Vehicle recall 05V399000 · September 14, 2005

Saab 9-3 and 9-5

Certain passenger vehicles equipped with B205/B235 4-cylinder gasoline engines and B308 6-cylinder gasoline engines may experience overheating and burnout of the isolated gated…

Source: NHTSA data as of September 22, 2026. Last refreshed Sep 23, 2026, 2:43 AM UTC.

Summary: Certain passenger vehicles equipped with B205/B235 4-cylinder gasoline engines and B308 6-cylinder gasoline engines may experience overheating and burnout of the isolated gated bipolar transistor (igbt) within the ignition discharge module (idm) due to increased susceptibility to electrical loads.
Consequence: Overheating of the igbt occurs most often at engine start-up, but it may also occur while the engine is running. Engine stalling may occur, which could result in a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect to see what version idm is in the vehicle and replace the idm if it is a version built prior to the introduction of QP3. An interim letter will be mailed to owners in October 2005, informing them of the condition. Parts are now available and owners will be notified to bring their vehicles in to the dealers to have the idm replaced by letter dated March 13, 2006. Owners may contact Saab at 1-800-955-9007.
Notes: Saab recall no. 05087.CUSTOMERS may also contact the national highway traffic safety administration's vehicle safety hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to http://www.safercar.gov.

Recall details

NHTSA campaign: 05V399000
Reported to NHTSA: September 14, 2005
Filed by: SAAB CARS USA, INC.
Manufacturer campaign: 15021
Owner notification: March 13, 2006
Vehicles potentially affected: 103,202
Initiated by: NHTSA’s Office of Defects Investigation
Components: Electrical system › Ignition › Module

Recall 05V399000 on nhtsa.gov, with the manufacturer’s documents

Vehicles covered

As listed by NHTSA. A recall usually covers only some vehicles of each model and year, often a production date range.

Saab 9-3 (2000-2002): 2002, 2001, 2000
Saab 9-5 (2000-2002): 2002, 2001, 2000

Has your Saab been repaired?

Recalls here come from NHTSA’s records for the model and year. Not every vehicle of a model is included in every recall, and this site can’t see whether a repair has been done. Only a VIN lookup can tell you that.

Check your VIN with NHTSA

NHTSA’s VIN search doesn’t show recalls that were already repaired, recalls more than 15 years old, or some small manufacturers’ recalls. A Saab dealer can also check your VIN. Recall repairs are free.