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2005 Saab 9-5 repairs by problem area

Engine (51%)

Transmission and Drivetrain (0%)

Brakes and Traction Control (3%)

Suspension and Steering (15%)

Electrical and Air Conditioning (19%)

Paint, Rust, Leaks, Rattles, and Trim (9%)

Other (3%)

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Chart based on 116 repairs.

See TSBs and recalls for the 2005 Saab 9-5.

2005 Saab 9-5 repair cost distribution

$2500+ (0%)

$1000 - $2499 (4%)

$500 - $999 (26%)

$100 - $499 (25%)

< $100 (46%)

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Chart based on 85 repair trips. The repair cost chart excludes repairs made under warranty, do-it-yourself repairs, and repair trips that include maintenance.

See repairs for all Saab 9-5 model years.

Saab 9-5 in California, United States - Jul 2007
May 2007 23000 mi	replace water pump, leaking
Jul 2007 28000 mi	replace leaking heater control valve

Saab 9-5 in Pennsylvania, United States Apr 2016 - Sep 2021
Nov 2016 135000 mi US $500	Power steering pump
Dec 2016 133000 mi US $600	Power steering pump, all pulleys and belts.
Jun 2017 134000 mi US $600	Car idles badly especially with A/C on (stalls), otherwise runs OK. Throttle body replacement, unclear if it helped, vacuum leak? Mechanic says there isn't one. Might try swapping ignition cassette for a known good one.
Nov 2017 135000 mi US $150	repaired small, slow fuel line leak under rear door between tank and engine

Saab 9-5 in Ontario, Canada Sep 2014 - Dec 2020
Oct 2014 143920 mi C $700	Direct Ignition Coil module failed, resulting in a check engine light. The part was supplied by my Saab independent shop and was $600+CDN.
Apr 2015 153780 mi C $500	Alternator failed to properly maintain battery charge. The voltage was marginally too low
Feb 2016 179800 mi C $330	Exhaust system replaced. Center muffler was rotted out. A coolant hose feeding the heater started to leak. This is a custom part that has a plastic tee and three ends. It is a factory only part and is expensive and hard to get to. The SAAB specialist says it rarely fails.
May 2016 187260 mi C $380	I discovered a leaking rear shock when I was changing to summer tires. I decided to go to Bilstein rear shocks. 300k is a good life for factory shocks, but I have had them go longer in the past.
Oct 2016 193740 mi C $600	Installed new engine mounts. You can't really tell until you strip out a lot of stuff. But two of four look fine.
Apr 2017 199020 mi	Battery replaced under warranty.
Jun 2017 202740 mi C $1400	As a result of my DIY timing/balance chain repair last year, the engine developed an oil leak that required the head gasket to be replaced. Two broken exhaust manifold studs were also replaced while the head was off. The two studs at the extreme ends of the exhaust manifold tend to break off at the interface between the manifold at the head. This is due to the difference in the thermal expansion of the two parts, the head being aluminum and the manifold being ductile iron. The exhaust manifold probably also gets much hotter as it isn't water cooled. These two studs are made extra long with a tubular spacer under the nuts to improve their flexibility to resist this distortion, but this is only partly effective. The car can operate quite nicely without them for a long time as the remainder of the studs are enough to prevent an exhaust leak. That is until another one breaks, which would cause a leak and need to be repaired. I intend to run this car to about 450,000 km, so a reasonable level of repair is necessary. Note that this is my second 9-5 and the same thing happened to it at about the same distance but I never had it repaired. It is something that will happen to virtually every car with this motor sometime after 250,000 km.
May 2019 238080 mi C $401	Alternator failed (bearing).

Saab 9-5 in New Jersey, United States - Sep 2016
Jan 2012 98589 mi US $13	Coolant Flush >ENTIRE REPLACEMENT< Replaced thermostat Spark Plugs
Sep 2012 74202 mi US $100	Replace HID (headlight) electronics unit
Aug 2014 96655 mi US $56	Both front sway bar links
Oct 2014 98589 mi US $20	Replace PCV valve & related hoses
May 2015 100830 mi US $780	Install Bilstein shocks & struts
Jun 2015 102750 mi US $36	liftgate latches
Aug 2015 104381 mi US $26	Crankshaft Positioning Sensor
Jul 2016 113058 mi US $30	Heater Bypass Valve Replace hooter valve

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Saab 9-5 in Ontario, Canada Nov 2014 - Aug 2015
Jan 2015	Rear shocks, rear lower-front bushings (both sides), rear left upper knuckle, Front sway bar links (both) Water pump and seals
Mar 2015 216380 mi	Replaced oil trap assembly (from cobra to intake), Replaced PCV assembly Rear middle LED brake light, Rear brake lights (bulbs only), Memory seat function, Rain sensing wiper function, Left turn signal retraction function, Replaced burned out bulbs in the temp controller (dash board), battery Thermostat Rear left passenger inside door handle, Replaced broken "in-dash" cup holder (very important fix - gotta have > > holder for Timmies!) Replaced Heater Control Valve
Apr 2015 216680 mi	Replaced outdoor temperature sensor. Replaced flex pipe.
Aug 2015 218240 mi	Exhaust leak up front. Valve noise. Prematurely worn rear tires. Noisy alternator/pully and balance chain noise got worse. Power steering issue got worse (hard to turn wheel at low speed).

Saab 9-5 in Ontario, Canada Sep 2010 - Apr 2017
Jul 2010 78740 mi C $100	Motor for the rear-windshield wiper broke and needed to be replaced.
Apr 2011 96100 mi	Report "Error 10" on the CD head unit. Will likely need a new head unit.
Sep 2015 176700 mi C $300	Replace bi-xenon headlight bulb.
Jan 2016 159160 mi C $500	Fixed loose connections which were causing rear parking sensors to work only intermittently.
Apr 2017 216380 mi C $1200	Replaced direct ignition cartridge.

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Saab 9-5 in Wisconsin, United States Mar 2015 - Jan 2022
Mar 2016 102000 mi US $300	Bad temp sensor and thermostat replaced
Sep 2016 111000 mi US $450	Needed new muffler.

Saab 9-5 in Florida, United States Apr 2017 - May 2018
May 2018 122000 mi US $812	Replaced Radiator after it cracked.

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Saab 9-5 in Minnesota, United States Sep 2014 - Feb 2018
Jan 2017 109800 mi US $300	Power steering line leak. Slow leak that turned into a faster leak

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Saab 9-5 in Pennsylvania, United States Sep 2014 - Mar 2017
Apr 2016 230500 mi US $500	Replaced oil sending unit and head gasket both leaking oil
Jun 2016 238000 mi US $900	Replaced exhaust manifold to mid-muffler
Sep 2016 246000 mi US $320	Coolant bypass valve and vacuum leak fixed
Dec 2016 256000 mi US $400	Windshield wiper linkage failed replaced with new parts
Mar 2017 268000 mi US $1400	Cooling system - water pump and brakes

Saab 9-5 in Oregon, United States Sep 2014 - Jun 2022
Nov 2014 67100 mi US $600	The key remote would not lock or unlock doors. Replaced key lock and cover panel for shifter.
Jun 2017 77565 mi US $181	master window switch
Aug 2021 91000 mi US $1300	Radiator leaking at connector Rear shocks Valve cover seal Heater bypass valve

Saab 9-5 in Minnesota, United States - Nov 2011
Oct 2008 51469 mi US $1155	Replaced both side lower control arm bushings. Water pump leaking, replaced.
Jan 2009 56332 mi US $90	Replaced belt guard
Jan 2010 71641 mi US $626	Replaced left front sway bar link. Water pump replaced.
Nov 2010 85111 mi US $408	Replaced clock spring and wiring harness
Aug 2011 97273 mi US $407	Coolant bypass valve replaced. PCV valve replaced.
Nov 2011 99282 mi US $503	Water pump replaced

Saab 9-5 in Michigan, United States Dec 2015 - Jun 2022
Dec 2015 162000 mi US $23	Replaced breather hose (Pro Parts# 5955927)
Apr 2016 168300 mi US $503	Heater bypass valve leak. Replaced. Damaged lug threads required front hubs replaced.
May 2016 171000 mi US $68	Replaced wobbly starter. Driver's side mirror fell off. Just the glass. $5.
Sep 2016 180000 mi	Broken wire in trunk harness, re-enabled cruise control New oil pressure switch to fix oil leak.
Oct 2016 182000 mi US $268	New turbo bypass valve to clear CELs (P0101, P0300, P0455).
Dec 2016 186000 mi US $7	Replaced front window rollers. One broken on driver's side. Preventative for other one on driver's side and both on passenger side. Without repair, window would have soon fallen into the door. Relay for high-beams was replaced.
Jan 2017 187135 mi US $20	Heater coolant bypass valve replaced due to coolant leak
Jul 2017 196686 mi US $600	Exhaust replacement (cat-back).
Oct 2017 204259 mi US $9	Replaced steering wheel decal
Dec 2017 208963 mi US $46	Replaced camshaft cover gaskets
May 2018 220726 mi US $20	Replaced front passenger wheel well guard
Oct 2018 227827 mi	Fixed broken wire giving "trunk open" light
Nov 2018 228285 mi US $6	Replaced coolant lines with Do88 kit. Required worm screws. Replaced brake vacuum line Butt-spliced broken black wire in trunk lid, source of "trunk open" light
Feb 2019 233703 mi US $34	Replaced hood lift supports
Apr 2019 236791 mi US $276	New front hubs, all new lug studs, new front passenger axle boot, new front passenger wheel ball joint
May 2019 238069 mi US $179	Replaced DIC to fix CEL 1413
Jul 2019 242714 mi US $44	New sub frame bushings New ac condenser and ac charge Replaced voltage regulator in alternator
Sep 2019 246570 mi	Glued backseat headliner back to ceiling
Nov 2019 250412 mi US $28	Replaced front and rear shocks and struts. Replaced front driver's sway bar link. Replaced front passenger sway bar link
Apr 2020 257477 mi US $70	Replaced belt shield. Replaced starter. Replaced oil trap and all 3 vent hoses. Replaced timing chain o-ring and seal. Replaced water pump pulley assembly and water pump seals. New thermostat and coolant temperature sensor. New dummy antenna and various screws (guards).
May 2020 257835 mi	Cleaned window control module contacts.
Jul 2020 259661 mi US $20	Replaced shifter jalousie
Sep 2020 260069 mi US $26	Replaced CPS Replaced driver's window rollers
Oct 2020 260313 mi US $66	Repainted passenger doors
Nov 2020 260327 mi US $153	New battery
Jul 2021 262518 mi US $38	Replaced windshield washer fluid pump
Aug 2021 262585 mi US $646	Replaced rear brake lines

Saab 9-5 in Pennsylvania, United States Jan 2015 - Apr 2015
Apr 2015 87000 mi US $500	old part, failing Fuel filter rusted through two oil leaks

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Saab 9-5 in Massachusetts, United States Nov 2012 - Oct 2018
Nov 2012 80000 mi US $512	Replaced everything from the cat back.
Sep 2013 90000 mi US $30	Replaced sway bar links
Sep 2015 123000 mi US $500	Both mufflers replaced