207 of the
1,689 complaints filed about the Saab 9-3
are about the electrical system —
12% of everything owners reported.
The worst model year for it is 2003.
I have been trying to get this recall done for many years and with no luck. Most recently June 26th 2026 I was informed my recall was not fixable again and I hope for the last time. Enough is enough! Van Bortel Chevrolet in Macedon Ny tried again today which is there 2nd attempt. I had to buy a software card to give them the tool they didn’t have to fit in there tech 2 scanner and even with the card they were unable to fix. It’s a major safety issue I have been more than patient with and can’t even begin to tell you over the years how much time and money spent trying to fix. I think at this point they need to replace car with similar or purchase from me.
NHTSA complaint #11746834 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The contact owns a 2001 Saab 9-3. The contact stated that the vehicle was overheating while driving. Additionally, the contact stated that the vehicle failed to start. A mobile independent mechanic diagnosed the vehicle and determined that the failure was related to NHTSA Campaign Numbers: 05V399000 (Electrical System) and 06V126000 (Fuel System, Gasoline). The vehicle was not repaired. The dealer was not notified of the failure. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 150,000.
NHTSA complaint #11627255 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Constant random recurrence of error codes P2122 and P2138 (either together or on their own) which results in the car switching to low power mode, with very low acceleration which makes it very dangerous to merge into traffic, pull out of stops, red lights, etc. Technically supposed to require changing the throttle pedal sensor, but changing it does not solve the issue, which is electrical. This is a known issue for GM cars.
NHTSA complaint #11467557 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
TAKATA RECALL, I TOOK MY 06 SAAB 93 AERO INTO BELLEVUE WASHINGTON CADILLAC DEALERSHIP TO GET MY AIR BAG RECALL FIXED, AFTER I HOT THE RECALLED AIRBAG REPLACED THEY RESET MY ECM AND NOW MY AIRBAG LIGHT IS ON INTERMITTENTLY AND DRAINS MY BATTERY DEAD OVER NIGHT! I HAVE CALLED BELLEVUE CADILLAC AND THEY REFUSE TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT THE DAMAGE THEY DID TO MY CAR BY REPLACING THE RECALLED AIRBAG WITH ANOTHER BAD AIRBAG! THEY LISTED IN THEIR COMPUTERS THAT THEY FIXED MY CAR AND NEVER DID SO NOW I AM STUCK WITH ANOTHER BAD FAULTY AIRBAG AND NOW A BATTERY DRAIN ISSUE FROM IT. MY CAR HAS BEEN LITERALLY UNDRIVEABLE SINCE THE DAY THEY REPLACED THE RECALLED AIRBAG. THE CAR ALSO HAS A FAILED GAS GAUGE DUE TO ELECTRICAL ISSUES FROM THE FACTORY WHICH WAS NEVER RECALLED, THE FUEL SENDING UNITS ARE BAD AND NEVER WORKED PROPERLY SINCE THE CAR WAS PURCHASED WHICH ALOT IF PEOPLE WITH THE SAME SAABS HAVE EXPERIENCED ALL OVER THE WORLD!
NHTSA complaint #11180544 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
MY CAR WON'T START AND NO MECHANIC CAN FIGURE OUT EXACTLY WHY DUE TO THERE NOT BEING ANY SAAB DEALERS NEAR THE AREA I'M STUCK IN... I HAVE BEEN LIVING OUT OF MY CAR FOR 3 MONTHS CUZ I DON'T WANT ANYONE TO STEAL MY CAR
NHTSA complaint #11123274 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ACCIDENT HAPPENED AFTER HEADLIGHT LOW-BEAM FAILED.WAS TOLD AND SHOWN A MELTED HEADLIGHT MODULE THAT OVERHEATED AND CAUSED THE LOW-BEAM HEADLIGHTS TO GO OUT. THE ENTIRE HEADLAMP ASSEMBLY WAS REPLACED. AS WERE OTHER CRASH INVOLVED PARTS
NHTSA complaint #11099428 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
TAKATA RECALL MY CAR HAVE ELECTRICAL ISSUE WITH THE MOTOR TRANSMISSION AND TAIL LIGHTS MY TAIL LIGHT AINT WORKING ALL THE TIME THE PASSENGER SIDE TAIL LIGHT LOOK LIKE THE WIRE CAUGHT ON FIRE BY THE PLUG AND THE TRANSMISSION JURK SOMETIMES AND THE ODBO2 SAYING THERE'S NO TRANSMISSION FLUID AND ITS FULL THE CRANK SHAFT SENSOR LIKE COME ON AND WONT GO OFF AFTER I REPLACE IT THEN THE THROTTLE BODY CODE CAME UP AND I REPLACE IT THEN NOW IT START OFF SLOW AND WHEN I CHECK ODBO2 IT SAYING THE THROTTLE BODY AND I KNOW IT'S NOT SO THATS TELL ME IT'S THE WIRING HARNESS
NHTSA complaint #11055002 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
THE HEADLIGHTS IN MY VEHICLE STARTED FLICKERING AND SHUT OFF WHILE DRIVING IN THE DARK A FEW DAYS AGO. AFTER SAFELY PARKING THE CAR, I INVESTIGATED AND FOUND THAT THE HOUSINGS ARE DESIGNED TO BE UNSERVICABLE BUT I WAS ABLE TO INVESTIGATE AND FOUND THAT NEARLY ALL OF THE INTERNAL WIRING SHIELDING HAD CRACKED AND FALLEN OFF (PLEASE SEE ATTACHED PHOTOS, I APPOLOGIZE ABOUT THE QUALITY). THE HEADLIGHTS FAILING WITHOUT NOTICE CREATED A VERY DANGEROUS BLACKOUT SCENARIO WHICH COULD HAVE VERY EASILY RESULTED IN SERIOUS INJURY AND/OR DEATH DUE TO MANUFACTURING DEFECT AND BY NO FAULT BY OR PRIOR WARNING TO THE OPERATOR. I WAS LUCKY!
NHTSA complaint #11053416 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
TAKATA RECALL, AFTER GETTING A NOTICE I LOOKED ONLINE CALLED EVERY SINGLE DEALER IN MY AREA THEY ALL SAID THEY DON'T WORK ON SAABI HOPE EVERYTHING IS GM FINALLY I FOUND ONE MOST OF THEM SAID SUB WENT BANKRUPT SO IN A FEW YEARS THE CAR SHOULD BE FIXED FADED OUT AND YOU SHOULD GET RID OF IT THEY SAID NO ONE WILL FIX IT BECAUSE THERE'S NO OLDER THIS IS THE OF THE DEALERSHIPS WITHIN 100 MILE RADIUS DEALERSHIP GMC'S SOMEHOW I GOT CONNECTED TO A REPAIR SHOP THAT SPECIALIZES IN SOB AND THEY SAID THEY SAID THEY COULD DO IT THERE ABOUT ONE MONTH OUT AND I WOULD HAVE TO COME TO THEM WHICH WAS 400 MILES AWAY I TOLD HIM IT WAS A HARDSHIP ALSO AND IF THEY COULD ARRANGE TO PICK IT UP OR WE COULD ARRANGE ANOTHER SHOP TO FIX IT FOR THE DEALER THEY SAID NOPE WITH ONLY ONES IN NORTHERN CALIFORNIA APPOINTMENT LATER I GOT A NOTICE FROM GMC IT WAS AND AMBIGUOUS IT STATED YOUR SEATBELT AND AIRBAG MIGHT NOT BE RECALL HOWEVER YOU MIGHT WANT TO CHECK THIS WEBSITE WHICH WAS IN SMALL PRINT I TOOK IT AS A DISCOURAGING MEMO WHEN I CHECKED IT OUT THEY SAID IF YOU DON'T HAVE ANY DEALERS IN YOURN YOUR AREA NO I CANNOT DRIVE IT BECAUSE OF SAFETY CONCERNS NOR CAN I SELL IT BECAUSE OF AFRICAN MORE OF THE CONCERNS I HAD SHOWING A LAWN SERVICE RECALLED I BELIEVE GMC IS REQUIRED AND RESPONSIBLE IN THIS CASE TO BUY BACK YOUR VEHICLE FOR ME OR OFFER ME A REPLACEMENT IN THIS CASE THEY ARE AVOIDING THERE'S POSSIBILITY AND NO MATTER IF THE COMPANY WOULD BANKRUPT THEY ARE THE ONES THAT ASSUMED I HAVE BEEN DRIVING WITH THIS ISSUE AND I HAVE KIDS AND IT IS UNSAFE I NEED TO HELP THEY NEED TO BE IN BURST ME FOR THE WHOLE COST OF THE VEHICLE FOR
NHTSA complaint #11051848 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
RECENTLY, WHILE STARTING THE CAR IT STARTED UP VERY ROUGH. A FEW WEEKS AGO THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ALSO CAME ON AND THE MECHANIC TOLD ME THERE WAS AN ISSUE IN CYLINDER 2. WE REPLACED ALL SPARK PLUGS AND COILS, AND THE ISSUE DID NOT GO AWAY. IN ADDITION, THE CAR HAS ALSO STARTED STALLING RANDOMLY. LUCKILY, I HAVEN'T BEEN DRIVING AT HIGH SPEEDS WHEN THIS HAS HAPPENED BUT IT'S NOW SHUT OFF ABOUT 7 OR 8 TIMES IN THE LAST MONTH. BEEN WONDERING IF ITS INTAKE VALVES, FUEL PUMP, POWERTRAIN CONTROL MODULE, CAMSHAFT TIMING... SOUNDS LIKE LOTS OF OTHER PEOPLE HAVE EXPERIENCED SIMILAR ISSUES AND HOPING MINES NOT BECAUSE OF THE INTAKE VALVES. PLEASE EMAIL [XXX]@HOTMAIL.COM IF YOU HAVE EXPERIENCED SIMILAR ISSUES AND KNOW THE FIX. CAR IS A MANUAL TRANSMISSION.
NHTSA complaint #11044367 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
2010 SAAB 9-3. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO TAKATA AIRBAG RECALL. *LD THE CONSUMER STATED AFTER HAVING THE RECALL COMPLETED THE KEY WOULD NO LONGER TURN IN THE IGNITION. THE CIM WAS REPLACED AND TWO NEW KEYS WERE HAD TO BE PROGRAMMED. TWO BROKEN FRONT COIL SPRINGS WERE DISCOVERED. THE CONSUMER REQUESTED A REIMBURSEMENT FOR THE COSTS ACCUMULATED FROM HAVING TO PURCHASE A RENTAL VEHICLE. UPDATED 10/03/2017
NHTSA complaint #11029632 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
PURCHASED SAAB 9-3 2007 BRAND NEW. NEARLY IMMEDIATELY THE HEADLIGHTS KEPT GOING OUT. I FOUND MYSELF REPLACING THEM OFTEN AND TWICE WAS PULLED OVER BY POLICE WHEN I HADN'T REALIZED AND HAD JUST REPLACED THE PASSENGER SIDE HEADLIGHT. ALSO GOT ONE KEY AT THE TIME OF PURCHASE. THE A/C WASN'T WORKING WELL SO FINALLY TOOK IT TO THE SAAB DEALER IN SANTA FE, NM IN 2008 WITH COMPLAINTS. THEY WERE TO GET ME A SECOND KEY, FIX THE A/C, CHECK THE LEATHER ON FRONT SEAT AND FIGURE OUT WHAT WAS WRONG WITH ELECTRICAL AND HEADLIGHTS GOING OUT. THE ELECTRIC PANEL, INDICATING PROBLEMS, WAS NOT WORKING PROPERLY. THEY TOOK MY ONE KEY AND TOLD ME THEY WOULD BE IN TOUCH AS IT WAS STILL UNDER WARRANTY. AFTER A FEW DAYS OF A RENTAL, I CONTACTED AND NO ONE ANSWERED. I DROVE OUT TO THE DEALERSHIP AND NO CARS. A WOMAN SITTING INSIDE AT A SIMPLE DESK IN EMPTY GM/SAAB SHOWROOM. SHE SAID THEY WERE ALL SHOCKED, HAD NO WARNING AS EMPLOYEES AND THE DEALERSHIP WAS GONE NO RECORDS ON MY CAR. NO OTHER DEALER PICKING IT UP AS THEY DIDN'T HAVE SAAB SPECIALIST. LONG STORY SHORT, I NEVER GOT HELP FROM ANYONE, NEVER GOT THE REPAIRS, NEVER GOT THE PROMISED SECOND KEY AND HAVE BEEN DRIVING IT EVER SINCE. IT ENRAGES ME. ALL UNDER WARRANTY! NO COMPLAINTS OR LETTERS HAVE BEEN ANSWERED. I WAS SHOCKED THEY GOT AWAY WITH IT. OH AND THE ELECTRIC PANEL COVER WAS GONE AS WELL. LOST. HOW THEY GOT AWAY WITH ALL THIS IS UNKNOWN. THE LEATHER ON THE DRIVER'S SEAT STARTED CRACKING AND PEELING THE FIRST YEAR! I PUT EXPENSIVE LEATHER CONDITIONERS ON AS WELL. NOTHING. I AM STILL FURIOUS AND STILL HAVE THE CAR. NO CORPORATE OFFICES WOULD HELP EITHER. I FINALLY GAVE UP. .
NHTSA complaint #10991551 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
I RECENTLY BOUGHT A 2008 SAAB 9-3 AND THE FUEL READER LIGHTS UP AND SAYS IT'S EMPTY, EVEN WHEN THE TANK IT FULL. ALSO, THE DOOR LOCKS DOESN'T WORK WHEN UNLOCKING OR LOCKING THEM. THIS HAPPENS WHEN TRYING TO LOCK OR UNLOCK WITH REMOTE KEY AND WHEN YOUR LOCK OR UNLOCK IT FORM THE SINCE. YOU HAVE TO LOCK OR UNLOCK IT MANUALLY BY PULLING UP OR PUSHING DOWN WITH YOUR HAND. I HAVE DONE SOME RESEARCH ONLINE AND I CAME ACROSS A LOT OF OTHER SAAB 9-3 OWNERS THAT HAVE CAME ACROSS THE SAME PROBLEM. I THINK IT SHOULD BE RECALL SINCE I THINK IT SHOULD BE FAIR ENOUGH FOR SAAB TO FIX THE SITUATION.
NHTSA complaint #10970394 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
WHILE DRIVING, WITHOUT ANY WARNING THE CAR ENGINE STALLS. NO WARNING AT ALL!! ONCE IT STOPS, IGNITION KEY WON'T WORK. THE ONLY WAY TO RESTART THE CAR IS TO DISCONNECT THE BATTERY. THIS IS ALL DONE IN THE EMERGENCY SHOULDERS, BREAKDOWN LANES, ITS ALSO HAPPENED ON THE HIGHWAY EXIT RAMPS. LUCKILY EACH TIME THERE WAS A PLACE TO PULL OVER. WE COULD GET KILLED. IT HAS HAPPENED NUMEROUS TIMES . SOMETIMES IT STALLS 2-3 TIMES A DAY. I AM SO DISAPPOINTED IN THIS CAR. I AM AFRAID TO DRIVE IT, AND HOW CAN I SELL IT KNOWING THAT SOMETHING BAD COULD HAPPEN TO THE NEW OWNER.
NHTSA complaint #10894074 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
WHILE DRIVING THE IGNITION SWITCH TURNS TO THE OFF POSITION SUDDENLY. THIS HAPPENS WHEN THERE ARE ANY VIBRATIONS IN THE CAR SUCH AS WHEN I REACH INTO AND SHUT THE CENTER COUNSEL, SHUT THE GLOVEBOX, WHEN ANYTHING EVEN LIGHTLY GRAZES THE KEY FOB, WHEN A BALLOON POPPED IN MY CAR AND EVEN WHEN I SNEEZE IN THE CAR! WHEN THIS HAPPENS THE CAR COMPLETELY LOOSES POWER SUCH AS LIGHTS (INTERIOR AND EXTERIOR), POWER STEERING, SPEED AND BASICALLY ALL CONTROLS OF THE CAR ARE LOST. THE CAR IGNITION HAS MOVED TO OFF AT MANY SPEEDS INCLUDING 65 MPH ON THE FREEWAY, 50 MPH, 35 MPH, 25 MPH AND EVEN WHILE BACKING OUT OF THE DRIVEWAY. THIS IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS! I CAN'T DRIVE ON THE FREEWAY BECAUSE I AM DEATHLY SCARED MY CAR WILL SHUT DOWN WHEN I HIT A BUMP IN THE ROAD. IF THAT WAS TO HAPPEN I WOULD BE DEAD IN A SECOND! THIS FAULTY IGNITION COULD CAUSE GREAT HARM TO NOT ONLY MYSELF YET TO INNOCENT PEOPLE ON THE ROAD. THIS IS THE SECOND IGNITION SWITCH I HAVE PUT IN MY SAAB AND IT HAS 94.5K MILES ON IT. SAAB'S ARE FAMOUS FOR THEIR ELECTRICAL IGNITION ISSUES AND I BEG THE GOVERNMENT TO PLEASE STEP IN AND DEMAND A RECALL. BEST REGARDS, [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).
NHTSA complaint #10874768 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.