2001 Saab 9-3: complaints, problems and recalls

WHILE TRAVELING ON THE HIGHWAY AND WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING TVEHICLE SHUTDOWN, AND WOULD NOT RESTART. *AK

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10026805 at NHTSA ↗

FUEL LINE BROKE AND LEAKED GAS UNDER REAR PASSENGER'S SEAT. DEALER NOTIFIED. WARRANTY EXPIRED.*AK

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10040215 at NHTSA ↗

HAD THE CAR SERVICED FOR 40000 SERVICE. COMPLAINED OF STALLING WHEN LIFTING OFF THE GAS. THE VERY NEXT DAY THE CAR STALLED ON THE FREEWAY AND UNABLE TO RESTART. THE DEALER IS SAYING THAT MY AFTERMARKET BYPASS VALVE CAUSED THE FAILURE. THEY ARE REFUSING TO COVER THE REPAIR UNDER WARRANTY. THE FAILURE LOOKS MORE LIKE A HEAD GASKET FAILURE AND NOT AN OVERBOOST PROBLEM. *AK

Owner-reported narrative. 42,389 miles reported. Look up ODI 10043836 at NHTSA ↗

WITHOUT ANY WARNING, CAR LOST ENGINE POWER, INCLUDING POWER STEERING AND BRAKES AND WOULD NOT RESTART. HAPPENED IN CONGESTED TRAFFIC CIRCLE, CAUSING NEAR MISSES FROM BUSES AND TRUCKS. SAAB ROADSIDE SERVICE TOOK NEARLY 5 HOURS TO SEND A TOW TRUCK. CAR PUSHED TO SIDEWALK BY PASSING POLICEMAN. JSW. *AK

Owner-reported narrative. 22,500 miles reported. Look up ODI 10051570 at NHTSA ↗

SAAB 9-3 (2001) AUTOMATIC 49000 MILES STALLED ON FREEWAY WHILE PRESSING ON THE GAS PEDAL AFTER BRAKING (BUT STILL MOVING) FOR CONGESTION. RESTART SUBSEQUENT TO STALL DID NOT SUCCEED. HAD TO TOW THE CAR TO DEALER (B&B SAAB). SECOND TIME THIS HAS OCCURRED -- FIRST TIME (SIMILAR CIRCUMSTANCES) THE DEALER SAID A SOFTWARE UPGRADE SHOULD FIX THE PROBLEM. NOW THEY THINK IT IS THE THROTTLE UNIT. LUCKY ON BOTH OCCASSIONS NOT TO GET INTO AN ACCIDENT.*AK

Owner-reported narrative. 49,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10080732 at NHTSA ↗

VEHICLE LOST POWER. FUEL LEAKED FROM THE VEHICLE. IT HAD TO BE TOWED. FUEL PUMP WAS REPLACED. MANUFACTURER INDICATED THAT WARRANTY WAS IN EFFECT. *AK

Owner-reported narrative. 289,981 miles reported. Look up ODI 10099280 at NHTSA ↗

KEY OF SAAB 93 (YR 2001) TURNED TO OFF WHILE DRIVING HIGH SPEED ON HIGHWAY, DUE O BEING LIGHTLY HIT AS PASSENGER REACHED DOWN FOR PURSE. ALL ELECTRIC IN CAR WENT OFF, WAS LUCKY TO BE ABLE TO GO ON SIDE ROAD SINCE WE WERE ON I95 OUTSIDE BALTIMORE AT 4 PM THE DAY BEFORE THANKSGIVING! KEY OPERATION APPEARS TO POSE DANGER. SAAB SHOP SAID KEY WAS OPERATING NORMALLY.*AK

Owner-reported narrative. 44,100 miles reported. Look up ODI 10100795 at NHTSA ↗

COMPLETE LOSS OF ENGINE POWER WHILE TRAVELING AT 55 MPH ON LIMITED ACCESS HIGHWAY IN LEFT LANE. LOSS OF POWER WAS DUE TO DIRECT IGNITION CASSETTE FAILURE (ELECTRICAL FAILURE IN ENGINE IGNITION SYSTEM). *NM

Owner-reported narrative. 61,550 miles reported. Look up ODI 10106409 at NHTSA ↗

Reported: 2001-05-18 (May 18, 2001)

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES FAIL TO COMPLY WITH REQUIREMENTS OF FMVSS NO. 208, "OCCUPANT CRASH PROTECTION." THE AIR BAG ALERT LABELS MAY NOT BE PERMANENTLY AFFIXED AS REQUIRED BY THIS STANDARD.

Consequence: THESE VEHICLES DO NOT COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL CLEAN THE SUNVISOR SURFACE AND APPLY A NEW AIR BAG ALERT LABEL ON BOTH SUNVISORS. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN JULY 30, 2001. OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON AN AGREED UPON SERVICE DATE AND DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT SAAB AT 1-800-955-9007.

Reported: 2004-11-19 (November 19, 2004)

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 MARCH 14, 2005. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT SAAB AT 1-800-955-9007.

Reported: 2005-09-14 (September 14, 2005)

CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH B205/B235 4-CYLINDER GASOLINE ENGINES AND B308 6-CYLINDER GASOLINE ENGINES MAY EXPERIENCE OVERHEATING AND BURNOUT OF THE ISOLATED GATED BIPOLAR TRANSISTOR (IGBT) WITHIN THE IGNITION DISCHARGE MODULE (IDM) DUE TO INCREASED SUSCEPTIBILITY TO ELECTRICAL LOADS.

Consequence: OVERHEATING OF THE IGBT OCCURS MOST OFTEN AT ENGINE START-UP, BUT IT MAY ALSO OCCUR WHILE THE ENGINE IS RUNNING. ENGINE STALLING MAY OCCUR, WHICH COULD RESULT IN A CRASH.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT TO SEE WHAT VERSION IDM IS IN THE VEHICLE AND REPLACE THE IDM IF IT IS A VERSION BUILT PRIOR TO THE INTRODUCTION OF QP3. AN INTERIM LETTER WILL BE MAILED TO OWNERS IN OCTOBER 2005, INFORMING THEM OF THE CONDITION. PARTS ARE NOW AVAILABLE AND OWNERS WILL BE NOTIFIED TO BRING THEIR VEHICLES IN TO THE DEALERS TO HAVE THE IDM REPLACED BY LETTER DATED MARCH 13, 2006. OWNERS MAY CONTACT SAAB AT 1-800-955-9007.

Reported: 2006-04-20 (April 20, 2006)

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 MAY 12, 2006. OWNERS MAY CONTACT SAAB AT 1-800-955-9007.