Saab 9-3 Engine Problems
297 owner complaints filed with NHTSA across 12 model years.
Complaints by Year
Worst year: 2008. Best year: 2011.
Owner Reports
A representative sample of complaints filed with NHTSA.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 SAAB 9-3. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE TRYING TO START THE VEHICLE, HE HEARD AN ABNORMAL NOISE. THE CONTACT STATED HE SAW SMOKE COMING THE HOOD. THE CONTACT STATED NO WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT STATED...
I CONTACTED THE LOCAL DEALERSHIP IN ELK GROVE, GMC AND ON 3 DIFFERENT OCCASIONS THEY STATE THEY DO NOT SERVICE SAAB VEHICLES. I TOLD THEM THAT GMC IS RESPONSIBLE FOR IT AND THEY STATED THERE IS ONLY ONE LOCATION THAT WE COULD TAKE IT TO ...
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 ...
ON AUGUST 27, 2012, WHILE SHOPPING IN THE MALL, I CAME OUT SIDE TO THE FIRE DEPARTMENT PUTTING A FIRE OUT THAT LOOKS TO HAVE OCCURRED WHILE I WAS IN THE STORE. I DON'T UNDERSTAND HOW THE CARE CAUGHT FIRE WHILE IT WAS PARKED. WHEN I GOT O...
VEHICLE OWNER PULLED INTO A PARKING SPACE AND STOPPED, SAW SMOKE COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD. OWNER REPORTED THAT THE SMOKE BECAME BLACK AND A FIRE ERUPTED. FIRE ORIGIN IN RIGHT REAR OF ENGINE COMPARTMENT, CAUSE UNDETERMINED. VEHICLE HAS ...
OWNER DROVE SAAB TO MALL AND PARKED IT. APPROXIMATELY 20-30 MINUTES LATER, CAME BACK OUT TO CAR AND OBSERVED THAT FIRE DEPARTMENT HAD EXTINGUISHED A FIRE IN THE SAAB. FIRE ORIGINATED IN RIGHT REAR OF ENGINE COMPARTMENT. CAUSE UNDETERMINE...
OWNER PARKED THE VEHICLE AT WORK AND WHEN OWNER GOT OUT, OWNER NOTICED A WEIRD ELECTRICAL TYPE SMELL. OWNER WENT INSIDE TO WORK. APPROXIMATELY 5 MINUTES LATER, SOMEONE CAME IN AND SAID THAT THE SAAB WAS SMOKING. OWNER WENT OUTSIDE AND SA...
2007 SAAB 9-3 AERO EQUIPPED WITH 2.8L V6 TURBO ENGINE (CONVERTIBLE) - ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRE - (ODOMETER - 23,200 MILES) UPON STARTING, ENGINE RAN A LITTLE ROUGH, PROCEEDED TO SAAB DEALER FOR SERVICE - NO SERVICE LIGHTS ON DASH - EVENTU...
2007 SAAB 9-3 WENT ON FIRE WITH DRIVER IN IT. CAR WAS SERVICED AT MASSEY SAAB, ORLANDO, FLON JUNE 3RD, 2008 (40,000 MILE SERVICE, ELECTRICAL REPAIRS, DETAIL, WHEEL ALIGNMENT). VEHICLE WAS IN MCDONALD'S DRIVE-THROUGH IN ORLANDO FL ON JU...
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 SAAB 9-3. WHILE DRIVING 20 MPH, THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKED AND THE VEHICLE STALLED. NO WARNING LIGHTS WERE ILLUMINATED PRIOR TO THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT CRASHED INTO A TEN FOOT BARRIER. GM SENT AN ENGINEER T...
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 SAAB 9-3. THE CONTACT STATED THAT EVERY FOUR MONTHS AND APPROXIMATELY 30 MILES, THE COOLANT RESERVOIR CRACKS, WHICH CAUSES LEAKAGE ONTO THE ENGINE. AS A RESULT, A FIRE ERUPTS UNDER THE HOOD. THE FAILURE WAS ...
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 93 SAAB. THE ENGINE LOST POWER WITHOUT WARNING, AND WHEN ATTEMPTING TO RESTART THE VEHICLE THE STEERING FUNCTION WAS LOST AS WELL. THE ONSTAR INDICATOR READ THAT THE STEERING AND ENGINE WERE MALFUNCTIONING....