Saab 9-3 problems and owner complaints

WHEN DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY IF TRAFFIC COMES TO A SUDDEN STOP, BRAKING IS HORRIBLE. THE CAR DOES NOT GRIP THE ROAD IT SLIDES. WHEN PUTTING CAR INTO DRIVE OR REVERSE, CAR HESITATES FOR ABOUT 30 SECONDS THEN JERKS INTO ACTION. THE AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEM STOPPED WORKING. THE CAR IS LITERALLY FALLING APART PIECE BY PIECE. *NLM

Owner-reported narrative. 62,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10018437 at NHTSA ↗

WHILE TRAVELING DOWN I-70, THE DIRECT IGNITION CASSETTE FAILED ON MY 1999 SAAB 9-3. THE ENGINE STOPPED IMMEDIATELY WHICH AFFECTED THE POWER STEERING AND BRAKES. FORTUNATELY I WAS ABLE TO COAST OFF THE HIGHWAY AND ONTO A SIDE STREET. THE NEXT DAY I WENT TO THE SAAB PARTS DEALER, BOUGHT ANOTHER FOR AROUND $375, AND WAS TOLD THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM. MY CAR ONLY HAD 60,000 MILES ON IT AT THE TIME. ONCE THE DIRECT IGNITION CASSETTE WAS REPLACED, THE PROBLEM WAS SOLVED. *NM

Owner-reported narrative. 63,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10131562 at NHTSA ↗

WHILE DRIVING AT UNDETERMINED SPEED ENGINE CHECK LIGHT APPEARED ON THE DASHBOARD, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO STALL. CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER ON FOUR SEPARATE OCCASIONS, BUT DEALER DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. *AK

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10057508 at NHTSA ↗

THE CONSUMER HAD JUST FILLED THE GAS TANK WITH FUEL AND WAS DRIVING AWAY WHEN THE VEHICLE STALLED FOR NO REASON. THE CONSUMER MANAGED TO RESTART THE VEHICLE AND DROVE TO THE DEALERSHIP. THE MECHANIC COULD NOT LOCATE THE CAUSE OF THE STALLING PROBLEM. *NLM

Owner-reported narrative. 8,600 miles reported. Look up ODI 10040562 at NHTSA ↗

VEHICLE SUDDENLY LOSES POWER WHEN THE FUSE TO THE FUEL PUMP BLOWS. *MR THE MECHANICS SUGGESTED THAT NOTHING WAS WRONG WITH THE VEHICLE. THEY DID NOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG WITH THE ELECTRICAL WIRING HARNESS. *SC *JB

Owner-reported narrative. 68,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10089724 at NHTSA ↗

WHILE DRIVING AT FREEWAY SPEEDS FOR ABOUT 20 MINUTES, MY 1999 SAAB 9-3 EXPERIENCED A LOSS OF POWER AND THE ENGINE STOPPED RUNNING. THERE WAS NO WARNING OF A PROBEM UNTIL A SINGLE "CLUNKING NOISE" WAS DETECTED AND THEN THERE WAS NO POWER IN 5TH OR 4TH GEAR. BY THE TIME I DOWNSHIFTED TO 3RD GEAR, THE ENGINE HAD STALLED AND THE CHECK ENGINE, BATTERY/ALTERNATOR, AND OIL PRESSURE WARNING LIGHTS LIT. THE CAR WAS NOT ABLE TO BE RESARTED. I WAS ABLE TO BRING THE CAR TO THE DISTRESS LANE AND SUMMON HELP (911). THE CAR NEEDED TO BE TOWED FOR REPAIR…

Owner-reported narrative. 68,618 miles reported. Look up ODI 10168417 at NHTSA ↗

DIRECT IGNITION CASSETTE (AKA DIRECT IGNITION MODULE, IDM, DI, DIC) HAS DIED ON MY 1999 9-3 2 TIMES. I HAVE OWNED THE CAR SINCE NEW, IT NOW HAS 66,000 MILES. WHEN THE DI CASSETTE DIES THE ENGINE IMMEDIATELY SHUTS DOWN WHICH CAN RESULT IN A DANGEROUS SITUATION IF ONE IS DRIVING IN TRAFFIC. MY DI CASSETTE FIRST DIED AT 50,000 MILES. THE CAR SIMPLY WOULD NOT START, NO PRIOR WARNINGS. A BRAND NEW DI CASSETTE FROM SAAB WAS PUT IN. THE 2ND DI CASSETTE DIED AT 63,000 MILES, WHILE I WAS DRIVING. THERE WAS NO PRIOR WARNING AGAIN. THE CAR SHUT D…

Owner-reported narrative. 50,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10136658 at NHTSA ↗

THE DRIVER OF THE 1999 SAAB 9-3 WAS DRIVING IN THE LEFT LANE ON MA RTE. 128 SOUTH. HER SON WAS IN A CHILD CARSEAT TIGHTLY BELTED INTO THE DRIVER'S SIDE PASSENGER SEAT, THE SEAT DIRECTLY BEHIND THE DRIVER. THE SWITCH ON THE BELT BUCKLE WAS SET TO THE "CHILD SEAT" SETTING. THE DRIVER SIGNALED AND BEGAN TO CHANGE LANES TO THE MIDDLE LANE WHICH WAS CLEAR OF TRAFFIC. AS SHE WAS SHIFTING LANES, ANOTHER VEHICLE, A LIGHT-COLORED SEDAN, BEGAN TO MOVE SHARPLY INTO THE MIDDLE LANE FROM THE RIGHT. THE DRIVER WAS FORCED TO SWERVE TO THE LEFT TO AVOID CO…

Owner-reported narrative. 122,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10180596 at NHTSA ↗

DRIVER BRIEFLY FORGOT THAT THE CAR HAD A MANUAL TRANSMISSION, THE CONSUMER TURNED THE KEY ON AND THE VEHICLE WENT BACKWARDS THROUGH THE GARAGE DOOR. THE EMERGENCY BRAKE WAS ON, BUT DIDN'T HOLD THE VEHICLE. *LA *JB

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10061172 at NHTSA ↗