Owners filed 155 complaints about this vehicle with federal regulators, most often about the air bags. It has been recalled 3 times.
When it fails
06400064,000 milesMedian miles at failure
81 complaints record an odometer reading. Failures cluster around 60,000–75,000 miles.
What fails
Component
Reports
Crashes
Fires
Injuries
Air Bags
64
1
0
2
Suspension
16
0
0
0
Engine
16
0
0
0
Electrical System
8
0
1
0
Service Brakes, Hydraulic
7
0
0
0
Seat Belts
6
0
0
0
Service Brakes
4
0
0
0
Fuel/Propulsion System
4
0
0
0
Engine and Engine Cooling
4
0
4
0
Suspension › Front › Springs › Coil Springs
3
0
0
0
3 safety recalls
Part 573 reports
Air Bags › Frontal › Driver Side › Inflator Module16V063000
Filed Feb 3, 2016113,716 vehiclesGeneral Motors Llc
Defect. 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 Saturn Astra vehicles manufactured April 11, 2007, to July 24, 2008. Upon deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, excessive internal pressure may cause the inflator to rupture.
Risk. In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, the inflator could rupture with metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
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 Astra vehicles, free of charge. The recall began on March 1, 2017. Owners may contact Saab customer service at 1-800-955-9007 or Saturn customer service at 1-800-553-6000. GM's number for this recall is 28810.
Seat Belts › Front › Retractor14V318000
Filed Jun 12, 201428,789 vehiclesGeneral Motors Llc
Defect. General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2004-2011 Saab 9-3 Convertible vehicles manufactured July 30, 2003, to February 15, 2011. In the affected vehicles, the driver's side front seat belt retractor may break, causing the seat belt webbing not to retract.
Risk. In the event of a crash, a seat belt that has not retracted may not properly restrain the seat occupant, increasing their risk of injury.
Remedy. GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver's seat belt retractor, free of charge. The recall began on October 6, 2015. Owners may contact Saab customer service at 1-800-955-9007. GM's number for this recall is 14222. Note: Special Coverage 10086 will replace the passenger side seat belt retractor if it fails, free of charge, for the life of the vehicle.
Filed Feb 28, 20114,887 vehiclesTi Group Automotive Systems, Llc
Defect. TI AUTOMOTIVE IS RECALLING CERTAIN FUEL PUMPS, PART NUMBERS TU456 AND TU303, SOLD UNDER VARIOUS BRAND NAMES AS AFTERMARKET AND REPLACEMENT EQUIPMENT FOR THE MOTOR VEHICLES LISTED ABOVE. THE DEFECTIVE FUEL PUMP MAY SEIZE, STOPPING THE FUEL FLOW TO THE ENGINE CREATING A STALLING CONDITION.
Risk. A VEHICLE CRASH COULD OCCUR SHOULD THE ENGINE STALL WHILE IN USE.
Remedy. TI AUTOMOTIVE WILL NOTIFY OWNERS OF RECORD AND WILL REPLACE ANY DEFECTIVE FUEL PUMP WITH A NEW OR REWORKED FUEL PUMP FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON FEBRUARY 22, 2011. OWNERS MAY CONTACT TI AUTOMOTIVE AT 1-866-867-3759 OR LOG ON TO WWW.RECALLRESPONSE.COM.
What owners reported
Newest filings
Air Bags
Filed Oct 28, 2019NJ
I CALLED ELKINS CHEVROLET IN MARLTON NJ AS LISTED ON MY RECALL FORM. I CALLED THEM TWO TIMES. THE FIRST TIME THEY TOLD ME THE PART IS NOT AVAILABLE. I THEN RECEIVED A FEW MORE RECALL NOTICES STILL LISTING THEM AS THE SERVICE CENTER. I CALLED AGAIN AN WAS THEN TOLD THE ONLY WORK OF CHEVROLETS. BOTH TURNED OUT TO BE BOLD FACED LIES!
Air Bags
Filed Sep 5, 2019GA
TL* TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 SAAB 9-3. THE CONTACT RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE FOR NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 16V063000 (AIR BAGS). AFTER CONTACTING MALCOLM CUNNINGHAM CHEVROLET (2031 GORDON HWY, AUGUSTA, GA), THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THEY DID NOT SERVICE SAAB VEHICLES. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. PARTS DISTRIBUTION DISCONNECT.
Engine
Filed Jun 1, 201990,000 milesNJ
I WAS HAVING AN ISSUE WITH MY ENGINE IDLING ROUGH WHEN STARTING UP AND WHILE DRIVING COLD. AFTER THE CAR WARMS, THE ISSUE GET A BIT BETTER. BUT WHILE COLD, THE CAR RUNS TERRIBLY ROUGH. AFTER SPENDING OVER $3000 TRYING TO DIAGNOSE AND FIX THE ISSUE, INCLUDING REPLACING THE ENTIRE FUEL SYSTEM, SEVERAL ENGINE PARTS, AND HOURS OF LABOR AND WASTED TIME, THE SAAB DEALER NARROWS IT DOWN TO A COMPRESSION ISSUE INVOLVING ONE OF THE INTAKE VALVES, WHICH IT SEEMS IS A COMMON PROBLEM FOR THE 2007 MODEL 9-3S. THEY ESTIMATE AN ADDITIONAL $2,500 OF WORK TO FIX IT! I'VE READ HUNDREDS OF COMPLAINS ON THIS ISSUE. IF THIS IS SUCH A COMMON ISSUE, GM SHOULD RECALL THESE FAULTY PARTS AND REPLACE THEM.
Seat Belts › Front › Retractor
Filed May 31, 2018106,000 milesOH
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 SAAB 9-3. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT BELT FAILED TO RETRACT WHETHER THE VEHICLE WAS IN OPERATION OR NOT. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V318000 (SEAT BELTS); HOWEVER, THE PARTS TO DO THE REPAIR WERE UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE DEALER (JUST SAAB, 5591 WOOSTER PIKE, CINCINNATI, OH 45227, (513)-527-4300) WAS CONTACTED AND CONFIRMED THAT THE PARTS WERE NOT AVAILABLE FOR THE RECALL REMEDY. THE MANUFACTURE WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 106,000. PARTS DISTRIBUTION DISCONNECT.
Engine
Filed Mar 20, 2018134,000 milesWI
FIRST ISSUE WAS FRONT SUSPENSION COILS. REPLACED BOTH. BIGGEST ISSUE WAS ONCE THE WEATHER BECAME VERY COLD, CAR WOULD NOT START. ENDED UP BEING A VICTIM OF THE BAD INTAKE VALVES PROVIDED BY GM. NOW, AFTER A COMPLETE VALVE JOB AND HAVING THE CAR RUN GREAT FROM MARCH 2017 TO DEC 2017..IT APPEARS IT MAY HAVE A CRACKED BLOCK. CAR NEVER OVERHEATED. FLUIDS WERE ALWAYS MAINTAINED. LOOKED INTO THAT AND APPARENTLY THERE WERE SOME CASTING ISSUES AS WELL. THANKS GM.
Seat Belts
Filed Jan 24, 2018161,000 milesDE
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 SAAB 9-3. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DRIVER'S SEAT BELT WAS INOPERABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE SEAT BELT PRETENSIONER FAILED TO RETRACT THE SEAT BELT AFTER COMING TO A STOP. THE VEHICLE WAS INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V318000 (SEAT BELTS). THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO BE DIAGNOSED. DELAWARE CADILLAC (1606 PENNSYLVANIA AVE, WILMINGTON, DE 19806, (302) 656-3100) WAS CONTACTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 161,000.
Engine
Filed Dec 29, 2017RI
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 SAAB 9-3. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ENGINE VALVES FAILED PREMATURELY. THE SERVICE ENGINE INDICATOR ILLUMINATED AND THE VEHICLE PERFORMED ROUGHLY EACH TIME THE FAILURE OCCURRED. IN ADDITION, THE SPRINGS THAT CONNECTED TO THE FRONT STRUTS HAD PREMATURE RUST AND CORROSION, WHICH CAUSED IT TO FRACTURE WITHOUT WARNING. AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC DIAGNOSED THAT THE FRONT COILS SPRINGS AND EIGHT VALVES NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS ALSO INSPECTED BY A DEALER (CONNTECH SAAB SPECIALISTS, 180 JEFFERSON BLVD, WARWICK, RI 02888, (401) 738-3665). THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN AND FAILURE MILEAGE WERE NOT AVAILABLE. *TT *TR
Air Bags
Filed Dec 5, 2017TX
TL* TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 SAAB 9-3. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 16V063000 (AIR BAGS); HOWEVER, THE PART TO DO THE REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. TWO DEALERS WERE CONTACTED (SEWELL CADILLAC OF DALLAS, DALLAS, TX, 214-350-2000) AND (RAMEY CHEVROLET IN SHERMAN, TX, 903-893-4341) AND CONFIRMED THAT THE PARTS WERE NOT AVAILABLE FOR THE RECALL REMEDY. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE AND WAS NOT ABLE TO CONFIRM WHEN THE PARTS WERE TO BECOME AVAILABLE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. PARTS DISTRIBUTION DISCONNECT.
Air Bags
Filed Nov 24, 2017OH
TAKATA RECALL - RECEIVED A LETTER STATING THAT I COULD GO ONLINE FOR A $25 MASTERCARD REWARD CARD AFTER I COMPLETED REPAIRS ON THE SAAB. I COMPLETED THE REPAIRS. TRIED TO ACCESS THE WEBSITE BUT IT WAS NOT A WORKING WEBSITE. UNABLE TO APPLY FOR THE REWARD CARD.
Air Bags
Filed Oct 31, 2017ND
AIRBAG RECALL THERE WAS ONLY ONE STORE LISTED ON YOUR WEBSITE FOR THE RECALL, I CALLED THEM AND THEY TOLD ME THAT THEY DO NOT DO SAAB CARS
Suspension
Filed Sep 5, 2017100,400 milesRI
DRIVERS SIDE FRONT COIL SPRING RUSTED AND BROKEN CAUSING LOUD CLUNKING WHEN DRIVING. I AM LOOKING FOR AN EXPLANATION ON WHY SAFETY RECALL 15917 ONLY INCLUDES THE YEARS 2003-2006 WHEN CLEARLY THE ISSUE FROM READING ONLINE SURPASSES THOSE YEARS BY FAR.
Service Brakes
Filed Aug 4, 2017WI
AT START UP, THE CAR LOSES BRAKING POWER. TO STOP THE CAR YOU HAVE TO PUSH EXTREMELY HARD ON THE BRAKES. AFTER THE CAR HAS BEEN DRIVEN 20 TO 30 FEET THE BRAKE POWER COMES BACK TO NORMAL.
Seat Belts
Filed Aug 1, 2017WI
UNABLE TO HAVE MANUFACTURER RECALL NUMBER15027 NHTSA RECALL NUMBER14V318 COMPLETED. THIS RECALL IS OVER 2 YEARS OLD. SERVICE CENTER CONTINUES TO TELL BE PARTS ARE NOT AVAILABLE.
Air Bags
Filed Jun 29, 2017HI
THERE ARE MULTIPLE ISSUES, AS FOLLOWS, BUT OUR CONCERN IS THAT OUR SON HAS TRIED REPEATEDLY TO GET SUPPORT BY CALLING THE NUMBERS ON THE POST CARDS. WE HAVE BEEN UNABLE TO GET ANY SERVICE AS A RESULT OF THE CALLS AND CONVERSATIONS. HE LIVES ON THE ISLAND OF KAUAI, WEST OF OAHU. #1: WE MUST SHIP THE CAR AT OUR EXPENSE IF WE EXPECT IT TO GET SERVICED. GM AND SAAB WILL NOT PAY FOR THAT SHIPPING OVER OR BACK. THEY WILL NOT PAY FOR A RENTAL CAR, AND REGARDLESS OF THE RECALL MANDATE, THEY STILL SEND OUT BOGUS INFORMATION.(EXAMPLE: BAY AREA SAAB IS NO LONGER A SAAB DEALER IN SAN FRANCISCO ' BUT IF THEY WERE OUR SON WOULD HAVE TO PAY THE TRANSPORTATION OVER AND BACK TO THE MAINLAND.) #2: I HAVE ALSO CALLED, AND FINALLY GOT GOOD ADVICE FROM THE GM 800 NUMBER REPRESENTATIVE ON THE PHONE WHO REFERRED ME TO A POINT OF CONTACT ON OAHU. THERE CURRENTLY IS NO SAAB DEALERSHIP IN HAWAII, BUT WE HAVE USED THE FORMER SAAB DEALERSHIP (A FORMER OWNER, HAS MAINTAINED THE PHONE NUMBER: 808-735-2488) FOR PARTS IN PAST YEARS. FORTUNATELY FOR SAAB OWNERS, THIS INDIVIDUAL HAS DONE ALL WITHIN HER POWER TO HELP OAHU OWNERS GET THE RECALL BUT IT HAS BEEN A NIGHTMARE FOR HER AS WELL TO MAKE ALL THE NECESSARY ARRANGEMENTS. SHE IS A 'POSTER ADULT' FOR RESPONSIBILITY IN SMALL BUSINESS. SHE AND I HAVE EXCHANGED PHONE CALLS AND E-MAILS, AND I UNDERSTAND THAT SHE TOO IS TRYING TO GET GM/SAAB TO EITHER PAY FOR OFF-OAHU SAAB OWNERS TO SHIP THEIR CARS OVER AND BACK TO THE SERVICE PROVIDER HAS ARRANGED FOR ON OAHU,
Air Bags
Filed May 26, 2017NY
TL* TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 SAAB 9-3. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 16V063000 (AIR BAGS); HOWEVER, THE PARTS TO DO THE REPAIR WERE UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. ROMEO CHEVROLET WAS CONTACTED AND INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THEY COULD NOT PERFORM THE REPAIR BECAUSE THEY WERE NOT AN AUTHORIZED SERVICE CENTER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE AND INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE VEHICLE WAS SAFE TO DRIVE DUE TO THE RECALL BEING A PRECAUTION. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. PARTS DISTRIBUTION DISCONNECT.
Electrical System
Filed May 24, 2017CA
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 CO
Air Bags
Filed Apr 26, 2017112,000 milesTX
TAKATA RECALL: WHY DOES THE AIRBAG RECALL NOT INCLUDE THE PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG FOR MY CAR? THE DRIVER SIDE AIRBAG WAS REPLACED YESTERDAY IN MY CAR PURSUANT TO THE RECALL, BUT NOT THE PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG. DOESN'T THE PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG PRESENT A DANGER TO THE PASSENGER IF IT SPONTANEOUSLY DEPLOYS?
Air Bags
Filed Apr 19, 2017OH
TL* TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 SAAB 9-3. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 16V063000 (AIR BAGS) AND STATED THAT THE PART WAS NOT AVAILABLE WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME FRAME TO SCHEDULE THE RECALL REPAIR. THE INTERIM RECALL NOTICE FROM THE MANUFACTURER DID NOT GIVE A SPECIFIC DATE FOR WHEN THE PART WOULD BECOME AVAILABLE. THE MANUFACTURER COULD NOT PROVIDE AN ESTIMATED DATE FOR WHEN THE VEHICLE WOULD RECEIVE THE RECALL REPAIR. THE CONTACT WAS NOT EXPERIENCING A FAILURE. PARTS DISTRIBUTION DISCONNECT.
Air Bags
Filed Apr 5, 2017CA
TL* TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 SAAB 9-3. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 16V063000 (AIR BAGS); HOWEVER, THE PART TO DO THE RECALL REPAIR WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. PARTS DISTRIBUTION DISCONNECT.
Air Bags
Filed Apr 3, 2017NC
TL* TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 SAAB 9-3. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 16V063000 (AIR BAGS); HOWEVER, THE PART TO DO THE REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. PARTS DISTRIBUTION DISCONNECT.
No unusual pattern of severe incidents in the complaint record.
Complaint counts track how many cars were sold and how long they have been on the road as much as they track quality. A common model from 2013 has had a decade to accumulate reports; a rare one from last year has not. The signal worth weighing is in the severity columns, in whether the same component keeps appearing, and in whether the manufacturer eventually opened a recall for it.
Recall repairs are free for as long as the recall stands. Check whether a specific car still has open work at NHTSA's VIN lookup.
Most recent recall on file: Feb 3, 2016. Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation.