AI Damage2001 Saab 9-5: common problems
Owners of the 2001 Saab 9-5 filed 104 complaints with NHTSA, most often about electrical system and engine and cooling. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 104
- involving a crash
- 1
What fails most often
- 1 Electrical system 54% of all complaints
- 2 Engine and cooling 23% of all complaints
- 3 Fuel system 15% of all complaints
- 4 Wheels 5% of all complaints
- 5 Service brakes 3% of all complaints
- 6 Equipment 2% of all complaints
- 7 Tires 2% of all complaints
- 8 Air bags 1% of all complaints
- Electrical system: 56 complaints (54% of all).
- Engine and cooling: 24 complaints (23% of all).
- Fuel system: 16 complaints (15% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Wheels: 5 complaints (5% of all).
- Service brakes: 3 complaints (3% of all).
Engines and transmissions
US-market versions per EPA. On the right: how many NHTSA complaints name this engine or transmission type.
- 2.3 L · petrol · turbo · 4 cyl
- 3 L · petrol · turbo · 6 cylnamed in 1 complaints
- automatic, 4-speed
- manual, 5-speed
Drive: FWD
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 104 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).
Components owners complain about
| Component | Owner complaints | involving a crash | Technical service bulletins (TSB) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Electrical system | 56 | 0 | 0 |
| Engine and cooling | 24 | 0 | 0 |
| Fuel system | 16 | 1 | 0 |
| Wheels | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| Service brakes | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Equipment | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Tires | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Air bags | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Exterior lighting | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Fuel/propulsion system | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Parking brake | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Powertrain | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Seat belts | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Structure | 1 | 0 | 0 |
What owners report
Short excerpts of NHTSA complaints in the original wording. These are owner statements not verified by NHTSA; personal data removed.
According to the wrecker service, the problem was the fuel pump "broke off". In addition, the fuel cut off switch was not accessible after the collision.
With only 670 miles on a new set of tires, an inspection for a completely unrelated reason found that there was a bulge in 3 of the 4 NEW tires. Installed in Jun, issue found in Dec; car is driven very little. Tires were purchased from Tire Rack and installed by Discount Tire.
Turbo malfunction at a cost of $455.00 and also engine filter box.vehicle still not running correctly.will only go at speed of 25 mph.repaired on 03/27/2018.started out smoking all over the place from exhaust.was told turbo went bad.I think a lot of these cars have this problem as I read on forums(saab,).that I have…
Tl* the contact owns a 2001 saab 9-5. While driving 15 mph, the front driver side wheel detached from the vehicle without warning. The vehicle became difficult to control, slammed to the ground, and came to a stop.
While driving approximately 55 mph, the vehicle stalled without warning and failed to restart. The vehicle was towed to the contact's residence. The vehicle was eventually able to restart. The failure occurred on numerous occasions. The vin was not included in nhtsa campaign number: 05v399000 (electrical system).
My 2001 saab 9-5 has been experiencing a check engine light for awhile on and off. The vehicle will sometimes stall randomly and not start until engine cools down. The codes for cel lead to direct ignition. A previous recall on these vehicles, one my vehicle received.
The first time the oil light came on was in mid october 2006, after about an hour of driving. There was no other indication of a problem (noise, vibration, change in handling, etc). The oil had recently been changed, but it was rechecked and topped off on the side of the road anyway.
Random engine cutoff when driving, loosing power steering capability at the same time. Most often happened when approaching intersection at the time when car speed was lowered. Happened on multiple days.
When owners complained
NHTSA complaints by filing year. The peak shows at what age the problems show up most.
Comparison
By complaint count this model year ranks 3,479 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 9% most complained about).
On average one model year of the 9-5 has 40 complaints (14 years in the data). This year has 104, above average.
What to check before buying
- Electrical system. Scan all modules, test the battery and alternator, inspect connectors near the impact zone.
- Engine and cooling. Radiator and fan after a frontal hit, coolant level and condition, overheating.
- Fuel system. Fuel smell, leaks, rough running, fuel-system codes.
- Wheels. Wheel runout, cracks, signs of a wheel strike.
Other years of this model
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 2001 Saab 9-5?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: electrical system, engine and cooling, fuel system. Total complaints: 104. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: stalls while driving (21%), warning lights, check engine (16%), smoke, burning smell, fire (15%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2001 Saab 9-5?
NHTSA lists 0 manufacturer service bulletins for this year. A bulletin tells dealers how to diagnose or fix a known issue; it is not a recall.
Should I buy a 2001 Saab 9-5 from a US auction?
Owner complaints describe defects, not crash damage. Before bidding, check the components listed above and review the lot photos: VinWind builds a report of visible and hidden damage by VIN.
Other 2001 models
Read also
Sources: public NHTSA data (USA): service bulletins and owner complaints; YouTube: links to videos credited to their authors. Complaints are owner statements not verified by NHTSA, and describe defects rather than crash damage. Data updated 2026-11-05.