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Saab 9-3Years to avoid, problems & recalls

Based on 1,345 NHTSA owner complaints across 13 model years, the Saab 9-3 years to avoid are 2003 and 2004, and the strongest years are 2002, 2009, 2010 and 2011. The 9-3 has 17 safety recalls on record.

Saab 9-3
Years to avoid'03 '04Use caution: 2006, 2007, 2008Best years'02 '09 '10 '11Fewest complaints for their ageOwner complaints1,345Top: Air bagsSafety recalls171999–2011 model years

Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports. Updated daily. How we score years. Photo: IFCAR, Public domain.

Best & worst years

Saab 9-3 years to avoid

Complaints by model year, colored by the CarFlaw verdict: complaints weighted for crashes, fires and injuries, adjusted for years on the road and compared with the 9-3 median. Tap a year for its full report.

'99'00'01'02'03'04'05'06'07'08'09'10'11
  • Avoid
  • Caution
  • Solid
  • Best
  • Not rated
2011Best75/10030 complaints · 3 recalls2010Best76/10030 complaints · 3 recalls2009Best68/10043 complaints · 2 recalls2008Caution32/100184 complaints · 2 recalls2007Caution35/100155 complaints · 2 recalls2006Caution30/100179 complaints · 2 recalls2005Solid45/10095 complaints · 2 recalls2004Avoid28/100207 complaints · 5 recalls2003Avoid26/100212 complaints · 4 recalls2002Best70/10037 complaints · 4 recalls2001Solid58/10059 complaints · 4 recalls2000Solid56/10050 complaints · 2 recalls1999Solid50/10064 complaints · 3 recalls
Complaints by system

Most common Saab 9-3 problems

All model years combined: 1,345 complaints grouped by the system owners reported.

Box size = number of complaints naming that system. Darker = larger share. One complaint can name more than one system.
Complaints by system
SystemComplaintsCrash, fire or injury
Air bags36743
Electrical system18817
Suspension1734
Seat belts1637
Engine1162
Engine and engine cooling10412
Power train714
Service brakes, hydraulic583
Fuel system, gasoline541
20 other systems32139
17 recalls

Saab 9-3 recalls

Newest first. The ring shows the share of affected vehicles repaired, from the manufacturer's latest report to NHTSA.

68%Driver side: inflator module16V-063 · 2006–2011 · Feb 3, 2016 · 113,716 vehicles33%Front: retractor14V-318 · 2004–2011 · Jun 12, 2014 · 28,789 vehicles–Delivery: fuel pump11V-015 · 2010–2011 · Jan 19, 2011 · 4,400 vehicles–Front: retractor10V-043 · 2004 · Feb 18, 2010 · 14,126 vehicles–Delivery: hoses, lines/piping, and fittings07V-087 · 2002–2003 · Mar 7, 2007 · 94,377 vehicles–Delivery: hoses, lines/piping, and fittings06V-126 · 2001 · Apr 20, 2006 · 11,886 vehicles–Ignition: module05V-399 · 2000–2002 · Sep 14, 2005 · 103,202 vehicles–Vacuum: hoses, lines/piping, and fittings05V-236 · 2003–2005 · May 19, 2005 · 68,654 vehicles–Delivery: hoses, lines/piping, and fittings04V-557 · 2001–2002 · Nov 19, 2004 · 17,394 vehicles–Engine and engine cooling04V-540 · 2003 · Oct 20, 2004 · 12,249 vehicles–Front: retractor04V-226 · 2003–2004 · May 11, 2004 · 31,335 vehicles–Front assembly: recliner03V-514 · 2004 · Dec 10, 2003 · 1,658 vehicles

Showing the 12 newest of 17 recalls. Each model-year page lists all recalls for that year.

10 investigations

NHTSA investigations of the 9-3

  1. Desiccated Air Bag Inflator RuptureEA21002 · 2006–2011 · still open
    Open
  2. SEAT BELT RETRACTORPE09048 · 2004 · closed Feb 25, 2010
    Led to recall 10V-043
  3. ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIREPE09032 · 2007 · closed Dec 16, 2009
    No recall
  4. Front Suspension Coil Spring FractureEA08026 · 2003–2006 · closed Jun 4, 2010
    No recall
  5. FRONT SUSPENSION COIL SPRING FRACTUREPE08051 · 2003–2006 · closed Dec 23, 2008
    No recall
  6. REDUCED BRAKE POWER-ASSISTPE08005 · 2006–2008 · closed Jun 3, 2008
    No recall
  7. FUEL LINE LEAKAGERQ05003 · 2001 · closed Apr 28, 2006
    Led to recall 06V-126
  8. ENGINE STALL/ ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRESPE05017 · 1999–2002 · closed Sep 23, 2005
    Led to recall 05V-399
  9. ENGINE STALLEA04008 · 2003 · closed Oct 27, 2004
    No recall
  10. ENGINE STALLPE03059 · 2003 · closed Mar 19, 2004
    No recall