Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (battery, alternator, wiring, ignition, instrument cluster, infotainment).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 1999 Saab 9-5 owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
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. …
While driving on a very busy l.a. Freeway on a Saturday evening my car suddenly lost power with no warning to the point of almost stalling. Lucky for me I say my prayers and was able to navigate to the off ramp and coast on to the street where I was pushed out of traffic by a good samaritan (I'm a single female driver). I noticed the check engine light was on. I was able to start it again after awhile and chugged home 30 slow miles to my house ( I was all out of tows on aaa and no mechanics open at that time).next week my Saab mechanic indicates that it is the di failing. Estimated cost part/labor is $550.00. I just replaced the di 9/15/2003 after a similar incident happened and all power was lost while driving, I coasted to the side of the road and had it towed to Saab. Cost to me the first time was approximately $450.00 not including car rental. …
I have a 99 9-5 turbo. Over the course of the past week, my vehicle has stalled on me three times. The first, I was traveling alone at 20 MPH and the car stalled when I made a left turn into a gas station, leaving me vulnerable to ongoing traffic. An hour later, I had my children in the car and we proceeded to get onto the highway. The car stalled as I was going into highway traffic. Thanks to the skillful maneuvering of the other drivers, our lives were spared. The other occurred when we reached our destination. The car stalled as we pulled into the parking space. This LED to the inability to turn sufficiently and almost hitting the neighboring cars. I have read various forums of fellow Saab owners who have experienced these same life threatening incidents. It seems to me and many others that Saab does not care about the safety of their dedicated consumers. …
Dt*: the contact stated while driving 25 MPH the check engine light illuminated, the vehicle lost power and the speed dropped to 10 MPH. The contact managed to get the vehicle home and once the engine was turned off, it would not restart. The vehicle was towed the dealer, where the ignition cassettes and spark plugs were replaced. The dealer determined the spark plugs were damaged as a result of the ignition cassette failure. There is a NHTSA recall, #05V399000, regarding the ignition module. The vehicle has the same problems as indicated in the recall; however it is not included in the recall due to the VIN. This happened on the road where the speed limit was 30 MPH. If this would have happened at one of the highways where people are driving at 65 MPH there would have been a fatality. This vehicle would not do over 15 MPH. The contact was able to drive home. …
Car is a Saab 9-5 2.3l, lpt wagon, 1999. The direct ignition cassette failed, fortunately the car was not totally disabled and we could get to the dealer for diagnosis, with the cell on. There have been numerous reports of the failure of this part at highway speed, which risks a catastrophe. This vehicle began to run badly and within 4 days the cell came on and the next time it was driven was to the dealer. The problem was diagnosed and the dig and plugs replaced. The car is 5 months old on a 4 year warranty, but mileage is on 35,900 at the dealer. After discussion with Saab consumer service, Saab agreed to pay for all parts but not the labor. Apparently they are aware internally of this problem on 1999 and later Saab 9-5's and the direct ignition cassette. There ought to be an absolute recall for this, and if so we should also be reimbursed our labor charge. …
2 direct ignition modules failed on my Saab 95 se v-6 car which caused raw gas to ruin the catalytic converter. Repair cost ~$2600. Took car in for service in April complaining of surging and jerking while driving. Three days later Saab said they couldn't find a problem - they reset the computer which alleviated the situation for several days. The problem returned. In July the engine light came on. Took the car to the dealer and they identified the direct ignition problem. With the frequency that Saab's di's are failing, why haven't they recalled the part? It creates a dangerous situation - both from the car failing at highway speed to potential fire. Also,if my problem had been diagnosed properly in April, I would have avoided the expense of a new catalytic converter ($1400 plus labor & tax). After investigating Saab user nets, this is a known problem. …
1999 Saab 9-5 with v6 engine. Sudden failure of both ignition discharge modules (idm) on highway rendered car inoperable. On a business trip with two coworkers, driving north on new york interstate 87 at around 65-70 MPH, car started to buck and surge, with dramatic loss in engine power. Check engine light came on and I managed to cross two lanes of traffic to get to approaching offramp. Bucked and wheezed my way to a busniess park, where I called for a tow to the local Saab dealrship. Failure was immediate and with no warning. Consequences were putting three lives in peril on the interstate by sudden loss of engine power, and forced cancellation of business trip due to lack of transportation. Dealer diagnosed critical failure of both ignition discharge modules (also referred to as direct ignition cassettes). …
I was driving down a hill (jackman st. At water st., appleton wi) when my '99 Saab, went dead. At the bottom of the hill there is a blind turn to the left, a stop sign, and a railroad crossing just beyond the intersection. This is a very dangerous spot to have your car fail and have no power to the brakes or steering. The reason my car stalled was a failure of the ignition cassette. The first time this part failed, in 2002, the situation was not as dangerous, and then it was covered by warranty. I contacted Saab customer service and sent a photo of the hill. They responded by phone that there have been no recalls for this part, nor would there be a recall. They refused to cover the cost of the tow and repair. I think that leaves Saab owners vulnerable to accidents. I was lucky to be able to pull off at the bottom of the hill without hitting a train or causing serious injury to anyone.
My 1999 Saab 9-5 sustained the identical failure of the ignition discharge module described in the 2000-2003 recall. Repaired by local mechanic. Was unaware of recall (as did not include 1999) but my colleague pointed it out to me. I contacted Saab, sent them relevant documentation, and they refused to consider my vehicle under the recall. Clearly an ignition module smoking and burning when engine started is a very unusual event. I suspect this module also began to fail in 1999 but that too few of these events was reported to make your recall threshold, but I would maintain that such an arbitrary cutoff is inequitable. Same part; same unusual failure. Not sure what you can do about it, but I don't think that this manufacturer (usually good folk) is managing this well. Hence my formal complaint.
NHTSA investigations
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…
Electrical complaints in other 9-5 years
Frequently asked questions
How common are electrical problems on the 1999 Saab 9-5?
NHTSA has 70 complaints about the electrical system of the 1999 Saab 9-5, 59% of the model year's 118 complaints. The component named most often is ignition › module (42 mentions).
Is there a recall for 1999 Saab 9-5 electrical problems?
No. NHTSA lists no electrical system recall for the 1999 Saab 9-5, though it has 2 recalls for other components. If the problem is widespread, a repair may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin — ask a dealer.
At what mileage do 1999 Saab 9-5 electrical problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 74,000 miles, and 3% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 0 crashes, 1 fire and 2 injuries to electrical system problems on this model year. If you notice symptoms, have the car checked before driving further.
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.