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1993 Saab 900

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 1993 900.

The 1993 Saab 900 sits in the early part of the 1990–2000 model run, and routine service data specifies 4.0 quarts of 10W-30, 10W-40, or 0W-20 API engine oil. Reliability records for this year are comparatively quiet: only eight owner complaints were logged, with Structure cited as the top concern and zero recalls issued. Against the broader 1990–2000 complaint history, which peaks at 132 reports in 1995 and bottoms at one in 2000, the 1993 total lands near the low end, indicating a lighter documented problem load than the range’s busiest years.

Model year1995 1994 1993 1992

Quick specs

Fluid capacities, tune-up values and fuel economy at a glance.

Engine oil capacity4.0 qtOEM · verified

Engine oil type10W-30 / 10W-40 / 0W-20 APIOEM · verified

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Dimensions & weight NHTSA vPIC

Overall length	184.6 in
Overall width	66.5 in
Overall height	55.9 in
Wheelbase	99.2 in
Curb weight	2756 lb
Weight distribution (front / rear)	60/40

Service quick specs OEM factory data

Capacities, torques and tune-up values from the factory service manual.

This engine holds 4.0 qt of 10W-30 / 10W-40 / 0W-20 API engine oil, DOT 4 brake fluid.

Lubricants & capacities

Brake Fluid	DOT 4
Engine Coolant	ETHYLENE GLYCOL
Engine Oil	MINERAL OILS: 10W-30 OR 10W-40 API
Engine Oil Capacity	4.0 qt
Engine Oil	MINERAL OILS: 10W-30 OR 10W-40 API
Engine Oil Capacity	4.5 qt
Power Steering Fluid	USE PENTOSIN CHF11S OR EQUIVALENT

Factory maintenance schedule OEM · verified

Normal service, condensed from the factory interval matrix.

Under the factory schedule, replace the spark plugs at 60,000 mi; coolant every 15,000 mi. The big-interval services (every 15,000 mi for coolant, and the transmission fluid) are the ones owners most often skip — on a lower-mileage example, assume the original fluids are still in it and check them first.

At 5,000 mi	Accessory Drive Belt (inspect) · Air Bag System (inspect) · Battery (inspect) · Body Fasteners (torque) · Body Latches, Locks & Hinges (inspect) · Brake Power Booster Unit (inspect)
Every 10,000 mi	Accessory Drive Belt (inspect) · Air Bag System (inspect) · Battery (inspect) · Body Fasteners (torque) · Body Latches, Locks & Hinges (inspect) · Brake Power Booster Unit (inspect)
Every 15,000 mi	Engine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill)
Every 30,000 mi	Brake Hydraulic System (drain, refill & bleed) · Engine Air Filter Element (replace) · Engine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill) · Foglamp (adjust alignment) · Fuel Evaporative Emission Control System (inspect) · Fuel Line (inspect)
At 35,000 mi	Brake Hydraulic System (drain, refill & bleed) · Engine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill)
At 60,000 mi	Fuel Evaporative Emission Control System (inspect) · PCV System (inspect) · Spark Plug Wires (inspect)
Every 60,000 mi	Distributor Cap (inspect) · Distributor Rotor (inspect) · Fuel Filter (replace)

Reliability & federal safety record

Owner-reported issues, recalls, investigations and service bulletins on record with NHTSA — an unfiltered look at what owners actually experience.

The 1993 Saab 900 recorded 8 complaints, 0 recalls, 1 investigation and 2 TSBs, which is markedly lower than the 24 complaints in 1992 and the sharp rise to 67 complaints and 8 recalls in 1994. Complaint levels remained low through 1993 after a peak in 1990 (21 complaints) and a dip in 1991 (15 complaints), indicating a downward trend leading into the target year. Recall activity did not appear until 1994, so 1993 sits in a period with no recorded recalls. Investigations and TSBs were modest in 1993 compared with the later surge (e.g., 45 TSBs in 1994 and 50 in 1995). Overall, the federal record shows that the 1993 model year experiences fewer reported problems than the years immediately before and after, suggesting it may be a more reliable choice among used 1990‑2000 Saab 900s.

Open recalls

NHTSA campaigns

Service bulletins

Manufacturer communications

ODI investigations

Office of Defects Investigation

Owner complaints

4 involved a crash · 2 a fire

NHTSA crash-test rating federal NCAP · out of 5 stars

Overall★★★★★

Frontal★★★★★

Side★★★★★

Rollover★★★★★

Owner complaints by model year NHTSA · this generation & adjacent

’90 ’91 ’92’93’94 ’95 ’96 ’97 ’98 ’99 ’00

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 8 complaints on record, top 6 components.

Structure2

Electrical System2

Fuel System, Gasoline1

Power Train1

Vehicle Speed Control1

Air Bags1

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

No recall campaigns on record with NHTSA for this vehicle as of the last data refresh.

Technical service bulletins NHTSA · verified

Showing 2 of 2 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

Bulletin	Date	Component	Summary
234	1997-09-02	Fuel System, Gasoline	INFORMATION ON INSTALLING LARGER FUEL SYSTEM NON-RETURN VALVES. *TT
063093	1993-06-01	Power Train	NEW SLAVE CYLINDER. *TW

Common OBD-II trouble codes

The most common OBD-II codes for this vehicle's emissions system. These are standardized SAE J2012 definitions, not vehicle-specific fault reports.

P0420

Catalyst system efficiency below threshold — Bank 1

P0300

Random / multiple cylinder misfire detected

P0171

System too lean — Bank 1

P0455

Evaporative emission system leak detected — large leak

P0128

Coolant thermostat below regulating temperature

P0442

Evaporative emission system leak detected — small leak

VIN tools

Decode factory build data for a specific vehicle by VIN.

VIN

Decode a VIN to confirm the transmission and build data for a specific 900. OEM

Build data

Plant, GVWR class, engine and body data for any 17-character VIN.

Recalls

Check open recall campaigns against a specific vehicle by VIN.

Vehicles with shared specs

Find every vehicle that shares this one's battery, bulbs, oil capacity, platform or parts.

Vehicles taking 4.0 qt

Reference guides

Cross-vehicle references for the kinds of data on this page.

Vehicle recalls & TSBs OBD-II trouble codes Maintenance schedules Fluid capacities & specs

Frequently asked

How much oil does the 1993 900 take?

4.0 qt of MINERAL OILS: 10W-30 OR 10W-40 API, SYNTHETIC: USE FULLY SYNTHETIC 0W-20, 0W-50, 5W-30 OR 5W-40 API, per the factory manual.

Does the 1993 900 have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 0 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.