Saab›9-5›2006›Overview/saab/9-5/2006/base/

2006 Saab 9-5

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 2006 9-5.

Body PASSENGER CARTransmission Automatic (S5)

The 2006 Saab 9-5 is a passenger car equipped with an Automatic (S5) transmission and EPA fuel economy ratings of 16/26/20 mpg. This model year occupies a middle ground within the 1998-2011 complaint history, logging 23 total owner complaints that sit well below the 121 reported in 1999 yet remain higher than the single complaint from 1998. With two recalls issued and air bags identified as the top complaint area, the 2006 iteration represents a stabilized point in the vehicle's reliability trajectory that avoids the peak issues seen in the 1999 model year.

Model year2011 2010 2009 2007 2006

Quick specs

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

Lug nut torque80 ft-lbsOEM · verified

EPA fuel economy16/26/20 mpgEPA · verified

Fitment & sizes

Replacement part sizes and factory part numbers — battery, bulbs, filters and belts.

From the factory this vehicle uses a BCI 48 · 700 CCA battery, OE oil filter 93186554. Each part links to every other vehicle that shares it, so a part you already stock may fit more of your fleet than you'd expect.

Battery groupBCI 48 · 700 CCAOEM · verified

OE service part numbers OEM · verified

Engine oil filter	93186554
Engine air filter	55560911
Spark plug	32000330 alt 30520467
Battery	90349350
Front wiper blades	93196006 alt 93196007
Serpentine belt	55563222
Thermostat	30577561 alt 9176165
Cabin air filter	32020155

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Engine & drivetrain NHTSA vPIC

Transmission

Automatic (S5)

Dimensions & weight NHTSA vPIC

Overall length	190.6 in
Overall width	70.5 in
Overall height	57.1 in
Wheelbase	106.3 in
Curb weight	2855 lb
Track (front / rear)	59.4 / 59.8 in
Weight distribution (front / rear)	62/38

Ratings & economy EPA / vPIC

EPA city / highway / combined	16 / 26 / 20 mpg
Drivetrain	Front-Wheel Drive
Passenger volume	96 cu ft
Cargo volume	16 cu ft
Recommended fuel	Premium Gasoline

Service quick specs OEM factory data

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

Torque lug nuts to 80 ft-lbs, the oil drain plug to 19.0 ft-lbs. The firing order is 1-3-4-2.

Lubricants & capacities

Engine Coolant	DEXCOOL OR EQUIVALENT
Power Steering Fluid	USE PENTOSIN CHF11S OR EQUIVALENT

Engine torques

Camshaft Bearing/Carrier Cap Bolts or Studs	7 ft-lbs
Engine Flywheel Bolts	AT: 70 ft-lbs, MT: 59 ft-lbs
Engine Oil Pan Drain Plug	19.0 ft-lbs
Oil Pump to Cylinder BLock Bolts/Studs	17 ft-lbs

Chassis torques

Lug Nuts	80 ft-lbs
Front Wheel Hub	170 ft-lbs

Ignition

Cylinder Firing Order	1-3-4-2
Cylinder Firing Order	1-3-4-2
Spark Plug Gap	0.039 in
Spark Plug Torque	18.0 ft-lbs

Battery & A/C

Refrigerant	R134a
Refrigerant Capacity	1.93 lbs
Oil Group	PAG
Oil Capacity	4.90 oz
Standard BCI Group Number	48
Standard BCI Cranking Performance	700 cca

Service checks

Pressure Test	20-22 psi
Radiator Cap Pressure Relief	20-22 psi
Thermostat Opening Temperature	192 °F
Regulated Fuel System Pressure (Without Vacuum)	43.0 psi
Regulated Fuel System Pressure (With Vacuum)	33.0 psi
Injector Primary Resistance	15.9 @ 68 degreesF ohms

Brakes

Torque Caliper to Bracket	21 ft-lbs
Torque to Knuckle	59 ft-lbs
Minimum Pad Thickness	Front: 0.197; Rear: 0.157 in
Rotor Max Parallel Variation	0.0006 in
Rotor Runout Limit	0.003 in
Rotor Minimum Machining	0.984 in / 0.39 in
Rotor Discard at or Under	0.925 in / 0.33 in
Rotor Finish	0.87 μin / 0.32 μin

Multi-step torque procedures OEM · verified

Connecting Rod (Large End) Bearings — tightening sequence 1 stages

15 ft. lbs., Step 2: 70

15 ft. lbs

Crankshaft Pulley and/or Damper Bolts — tightening sequence 1 stages

74 ft. lbs., step 2: 75

74 ft. lbs

Main Bearings — tightening sequence 1 stages

15 ft. lbs., Step 2: 70

15 ft. lbs

Factory maintenance schedule OEM · verified

Normal service, condensed from the factory interval matrix.

Under the factory schedule, replace the spark plugs every 60,000 mi.

Every 6,000 mi	Engine Coolant System (leak inspection)
Every 10,000 mi	Accessory Drive Belt (inspect) · Air Bag System (inspect) · Brake Hydraulic System (inspect fluid level) · Brake Line (inspect) · Door Hinge (lubricate) · Driveshaft U-Joint (inspect)
At 20,000 mi	Accessory Drive Belt (inspect) · Brake Line (inspect) · Driveshaft U-Joint (inspect) · Fuel System (inspect) · Parking Brake System (inspect) · Steering System (inspect)
Every 20,000 mi	Engine Air Filter Element (replace)
Every 30,000 mi	Cabin Air Filter (replace) · Exhaust System (Complete) (inspect) · Seat Belt System (inspect) · Transmission Assembly (inspect)
At 60,000 mi	Engine Air Filter Element (replace)
Every 60,000 mi	Drive Belt (replace) · Fuel Filter (replace) · Headlamp (inspect alignment) · Spark Plugs (replace) · Suspension Shock or Strut (inspect)

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 2006 Saab 9-5 occupies a mid-cycle position in its generation, with federal complaint volumes rising modestly from the lows of 2004–2005 (19 and 11 complaints, respectively) to 23 in 2006, before settling into a stable 17–20 range through 2008. Recalls remained constant at two per year from 2004 onward, while Technical Service Bulletins (TSBs) surged sharply—from 112 in 2005 to 156 in 2006—indicating growing manufacturer attention to emerging issues rather than a spike in safety defects. The 2006 model year also saw the first federal investigation since 2002, though the data does not specify its focus. Notably, 13 of the 23 complaints centered on air bags, a pattern not observed in adjacent years, suggesting a potential year-specific concern. While the overall trend reflects a maturing but stable platform, the concentration of air bag complaints and the uptick in TSBs imply that 2006 may require closer scrutiny, particularly for restraint system integrity. **Proceed with caution: verify air bag system functionality and service history before purchasing.**

Open recalls

NHTSA campaigns

156

Service bulletins

Manufacturer communications

ODI investigations

Office of Defects Investigation

Owner complaints

0 involved a crash · 0 a fire

Owner complaints by model year NHTSA · this generation & adjacent

’98 ’99 ’00 ’01 ’02 ’03 ’04 ’05’06’07 ’08 ’09 ’10 ’11

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 23 complaints on record, top 8 components.

Air Bags13

Steering,Power Train,Exterior Lighting1

Exterior Lighting1

Tires1

Electrical System1

Engine1

Electrical System,Engine1

Service Brakes, Electric1

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

Showing 2 of 2 campaigns on record for this vehicle.

16V063000Air Bags:Frontal:Driver Side:Inflator ModuleReported 03/02/2016

General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2006-2011 Saab 9-3 vehicles manufactured May 31, 2002, to February 15, 2011, 2006-2009 Saab 9-5 vehicles manufactured June 7, 2005, to May 28, 2009, and 2008-2009… Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver's frontal air bag inflator on Saab 9-3 and 9-5 vehicles and will replace the driver's frontal airbag module on Saturn…

08V160000Seats:Front Assembly:Head RestraintReported 09/04/2008

SAAB IS RECALLING 57,389 MY 2002-2008 9-5 SERIES VEHICLES FOR FAILING TO COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 201, "OCCUPANT PROTECTION IN INTERIOR IMPACT." DURING COMPLIANCE… Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSTALL A-PILLAR TRIM WITH IMPROVED ENERGY-ABSORBING CAPABILITY FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON NOVEMBER 25, 2008. OWNERS MAY CONTACT SAAB AT 1-800-955-9007.

Technical service bulletins NHTSA · verified

Showing 5 of 156 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

Bulletin	Date	Component	Summary
PIP5601C	2025-07-18	Unknown Or Other	This PI communicates the requirement to provide a pico file to receive diagnostic…
PIT5074R	2025-05-30	Unknown Or Other	This Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician about…
PIT5074R	2025-05-30	Unknown Or Other	This Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician about…
PIT5074R	2025-05-30	Unknown Or Other	This Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician about…
02-00-89-002X	2024-09-09	Unknown Or Other	This service bulletin provides information for dealers/technicians on When and How to…

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 9-5. 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.

Group 48 battery Engine oil filter 93186554 Engine air filter 55560911 Spark plug 32000330 Battery 90349350

Reference guides

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

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

Frequently asked

Does the 2006 9-5 have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 2 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.

What gas mileage does the 9-5 get?

EPA figures are 16 city / 26 highway / 20 combined mpg.