FaultScore

Worst years for a Saab 9-3

Owners have filed 1,689 complaints about the Saab 9-3 with NHTSA across model years 1994 to 2011. More of them are about the airbags than anything else.

Avoid

2003 Saab 9-3

323 complaints — the highest FaultScore of any year, mostly electrical system.

Cleanest on record

2010 Saab 9-3

31 complaints — the lowest FaultScore of the graded years.

Every Saab 9-3 year, graded

The grade compares each year against the rest of this model's own run — never against another car. Click any bar or row to open that year's report.

Complaints filed with NHTSA, by model year. Bar colour is the FaultScore grade: A B C D F ungraded
Year Grade Complaints Crashes Fires Median miles Most reported
2011 A 33 1 0 90,000 Airbags
2010 A 31 0 0 50,000 Airbags
2009 A 46 1 0 62,500 Airbags
2008 C 218 7 2 80,000 Airbags
2007 C 182 4 8 65,000 Airbags
2006 F 227 21 5 40,371 Airbags
2005 C 114 5 2 64,000 Suspension
2004 D 236 11 2 71,000 Seat Belts
2003 F 323 19 6 43,347 Electrical System
2002 B 52 0 3 60,000 Electrical System
2001 B 74 2 1 75,400 Electrical System
2000 C 72 5 1 88,000 Electrical System
1999 C 80 8 0 79,660 Electrical System
1994 1 0 0 Engine & Cooling

What breaks on a Saab 9-3

Across every model year on file. Follow a row for that part's complaints and the year it was worst.

Airbags 370 21.9%

Worst in 2006

Engine & Cooling 221 13.1%

Worst in 2008

Electrical System 207 12.3%

Worst in 2003

Suspension 187 11.1%

Worst in 2004

Seat Belts 164 9.7%

Worst in 2004

Worst in 2003

Brakes 96 5.7%

Worst in 2006

Worst in 2003

Steering 41 2.4%

Worst in 2003

Lights 30 1.8%

Worst in 2003

Worst in 2003

Seats 25 1.5%

Worst in 2007

Equipment & Accessories 24 1.4%

Worst in 2003

Tires 23 1.4%

Worst in 2003

Exactly what failed on a Saab 9-3

The named sub-assemblies behind those complaints, across every model year.

Front 79 27.8%
Module 41 14.4%
Engine 32 11.3%
Automatic Transmission 31 10.9%
Coil Springs 25 8.8%
Ignition 25 8.8%
Retractor 16 5.6%
Hoses, Lines/Piping, AND Fittings 13 4.6%
Frontal 13 4.6%
Cooling System 9 3.2%

Complaints filed over time

Every complaint about every Saab 9-3, by the month it reached NHTSA.

Mar 1999 peak 40 Jun 2026

Saab 9-3 problems by state

Where owners filed from. Heavier states are usually just bigger markets, but a part that fails in heat or salt shows up here first.

Compare the Saab 9-3

Side by side on complaint history. Remember that raw totals track how many were sold as much as how good they were.