Head-to-head reliability
SAAB 9 7X vs Toyota Camry
How the SAAB 9 7X and Toyota Camry compare on NHTSA complaints, recalls and crash reports — and which is the lower-risk used buy.
Based on NHTSA owner-complaint & recall records
SAAB 9 7X vs Toyota Camry: The Saab averages 34 complaints per year, while the Camry averages 214, but the Camry has 181 crash-related complaints and 1 death. Saab owners report headlight failures and fuel gauge issues; Camry owners report transmission grinding and sudden acceleration. Source: NHTSA owner complaints.
The picture
Is the SAAB 9 7X or Toyota Camry more reliable?
A plain-English read on what the NHTSA record says about living with each vehicle.
SAAB 9 7X
The Saab 9-7X, a mid-size SUV from the mid-2000s, shows a reliability profile dominated by electrical and lighting gremlins. Owners report headlights that go out or point incorrectly, and power window/lock modules that fail, sometimes with burning smells. Fuel system complaints are also common, with inaccurate gas gauges leading to running out of gas and strong gasoline odors inside the cabin. With an average of 34 complaints per year, it's a vehicle that demands attention to these recurring issues.
Toyota Camry
The Toyota Camry, a popular midsize sedan, has a much higher complaint volume (214 per year) but over a longer period and with more serious incidents, including crashes and injuries. The main problem areas are the powertrain, with transmission grinding and replacement needs, and the engine, with reports of sudden acceleration and coolant valve issues. Brake failures are also reported, sometimes with no response. While the Camry is generally reliable, these specific complaints highlight potential safety-critical failures that buyers should investigate.
The numbers
Side-by-side NHTSA record
Lower is better in every category. The highlighted cell is the stronger result.
| Category | SAAB 9 7X | Toyota Camry |
|---|---|---|
| Total complaintsAll model years combined | 171 Better | 2,143 |
| Safety recallsFederal recall campaigns | 11 Better | 31 |
| Crash reportsCrash-related complaints | 0 Better | 181 |
| Complaints per yearAveraged across model years | 34.2 Better | 214.3 |
| Reported injuriesTied to owner complaints | 0 Better | 163 |
| Reported deathsTied to owner complaints | 0 Better | 1 |
Source: NHTSA owner complaints & recall records.
What actually goes wrong
The problems owners report
The most-complained-about systems on each vehicle — what fails, and what owners say in their own words.
SAAB 9 7X
- 01EXTERIOR LIGHTING49
- 02ELECTRICAL SYSTEM43
- 03FUEL SYSTEM41
- 04GASOLINE37
- 05VISIBILITY12
Headlights are a major sore spot: owners report one headlight pointing downward or being brighter than the other, and in some cases both headlights and high beams suddenly going out at night, which is a serious safety hazard.
Electrical issues often involve power windows and locks, with reports of a burning smell coming from the door module. This can lead to windows stuck down or locks malfunctioning, and may be linked to a recall for the driver's door module.
The gas gauge is notoriously unreliable, sometimes reading inaccurately or not at all, causing owners to run out of gas unexpectedly. Additionally, a strong gasoline odor inside the cabin, especially when driving uphill, is reported, which could indicate a fuel leak.
“TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 SAAB 9-7X. THE CONTACT STATED THAT RIGHT HEADLIGHT WAS BRIGHTER THAN THE LEFT ONE, WHEN THE HEADLIGHTS WERE ON, THE RIGHT HEADLIGHT WOULD POINT DOWNWARD, MAKING IT DIFFICULT FOR OTHER DRIVERS TO SEE THE VEHICLE AND FOR THE CONTACT T…”
“WHILE DRIVING AT NIGHT THE HEADLIGHTS WERE SET ON AUTOMATIC MODE WHEN ALL OF A SUDDEN THEY WENT OUT AND I TRIED TO TURN THEM TO THE REGULAR ON POSITION AND THEY DID NOT COME ON, THE HIGH BEAMS DID NOT WORK EITHER. THIS HAS HAPPENED ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS AND FR…”
Toyota Camry
- 01POWER TRAIN395
- 02UNKNOWN OR OTHER342
- 03ENGINE315
- 04SERVICE BRAKES290
- 05ELECTRICAL SYSTEM246
Transmission problems are common, with owners reporting grinding noises from the front end upon acceleration and dealerships recommending full transmission replacement. This is a costly repair that can leave you stranded.
Serious engine issues include reports of sudden, uncontrollable acceleration that led to a crash, and a specific coolant valve bypass code (P268115) that may not be covered by recall for all VINs, potentially affecting engine safety.
Brake failures are reported, including a case where the brake pedal had no response when descending a steep hill. Another owner described a situation where the car accelerated unexpectedly while braking in a parking lot, suggesting a possible interplay between brakes and engine.
“I turned into a restaurant’s parking lot, found a spot and slowly drove into the lot, I eased off the gas pedal and gently applying the brake as the lot has a slight downward slope. When I reach the chunk (the parking block), I added more force to the brake,…”
“Grinding noise coming from front end upon acceleration. Brought to dealership who confirmed noises coming from transmission. Transmission needs to be replaced per dealer recommendation. Recalls on 2021 Toyota Camry for same issue. Transmissions on backorder a…”
Official recalls
Safety recalls on record
Federal recall campaigns — the defect, the risk, and the fix. Confirm any open recall was completed before you buy.
SAAB 9 7X — 11 recalls
The defect: General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2005-2007 SAAB 9-7x; 2006 Chevrolet Trailblazer EXT and GMC Envoy XL; and 2006-2007 Chevrolet Trailblazer, GMC Envoy, Buick Rainier and Isuzu Ascender vehicles. Fluid may enter the driver's door master power window switch module, causing corro…
The risk: A short in the circuit board could lead to a fire, increasing the risk of personal injury. A fire could occur even while the vehicle is not in use. As a precaution, owners are advised to park outside until the remedy has been made.
The fix: GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the part number on the door module, and install a new door module if necessary, free of charge. Parts for the remedy are not currently available. An interim letter was mailed to owners in Aug…
The defect: General Motors (GM) is recalling certain model year 2005-2007 SAAB 9-7x; 2006 Chevrolet Trailblazer EXT and GMC Envoy XL; and 2006-2007 Chevrolet Trailblazer, GMC Envoy, Buick Rainier and Isuzu Ascender vehicles. Fluid may enter the driver's door module, causing corrosion that could result in a sho…
The risk: A short in the circuit board could lead to a fire, increasing the risk of personal injury. A fire could occur even while the vehicle is not in use. As a precaution, owners are advised to park outside until the remedy has been made.
The fix: Owners will be contacted and dealers will test the driver's door module. If the module is functioning properly, a protective coating will be applied. If the module is not functioning properly, it will be replaced. These repairs will be don…
The defect: General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2007 Pontiac Grand Prix, 2006-2009 Buick LaCrosse, 2006-2007 Buick Rainier, Chevrolet Trailblazer, GMC Envoy, 2006 Chevrolet Trailblazer EXT, GMC Envoy XL, 2006-2008 Isuzu Ascender, and Saab 9-7x vehicles. In the affected vehicles, the headlam…
The risk: Headlamps that do not illuminate reduce the driver's ability to see the roadway and reduce the vehicle's visibility to oncoming vehicles, both of which increase the risk of a vehicle crash.
The fix: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the HDM, free of charge. The recall began on May 17, 2016. Owners may contact Buick customer service at 1-800-521-7300 or Pontiac customer service at 1-800-762-2737. GM's number for this reca…
The defect: General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2005-2007 SAAB 9-7x; 2006 Chevrolet Trailblazer EXT and GMC Envoy XL; and 2006-2007 Chevrolet Trailblazer, GMC Envoy, Buick Rainier and Isuzu Ascender vehicles. Fluid may enter the driver's door master power window switch module, causing corro…
The risk: A short in the circuit board could lead to a fire, increasing the risk of personal injury. A fire could occur even while the vehicle is not in use. As a precaution, owners are advised to park outside until the remedy has been made.
The fix: GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the part number on the door module, and install a new door module if necessary, free of charge. Parts for the remedy are not currently available. An interim letter was mailed to owners in Aug…
Toyota Camry — 31 recalls
The defect: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2020-2021 Avalon, Avalon Hybrid, Corolla, Highlander, Highlander Hybrid, RAV4, RAV4 Hybrid, Lexus ES350, Lexus RX350, Lexus RX450H, 2021 Sienna Hybrid, Lexus ES250, 2020-2022 Camry, Camry Hybrid, and ES300H vehicles. A short cir…
The risk: An air bag that does not deploy during a crash increases the risk of injury.
The fix: Dealers will inspect and replace the sensor as necessary, free of charge. Interim letters notifying owners of the safety risk were mailed in February 2024. Some final remedy owner letters were mailed October 31, 2024. Letters will continue…
The defect: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2023-2024 Camry and Camry Hybrid vehicles. The second-row center and right-side seats may have insufficiently welded head restraint brackets. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle…
The risk: A head restraint bracket that is insufficiently welded may not properly restrain an occupant during a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
The fix: Dealers will replace the 60% rear seat-back frame sub-assembly, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed April 19, 2024. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's numbers for this recall are 24TB0…
The defect: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2023 Camry and Camry Hybrid vehicles. The lug nuts that attach the wheels to the vehicle may be loose, which can result in wheel detachment.
The risk: A wheel that detaches from a moving vehicle can cause a loss of vehicle control, increasing the risk of a crash.
The fix: Owners are advised not to drive their vehicles until the repair has been performed. Dealers will inspect and tighten the lug nuts, and replace any damaged components, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed on…
The defect: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2023-2024 Camry and Camry Hybrid vehicles. The second-row center and right-side seats may have insufficiently welded head restraint brackets. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle…
The risk: A head restraint bracket that is insufficiently welded may not properly restrain an occupant during a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
The fix: Dealers will replace the 60% rear seat-back frame sub-assembly, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed April 19, 2024. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's numbers for this recall are 24TB0…
Buyer analysis
SAAB 9 7X or Toyota Camry: which should you buy?
The Saab 9-7X has fewer complaints per year (34) compared to the Toyota Camry (214), but its issues are more concentrated in electrical and fuel systems. The Camry's higher volume includes more severe incidents like crashes and injuries, making its problems potentially more dangerous. In practice, the Saab may be less reliable in day-to-day operation, but the Camry's failures could have more serious consequences.
Key differences
- The Saab 9-7X has far fewer complaints per year (34) than the Camry (214), but its issues are more frequent in lighting and electrical systems.
- The Camry has a higher rate of crash-related complaints (181) and injuries (163), including reports of sudden acceleration and brake failure, which are safety-critical.
- The Saab's fuel gauge problems can lead to running out of gas, while the Camry's transmission and engine issues may require expensive replacements.
- The Saab has a recall for power window modules, while the Camry has recalls for air bag sensors and wheel lug nuts, indicating different areas of concern.
- Test the headlights thoroughly: check for proper aim, brightness, and that they don't flicker or go out when switching between modes.
- Inspect the fuel gauge operation: if it's erratic or not working, budget for a repair and be cautious about running out of gas.
- Listen for grinding noises from the transmission during acceleration and have a mechanic check for any pending codes related to the coolant valve.
- Test the brakes at various speeds and on slopes to ensure they respond properly, and ask about any history of sudden acceleration incidents.
Before you buy
- For the Saab: check for any open recalls, especially for the power window module, and verify the headlight operation in all modes.
- For the Saab: have a mechanic inspect the fuel system for leaks and test the gas gauge accuracy.
- For the Camry: ask for service records related to transmission or engine repairs, and check if the VIN is included in any recalls.
- For the Camry: perform a thorough brake test, including on a hill, and listen for unusual noises during acceleration.
- For both: get a pre-purchase inspection from an independent mechanic familiar with these models.
Check the actual car
Comparing models is smart. Checking the VIN is essential.
Brand averages tell you the trend. A VIN check tells you what's wrong with the specific SAAB 9 7X or Toyota Camry in front of you — accident history, open recalls and title records.
Go deeper
Full reliability reports
- Comparison
- SAAB 9 7X vs Toyota Camry
- SAAB 9 7X total complaints
- 171
- Toyota Camry total complaints
- 2,143
- SAAB 9 7X total recalls
- 11
- Toyota Camry total recalls
- 31
- SAAB 9 7X avg complaints/year
- 34.2
- Toyota Camry avg complaints/year
- 214.3
- More reliable overall
- SAAB 9 7X
- SAAB 9 7X top complaint area
- EXTERIOR LIGHTING
- Toyota Camry top complaint area
- POWER TRAIN