My car is a 1999 9-5 Saab. I found that the 2000's had a recall due to this overheating and could cause a crash. This could of caused an accident.
Drove car (cold) from home to next town - maybe 10miles apart. Let the car sit for @45 mins. Drove back in the direction of home - about 8 miles into drive home, car started to chug with no warning, was not speeding, local road with traffic, "check engine"light came on - pulled off to nearest gas station - about mile down the road. Checked oil - car did not need oil. Drove car to mechanic - another mile from gas station - car continuing to chug. Technician tested car with computer and said the #2 cylinder in the direct ignition, was not firing properly and that was the problem with the car. There was no warning lights, all the gauges read "normal" car is serviced properly. Why should this have happened? The care is rarely driven throughout the week - I commute via ferry so the car is generally cold or driven 10-15 miles regularly. Occasional long trips @90miles at max. …
Engine & cooling
Catastrophic failure of upper idler pulley on '99 2.3liter low pressure turbo enginee on Saab 95se. The pulley disintegrated on startup of the vehicle. Caused piecees of plastic outher ring material to be scattered around the engine compartmetn and outside of the vehicle. Sepentine belt slipped down onto the hub and caused failure of accessories such as: power steerign pump, leternator etc. Had this occured durign drivign on the highwya, the imediate loss of power and accessories woudl have generated major problem and might have caused an accident. The car is 1999 model year, with ~ 50,200 miles duing incident. Please don't hesitate to call me if you have any further questions at [phone]. I hav efollowe dup on web based owner and enthusiast networks. It apperas that this failur eis becomign an common courence on 99 & 2000 saabs95 operated in southern USA. …
1999 Saab 9-5 4-cylinder sedan threw rod at 53,000 on busy I-85 in atlanta with no previous warning whatsoever (no oil leaks on garage floor, no engine or oil pressure warning lights, strange noises, nothing). Was able to get to shoulder without incident. Car had been maintained regularly. Contacted Saab asking for repair under extended 8-year warranty issued in 2005 due to problems with this engine related to oil sludge. Sent all requested records because local dealership said they didn't have on file. Request was denied. Sent follow-up letter to Saab g.m. Requesting repair. Denied with no explanation. Phoned on 3/1/07 requesting a written explanation be emailed. Still have not received although was told it was being sent immediately. Was told by person I spoke with that the car was outside the 8 yr. Extended warranty. …
Brakes
Saab 1999 wagon- prior to event computer indicated rear light failure. Then brake failure occured, and cruise control would not disengage. Car could not be stopped, collision with highway wall. Car destroyed. No injuries.
Vacuum brake booster developed an internal leak, causing momentary loss of braking action when first stepping on brake pedal during an emergency stop. During "normal" braking the brakes worked fine. Important!...the big danger here is that you don't know there is a problem with the booster till you have to make a quick stop where you need to jam on the brakes quickly!! You suddenly fine there is virtually no brakes for a second or two!! In normal braking they work fine.
1999 Saab 9-5 engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2.3L 4-cyl turbo | 5-speed manual | FWD | 19 / 28 / 22 |
| 2.3L 4-cyl turbo | 4-speed automatic | FWD | 17 / 26 / 20 |
| 3.0L 6-cyl turbo | 4-speed automatic | FWD | 16 / 24 / 19 |
EPA ratings. Class: Midsize car.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 1999 Saab 9-5 a good car?
Based on 118 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 1999 9-5 rates avoid: 5.7× as many complaints as a typical year of the 9-5 at the same age. It is one of the 9-5 years we suggest avoiding. Complaint counts don't account for sales volume or individual maintenance, so have any used car inspected before buying.
What is the most common problem with the 1999 Saab 9-5?
The electrical system — 70 complaints, 59% of all complaints for this model year, most often about ignition › module. Next are the engine & cooling (17) and brakes (9).
How many recalls does the 1999 Saab 9-5 have?
There are 2 recalls for the 1999 Saab 9-5, the most recent from January 13, 2003 (hub). Recall repairs are free at any authorized dealer — check whether yours has been done with the VIN recall check.
What are the best and worst years of the Saab 9-5?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2006, 2007 and 2011. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002 and 2003. See the full Saab 9-5 years comparison.
At what mileage do 1999 Saab 9-5 problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 78,000 miles; 8% of problems with a recorded mileage started before 50,000 miles.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.