2006 Saab 9-5 problems & reliability
23 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2006 Saab 9-5, alongside 2 safety recall campaigns. Last verified Aug 7, 2026. Complaints are unverified reports submitted by owners to the federal Office of Defects Investigation.
Each complaint is counted once (by NHTSA case number), even when it names several vehicles.
Federal crash records (FARS 2020–2023): 2006 Saab 9-5 vehicles were involved in 3 fatal crashes with 1 occupant death. Involvement counts are not adjusted for how many are on the road and do not imply fault or a vehicle defect.
Most reported problems
| Component | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Air Bags → | 13 | 57% |
| Electrical System | 2 | 9% |
| Engine | 2 | 9% |
| Exterior Lighting | 2 | 9% |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 1 | 4% |
| Equipment | 1 | 4% |
| Power Train | 1 | 4% |
| Service Brakes, Electric | 1 | 4% |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 1 | 4% |
| Steering | 1 | 4% |
Component groups as classified by NHTSA. A complaint can name more than one component, so shares may sum to more than 100%.
Complaints by incident year
What owners report
“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…”
Air Bags · filed Jul 25, 2019
“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. The contact called the…”
Air Bags · filed Sep 18, 2017
“Tl* takata recall. The contact owns a 2006 saab 9-5. The contact received notification of nhtsa campaign number: 16v063000 (air bags) however, the contact was unable to get the repair completed due to lack of available dealers to service the vehicle. The contact stated that the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable…”
Air Bags · filed Sep 6, 2017
Verbatim excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA. Reports are not independently verified.
Federal defect investigations
- Desiccated Air Bag Inflator Rupture
Engineering Analysis EA21002 · opened Sep 17, 2021 · open
Technical service bulletins
156 manufacturer communications (TSBs, service campaigns, warranty extensions) are on file with NHTSA for the 2006 Saab 9-5. The 10 most recent:
This PI communicates the requirement to provide a pico file to receive diagnostic assistance from TAC.
PIP5601C · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jul 18, 2025
This Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician about the use of J-35616-64B and Mini 50 terminal test probe, replacement terminals, and terminated leads.
PIT5074R · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued May 30, 2025
This Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician about the use of J-35616-64B and Mini 50 terminal test probe, replacement terminals, and terminated leads.
PIT5074R · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued May 30, 2025
This Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician about the use of J-35616-64B and Mini 50 terminal test probe, replacement terminals, and terminated leads.
PIT5074R · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued May 30, 2025
This service bulletin provides information for dealers/technicians on When and How to Submit a Field Product Report (FPR) (U.S. and Canada Dealers Only).
02-00-89-002X · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Sep 9, 2024
This Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician about changing the tire and wheel size on vehicles. General Motors will only support a tire calibration for tires that have been sized…
PIT3271P · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Sep 6, 2024
Vehicle Wide Programming (VWP) is a new process to update software on GM Vehicles. It provides the ability via a single selection within Techline Connect to first identify which modules need updating and then proceed to…
General Communication · Service Campaign · issued Aug 26, 2024
This service bulletin provides guidelines and diagnostic/repair information to technicians regarding vehicle engine oil consumption.
01-06-01-011P · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Aug 5, 2024
This service bulletin advises of a new fuel injection cleaner kit used for decarbonizing the intake valves to correct conditions of rough idle, Crank no start, extended crank or misfire, MIL with DTCs, and explains how…
16-NA-383 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jun 28, 2024
This bulletin provides information for use on a Product Assistance Claim (PAC), which is formerly known as a Product Allegation Resolution (PAR) claim.
18-NA-099 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jun 17, 2024
TSBs are repair guidance manufacturers send to dealers — they are not recalls and repairs are not automatically free. Full documents are available on NHTSA’s site.
Safety recalls
The 2006 Saab 9-5 has 2 NHTSA recall campaigns — recall repairs are free at franchised dealers regardless of the vehicle’s age.
Check whether your specific vehicle is affected
Recall campaigns often cover only certain VIN ranges. Enter your VIN on the official NHTSA site to confirm whether your vehicle is included and whether the repair is still open.
Check VIN on NHTSA →Buying a used 2006 Saab 9-5?
- · Decode the seller’s VIN with our free VIN decoder to confirm the exact year, engine and trim.
- · Check for unrepaired recalls by VIN on NHTSA’s official lookup — recall repairs are free.