AI Damage1997 Saab 900: common problems
Owners of the 1997 Saab 900 filed 21 complaints with NHTSA, most often about powertrain and air bags. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 21
What fails most often
- 1 Powertrain 14% of all complaints
- 2 Air bags 10% of all complaints
- 3 Electrical system 10% of all complaints
- 4 Seat belts 10% of all complaints
- 5 Seats 10% of all complaints
- 6 Structure 10% of all complaints
- 7 Vehicle speed control 10% of all complaints
- 8 Wheels 10% of all complaints
- Powertrain: 3 complaints (14% of all).
- Air bags: 2 complaints (10% of all).
- Electrical system: 2 complaints (10% of all).
- Seat belts: 2 complaints (10% of all).
- Seats: 2 complaints (10% 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
- 2.3 L · petrol · 4 cyl
- 2.5 L · petrol · 6 cyl
- automatic, 4-speed
- manual, 5-speed
Drive: FWD
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 21 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) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Powertrain | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Air bags | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Electrical system | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Seat belts | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Seats | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Structure | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Vehicle speed control | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Wheels | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Engine and cooling | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Equipment | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Exterior lighting | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Fuel system | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Latches, locks, linkages | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Service brakes | 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 went to put my seat belt on and it caught on something and wouldn't let me extract the belt from the retractor. This vehicle registration is not-operative.
Tl* the contact owns a 1997 saab 900. The contact stated that while parking, the air bags deployed haphazardly. The air bag deployment caused the windshield to become cracked and the contact to suffer minor hearing lost. The vehicle was towed to a local mechanic.
1997 saab 900 se turbo- direct ignition cassette failure caused vehicle to stall in middle of road.
My driver side inside door handle broke, massachusetts will not pass it due to it being a safety hazard. We took the door apart fixed the door and then tested the locks to make sure they still work. It was then that the deadlock was engaged.
Failure in 1997 saab 900 se of direct ignition cassette. There was a recall for year model 2000-2002, but earlier model years fail too.
Upon turning the ignition key in an attempt to start the car the airbags deployed and the seat belts tensioned. The windshield was broken and the radio popped out of the dash. This is event is very much alike to defects described in recalls of saab 900 1995 and 1998 model years. I have already filed a report at saab.
Three times in the past year, the clutch cable on my car has broken. Thankfully, each time I was within four miles of my home. Without the ability to shift, I was required to attempt to drive home or to the service station with no stopping. Luckily, I was able to blow through stop signs and avoid traffic.
During an extremely hard stop and swerve to avoid a vehicle pulling out of it's lane, the front passenger seatbelt popped out of its harness and the pasenger was propelled in to the dash.the seatbelt was properly secured, and afterwards we were unable ot duplicate the problem by pulling hard on the seatbelt.
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 8,077 of 36,659 model years in the NHTSA data (top 22% most complained about).
On average one model year of the 900 has 17 complaints (22 years in the data). This year has 21, above average.
What to check before buying
- Powertrain. Shift quality under load, harsh shifts, transmission codes, CV joints.
- 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.
- Seat belts. Belt pretensioners after airbag deployment, SRS codes.
Other years of this model
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 1997 Saab 900?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: powertrain, air bags, electrical system. Total complaints: 21. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: seat belts (14%), headlights and tail lights (10%), stalls while driving (10%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 1997 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 1997 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 1997 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 2026-11-06.