Problems owners report
Complaints filed with NHTSA about the 1990 Saab 900, by the system named in each complaint. One complaint can name several.
- Service brakes, hydraulic7
- Vehicle speed control3
- Electrical system2
- Air bags2
- Engine and engine cooling2
- Visibility1
- Suspension1
- Seats1
- Power train1
NHTSA ODI complaints (public domain) · updated 23 Oct 2026 · 2 injuries and 0 deaths reported
Compared with other years
NHTSA ODI complaints by model year
New York safety inspections
At its first New York inspection the 1990 Saab 900 failed the safety check 1.60% of the time — 38% more often than the average 1990 passenger car (1.16%). Median odometer at inspection: 137,161 miles.
NY DMV Vehicle Inspections (vezn-fmmk), initial inspections since Aug 2021 · how we count
Engines
The most common engines in 1990 Saab 900 cars on Dutch roads are the 2.0 petrol (94 kW, 126 hp), 2.0 petrol (118 kW, 158 hp) and 2.0 petrol (129 kW, 173 hp).
| Engine | Power | Cars |
|---|---|---|
| 2.0 petrol | 94 kW 126 hp | 75 |
| 2.0 petrol | 118 kW 158 hp | 56 |
| 2.0 petrol | 129 kW 173 hp | 21 |
RDW Open Data (CC0): registered passenger cars and their fuel data · engine size rounded to 0.1 litre, net maximum power · versions with at least 20 cars
In the Netherlands
227 first registered in 1990 are on Dutch roads; 54% arrived later as imports.
Most common APK defects
- Overmatige vloeistoflekkage overige vloeistoffen71
- Bandenspanning niet op juiste waarde51
- Dimlicht onjuist afgesteld23
- Stofhoes aandrijfas beschadigd en dicht niet af23
- Stofhoes stuurinrichting beschadigd, dicht niet af21
- Uitlaatsysteem niet gasdicht / onveilige afvoer uitlaatgasse19
- Parkeerrem werkt niet op 2 wielen15
- Band beschadigd14
Colours
RDW Open Data: registered vehicles and APK defects (CC0) · defect descriptions in the RDW's Dutch wording
In the United Kingdom
181 cars built in 1990 were licensed for the road at the end of 2025, and 460 more were declared off the road (SORN).
Department for Transport and DVLA, vehicle licensing statistics (table VEH0124, year of manufacture) · Open Government Licence v3.0
MOT test results in Great Britain
In 2023, 285 of these cars first registered in 1990 took their annual MOT test. 65% passed first time; among all cars first registered in 1990 the figure was 71%.
| Failed on | These cars | All cars from 1990 |
|---|---|---|
| Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment | 15.4% | 15.6% |
| Brakes | 15.1% | 9.7% |
| Body, chassis, structure | 9.8% | 7.8% |
| Suspension | 8.1% | 8.4% |
| Visibility | 5.6% | 6.4% |
| Noise, emissions and leaks | 4.2% | 4.7% |
DVSA anonymised MOT tests and results, 2023 (Department for Transport) · Open Government Licence v3.0 · first tests only; a fix made at the test station within the hour still counts as a fail
In Finland
141 of these cars first registered in 1990 were in use in Finland on 30 Jun 2026, with an average of 268,000 km on the odometer at their last inspection.
Traficom (Finnish Transport and Communications Agency), open data on vehicles in use · CC BY 4.0
In New Zealand
16 1990 cars are on the New Zealand register; 88% arrived as used imports, 13% were sold new in New Zealand.
NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi, Motor Vehicle Register (March 2026) · CC BY 4.0
Recalls
No recall campaigns cover the 1990 Saab 900.
Whether a recall was fixed on a particular car is known only to the manufacturer: check the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
NHTSA recalls · summaries in NHTSA's own words
Service bulletins
What Saab told its dealers about the 1990 Saab 900: known faults, fixes and updates.
| Bulletin | Summary |
|---|---|
| 604154 | INFORMATION ON INSTALLING LARGER FUEL SYSTEM NON-RETURN VALVES. *TT |
NHTSA manufacturer communications (public domain)
NHTSA investigations
FUEL PUMP FAILS/TANK LEAKS
FUEL PUMP FAILS/TANK LEAKS
NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation