2000 Saab 9-3 CONVERTIBLE: complaints, problems and recalls
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
12 owner complaints analyzed
1 distinct recall campaigns
95,000 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2000 model year. Data snapshot: . 9 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Air Bags is the most frequently named component, appearing in 2 of 12 complaints (16.7%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Braking behavior | 2 | 16.7% |
| Steering behavior | 2 | 16.7% |
| Transmission and shifting | 1 | 8.3% |
| Engine operation | 1 | 8.3% |
| Electrical and battery issues | 1 | 8.3% |
| Fuel system concerns | 1 | 8.3% |
Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.
Component breakdown
Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Air Bags | 2 |
| Electrical System:Ignition | 2 |
| Seat Belts | 2 |
| Air Bags:Side/Window | 1 |
| Electrical System | 1 |
| Electrical System:Ignition:Module | 1 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine | 1 |
| Fuel System, Gasoline:Delivery:Hoses, Lines/Piping, And Fittings | 1 |
Air Bags: 2; Electrical System:Ignition: 2; Seat Belts: 2; Air Bags:Side/Window: 1; Electrical System: 1; Electrical System:Ignition:Module: 1; Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine: 1; Fuel System, Gasoline:Delivery:Hoses, Lines/Piping, And Fittings: 1
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 0 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 2 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 1 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 2 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 3 |
| 150,000 and above | 1 |
Under 25,000: 0; 25,000 to 49,999: 2; 50,000 to 74,999: 1; 75,000 to 99,999: 2; 100,000 to 149,999: 3; 150,000 and above: 1
100,000 to 149,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (3). 3 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.
Complaints over time
Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 2001 | 1 |
| 2003 | 1 |
| 2004 | 2 |
| 2006 | 1 |
| 2009 | 2 |
| 2010 | 1 |
| 2013 | 1 |
| 2014 | 1 |
| 2016 | 1 |
| 2020 | 1 |
2001: 1; 2003: 1; 2004: 2; 2006: 1; 2009: 2; 2010: 1; 2013: 1; 2014: 1; 2016: 1; 2020: 1
Pattern summary
Air Bags leads the component reports. Braking behavior appears in 2 complaint narratives. Steering behavior appears in 2 complaint narratives. Transmission and shifting appears in 1 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.
Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.
Examples from the source records
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
Owner report 10033090 · 2003-08-19 (August 19, 2003)
MY 2000 SAAB 9-3 STALLED WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY...THE DEALER REPACED THE DIRECT IGNITION MODULE AND CAR WAS OKAY. *AK
Owner-reported narrative. 26,400 miles reported. Look up ODI 10033090 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10090611 · 2004-09-08 (September 8, 2004)
WHILE DRIVING ON HIGHWAY, AUTO SHUT DOWN COMPLETELY, NO POWER STEERING, BRAKES, ETC. COASTED TO SIDE OF ROAD. CAR WOULD NOT RESTART. BURNT ELECTRICAL SMELL FROM ENGINE. CAR WAS TOWED TO REPAIR SHOP, WHERE A FAILED IGNITION CASSETTE WAS DIAGNOSED. THE "CHECK ENGINE" LIGHT COMES ON PERIODICALLY SINCE DAY ONE, IN SOME CASES FOR DAYS AT A TIME. I HAVE ASKED ABOUT THIS PROBLEM AT SEVERAL DEALERS AND HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT IT COULD BE BECAUSE OF A LOOSE GAS CAP AND NOT TO WORRY ABOUT IT (SAAB USA CLAIMS THAT THEY DON'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT THIS PROBLE…
Owner-reported narrative. 38,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10090611 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10093558 · 2004-10-04 (October 4, 2004)
VEHICLE BEGAN SHIFTING POORLY AND WOULD NOT GO INTO REVERSE UNLESS TURNED OFF (5 SPEED MANUAL TRANS). SAAB DEALERSHIP OPENED TARNSMISSION AND FOUND IT NEEDED FULL REPLACEMENT (60,000 MILES) AND ALSO NEEDED A NEW CLUTCH. SINCE THAT TIME THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CONTINUES TO COME ON AND GO OFF ERRATICLY. SAAB CAN'T SEEM TO FIGURE OUT WHY THE LIGHT KEEPS COMING ON. VERY EXPENSIVE REPLACEMENTS AND DIAGNOSTICS!*AK
Owner-reported narrative. 65,401 miles reported. Look up ODI 10093558 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10164953 · 2006-08-08 (August 8, 2006)
2000 SAAB 9-3 SE CONVERTIBLE. ON COMMUTE HOME, WAS PULLED OVER BECAUSE OF A DETECTED GASOLINE LEAK. GASOLINE WAS POURING OUT FROM UNDER THE AUTO BY THE GAS TANK. POLICE HAD CAR FLAT BEDDED TO A LOCAL REPAIR SHOP. THE CAUSE WAS FROM A "BROKEN CLIP THAT ATTACHED THE FUEL LINE TO THE FUEL PUMP". COSTS FOR REPAIR AND TO REFILL TANK TOTALED $1057.58. 2001 VEHICLES OF THIS SAME MODEL WERE ALREADY RECALLED FOR THIS SAME REASON (NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 04V557000). *NM
Owner-reported narrative. 79,950 miles reported. Look up ODI 10164953 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10258846 · 2009-02-16 (February 16, 2009)
ENGINE BLEW DO TO EXCESSIVE CARBON BUILD UP, SAAB HAS BEEN AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM SINCE 1999 AND OFFERED A EXTENDED WARRANTY TO ORIGINAL BUYERS TILL 8 YEARS AND UNLIMITED MILEAGE. TO FIX, ENGINE HAS TO BE REPLACED. CAR ONLY HAS 100,000 MILES. THE OIL PORTHOLES THAT SQUIRT INTO THE PISTONS ARE CLOGGED BURNING OUT THE CYLINDERS. TO FIX THE CONCERN $4-5,000, IF WE CAN USE THE ENGINE THAT CAME WITH THE CAR, USED ENGINES ARE GOING FOR $2-3000 AND YOU CANNOT BUY A NEW OR REBUILT ONE. *TR
Owner-reported narrative. 100,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10258846 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10262171 · 2009-03-17 (March 17, 2009)
MY CAR WAS DAMAGED ON THE WAY TO WK BECAUSE I HIT A POT HOLE ON NEW CONSTRUCTION. WHO WOULD I TALK TO ABOUT THIS. I ALMOST HAD A BLOW OUT & IT WAS IN HEAVY TRAFFIC. THE NEW TARRED ROAD HAS A DEEP HOLE & IT'S A MATTER OF TIME BEFORE SOMEONE GETS HURT. *TR
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10262171 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10365535 · 2010-11-12 (November 12, 2010)
I HAVE A 2000 SAAB 9-3 CONVERTIBLE. I WAS CLEANING THE VEHICLE AND HAD THE DRIVER DOOR OPEN. I SAW SMOKE COMING FROM THE AREA BETWEEN THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT AND THE RIGHT DOOR. I OPENED THE RIGHT DOOR TO FIND THE LIGHT FIXTURE IN THE RIGHT QUARTER PANEL HAD FALLEN OUT AND WAS BURNING THE SEAT COVER BY THE AIR BAG. THE LAMP REFLECTOR IS METAL AND BURNED THE SEAT COVER. *TR
Owner-reported narrative. 95,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10365535 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10495116 · 2013-01-29 (January 29, 2013)
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 SAAB 9-3 CONVERTIBLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT BELT WOULD NOT RETRACT AND BECAME TIGHT AROUND THE CONTACT. AS A RESULT, THE CONTACT BEGAN CHOKING FROM THE PRESSURE OF THE SEAT BELT BECOMING TIGHTER. THE CONTACT SPOKE TO THE MANUFACTURER AND WAS TOLD THAT THE SEAT BELTS WERE NOT UNDER WARRANTY. THE FAILURE AND THE CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 112,334.
Owner-reported narrative. 112,334 miles reported. Look up ODI 10495116 at NHTSA ↗
Recall history
1 distinct campaigns affect this selection. Announcement dates below are different from vehicle model years. A campaign may cover multiple years.
07V087000 · Fuel System, Gasoline:Delivery:Hoses, Lines/Piping, And Fittings
Reported: 2007-03-07 (March 7, 2007)
ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES, THE FUEL PUMP RETAINING TABS HOLDING THE FUEL LINES WERE DAMAGED DURING PRODUCTION.
Consequence: OVER TIME, THIS COULD CAUSE THE FUEL LINES TO LOOSEN FROM THE PUMP RESULTING IN FUEL LEAKAGE. IF AN IGNITION SOURCE WERE PRESENT, THE FUEL MAY IGNITE RESULTING IN A VEHICLE FIRE.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL DEVELOP A SECURING BRACKET THAT WILL SECURE THE FUEL LINES TO THE FUEL PUMP EVEN IF THE PLASTIC RETAINING TABS SHOULD BREAK. THE RECALL BEGAN ON JUNE 13, 2007. THIS IS AN EXPANSION OF PREVIOUS RECALL CAMPAIGNS - SEE 04V557 AND 06V126. OWNERS MAY CONTACT SAAB AT 1-800-955-9007.
NHTSA campaign record ↗