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2008 Saab 9-5 Aero

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 2008 9-5 Aero.

Body PASSENGER CARTransmission Automatic (S6)

The 2008 Saab 9‑5 Aero is a passenger car equipped with a six‑speed automatic transmission and an oil system that holds 5.7 qt of lubricant, approved for viscosities of 0W‑30, 0W‑40 or 5W‑30 API. It delivers EPA‑rated fuel economy of 15 mpg in the city, 24 mpg on the highway and 18 mpg combined. Owner feedback recorded 20 complaints for this model year, with air‑bag concerns the most frequent issue, and the vehicle is subject to two recalls.

Model year20082005200420032002

Quick specs

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

Engine oil capacity5.7 qtOEM · verified
Engine oil type0W-30 / 0W-40 / 5W-30 APIOEM · verified
Lug nut torque80 ft-lbsOEM · verified
EPA fuel economy15/24/18 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
Tire sizeP235-45R17OEM · verified
Wheel / rim7.5-J inOEM · verified

OE service part numbers OEM · verified

Engine oil filter93186554
Engine air filter55560911
Spark plug9399866
Battery12827676
Front wiper blades12781786
Serpentine belt55563222
Thermostat30577561 alt 9176165
Cabin air filter32020155

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Engine & drivetrain NHTSA vPIC

TransmissionAutomatic (S6)

Dimensions & weight NHTSA vPIC

Overall length190.6 in
Overall width70.5 in
Overall height57.1 in
Wheelbase106.3 in
Curb weight2855 lb
Track (front / rear)59.4 / 59.8 in
Weight distribution (front / rear)62/38

Ratings & economy EPA / vPIC

EPA city / highway / combined15 / 24 / 18 mpg
Drivetrain4-Wheel or All-Wheel Drive
Passenger volume90 cu ft
Cargo volume15 cu ft
Recommended fuelPremium Gasoline

Service quick specs OEM factory data

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

This engine holds 5.7 qt of 0W-30 / 0W-40 / 5W-30 API engine oil. Torque lug nuts to 80 ft-lbs. The firing order is 1-3-4-2.

Lubricants & capacities

Engine CoolantDEXCOOL OR EQUIVALENT
Engine OilSYNTHETIC · 0W-30 · 0W-40 · 5W-30 · 5W-40 · API
Engine Oil Capacity5.7 qt
Engine OilSYNTHETIC · 0W-30 · 0W-40 · 5W-30 · 5W-40 · API
Engine Oil Capacity4.2 qt
Power Steering FluidUSE PENTOSIN CHF202 OR EQUIVALENT

Engine torques

Camshaft Bearing/Carrier Cap Bolts or Studs7 ft-lbs
Crankshaft Pulley and/or Damper Bolts130 ft-lbs
Intake Manifold to Engine Bolts16 ft-lbs
Exhaust Manifold to Cylinder Head Bolts18 ft-lbs
Oil Pump to Cylinder BLock Bolts/Studs17 ft-lbs

Chassis torques

Lug Nuts80 ft-lbs
Front Wheel Hub170 ft-lbs

Ignition

Cylinder Firing Order1-3-4-2
Cylinder Firing Order1-3-4-2

Battery & A/C

RefrigerantR134a
Refrigerant Capacity1.81 lbs
Oil GroupPAG
Oil Type46
Oil Capacity4.06 oz
Standard BCI Group Number48
Standard BCI Cranking Performance700 cca

Service checks

Pressure Test20-22 psi
Radiator Cap Pressure Relief20-22 psi
Thermostat Opening Temperature192 °F
Regulated Fuel System Pressure (Without Vacuum)43.0 psi
Regulated Fuel System Pressure (With Vacuum)33.0 psi

Brakes

Brake ApplicationWITH HEAVY DUTY / WITH STANDARD
Torque Caliper to Bracket21 ft-lbs / 28 ft-lbs
Minimum Pad ThicknessFront: 0.197; Rear: 0.157 in
Brake ApplicationWITH HEAVY DUTY / WITH STANDARD
Rotor Max Parallel Variation0.0006 in
Rotor Runout Limit0.003 in
Rotor Minimum Machining1.102 in / 0.787 in / 0.984 in / 0.394 in
Rotor Discard at or Under0.925 in / 0.728 in / 0.335 in

Multi-step torque procedures OEM · verified

Torque to Knuckle — tightening sequence 1 stages
145
Connecting Rod (Large End) Bearings — tightening sequence 1 stages
122 ft. lbs., Step 2: Back off 360 degrees, Step 3: 18 ft. lbs., Step 4: 11022 ft. lbs

Factory maintenance schedule OEM · verified

Normal service, condensed from the factory interval matrix.

Under the factory schedule, replace the spark plugs every 40,000 mi.

Every 10,000 miAir Bag System (inspect) · Battery (inspect) · Body Fasteners (torque) · Body Lock Cylinders (lubricate) · Brake Hydraulic System (inspect fluid level) · Door Hinge (lubricate)
Every 20,000 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect) · Brake Line (inspect) · Brake Linings (inspect) · CV Joint Boot (inspect) · Drive Belt Tensioner (inspect) · Driveshaft (inspect)
Every 30,000 miCabin Air Filter (replace) · Exhaust System (Complete) (inspect) · Headlamp (inspect alignment)
Every 40,000 miEngine Air Filter Element (replace) · Spark Plugs (replace)
Every 60,000 miTransmission Assembly (drain & refill)

Reliability & federal safety record

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

Owner complaints about the 2008 Saab 9-5 Aero dominate in one area — the air bags, 18 of 20 reports (90%), well ahead of the next concern. That matters, because the air bags are also the target of recall 16V-063 on this vehicle — so the single most useful check before buying or servicing one is confirming it was actually performed. 0 of the reports describe a crash and 0 a fire — a small share of the total, but worth weighing against the air bags pattern above. These are tallies of what owners actually reported to the federal government, not an editorial score — and higher-selling models naturally rack up more reports.

2
Open recalls
NHTSA campaigns
189
Service bulletins
Manufacturer communications
1
ODI investigations
Office of Defects Investigation
20
Owner complaints
0 involved a crash · 0 a fire

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 20 complaints on record, top 3 components.

Air Bags18
Electrical System1
Electrical System,Air Bags1

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 189 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

BulletinDateComponentSummary
135982025-09-09Unknown Or OtherNew Vehicle Monitoring Programs Section in IVH
PIC5650M2025-08-06Unknown Or OtherThis Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician about…
PIP5601C2025-07-18Unknown Or OtherThis PI communicates the requirement to provide a pico file to receive diagnostic…
PIT5074R2025-05-30Unknown Or OtherThis Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician about…
PIT5074R2025-05-30Unknown Or OtherThis Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician about…

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 Aero. 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 batteryVehicles taking 5.7 qtEngine oil filter 93186554Engine air filter 55560911Spark plug 9399866Battery 12827676

Reference guides

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

Vehicle recalls & TSBsOBD-II trouble codesTorque specificationsMaintenance schedulesFluid capacities & specs

Frequently asked

How much oil does the 2008 9-5 Aero take?

5.7 qt of SYNTHETIC 0W-30, 0W-40, 5W-30 OR 5W-40 API, per the factory manual.

Does the 2008 9-5 Aero 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 Aero get?

EPA figures are 15 city / 24 highway / 18 combined mpg.