Selling a broken or junk Saab 9-7X
Fire comes up in twelve of the 171 Saab 9-7X complaints owners sent to NHTSA. Three of its four recalls are filed under power window devices and controls: 12V406 in 2012, then 13V248 and 14V404, which dealt with the driver's door module. Per Wikipedia, GM's August 2012 action was about switches for the windows and locks that could short and start a fire.
- Model years in EPA data
- 2005-2009
- Complaints to NHTSA
- 171
- Year with the most complaints
- 2006 (59)
- Complaints involving fire
- 12
- Recall campaigns
- 4
- Built in
- Moraine, Ohio
- Close relative
- Buick Rainier (GMT360)
A worn-out 9-7X can still come to us in one piece, as it is. We buy whole non-running and junk cars, and pickup is free anywhere in the US.
One generation, built by GM in Ohio
GM built the 9-7X at its Moraine, Ohio plant on the GMT360 platform, next to the Buick Rainier. Wikipedia lists the 4.2-liter Vortec straight-six, and its transmission line also names 5.3-liter Arc and 6.0-liter Aero versions, with the 4L60-E or 4L70-E four-speed automatic. Wikipedia gives its layout as front engine, all-wheel drive.
GM closed the Moraine plant on December 23, 2008, and the 9-7X ended with the 2009 model year. The Saab 9-4X followed it.
What owners reported, and the recalls behind it
These Saab complaints were downloaded from NHTSA's owner files on October 10, 2026.
Door switches and fire
All three door recalls are shared GM campaigns. Their vehicle counts include the Chevrolet Trailblazer, GMC Envoy, Buick Rainier and Isuzu Ascender, so none of those numbers is the 9-7X's alone.
- 12V406 (2006-2007, 278,174 vehicles in the campaign): the power window switch.
- 13V248 (2005-2007, 193,652): fluid could get into the driver's door module. Dealers tested the module and applied a protective coating if it worked.
- 14V404 (2005-2007, 184,611): dealers checked the door module's part number and replaced it if needed.
Wikipedia adds that GM cancelled its earlier recall 12180 in 2014 and issued recall 14309A for a driver door switch short circuit, still valid with no expiration date. The fire count by year runs 2, 3, 5, 1 and 1 from 2005 to 2009.
Fuel system complaints
The gasoline fuel system is named in 36 complaints, and 22 of them are on the 2006, the year with the most complaints overall. None of the four recalls covers the fuel system.
Headlamps
Exterior lighting is the component named most across all years, with 38 complaints. It leads the 2008 (7 of 22) and the 2009 (12 of 17). Recall 15V519, filed under headlights, had dealers replace a part GM calls the HDM on 2006-2008 vehicles. That 429,170-vehicle campaign also takes in Pontiac, Buick, Chevrolet, GMC and Isuzu models.
9-7X complaints by model year
| Model year | Complaints | Fires | Recall campaigns | Top component (count) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2005 | 25 | 2 | 2 | Fuel system, lighting, electrical (6 each) |
| 2006 | 59 | 3 | 4 | Fuel system, gasoline (22) |
| 2007 | 48 | 5 | 4 | Electrical system (10) |
| 2008 | 22 | 1 | 1 | Exterior lighting (7) |
| 2009 | 17 | 1 | 0 | Exterior lighting (12) |
Not one of these Saab complaints mentions a crash, injury or death. One reports the SUV was towed.
Worth fixing?
- Run the VIN at NHTSA's recall lookup. On a 2005-2007, the door module recall is the one to ask about.
- A 2005-2007? Recalls 12V406, 13V248 and 14V404 covered its power window controls and driver's door module. Look the VIN up at https://www.nhtsa.gov/recalls to see whether the free fix was done.
- Headlights out on a 2006-2008? Check whether the headlamp module recall was done before buying parts.
- Big engine or transmission bill? Compare it with what a running 9-7X brings. See when repairs outrun the vehicle's value.
Selling a 9-7X whole
- Have your Saab's details ready: the VIN, the miles, its engine, and if it will start.
- Get an offer online, or call (877) 421-6008.
- Tell us how the 9-7X is parked. It is a heavy all-wheel-drive SUV, so mention a stuck wheel, a flat tire, or if it can't roll. The truck meets it there, with free pickup anywhere in the US.
- Keep the 9-7X complete, catalytic converters and wheels included. Mention anything already removed.
- When the truck arrives, the driver needs the title and any keys you have. Plates and insurance rules are in after you sell.
Other Saabs: the 9-5, the 9-3, or every Saab we cover. Selling another big vehicle? See junk truck or SUV.
Questions people ask
- Is the 9-7X driver door switch recall still open?
- It can be. Wikipedia says GM cancelled the earlier recall in 2014 and replaced it with recall 14309A (Saab recall 15034), which it describes as still valid with no expiration date. A dealer, or a VIN search at nhtsa.gov/recalls, will show if that work happened.
- Which 9-7X model year has the most NHTSA complaints?
- The 2006 tops the list with 59 in NHTSA's data on October 10, 2026, then the 2007 with 48, the 2005 with 25, the 2008 with 22 and the 2009 with 17. As the newest, the 2009 has had the fewest years on file for owners to report it.
- Is a Saab 9-7X really a GM truck underneath?
- Yes. Wikipedia lists it on GM's GMT360 platform, related to the Buick Rainier and built at GM's Moraine, Ohio plant. It replaced the Oldsmobile Bravada and kept most of its styling, with a Saab-style front end.
- Will you buy a 9-7X that won't start?
- Yes. We buy whole non-running and junk cars, SUVs included, with free pickup anywhere in the US.
Sources
Every fact on this page comes from one of these. Checked October 11, 2026.
- NHTSA complaints flat file (FLAT_CMPL.zip), Saab 9-7X, downloaded October 10, 2026 nhtsa.gov
- NHTSA: Check for recalls by VIN nhtsa.gov
- NHTSA recall 12V406: power window switch, 2006-2007 nhtsa.gov
- NHTSA recall 13V248: driver door module, 2005-2007 nhtsa.gov
- NHTSA recall 14V404: driver door module, 2005-2007 nhtsa.gov
- NHTSA recall 15V519: headlamps, 2006-2008 nhtsa.gov
- EPA fuel economy data (model years and body class) fueleconomy.gov
- Wikipedia: Saab 9-7X (platform, plant, engines, recalls) en.wikipedia.org