71 of the 1,689 complaints filed about the Saab 9-3 are about the transmission — 4% of everything owners reported. The worst model year for it is 2003.
71
Complaints
4%
Share of all complaints
4
Crashes
1
Fires
POWER TRAIN
at about 98,000 miles the starts to fail transmission fails Also when the car gets too cold in the winter it refuses to start and it is not a battery issue. the cylinders get to cold to start. When the warm weather comes back around it starts again.
NHTSA complaint #11508009 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN
SIGNIFICANT DECREASE IN AVERAGE MPG (PROBLEM FROM RESEARCH ONLINE SUGGESTS IT IS FROM LOWERED COMPRESSION FROM INTAKE VALVE DESIGN/MATERIAL USED). 109700 MILES ON ENGINE. METICULOUSLY MAINTAINED BY US NAVY SUBMARINER. HAVEN'T CONTACTED GM OR SAAB AFFILIATE YET. FORUMS USED INFER THIS PROBLEM IS WIDESPREAD FOR 2007-2009 SAAB 9-3 2.0T WITH B207 ENGINE. SUMMER TIME MPG IS AROUND 32-33, WINTER MPG IS 30-31 IN THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST. LAST 3 FILL UPS, AVERAGE MPG HAS DROPPED STEADILY FROM 30.5 TO 26 ON THE MOST RECENT FILL UP. RESPECTFULLY REQUEST TO KNOW IF A RECALL OR FINANCIAL COMPENSATION BY THE MANUFACTURER TO CONSUMERS HAS BEEN ORDAINED?
NHTSA complaint #11308102 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN
ECU IN CAR BECOMES COMPLETELY FRIED BECAUSE OF THE LOCATION IT IS MOUNTED FROM THE FACTORY BECAUSE OF HEAT SOAK
NHTSA complaint #11156781 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN
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.
POWER TRAIN
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 SAAB 9-3. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO ACCELERATE AND DECELERATED INDEPENDENTLY WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER BUT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. IN ADDITION, THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING, THERE WAS AN ABNORMAL ODOR AND SMOKE COMING FROM THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT PULLED OVER AND DISCOVERED THAT OIL WAS LEAKING FROM THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE VALVE COVER GASKET NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 184,000. ...UPDATED 01/07/16 *BF THE CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE FAILED TO ACCELERATE WHEN ENTERING TRAFFIC FROM THE DRIVEWAY, IT MOVES OUT OF GEAR, AND THE VEHICLE HAD AN ELECTRICAL GLITCH THAT CAUSED THE HEADLIGHTS TO GO OUT OFTEN NEEDING TO BE REPLACED.
NHTSA complaint #10786615 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN
MY 2008 SAAB 93 2.0T HAS INTAKE VALVE FAILURES. IN THE MORNING IT IDLES ROUGH UNTIL IT WARMS UP; THIS HAS BEEN VERIFIED BY A SAAB SPECIALIST. MY ENGINE IS NOT MOLDED OR ALTERED IN ANYWAY OTHER THAN THE CONSUMABLES OVER TIME (BELTS AND SUCH). A QUICK CHECK FOR 2008 SAAB VALVE PROBLEM LEADS TO FORUMS CHALK FULL OF OTHER OWNERS WITH THE SAME ISSUE. GM SHOULD FOOT THE BILL FOR THIS $2500+ REBUILD OF THE ENGINE THAT THEY POORLY MANUFACTURED IN THE FIRST PLACE.
NHTSA complaint #10703444 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN
ON THE 2007-2011 SAAB 9-39-3 THERE IS A COMMON ISSUE WITH THE INTAKE VALVE SEALS GOING BAD CAUSING A ROUGH IDLE AND/OR MISFIRE ON COLD STARTS. MINE EXHIBITS THIS BEHAVIOR BUT IS NOT STILL UNDER WARRANTY. THIS IS NOT JUST WEAR AND TEAR IT IS A BAD PART OR BAD DESIGN THAT IS BASICALLY DESIGNED TO FAIL. TO FIX THIS IT COSTS $1500+ AND GM SHOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR A FLAW IN THE VEHICLE REGARDLESS OF THE 5 YEAR/100,000 MILE WARRANTY.
NHTSA complaint #10691971 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN
WE PURCHASED A 2008 SAAB 9-3 IN 3/2011 WITH 34,000 MILES. AS OF 2/2015 THE VEHICLE HAS 104,000 MILES. LAST MONTH THE VEHICLE BARELY STARTED AFTER SITTING OVERNIGHT AND WOULD TAKE SEVERAL MINUTES TO REACH A NORMAL IDLE. IT WOULD THEN START THE REST OF THE DAY, SOMETIMES AFTER A "HARD" START. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND THE MECHANIC SAID THE CODE READ AS A "CYLINDER MISFIRE" CODE. 8 DAYS AGO THE CAR WOULD NOT START AND IS NOW SITTING IN MY DRIVEWAY. I CALLED A SAAB SPECIALIST ABOUT 2 HOURS AWAY FROM ME WHO KNEW EXACTLY WHAT THE PROBLEM WAS. HE EXPLAINED THE INTAKE VALVE PROBLEM THAT A LOT OF SAAB OWNERS ARE EXPERIENCING DUE TO DEFECTIVE MATERIALS USED BY GM AND/OR SUPPLIERS. HE SAID THE COST WILL BE AT LEAST $2,200 BUT COULD EASILY BE MORE DEPENDING ON THE SEVERITY. THIS IS A KNOWN DEFECT (A SERVICE BULLETIN HAS BEEN ISSUED DETAILING THIS ISSUE) THAT SHOULD BE SUBJECT TO A RECALL. WE CANNOT AFFORD TO FIX AN ENGINE THAT DOES NOT WORK DUE TO SUBSTANDARD VALVES. THIS IS NOT A NORMAL "WEAR AND TEAR" ISSUE, BUT AN ISSUE DEALING WITH PARTS THAT WERE DOOMED FROM THE BEGINNING.
NHTSA complaint #10683486 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN
AS I WAS DRIVING IN THE MIDDLE LANE OF THE 3 NORTHBOUND LANES OF U.S. 23, THE ENGINE SUDDENLY STALLED. I WAS GOING ABOUT 62 MPH. I ACTIVATED MY EMERGENCY FLASHERS, SHIFTED THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION TO NEUTRAL, AND SHUT OFF THE IGNITION KEY. I THEN TURNED THE IGNITION KEY TO RESTART THE ENGINE AND IT RESTARTED. THIS IS ABOUT THE 5TH TIME THIS HAS HAPPENED IN THE PAST 5 MONTHS. THIS VEHICLE SHOULD BE INCLUDED IN GMS IGNITION RECALL!!!
NHTSA complaint #10629628 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN
DURING COLDER STARTS, THE ENGINE WILL TAKE MUCH LONGER THAN IT SHOULD TO START. EITHER IT WILL TRY AND CRANK UNTIL IT DOES OR IT WILL CRANK AND STALL. USUALLY A FEW TRIES AND IT WILL CLEAR UP ONCE THE ENGINE IS WARM. I THINK THIS MIGHT HAVE TO DO WITH THE INTAKE VALVES BEING WARN OUT PREMATURELY. MANY OTHER SAAB OWNERS IN THE SAME FEW YEARS AND MILEAGE ARE HAVING THIS PROBLEM.
NHTSA complaint #10574624 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN
UPON START, ROUGH IDLE AND MISFIRES. OCCASIONAL STALLING. DEFECT TRACED TO METALLURGICAL ISSUES IN THE INTAKE VALVES OF THE VEHICLE CAUSING AN IMPROPER SEAL WHEN THE ENGINE IS COLD.
NHTSA complaint #10565538 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN
TL-THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 SAAB CONVERTIBLE 93. THE CONTACT STATED HE BOUGHT THE VEHICLE FORM THE DEALER ON DECEMBER 11, 2013 THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED WHEN HE TURNED THE IGINATION ON AT THE DEALER AND IT REMAINED ON. THE MECHANIC DIAGNOSED IT WAS AN IGINATION MALFUNCTION, AND IT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 107,775.LJ
NHTSA complaint #10556166 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN
THE ENGINE WOULD NOT TURN OVER WHEN TRYING TO START THE ENGINE FROM A COLD START. IF THE TEMPERATURES WOULD LOWER CLOSE TO FREEZING THE CAR WILL JUST CRANK AND NEVER TURN OVER. IF I WERE ABLE TO GET THE CAR STARTED, ONCE IT WARMED UP, IT RAN JUST FINE. READING ONLINE, IT SEEMS TO BE A KNOWN ISSUE WITH THE 2007 & 2008 SAAB 9-3'S. IT'S A FAULTY INTAKE VALVE AND BEGINS HAPPENING ANYWHERE BETWEEN 60,000 TO 80,000 MILES. I BELIEVE SAAB SHOULD LOOK INTO THIS AS IT SEEMS TO BE HAPPENING TO A LOT OF 2007 & 2008 SAAB 9-3'S. THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL. THE COST TO GET IT FIXED IS OVER $2000.
NHTSA complaint #10555943 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN
THE VEHICLE WILL BECOME ALMOST IMMOBILE IN FIRST AND SECOND GEAR (MANUAL TRANSMISSION). ONCE IN THIRD GEAR, PERFORMANCE IS BACK TO NORMAL. IF DRIVER IS NOT AWARE OF SITUATION (CRUISE LIGHT OFF IS ONLY INDICATION IF CRUISE CONTROL SYSTEM IS TURNED ON), DRIVER CAN EASILY GET INTO BAD SITUATION AS CAR WILL NOT PERFORM AS USUAL (VERY SIGNIFICANT DEGRADATION OF PERFORMANCE). ALL THAT IS NEEDED TO RESET PROBLEM IS TO TURN THE KEY OFF AND RESTART THE ENGINE AND THE CONDITION WILL GO AWAY FOR AS LITTLE AS 10 MINUTES OR UP TO AS MUCH AS 2 HOURS OF DRIVING. IT IS SUSPECTED THAT THIS PROBLEM COULD BE ASSOCIATED WITH THE AIR MASS SENSOR AS REPLACING AIR MASS SENSOR WITH USED PART, PROBLEM DISAPPEARED FOR SEVERAL MONTHS. THIS CONDITION COULD CAUSE A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE IF DRIVER IS NOT AWARE AND TRIES TO MAKE A QUICK MANEUVER INVOLVING TIGHT TRAFFIC (LEFT TURN WHEN PERFORMANCE IS PARAMOUNT). WHATEVER THIS CONDITION IS THAT THE ELECTRONICS/ENGINE CONTROLS IS/ARE ENTERING IS UNACCEPTABLE AND THIS PROBLEM NEEDS TO BE CORRECTED BY THE MANUFACTURER IN A RECALL.
NHTSA complaint #10535307 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN
AT 65 MPH, THE GEAR SHIFT KNOB, SHIFT COVER AND ASSEMBLY SEPARATED FROM THE CAR - THE BASE-METAL STICK SHIFT WAS ALL THAT REMAINED, AND THUS THE SAFETY LATCH THAT PREVENTS CAR FROM BEING SHIFTED INTO REVERSE, INSTEAD OF A FORWARD MOVING GEAR, NORMALLY ATTACHED TO THE EXTERIOR, WAS NOW MISSING. ALAS, SAFELY SHIFTING INTO ANY OF ITS 6 GEARS, WAS NOT AN OPTION ... IT'S ODD, BUT PER ITS ORIGINAL MANUFACTURING SPECS, THE ENTIRE TRANSMISSION SYSTEM IN THE 9-3, HAS ZERO LOCKING MECHANISM TO KEEP THE KNOB AND COSMETIC HOUSING FROM SEPARATING. NUMEROUS OTHER REPORTS HAVE BEEN REPORTED TO DEALERSHIPS AND ACROSS THE INTERNET. GM STILL COVERS 9-3, 2008, UNDER ITS WARRANTY POLICIES.
NHTSA complaint #10512690 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN
THE ALL WHEEL DRIVE HYDRAULIC PUMP WENT BAD AND THERE ARE NONE AVAILABLE TO FIX CAR. THE HALDEX ALL WHEEL DRIVE IS BEING USED ON VARIOUS OTHER MAKES AND I BELIEVE THAT THERE IS A DEFECT IN THE DESIGN OF THE SYSTEM. WHEN I CHECKED ON LINE THERE HAVE BEEN A NUMBER OF PEOPLE REPORTING THIS SAME PROBLEM WITH THE HYDRAULIC PUMP ON THEIR ALL WHEEL DRIVE CARS.
NHTSA complaint #10474034 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN
HAD BEEN HAVING PROBLEMS WITH A VERY ROUGH IDLE. THEN WHEN PUTTING CAR INTO REVERSE FROM A COLD START THE BRAKES WOULD BE INOPERABLE (BRAKE WOULD NOT PRESS DOWN). THROWING CAR INTO A DIFFERENT GEAR WAS ONLY WAY TO STOP CAR. VERY SCARY WHEN PARKED ON AN INCLINE ONE MORNING AND REVERSED INTO TRAFFIC BUT COULDN'T STOP. TOOK TO SERVICE REPAIR TO FIND THE BRAKE BOOSTER NEEDED REPLACED. SAID THIS WAS UNACCEPTABLE FAILURE IN CAR OF THIS AGE/MILEAGE WHO HAS VERY REGULAR SERVICE RECORD.
NHTSA complaint #10472330 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN
WHEN ACCELERATING UP TO HIGHWAY SPEEDS ENGINE WILL SLIP, STUTTER, AND MISFIRE REDUCING POWER AND CAUSING UNSAFE AND UNPREDICTABLE MERGING MANEUVERS. HAVE HAD 3 OR MORE VISITS TO DEALER CONCERNING THIS WITH REPAIRS THAT NEVER FULLY RESOLVING ISSUE OF BAD IGNITION COILS OR ENGINE RESOLVE. VEHICLE IS 2008 SAAB 9-3 TURBO X, A LIMITED RUN OF 600.
NHTSA complaint #10458506 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN
MY SAAB IS A 2008 9-3 AERO WITH A 6 SPEED AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION. EVER SINCE I BOUGHT IT IN OCTOBER 2010, WHEN I TRY TO ACCELERATE WHILE ALREADY AT SPEED (I.E., PASSING MANEUVER) THE ENGINE/TRANSMISSION SPUTTERS AND DOES NOT IMMEDIATELY ACCELERATE. THE STUTTERING MAKES PASSING IN TRAFFIC A RISKY/DANGEROUS MOVE. I HAVE MADE SEVERAL TRIPS TO THE DEALER FOR INVESTIGATION AND AM REPEATEDLY TOLD THAT THIS IS THE NORMAL BEHAVIOR FOR THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION. (I HAVE NEVER HAD AN AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION CAR ACT LIKE THIS.) NEARLY TWO YEARS LATER, I STILL HAVE THE SAME THING OCCURRING.
NHTSA complaint #10458478 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN
IN APRIL 2011, WHEN I STARTED MY CAR MY ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. I HAD VERY LITTLE POWER ON ACCELERATION UNTIL MY CAR HIT 2000 RPM. A DIAGNOSTIC SHOWED IT WAS A THROTTLE POSITION SENSOR. FIRST OCCURRENCE WAS SIX MONTHS AGO, IT HAS HAPPENED AT LEAST 20 TIMES SINCE. THE CAR WILL ACT LIKE THIS FOR 2 DAYS THEN WORK NORMAL AGAIN. I HAVE TO PROCEED WITH EXTREME CAUTION PULLING OUT IN TRAFFIC. I ALSO TAKE OFF EXTREMELY SLOW FROM ANY FULL STOPS I MAKE. IT IS HIT OR MISS EVERY TIME I START MY CAR.
NHTSA complaint #10438728 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.