2008 Saab 9-3 complaints

TAKATA AIR BAG AND THE DEALER DOES NOT HAVE THE PART TO FIX IT

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 SAAB 9-3. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 16V063000 (AIR BAGS); HOWEVER, THE PART NEEDED TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE.

TAKATA RECALL I RECEIVED THE LETTER STATING MY CAR WAS INCLUDED IN THE TAKATA RECALL BUT THE PARTS TO FIX THE RECALL WERE UNAVAILABLE AT THIS TIME. HOW AM I SUPPOSE TO FEEL SAFE DRIVING MY CAR KNOWING IN THE BACK OF MY HEAD THAT I MAY POTENTIALLY DIE IF SOME LUNATIC RUNS INTO ME? I CAN NOT AFFORD TO BUY A NEW CAR BUT I ALSO CANT AFFORD TO BE CARLESS. ARE THERE ANY OTHER OPTIONS AT THIS POINT? MY LIFE SHOULD NOT BE IN DANGER BECAUSE THERE ARE NO PARTS. THIS IS NOT MY FAULT AND I BELIEVE THE MANUFACTURER SHOULD BE COMPENSATING US BY AT LEAST GIVING US A RENTAL CAR UNTIL THE FATAL RECALL CAN BE FIXED.

TL* TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 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. VIN TOOL CONFIRMS PARTS NOT AVAILABLE.

CAR WAS MANUFACTURED WITH A BAD SET OF INTAKE VALVES WHICH IS NOTED ON MANY SAAB OWNER THREADS. VALVES BREAK DOWN IN COLD WEATHER AROUND 50K MILES. CAR STARTS AND BOTTOMS OUT SOMETIMES AND HAS ROUGH IDLE UNTIL WARMED. ACCELERATING WHILE ENGINE IS COLD CAN CAUSE SAFETY ISSUE. QUOTED REPAIRS RUN $2000-3000.

TAKATA RECALL-I HAVE CALLED EVERY NUMBER PROVIDED ON THE RECALL NOTICE ONLY TO BE PLACED ON HOLD, AND THEN SENT TO A VOICEMAIL. I CALLED MY DEALERSHIP PERRINE AUTO GROUP OF CRANBURY NJ, WHO TOLD ME THE AIRBAG WARNING/RECALL WAS NOT A BIG DEAL AND THEY HAD NO IDEA WHEN A PART WILL BE AVAILABLE. THE RECALL STATES THAT DEPLOYMENT CAN RELEASE METAL FRAGMENTS AND LEAD TO SEVERE BODILY INJURY OR DEATH. I ASKED FOR A LOAN VEHICLE AND WAS TOLD THAT THEY WILL NOT ALLOW A LOAN BECAUSE GM HAS NOT AUTHORIZED THIS.

TL* TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 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 NOT MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. VIN TOOL CONFIRMS PARTS NOT AVAILABLE.

THERE ARE NO PARTS AVAILABLE TO FIX THE PROBLEM EVEN THOUGH MY CAR WAS RECALLED AND I RECEIVED NOTIFICATION,

DEFECTIVE INTAKE VALVES. REPAIR CENTER SPECIALIZING IN SAAB PERFORMED COLD COMPRESSION TEST ON CYLINDERS AND FOUND THAT 2 OF 4 HAD LOW COMPRESSION. INFORMED ME THAT THEY HAVE FOUND 90% OF THE SAABS THEY TEST FROM 2007-08 HAVE THIS PROBLEM FROM CHEAP VALVES USED SPECIFIED BY GM.

INTAKE VALVE ISSUE - CAR WILL NOT START ON A COLD DAY AND, SOMETIMES AT A STOP SIGN /LIGHT, WILL STALL - HAD TO TWO MECHANICS DEPICT THE ISSUE AND IT IS THE INTAKE VALVE ISSUE - MANY SAAB'S HAVE REPORTED THIS ISSUE AND NOTHING WAS DONE BY GM - I CALLED GM AND THEY SAID THAT THEY ARE NOT RESPONSIBLE - THIS ISSUE HAS BEEN REPORTED SEVERAL TIMES AND THERE ARE SEVERAL THREADS AS WELL.

I DIDN'T HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THE CAR IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA, BUT I MOVED TO NEW YORK AT ABOUT 75K MILES - AND I NOTICED A PROBLEM RIGHT AWAY. ROUGH IDLING STARTED, AND WOULD EVEN TURN ON, THEN RIGHT BACK OFF. THE PROBLEM WAS NOT AN ISSUE AGAIN DURING THE SUMMER MONTHS, SO I WAS ABLE TO DRIVE IT TO 83K MILES. NOW THAT IT IS WINTER TIME, EVEN THOUGH IT IS GARAGED IT WILL NOT START IF IT IS UNDER 45 DEGREES. I HAD IT CHECKED OUT WITH A CERTIFIED SAAB MECHANIC AND HE CONFIRMED BY WAY OF COMPRESSION TEST THAT IT IS INDEED THE DREADED INTAKE VALVE PROBLEM. THE ESTIMATE FOR REPAIR IS $2,230!

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 SAAB 9-3. WHILE STARTING THE VEHICLE, IT IDLED ROUGHLY. ADDITIONALLY, THE VEHICLE WOULD SOMETIMES TAKE A LONG TIME TO START. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED NOR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURES. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 90,000.

HARD/ROUGH START ESPECIALLY IN COLD TEMPERATURES. MECHANIC SAID #4 CYLINDER IS MISFIRING. CONFIRMED TO BE LOW COMPRESSION DUE TO PREMATURELY WORN INTAKE VALVES. #1 CYLINDER/INTAKE VALVE IS NOT FAR BEHIND #4. BECAME A SERIOUS PROBLEM WHEN ENGINE STALLS WHEN SITTING IN TRAFFIC. ALSO VEHICLE ENGINE HAS STALLED/SHUT OFF WHILE DRIVING AT LOW SPEEDS, FOR EXAMPLE, IN PARKING LOTS, REDLIGHTS, 4 WAY STOPS.

ROUGH COLD START. COMPRESSION ON CYLINDER 4 TO LOW.INTAKE VALVE PROBLEM.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 SAAB 9-3. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE SEAT BELT FAILED TO RELEASE WHEN FASTENED. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V318000 (SEAT BELTS) AND STATED THAT THE PARTS NEEDED FOR THE REPAIR WERE 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 FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 80,023. PARTS DISTRIBUTION DISCONNECT.

79,000 MILES BEGAN WITH SLUGGISH COLD STARTS UNTIL WARMED THAN BEGAN TO RUN O.K UNTIL STOPPED TURNING OVER. ANOTHER OWNER OF GM SCREWING THE PUBLIC WITH CRAPPY VALVES INSTALLED IN THESE ENGINES. WHEN WILL THERE BE ENOUGH COMPLAINTS TO CREATE A RECALL. ORDERING PARTS FROM EAST COAST SAAB PARTS STORE AND LOOKING FOR REASONABLE AND KNOWLEDGEABLE CALIFORNIA BASED MECHANIC. EXPECTING TO PAY APPROXIMATELY $2K. WILL UPDATE THIS COMPLAINT WHEN JOB COMPLETE. ANOTHER GM DISAPPOINTMENT IN CAR OWNERSHIP!

WE RECEIVED A NOTICE ABOUT GM RECALL 14222/15027, THAT WE NEED TO TAKE OUR CAR TO A SAAB OFFICIAL SERVICE CENTER TO HAVE THE DRIVER'S SIDE SEATBELT REPLACED. WE LIVE IN BIRMINGHAM, ALABAMA, AND THERE IS NO SAAB OSC IN OUR STATE. I CONTACTED SAAB, AND WAS TOLD WE CAN ONLY TAKE THE CAR TO A SAAB OSC "AS THEY ARE THE ONLY ONES THAT HAVE ACCESS TO THIS PART AND CAN INSTALL, THEN COVER THE REPAIR AND THEN CLOSE OUT THE RECALL." THE NEAREST SAAB OSCS ARE IN CHATTANOOGA, TN (ABOUT 150 MILES AWAY) AND MARIETTA, GA (ABOUT 159 MILES). BEING FORCED TO DRIVE THIS DISTANCE, ESPECIALLY WITH AN UNSAFE SEATBELT, SEEMS LIKE AN ONEROUS BURDEN THAT SHOULD NOT BE PLACED ON THE OWNER. DO I HAVE ANY RIGHTS TO BE ABLE TO HAVE THE REPAIR DONE WITHIN A REASONABLE DISTANCE OF MY HOME?

THE ENGINE LOST TOTAL COMPRESSION DUE TO WHAT THE MECHANIC SAID WAS A WELL-DOCUMENTED CASE OF INTAKE VALVE FAILURE, HAPPENED IN NORTHERN CALIFORNIA. THE ENGINE CUT OUT WHILE I WAS IN TRAFFIC ON THE FREEWAY, THE CAR STOPPED, AND THE CAR WAS GRAZED FROM BEHIND. NOT MUCH OF A PROBLEM DUE TO DAMAGE, JUST A QUICK RE-PAINT OF THE BACK BUMPER, AND PAID OUT OF POCKET. THE ENGINE WAS GONE. THE SAAB SPECIALIST TOLD ME THAT SO MANY 9-3'S,ESPECIALLY ON THE EAST COAST, HAVE EXPERIENCED TOTAL INTAKE VALVE FAILURE LIKE MINE. I CONTACTED SAAB AND THEY ESSENTIALLY SAID TO GO SCREW MYSELF. SAAB AND A SUBSEQUENT CALL TO GM CLAIMED THEY HAD "NEVER HEARD OF THE ISSUE" WHICH MY MECHANIC SPECIALIST SAID WAS A "BOLD LIE" BECAUSE THERE'S AN ONLINE HISTORY OF THIS THAT I FOUND, AND THEY DENIED ME ANY HELP IN GETTING IT FIXED. SINCE THE CAR WAS WORTH MORE THAN THE $2,900 COST I HAD TO PAY TO HAVE THE ENGINE REBUILT, WITH THE SAME FAULTY VALVES THAT WILL CAUSE SOMEONE ELSE TROUBLE LATER AS I TRADED IN MY CAR, I DECIDED TO REPAIR IT, AND THEN GET $1,200 MORE OUT OF IT ONCE I TRADED IN MY CAR. YOU NEED TO INVESTIGATE THIS. IT IS NOT FAIR TO OWNERS WHO ARE OUT OF POCKET. THERE WAS A SAFETY CONCERN WITH MY INCIDENT. IF THE CAR BEHIND ME HAD NOT BEEN AWARE ONCE THE FREEWAY STARTED MOVING AGAIN, I COULD HAVE BEEN HURT. SAAB AND GM DENY THIS, YET SEARCH GOOGLE---"INTAKE VALVE PROBLEMS SAAB 9-3" AND YOU'LL SEE FOR YOURSELF. MAKE GM PAY FOR THIS. PEOPLE HAVE LOST A TON OF MONEY ON DEPRECIATION ALONE, AND NOW THE

I HAVE THE SAME ISSUE THAT OTHERS HAVE TALKED ABOUT. GM PUT CHEAP VALVES IN ENGINE--THEY HAVE NOW FAILED FOR A NUMBER OF US. COLD STARTING, ROUGH IDLE, SMELL OF GAS, ULTIMATELY WILL NOT START. EXPENSIVE REPAIR ON CAR WITHOUT MUCH MILEAGE 60K REPAIR IS 2500-3000 GM SHOULD FIX THESE FOR FREE OR REDUCED COST.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 SAAB 9-3. THE CONTACT RECEIVED A RECALL NOTIFICATION FOR NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V318000 (SEAT BELT) AND STATED THAT THE PART NEEDED WAS UNAVAILABLE TO PERFORM THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. UPDATED 09/18/15*LJ UPDATED 09/22/15*JB

NOTICED A BRITTLE BREAKING SOUND AND ASSUMED IT WAS MY FRONT BRAKES. HAD NEW BRAKES PUT ON THE CAR BUT STILL HAD RUBBING AND ROTATIONAL TICKING SOUNDS COMING FROM THE FRONT WHEELS. TOOK IT TO THE DEALER WHERE I BOUGHT THE CAR NEW AND THEY TOLD ME THE FRONT COIL SPRINGS WERE BOTH BROKEN AND NEEDED REPLACED WITH THE MANUFACTURERS RECOMMENDED REPAIR WHICH WAS AUTHORIZED FOR 2003-2006 MODEL YEAR 9-3 SAAB. AND THAT MY 2008 SAAB (CURRENT VEHICLE) WAS NOT COVERED UNDER THIS DEFECT REPAIR ORDER FROM GM. THIS INCIDENTALLY NOW HAS HAPPENED ON BOTH OF MY LAST TWO SAABS, THE 2004 9-3 I HAD BEFORE THIS CURRENT 2008 9-3 MODEL SAAB. I AM AMAZED THAT THIS ISSUE HAS CONTINUED TO OCCUR AND NOT BE COVERED BY ANY RECALL BEYOND THE 2006 MODEL YEAR AS DESCRIBED TO ME. ADDITIONALLY IT IS EXTREMELY COINCIDENTAL THAT THESE LAST TWO SAAB I'VE OWNED HAVE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM BUT NOW I HAVE TO BEAR THE BURDEN OF THE OVER $600 REPAIR AND PARTS FOR THIS CURRENT VEHICLE WHEN THE 2004 MODEL WAS COVERED.

CAR WILL NOT START ON COLD DAYS. FOUND CYLINDERS 1 AND OR WITH LOW COMPRESSION.INTAKE VALVES NEED REPLACEMENT.

I FIRST NOTICED A DIFFERENCE IN HOW MY CAR WORKED ABOUT A YEAR AND A HALF AGO. I PURCHASED IT CERTIFIED PRE-OWED FROM A CERTIFIED SAAB DEALER AT THE TIME. WHEN I FIRST NOTICED THE "COLD-STARTS" I THOUGHT IT WAS JUST NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR AND MAYBE NEEDED AN OIL CHANGE. I ALWAYS USE PREMIUM GASOLINE AND GET THE VEHICLE SERVICED REGULARLY BY THE DEALER. WHEN I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER IN THE BEGINNING OF 2014, THE TECHNICIAN SAID HE'S FAMILIAR WITH THE PROBLEM THAT I WAS HAVING. HE SAYS THE ISSUE IS WITH THE COMPRESSION VALVE. HE TOLD ME THAT I WAS "UNLUCKY" THAT I PURCHASED THIS CAR BECAUSE SAAB MANUFACTURED 2007-2009 9-3 MODEL ENGINES WHERE THE VALVES WERE MADE OF WEAKER METALS THAT WHEN SURROUNDING METALS. AS THE EDGES OF THE VALVES IMPACT THE ENGINE WALLS, THEIR ORIGINAL CONVEX DESIGNED BECAME CONCAVE, THUS CAUSING A LOSS IN PRESSURE AND COMBUSTION. (I'M NOT AN ENGINE SAVVY GUY, SO PLEASE EXCUSE MY LACT OF TERMINOLOGY). SO, HE QUOTED ME ABOUT $3,000 FOR A VALVE REPLACEMENT. THAT'S REDICULOUSNESS! HOW CAN GM PRODUCE A VEHICLE WHOSE VALVES WILL DETERIORATE AFTER NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR? THIS HAS LED TO NOT ONLY COLD STARTS BUT ALSO DECREASED RESPONSIVENESS ON THE HIGHWAY. SOMETIMES WHEN DRIVING, I WOULD APPLY THE ACCELERATOR AND MY CAR SHAKES FOR A FEW SECONDS. WHEN GIVING A RIDE TO OTHERS THEY LOOK AT ME LIKE, "THAT'S NOT SUPPOSED TO HAPPEN." MY CAR HASN'T STALLED OR SHUT OFF WHILE DRIVING, BUT I'M GUESSING IF I DON'T GET THIS FIXED SOON IT MAY HAPPEN. THERE IS A SAFETY ISSUE THAT

AT ABOUT 70,000 MILES THE CAR BEGAN TO START ROUGH ON COLD MORNINGS THIS CONTINUED ON UNTIL THIS YEAR 2014-2015 IT WOULD BARELY START ON ALL ON A COLD MORNING, AFTER LESS THEN A MINUTE OF RUNNING IT WOULD BE SMOOTH WITH NO APPARENT LOSE OF POWER. ALL PLUGS AND PLUG IGNITION COILS WE REPLACED WITH NO EFFECT. FINALLY I DID A WEB SEARCH AND FOUND OUT A NUMBER OF 9-3 SAAB'S 2006-2008 HAD BAD METAL IN SOME OF VALVES CAUSING THEM TO WEAR PAPER THIN.ONCE THE ENGINE WAS WARM THE METAL EXPANDED GIVING NORMAL COMPRESSION. A COMPRESSION CHECK ON MINE CAME BACK CYCL 1,3,4 50LBS CYCL 2 200LBS. THIS STARTING PROBLEM WAS FIRST NOTICED AT 70,000 I GOT THE MOTOR FIXED AT 92,000 MILES. OF COURSE THE FIX WAS A VALVE JOB AND A COST TO ME OF $2088.02. I FEEL SAAB (GM) SHOULD SHARE A LARGE PORTION OF THIS COST. THIS PROBLEM WAS VERY WELL DOCUMENTED ON ALL THE SAAB FORUMS. I HOPE ANYONE READING THIS AND HAS THE SAME PROBLEM PLEASE FILE A COMPLAINT THIS IS NOT RIGHT. *TR

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. *TR

I RECEIVED THE RECALL NOTICE FOR THE SEATBELT TENSIONER FOR THE DRIVERS SIDE OVER 7 MONTHS AGO BUT TO THIS DAY NO ONE HAS OR IS MAKING THE PART. WHO WILL BE RESPONSIBLE IF SOMETHING OCCURS ? I HAVE CHECKED WITH MY DEALER REGULARLY AND STILL NO PART AVAILABLE IT IS ALSO MADE BY THE TAKATA COMPANY. THE AIRBAG PROBLEM PEOPLE. *TR

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. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 SAAB 9-3. WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO ACCELERATE WITHOUT WARNING. THE FAILURE RECURRED NUMEROUS TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER, WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE INTAKE VALVE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 80,000.

CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ON.. SHOP FOUND MULTIPLE ENGINE MISFIRES.. CHECKED ENGINE COMPRESSION.. COMPRESSION BELOW MANUFACTURERS SPECS.. NEEDED COMPLETE VALVE JOB PER SAAB RECOMMENDATION.. PARTS SENT TO MACHINE SHOP FOR REPAIRS AND RE-CONDITION.. RE-INSTALL OF CYLINDER HEAD ASSEMBLY WITH NEW HEAD GASKET AND ALL OTHER NEEDED GASKET AND SEALS.. FLUSHED AND REFILLED ALL ENGINE TRANSMISSION FLUIDS.. COMPLETE VALVE JOB WITH INTAKE AND EXHAUST VALVES.. DEFECTIVE VALVE IS REPORTED ISSUE ON SAAB 9-3 2008.. *TR

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. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 SAAB 9-3. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH, THE HOOD INADVERTENTLY UNLATCHED AND FLEW UP. THE CONTACT MERGED THE VEHICLE OVER AND MANAGED TO TUCK THE STRUT IN AND FORCE THE PRIMARY LATCH TO SECURE THE HOOD. AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC STATED THAT THE SECONDARY HOOD LATCH STRIKER FAILED DUE TO CORROSION. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 55,000.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 SAAB 9-3. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT 60-70 MPH, THE CRUISE CONTROL ACTIVATED INDEPENDENTLY. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS APPLIED TO DEACTIVATE THE CRUISE CONTROL. THE FAILURE RECURRED ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.

MY CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON WHILE TRAVELING ACROSS THE STATE OF TN AND I NOTICED THAT MY VEHICLE BEGAN STALLING WHEN I ACCELERATED QUICKLY. I IMMEDIATELY TOOK MY VEHICLE TO GET CHECKED OUT AND WAS TOLD THAT THE CODE YIELDED "LEAN AT IDLE". THE MECHANIC ADJUSTED A VACUUM HOSE AND SAID I WAS GOOD TO GO...I PULLED OUT OF THE PARKING LOT AND NOTICED MY GAS GAUGE SHOWED LESS THAN 35 MILES BUT NO GAS LIGHT INDICATOR WAS LIT. I TRIED TO TEST MY CAR BY QUICKLY ACCELERATING AND MY CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME BACK ON. I TOOK IT RIGHT BACK TO THE MECHANIC AND THEY REPLACED THE VACUUM HOSE. WHEN I LEFT THE MECHANIC ON 8FEB2015, I FILLED UP MY GAS TANK BUT NOTICED MY GAUGE ONLY SHOWED HALF FULL. I DROVE IT 1 MILE AND PARKED IT FOR THE EVENING. THIS MORNING I STARTED THE VEHICLE BACK UP AND NOTICED THAT THERE WAS A LITTLE HESITANCY AND KICKBACK WHEN ACCELERATING...I DROVE BACK HOME 225 MILES AND LESS THAN 20 MILES FROM HOME MY ENGINE LIGHT COMES BACK ON. THE CODE IS NOW INDICATING A FUEL PRESSURE REGULATOR ISSUE...HENCE THE REASON FOR THE STALLING HESITANCY AND THE INCORRECT FUEL GAUGE/INDICATOR LIGHT. UPON RESEARCHING ONLINE, THERE IS NOT A NOTED RECALL FOR THE FUEL PUMP ON MY CAR, BUT I DID NOTICE A SPECIAL BULLETIN GM FAILED FUEL SYSTEM PROGRAM...LISTED BELOW:SERVICE BULLETIN NUMBER: SB-10054 REPLACEMENT SERVICE BULLETIN NUMBER: SB-10054D NHTSA ID #: 10041526 BULLETIN DATE: THU, 09/01/2011 FAILING COMPONENT(S): 091200 FUEL SYSTEM, OTHER:STORAGE:FUEL GAUGE SYSTEM WHY IS MY CAR NOT SHOWING

UPON STARTING MY VEHICLE IT HAD A ROUGH IDLE, I WENT AHEAD AND PUT IT IN GEAR AND BEGAN TO LEAVE MY GARAGE, THEN MY CHECK ENGINE LIGHT STARTED BLINKING AND THERE WAS A BURNING SMELL. I THEN PUT IT BACK IN PARK AND GOT MY HUSBAND TO CHECK IT OUT WHEN HE OPENED THE HOOD SMOKE WAS COMING FROM THE FIRST CYLINDER ON THE ENGINE. HE QUICKLY UNHOOKED THE BATTERY AND REMOVED THE OEM BOSCH COIL PACK WITH GLOVES ON BECAUSE IT WAS EXTREMELY HOT (TOOK OVER AN HOUR TO COOL DOWN AFTER REMOVED FROM THE CAR), SO HOT THAT THE COIL PACK CAME APART, HAD SPLIT OPEN AND MELTED. I HAVE PICTURES AND KEPT THE PACK FOR EVIDENCE. I DO BELIEVE HAD HE NOT GOT THE PACK OUT IT COULD HAVE VERY QUICKLY BEEN AN ELECTRICAL/ENGINE FIRE. PART NUMBER FROM COIL PACK #12613057. *TR

COMPRESSION IN CYLINDER ONE IS NOT FIRING AT A FULL PSI PER MFG STANDARDS. IT'S CAUSING A COLD START ISSUE AND THE CAR BARELY TURNS OVER TO START WHEN IT'S NOT WARMED UP. *JS

VEHICLE DOESN'T START DUE TO LOW COMPRESSION ON COLD DAYS. CAR WILL LEAVE YOU STRANDED IN EXTREME TEMPS. *TR

FRONT SPRINGS WERE CORRODED AND BOTH SNAPPED EFFECTING HANDLING. *TR

SAME AS PROBLEM BELOW: SINCE I NEED THE CAR BADLY, I'VE INSTRUCTED MY MECHANIC TO START WORKING ON THE FIX. OVER TIME THE VALVES IN THE 2.0T ENGINE WILL WEAR CAUSING DRAMATIC LOSS IN COMPRESSION. PROBLEM STARTS WITH ROUGH IDLING AND TROUBLE TURNING OVER AT COLD START BUT ESCALATES TO A POINT WHERE THE CAR WILL NOT START WHAT SO EVER. IT APPEARS THAT WHEN MANUFACTURING THE ENGINE GM PUT VALVES MADE OF A SOFTER THAN USUAL METAL. THESE VALVES GET ESSENTIALLY HAMMERED AGAINST THE CYLINDER HEAD TO A POINT WHERE THE EDGES BECOME SO THIN THEY ARE RAZOR SHARP. A SERVICE BULLETIN WAS SENT OUT TO DEALERS FROM SPNA (SAAB PARTS NORTH AMERICA), WHICH MEANS THAT GM IS WELL AWARE OF THIS ISSUE. A SAAB MECHANIC WARNED ME THAT THE PROBLEM COULD GET WORSE AT ANY TIME REGARDLESS OF MILEAGE AND THAT SOONER OF LATER MY CAR WOULD NOT START. TO FIX THIS ISSUE ALL 16 VALVES WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. THIS INVOLVES SERIOUS TIME AND EFFORT AND I WAS QUOTED A PRICE OF UP TO $3,000 FOR A REPAIR. PLEASE BE ADVISED THAT THIS PROBLEM EFFECTS EVERY SAAB 9-3 WITH THE 2.0T FROM 2007 TO 2011. GM SHOULD BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR THESE FAULTY PARTS AND ISSUE A RECALL. *JS

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 SAAB 9-3. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DRIVERS SEATBELT FAILED TO RETRACT. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO SECURE THE SEATBELT BUT THE FAILURE WAS GETTING PROGRESSIVELY WORSE. THE CONTACT RECEIVED A NOTIFICATION FOR RECALL NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 14V318000 (SEATBELTS) AND STATED THAT THE PARTS NEEDED WERE NOT AVAILABLE FOR SEVERAL MONTHS. THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO PROVIDE A SPECIFIC DATE WHEN THE PARTS WOULD BECOME AVAILABLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND COULD NOT PROVIDE AN ESTIMATED DATE FOR WHEN THE VEHICLE WOULD RECEIVE THE RECALL REPAIRS. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.

FOR THE SECOND YEAR IN A ROW, WITH TEMPERATURE IN THE TEENS, THE CAR WILL NOT START DUE TO BAD INTAKE VALVES. AS NOTED BY MANY CONSUMERS ON SEVERAL SAAB FORUMS, THIS ENGINE LOSES SIGNIFICANT COMPRESSION IN THE CYLINDERS CAUSING DIFFICULT STARTING, A VERY ROUGH IDLE AND ULTIMATELY RESULTING IN A VALVE JOB. *TR

ENGINE REFUSED TO START IN COLD WEATHER. SAAB TECHNICIAN CONFIRMED AN ISSUE WITH INTAKE VALVES BEING DEFECTIVE. THE INTAKE VALVES WOULD NOT SEAL CAUSE COMPRESSION TO GET AS LOW AS 40 PSI CAUSING NO START CONDITION. SAAB REFUSED TO COVER IT UNDER WARRANTY ON THE 61ST MONTH OF OWNERSHIP VEHICLE CAME WITH 60 MONTH ENGINE WARRANTY AND THE COST OF REPAIR OUT OF POCKET WAS OVER $2500. THERE WERE DAYS THE CAR WOULDN'T START AWAY FROM HOME AFTER SITTING JUST ONE DAY, LEAVING ME STRANDED IN EXTREME COLD WEATHER WITH NO HEAT. GM AND SAAB KNOW ABOUT THIS ISSUE AS THEY GOT POOR QUALITY INTAKE VALVES FROM A SUPPLIER. GM HAS NOT YET CAMPAIGNED/RECALLED THESE VEHICLE, AS YOU KNOW GM CULTURE LACKS ETHICS AND HAVE COVERED UP DEATHS IN THE PAST TO SAVE MONEY. AS A GOVERNMENT AGENCY YOUR RESPONSIBILITY IS TO PROTECT CONSUMERS AND BE PROACTIVE AND NOT ACT AFTER SOMETHING HORRIBLE HAS HAPPENED. THERE ARE MORE THEN ENOUGH COMPLAINTS ON THIS WEBSITE FOR THIS ISSUE. ARE YOU WAITING FOR A DEATH TO OCCUR BEFORE ANYTHING IS DONE ? GM NEW OR OLD SHOULD BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR THIS ISSUE. ITS A GM ECOTEC ENGINE, CAR WAS PRODUCED ON A GM PLATFORM. PROFITS FROM THE VEHICLE ALSO WENT TO GM. THIS ISSUE ALSO CAUSES AN INCREASE IN EMISSIONS. AS THERE IS LOSS OF COMPRESSION, CYLINDER MISFIRE OR HAS INCOMPLETE COMBUSTION CAUSING AN INCREASE IN HYDROCARBONS AND CARBON MONOXIDE IN THE TAIL PIPE. *TR

WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE P0008 ENGINE CODE OCCURRED, CAR WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, MECHANIC STATED ENGINE CODE WAS INDICATED BY CAMSHAFT SENSOR, AND COULD POSSIBLY BE A WORN TIMING CHAIN. THIS IS A COMMON ISSUE ON GM 2.8 AND 3.6 ENGINES AND GM HAS ISSUED A TSB TO EXTEND THE WARRANTY FOR THE TIMING CHAIN TO 120K MILES OR TEN YEARS. THIS TSB DID NOT INCLUDE THE TIMING CHAIN FOR THE 2.8 LITER ENGINE IN THE SAAB. *TR

THE PASSENGER-SIDE TAILLIGHT BULBS HAVE BECOME SO DIM THAT THEY ARE VISIBLE ONLY UPON VERY CLOSE INSPECTION. THE TAILLIGHT BULBS ALSO SERVE AS THE BRAKE LIGHTS, EMITTING A BRIGHTER LIGHT WHEN THE BRAKE IS DEPRESSED. BECAUSE OF THIS MALFUNCTION, FOLLOWING CARS MAY NOT HAVE SUFFICIENT VISUAL NOTICE THAT THE CAR IN FRONT OF THEM IS BRAKING, RESULTING IN A TRAFFIC COLLISION. I UNDERSTAND THAT THIS IS A RELATIVELY COMMON PROBLEM AND WAS ABLE TO HAVE THE CONNECTOR FOR THE MALFUNCTIONING TAILLIGHT REPLACED. THIS WAS AN EXERCISE IN FUTILITY AS, ALMOST IMMEDIATELY, THE TAILLIGHT BECAME AS DIM AS IT HAD BEEN PRIOR TO THE CONNECTOR REPLACEMENT. THIS ISSUE, WHICH EVIDENTLY CANNOT BE EASILY REMEDIED, CREATES A HAZARD TO VEHICLE OCCUPANTS, AND THOSE IN CARS FOLLOWING THE AFFECTED VEHICLE. *TR

INTERMITTENT BRAKE FAILURE AT START. DEPRESS BRAKES, EITHER FROM DRIVEWAY IN REVERSE OR STARTING FORWARD AFTER LEAVING DRIVEWAY, AND BRAKES DO NOT WORK. DEPRESSING BRAKES FEELS LIKE POWER BRAKING SYSTEM IS NOT ENGAGING. HAVE TO PULL OVER TO SIDE OF ROAD, AND AFTER A FEW MINUTES, BRAKES RETURN. THIS HAS HAPPENED PERIODICALLY OVER THE PERIOD SINCE I BOUGHT THE CAR NEW, DECEMBER 2009. THE CONSUMER EXPERIENCED AN INTERMITTENT BRAKE ISSUE THAT WAS EVIDENT FROM THE FIRST YEAR OF OWNERSHIP. UPON STARTING THE VEHICLE IN THE MORNING, THERE WAS BRAKE FAILURE UNTIL THE VEHICLE WARMED UP SUFFICIENTLY FOR THE PROBLEM TO BE RESOLVED. HE WOULD GENERALLY CATCH THE PROBLEM BEFORE EXITING HIS DRIVEWAY, BUT THERE WERE TIMES THE PROBLEM PERSISTED UPON SHIFTING INTO FORWARD GEAR. THE CONSUMER HAD THE VACUUM PIPE REPLACED. THE CONSUMER REFERENCED NHTSA ACTION NUMBER PE08005, IN WHICH HE BELIEVED WAS CLOSED PREMATURELY. UPDATED 08/27/14

ENGINE LIGHT WENT ON BEGINNING OF WINTER 2011, AND CODE INDICATED FAILED FUEL PUMP. GM (THIS IS A GM CAR) AND SAAB INDICATED FAULTY PART, AND CONTINUED TO INDICATE BACK ORDER OF PART, AND THEN METHOD TO REBUILD AVAILABLE FUEL PUMP, WHICH APPARENTLY IS ALSO ON BACK ORDER. ENGINE LIGHT GOES OFF AFTER SEVERAL MONTHS, BUT REAPPEARS THE NEXT YEAR, AND HAS OCCURRED EACH YEAR SINCE. PART WAS COVERED UNDER WARRANTY AT TIME OF COMPLAINT, BUT IS NOW OFF OF WARRANTY. SAAB NORTH AMERICA HAS INDICATED IN RESPONSE TO COMPLAINT THAT REPLACEMENT PART PLUS REBUILD WOULD WORK, BUT THE PART HAS NEVER BEEN AVAILABLE FOR REBUILDING, AND SAAB DEALERSHIP (KEN GAARF) CLAIMS IT HAS BEEN ON BACK ORDER FOR CLOSE TO 3 YEARS. CAR BOUGHT NEW IN DECEMBER 2009 WITH 3 YEAR GM FULL WARRANTY IN PLACE. *TR

ENGINE FAILS TO START WHEN COLD AND WHEN IT DOES, THE CAR RUNS EXTREMELY ROUGH. CAR HESITATES AND DRIVES POORLY UNTIL ENGINE IS FINALLY WARM. COLD COMPRESSION TEST CONFIRMS THAT THERE IS LOW COMPRESSION AND THAT THERE ARE DEFECTIVE INTAKE VALVES. THIS IS A SERIOUS PROBLEM FOR A VEHICLE THAT IS NOT OLD AT ALL. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 SAAB 9-3. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE SEAT BELT RETRACTORS FOR THE DRIVER AND FRONT PASSENGER SEATS STOPPED WORKING. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO SECURE THE SEAT BELT INTO THE LATCH; HOWEVER, WHEN THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED THE PASSENGER AND DRIVER MOVED FORWARD BECAUSE THE SEAT BELT FAILED TO SECURE THEM. NONE OF THE WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND DID NOT OFFER A REMEDY. A LOCAL MECHANIC DIAGNOSED THE FAILURE AND CONFIRMED THAT THE SEAT BELT RETRACTOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 70,000. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 70,100. UPDATED 08/27/14*LJ THE CONSUMER STATED THE SEAT BELTS WERE BOTH REPLACED WITH NO ASSISTANCE OFFERED FROM THE MANUFACTURER. UPDATED 9/5/2014 *JS

COLD START PROBLEM CAUSED BY LOW COMPRESSION / DEFECTIVE VALVES WHEN COLD. RUNS FINE AFTER IT WARMS UP. GETTING WORSE OVER TIME. *TR

FRONT DRIVER SIDE SPRING BROKE WHILE DRIVING. LOUD BANG AND SUDDEN DROP IN RIDE HEIGHT. SOME LOSS OF STEERING CONTROL. THIS IS A RECALLED ISSUE UP TO 2006, IT SHOULD BE EXTENDED TO COVER 2008 MODELS. THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY RISK. *TR

READ OVER THE POSTED PROBLEMS WITH SAAB 9-3. THREE MAIN ISSUES ARE FRONT COILS, FUEL GAUGE, AND FAULTY VALVES. I HAVE HAD ALL THREE OF THESE ISSUES. COILS REPLACED 18 MONTHS AGO (GM WOULD NOT PAY). GAS GAUGE DOES NOT WORK (GM WON'T PAY). JUST HAD THE ENGINE REBUILT TO FIX THE EXHAUST VALVE PROBLEM (OUT OF LUCK AGAIN). OBAMA WAIVED GM OF THEIR HISTORY OF FAULTS (HE NEEDED THE VOTES FOR RE-ELECTION) AND NOW CONSUMERS ARE STUCK. SAAB WAS A QUALITY PRODUCT BEFORE GM GOT A HOLD OF IT. *JS