AI Damage1993 Saab 900: common problems
Owners of the 1993 Saab 900 filed 6 complaints with NHTSA, most often about electrical system and air bags. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 6
- involving a crash
- 2
What fails most often
- 1 Electrical system 33% of all complaints
- 2 Air bags 17% of all complaints
- 3 Fuel system 17% of all complaints
- 4 Powertrain 17% of all complaints
- 5 Structure 17% of all complaints
- 6 Vehicle speed control 17% of all complaints
- Electrical system: 2 complaints (33% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Air bags: 1 complaints (17% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Fuel system: 1 complaints (17% of all).
- Powertrain: 1 complaints (17% of all).
- Structure: 1 complaints (17% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
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
- 2.1 L · petrol · 4 cyl
- automatic, 3-speed
- manual, 5-speed
Drive: FWD
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 6 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 | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| Air bags | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Fuel system | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Powertrain | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Structure | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Vehicle speed control | 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.
Driving at a speed of 40mph, impact 12:00 position, hit a wall, the driver's side airbag did not deploy.
Original fuel tank made of plastic leaked from the bottom due to a hole. Dealership replaced the fuel tank, which also started to leak sometimes in a different location. Manufacturer had no answer as to the cause of the leak.
Early transmission replacement - first gear pops out constantly.
While driving vehicle made three jumps and accelerated down a hill, with no brakes and clutch would not shift down. Also, cruise control was not on. Emergency brake was put on and made vehicle stop. Dealer contacted, and cannot remedy the problem. Problem still exists. Provide further information.
Notice smoke coming from engine department, resulted in fire total lost. Tt
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 13,278 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 36% most complained about).
On average one model year of the 900 has 17 complaints (22 years in the data). This year has 6, below average.
What to check before buying
- Electrical system. Scan all modules, test the battery and alternator, inspect connectors near the impact zone.
- Air bags. Check the SRS light, stored codes and airbag/curtain status after any impact.
- Fuel system. Fuel smell, leaks, rough running, fuel-system codes.
- 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 1993 Saab 900?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: electrical system, air bags, fuel system. Total complaints: 6. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: brake failure (33%), airbags did not deploy (17%), smoke, burning smell, fire (17%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 1993 Saab 900?
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 1993 Saab 900 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 1993 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.