Saab 9-3 Recalls & Complaints by Model Year

NHTSA lists 17 safety recalls and 1,346 owner complaints across 14 model years of the Saab 9-3 (1994–2011). The most-complained-about year is 2003.

Pick your Saab 9-3 model year

• 1994
• 1999
• 2000
• 2001
• 2002
• 2003
• 2004
• 2005
• 2006
• 2007
• 2008
• 2009
• 2010
• 2011

What Saab 9-3 owners complain about

Across all model years, owners have filed 1,346 complaints with NHTSA. The 2003 model year has the most, with 212.

• Air bags347
• Seat belts133
• Electrical system122
• Engine99
• Suspension: front71
• Suspension66
• Engine and engine cooling44
• Electrical system: module36

All Saab 9-3 recalls (17)

Every NHTSA safety campaign that lists a Saab 9-3, most recent first, with the model years each one covers.

1. Inflator module (air bags)

   NHTSA 16V063000 Reported February 3, 2016 113,716 vehicles potentially affected General Motors LLC

   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,…

   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…

   Model years: 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011

2. Retractor (seat belts)

   NHTSA 14V318000 Reported June 12, 2014 28,789 vehicles potentially affected General Motors LLC

   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.

   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…

   Model years: 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011

3. Fuel pump (fuel system)

   NHTSA 11V015000 Reported January 19, 2011 4,400 vehicles potentially affected SAAB CARS NORTH AMERICA, INC.

   Saab is recalling certain model year 2010 and 2011 passenger vehicles manufactured from june 2010 through december 2010. Certain fuel pumps installed as original equipment may have internal components with incorrect specifications.

   Remedy: Saab will notify owners and replace the defective fuel pumps free of charge. The safety recall began on march 3, 2011. Owners may contact saab at 1-800-955-9007.

   Model years: 2010, 2011

4. Retractor (seat belts)

   NHTSA 10V043000 Reported February 18, 2010 14,126 vehicles potentially affected GENERAL MOTORS CORP.

   General motors is recalling certain model year 2004 saab 9-3 sedans. Some of these vehicles were produced with front seat belt retractors that, over time, could fail to retract.

   Remedy: Dealers will replace the driver side retractor free of charge. If the front passenger retractor were to fail to retract, GM will replace the front passenger retractor free of charge under a special coverage that will…

   Model years: 2004

5. Hoses, lines/piping, and fittings (fuel system)

   NHTSA 07V087000 Reported March 7, 2007 94,377 vehicles potentially affected SAAB CARS USA, INC.

   On certain passenger vehicles, the fuel pump retaining tabs holding the fuel lines were damaged during production.

   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…

   Model years: 2002, 2003

6. Hoses, lines/piping, and fittings (fuel system)

   NHTSA 06V126000 Reported April 20, 2006 11,886 vehicles potentially affected SAAB CARS USA, INC.

   On certain passenger vehicles, the fuel pump retaining tabs holding the fuel lines were damaged during production.

   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.

   Model years: 2001

7. Electrical system: module

   NHTSA 05V399000 Reported September 14, 2005 103,202 vehicles potentially affected SAAB CARS USA, INC.

   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.

   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…

   Model years: 2000, 2001, 2002

8. Hoses, lines/piping, and fittings (service brakes)

   NHTSA 05V236000 Reported May 19, 2005 68,654 vehicles potentially affected SAAB CARS USA, INC.

   Certain sport sedan and convertible passenger vehicles were produced with a vacuum pipe check valve for the brake booster that may fail from exposure to elevated temperatures. This could result in sudden loss of power brake assist, usually with little or no warning.

   Remedy: Dealers will install a new redesigned check valve. The recall began on march 17, 2006. Owners should contact saab at 1-800-955-9007.

   Model years: 2003, 2004, 2005

9. Hoses, lines/piping, and fittings (fuel system)

   NHTSA 04V557000 Reported November 19, 2004 17,394 vehicles potentially affected SAAB CARS USA, INC.

   On certain passenger vehicles, the fuel pump retaining tabs holding the fuel lines were damaged during production.

   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.

   Model years: 2001, 2002

10. Engine and engine cooling

    NHTSA 04V540000 Reported October 20, 2004 12,249 vehicles potentially affected SAAB CARS USA, INC.

    On certain passenger vehicles, the engine management system software may cause engine hesitation or stalling.

    Remedy: Dealers will update the engine management system. Owners may contact saab at 1-800-955-9007.

    Model years: 2003

11. Retractor (seat belts)

    NHTSA 04V226000 Reported May 11, 2004 31,335 vehicles potentially affected SAAB CARS USA, INC.

    Some sport sedans were built with seat belt retractors that were damaged during the manufacturing process. If damaged, over time, the automatic tensioning system (ats) cable in the seat belt retractor could break causing the belt webbing to not retract.

    Remedy: Dealers will replace the seat belt retractor assemblies. The recall began on january 24, 2005. Owners should contact saab at 1-800-955-9007.

    Model years: 2003, 2004

12. Recliner (seats)

    NHTSA 03V514000 Reported December 10, 2003 1,658 vehicles potentially affected SAAB CARS USA, INC.

    Certain passenger vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 207, "seating systems." the backrest locking mechanism on some front seats may have been installed incorrectly.

    Remedy: Dealers will inspect the vehicle's front seats to determine if they are equipped with the improperly installed component. If either or both of the seats have this component, they will be replaced. The dealer may need…

    Model years: 2004

13. Tie rod assembly (steering)

    NHTSA 01V314000 Reported October 3, 2001 1,366 vehicles potentially affected SAAB CARS USA, INC.

    Vehicle description: passenger vehicles. The tie rod end retaining nuts may not have been properly tightened at the factory.

    Remedy: All vehicles will be inspected and corrected prior to customer delivery. No owner notification will be required.

    Model years: 2002

14. Air bags

    NHTSA 01V168000 Reported May 18, 2001 43,073 vehicles potentially affected SAAB CARS USA, INC.

    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.

    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…

    Model years: 2000, 2001

15. Labels (equipment)

    NHTSA 99V362000 Reported December 29, 1999 424 vehicles potentially affected SAAB CARS USA, INC.

    Vehicle description: passenger vehicles. The brake reservoir label was omitted. This does not comply with the requirements of FMVSS no. 135, "passenger car brake systems."

    Remedy: Owners will be mailed labels and installation instructions.

    Model years: 1999

16. Seats

    NHTSA 99V246000 Reported September 13, 1999 5,132 vehicles potentially affected SAAB CARS USA, INC.

    Vehicle description: passsenger vehicles. Failures of the "easy entry" cable in the front driver or passenger manual seats can cause the seat fore/aft adjustable mechanism to be unlocked.

    Remedy: Dealers will install a new cable and spring assembly.

    Model years: 1999

17. Labels (equipment)

    NHTSA 98V139000 Reported June 23, 1998 39,313 vehicles potentially affected SAAB CARS USA, INC.

    Vehicle description: passenger vehicles. The air bag alert label on the driver side visor was omitted. This does not conform to the requirements of FMVSS no. 208, "occupant crash protection."

    Remedy: Owners will be provided with an alert label to be installed on the visible side of the driver's sun visor. If an owner so desires, their dealer can install the label for them.

    Model years: 1999

Other Saab models

• 9-5506 complaints
• 900360 complaints
• 9-7X171 complaints
• 9000136 complaints
• 9-2X121 complaints
• 9-3 Convertible61 complaints
• 9551 complaints
• Aero15 complaints

Source: NHTSA recall and complaint databases and EPA fuel economy data, October 2026. Complaint counts are owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects. Recall counts are safety campaigns that list this model year; whether a particular car was already repaired depends on its VIN. How this data is compiled.