2009 Saab 9-3: complaints, problems and recalls

DRIVERS SIDE LOW BEAM IS DIM. DEALER FOUND THE LOW BEAM BULBS WERE OVERHEATING. REPLACED LOW BEAM BULBS AND REPROGRAMMED THE ELECTRICAL CENTER UNDER THE HOOD WITH NEW SOFTWARE TO PREVENT THE HEADLIGHT BULBS FROM OVERHEATING. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 39,269 miles reported. Look up ODI 10301904 at NHTSA ↗

AFTER STARTING CAR AND ADJUSTING SEAT I BACKED OUT OF PARKING SPACE AND APPLIED THE BRAKES WHICH DID NOT SEEM TO WORK PROPERLY. THE CAR EVENTUALLY STOPPED AS I WAS NOT GOING VERY FAST. I PUT THE CAR IN DRIVE AND BEGAN TO ACCELERATE TO MOVE TO ANOTHER PARKING SPOT AND AS I TURNED THE CORNER GOING APPROXIMATELY 10 MPH I APPLIED THE BRAKES AND THEY DID NOT WORK; I ACCELERATED AGAIN TO TEST THE BRAKES AGAIN AND THEY DID NOT WORK; I AGAIN ACCELERATED TO TEST THE BRAKES AGAIN AND THEY STILL DID NOT WORK. I CAUTIOUSLY MOVED MY CAR TO ANOTHER PARKING…

Owner-reported narrative. 12,800 miles reported. Look up ODI 10403429 at NHTSA ↗

UPON STARTING AFTER SITTING, THE BRAKES HAVE A GREATLY INCREASED PEDAL EFFORT AND A CORRESPONDINGLY GREATLY REDUCED BRAKING EFFECT. THIS COMBINED WITH THE RELATIVELY HIGH IDLE FOR THIS MODEL OF ENGINE, (V-6), AT START UP COMBINES TO CREATES A SITUATION WHERE THE CAR IS VERY DIFFICULT TO STOP WHEN DRIVING AWAY FROM FIRST START-UP.

Owner-reported narrative. 6,989 miles reported. Look up ODI 10542491 at NHTSA ↗

MY SAAB HAS WORN INTAKE VALVE SEATS WHICH WAS CONFIRMED WITH A COMPRESSION TEST. BECAUSE OF THIS PROBLEM, MY CAR IS HAVING TROUBLE STARTING COLD. ACCORDING TO MULTIPLE SAAB BLOGS, THIS IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM AND IS POSSIBLY CAUSED BY DEFECTIVE PARTS. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 80,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10563904 at NHTSA ↗

THE INTAKE VALVE IN THE FIRST CYLINDER HAS TO BE REPLACED AT THE COST OF APPROXIMATELY $2500. THIS IS A KNOWN ISSUE FOR ALL SAABS (2009-2011). THERE IS A TECHNICAL BULLETIN RELEASED FOR HOW TO FIX THIS PROBLEM. IT IS OBVIOUS THAT VEHICLE WORKMANSHIP IS THE PROBLEM AND THE COST OF REPAIR IS BEING PASSED ON TO THE CONSUMER. AFTER PURCHASING THE VEHICLE IN GOOD FAITH WITH THE EXPECTATION THAT I AM PURCHASING A QUALITY VEHICLE FROM GM, I AM DISAPPOINTED THAT THIS KNOWN ISSUE IS A PROBLEM WITH ALL SAABS MANUFACTURED BY GM. THE 2009-2011 SAABS A…

Owner-reported narrative. 71,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10566935 at NHTSA ↗

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 SAAB 9-3. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE STALLED AND NOTICED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS OVERHEATING AND HAD TO WAIT FOR THE VEHICLE TO COOL DOWN ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT ABLE TO RESTART INTERMITTENTLY DUE TO THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE CONTACT'S RESIDENCE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 60,000.

Owner-reported narrative. 60,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10609309 at NHTSA ↗

DURING ROUTINE UNDER HOOD INSPECTION, BRAKE FLUID RESERVOIR CAP WAS OBSERVED TO HAVE SPLIT INTO MULTIPLE PIECES. THIS DAMAGE, APPARENTLY HEAT RELATED, COMPROMISED THE ABILITY OF THE BRAKING SYSTEM TO MAINTAIN PRESSURE AND COULD RESULT IN LOSS OF BRAKING, CRASH, AND BODILY INJURY. VEHICLE WAS REMOVED FROM SERVICE PENDING RECEIPT OF REPLACEMENT PART. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 62,500 miles reported. Look up ODI 10628279 at NHTSA ↗

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 SAAB 9-3. WHILE DRIVING AT AN UNKNOWN SPEED, THE CONTACT HEARD A RATTLING SOUND NEAR THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE OF THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT SELF-DIAGNOSED THE VEHICLE AND STATED THAT THE FRONT COIL SPRING WAS FRACTURED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED AND THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 44,000.

Owner-reported narrative. 44,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10637186 at NHTSA ↗

Reported: 2014-06-12 (June 12, 2014)

General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2004-2011 Saab 9-3 Convertible vehicles manufactured July 30, 2003, to February 15, 2011. In the affected vehicles, the driver's side front seat belt retractor may break, causing the seat belt webbing not to retract.

Consequence: In the event of a crash, a seat belt that has not retracted may not properly restrain the seat occupant, increasing their risk of injury.

Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver's seat belt retractor, free of charge. The recall began on October 6, 2015. Owners may contact Saab customer service at 1-800-955-9007. GM's number for this recall is 14222. Note: Special Coverage 10086 will replace the passenger side seat belt retractor if it fails, free of charge, for the life of the vehicle.

Reported: 2016-02-03 (February 3, 2016)

General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2006-2011 Saab 9-3 vehicles manufactured May 31, 2002, to February 15, 2011, 2006-2009 Saab 9-5 vehicles manufactured June 7, 2005, to May 28, 2009, and 2008-2009 Saturn Astra vehicles manufactured April 11, 2007, to July 24, 2008. Upon deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, excessive internal pressure may cause the inflator to rupture.

Consequence: In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, the inflator could rupture with metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver's frontal air bag inflator on Saab 9-3 and 9-5 vehicles and will replace the driver's frontal airbag module on Saturn Astra vehicles, free of charge. The recall began on March 1, 2017. Owners may contact Saab customer service at 1-800-955-9007 or Saturn customer service at 1-800-553-6000. GM's number for this recall is 28810.