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2008 Saab 9-5Problems, recalls & complaints

NHTSA has logged 20 owner complaints about the 2008 Saab 9-5, most often about the air bags. It is covered by 2 safety recalls, and for recall 16V-063 the manufacturer reports only 68% of affected cars repaired.

2008 Saab 9-5
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CarFlaw IndexNot enough dataHigher is better (0–100)
Safety recalls2Lowest repair rate 68%Owner complaints200 with a crash, fire or injuryTypical failure mileage30kAir bags, median miles

Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through January 28, 2020. Updated daily. Photo: IFCAR, Public domain.

Complaints by system

Where the 2008 Saab 9-5 has problems

20 complaints grouped by the system owners reported.

Box size = number of complaints naming that system. Darker = larger share. One complaint can name more than one system.
Complaints by system
SystemComplaintsCrash, fire or injury
Air bags190
Electrical system20

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Complaints are submitted by the public and are not verified by NHTSA.

2 recalls

2008 Saab 9-5 recalls and how many were fixed

Each ring shows the share of affected cars repaired, from the manufacturer’s latest quarterly report to NHTSA. Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.

68%repaired · 2022 Q1

Driver side: inflator module

Recall 16V-063 · Feb 3, 2016 · 113,716 vehicles · 77,356 repaired

Risk. In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, the inflator could rupture with metal fragments striking the driver or other…

Problem, fix and repair progress →

Recalls apply to specific cars. To see whether a recall is still open on yours, enter the 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls or with Saab.

Best & worst years

2008 vs. every other 9-5 year

Bars show complaints per model year. Colors show the CarFlaw verdict: complaints weighted for crashes, fires and injuries, adjusted for years on the road and compared with the 9-5 median. How we score

'65'67'68'69'70'71'72'98'99'00'01'02'03'04'05'06'07'08'09'10'11
  • Avoid
  • Caution
  • Solid
  • Best
  • Not rated
NHTSA crash tests

2008 Saab 9-5 safety ratings

2008 Saab 9-5 4-DR. w/SAB in NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program. Photos are from NHTSA's crash tests.

2008 Saab 9-5 frontal crash test, NHTSA
Frontal crashNot rated
2008 Saab 9-5 side barrier test, NHTSA
Side barrierNot rated
  • Stability control: Standard
  • Forward collision warning: No
  • Lane departure warning: No
1 investigation

NHTSA defect investigations

Federal investigations that included the 2008 Saab 9-5, and the recalls they led to.

  1. Desiccated Air Bag Inflator RuptureEA21002 · still open
    Open
In owners' words

What 9-5 owners report

Recent air bags complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. Personal details are removed.

I HAD MY AIRBAG REPLACED ON RECALL SEVERAL YEARS AGO. I NOW HAVE AN ERROR ALERT ON MY DASH INDICATING AN AIR BAG PROBLEM. MY SERVICE TECHNICIAN TELLS ME THERE ARE NO PARTS AVAILABLE. WHAT ALTERNATIVES ARE AVAILABLE FOR ME, BESIDES DRIVE AN UNSAFE CAR OR JUNK IT (PROBABLY ILLEGAL TO SELL )
Complaint 11302603 · Jan 28, 2020 · 83,000 miles
TL* TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 SAAB 9-5. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 16V063000 (AIR BAGS); HOWEVER, THE PART TO DO THE REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE…
Complaint 10967765 · Mar 22, 2017
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 SAAB 9-5. THE CONTACT RECEIVED 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. THE CONTACT HAD NOT…
Complaint 10939233 · Jan 3, 2017

Own a 2008 9-5?

Decode your VIN to see the recalls for your exact car, then confirm open recalls with NHTSA.