AI Damage2006 Saab 9-5: common problems
Owners of the 2006 Saab 9-5 filed 23 complaints with NHTSA, most often about air bags and electrical system. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 23
What fails most often
- 1 Air bags 57% of all complaints
- 2 Electrical system 9% of all complaints
- 3 Engine 9% of all complaints
- 4 Exterior lighting 9% of all complaints
- 5 Service brakes 9% of all complaints
- 6 Engine and cooling 4% of all complaints
- 7 Equipment 4% of all complaints
- 8 Powertrain 4% of all complaints
- Air bags: 13 complaints (57% of all).
- Electrical system: 2 complaints (9% of all).
- Engine: 2 complaints (9% of all).
- Exterior lighting: 2 complaints (9% of all).
- Service brakes: 2 complaints (9% 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
- automatic, 5-speed
- manual, 5-speed
Drive: FWD
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 23 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) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Air bags | 13 | 0 | 0 |
| Electrical system | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Engine | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Exterior lighting | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Service brakes | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Engine and cooling | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Equipment | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Powertrain | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Steering | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Tires | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Vehicle speed control | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Visibility | 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.
Takata recall.I no longer have this vehicle,it was actually my daughters car but I was the co signer for her loan.this vehicle was traded in at van horn in fon du lac ,wi at least a year and a half ago.we have called people including contacting gm online saying we no longer have this car yet we keep getting recall…
Tl* takata recall. The contact owns a 2006 saab 9-5. The contact recieved notification of nhtsa campaign number: 16v063000 (air bags); however, the part for the recall repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair.
Now, the airbag light keeps turning on sporadically. The garage - just saab [phone] - who replaced the airbag claimed the first time when I took the car back to them that it was "resistance" that caused the light to come on and they fixed this problem.
This car had a simultaneous failure involving the steering, xenon headlamps and power train, specifically the all wheel drive system. All systems need to be replaced but gm has not made replacement parts available, has not corrected production errors in current parts. Current parts on market fail with 10000 miles.
The headlights of this car is so weak that I could not see the road when I was driving in the dark. I did polish the outside of the lights box but it did not make any difference. I replaced the lights with saab but it is still very hard to see the road in the dark.
Tl* the contact owns a 2006 saab 9-5 equipped with firestone champion hr tires, size: 235/45r/17 (na). The contact stated that the sidewalls of two tires were cracked. Firestone inspected the tires and diagnosed that the contact ran over the utility, which caused the cracks.
Car shut off twice while driving on highway.each time I was able to pull over to shoulder and re start. I took the car to saab dealer and they could no find anything.
Engine misfiring, due to common di cassette issues that plagued other models, some of which were previously recalled. This shouldn't fail after on 60,000, regardless of age, especially given it's exorbitant cost. Thankfully it hasn't failed me on the highway (yet).
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 7,735 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 21% most complained about).
On average one model year of the 9-5 has 40 complaints (14 years in the data). This year has 23, below average.
What to check before buying
- Air bags. Check the SRS light, stored codes and airbag/curtain status after any impact.
- Electrical system. Scan all modules, test the battery and alternator, inspect connectors near the impact zone.
- Engine. Cold start, unusual noises, oil leaks and engine codes.
- Exterior lighting. Headlamps, leveling, sensors and mounts after a frontal hit.
Other years of this model
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 2006 Saab 9-5?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: air bags, electrical system, engine. Total complaints: 23. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: airbag warning light (4%), brake failure (4%), fuel system, fuel smell (4%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2006 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 2006 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 2006 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.