AI Damage2011 Saab 9-5: common problems
Owners of the 2011 Saab 9-5 filed 9 complaints with NHTSA, most often about exterior lighting and service brakes. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 9
What fails most often
- 1 Exterior lighting 56% of all complaints
- 2 Service brakes 22% of all complaints
- 3 Air bags 11% of all complaints
- 4 Powertrain 11% of all complaints
- 5 Steering 11% of all complaints
- 6 Structure 11% of all complaints
- Exterior lighting: 5 complaints (56% of all).
- Service brakes: 2 complaints (22% of all).
- Air bags: 1 complaints (11% of all).
- Powertrain: 1 complaints (11% of all).
- Steering: 1 complaints (11% of all).
Engines and transmissions
US-market versions per EPA. On the right: how many NHTSA complaints name this engine or transmission type.
- 2 L · petrol · turbo · 4 cyl
- 2.8 L · petrol · turbo · 6 cyl
- automatic, 6-speed
- manual, 6-speed
Drive: FWD, AWD
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 9 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) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Exterior lighting | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| Service brakes | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Air bags | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Powertrain | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Steering | 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.
I believe this is potentially a fire risk. There is premature rust forming on the trunk lid aswell.
This could have started a fire and made the car hard to handle and of course reduced the proper braking ability. Gm should put out an immediate safety recall on this issue. The repair shop says they have seen several cases like mine. It took a long time for me to be aware of what was happening.
Tl* takata recall. The contact owns a 2011 saab 9-5. The contact received a recall notification of nhtsa campaign number: 16v063000 (air bags); however, the parts for the recall were not available. The contact stated that the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair.
The rear tail lights overheat, causing the bulbs to burn out and wiring to melt. We have had the bulbs and sockets replaced multiple times on both sides since 2013, but the only thing that fixes the problem is replacing the entire assembly.
Noticed by excessive wear on rear brake pads/rotors, vibration when braking and poor gas mileage.
I also can force the car to exhibit the binding/grinding deep noise when in first with the wheel turned almost at lock either right or left with very little throttle depression.
The contact stated that the check rear taillight warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was diagnosed that both tail light bulb sockets needed to be replaced. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired.
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 11,366 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 31% most complained about).
On average one model year of the 9-5 has 40 complaints (14 years in the data). This year has 9, below average.
What to check before buying
- Exterior lighting. Headlamps, leveling, sensors and mounts after a frontal hit.
- Service brakes. Pedal feel, ABS operation, leaks, discs and hoses.
- Air bags. Check the SRS light, stored codes and airbag/curtain status after any impact.
- Powertrain. Shift quality under load, harsh shifts, transmission codes, CV joints.
Other years of this model
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 2011 Saab 9-5?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: exterior lighting, service brakes, air bags. Total complaints: 9. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: headlights and tail lights (22%), smoke, burning smell, fire (22%), knocking, grinding or other noise (11%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2011 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 2011 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 2011 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.