2000 Saab 9-3 Recalls, Complaints & Specs
2 safety recalls list the 2000 Saab 9-3, and owners have filed 50 complaints with NHTSA. Check your own VIN below.
2 safety recalls for the 2000 Saab 9-3
Most recent first. Recall repairs are free at any authorised dealer. Click a recall for the full defect, consequence and remedy text.
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Electrical system: module
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…
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Air bags
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…
50 owner complaints filed with NHTSA
Owners of the 2000 Saab 9-3 have filed 50 complaints with NHTSA; 4 describe a crash and 1 describe a fire. Reports cite 9 injuries and 0 deaths. The average mileage at failure in those reports is 92,231 miles. Complaints peaked in 2006 with 8 filed that year.
Most-reported components
What owners are reporting
“The driver's side, side air bag deployed spontaneously. There was no apparent reason or cause, ie no side impact of any kind, no door slamming or other provocation. The car was parked in a garage for”
Owner complaint to NHTSA, August 1, 2024 · Air bags
“In neutral parked in traffic at a red light / intersection waiting for green, the driver side AIRBAG in my seat deployed/ exploded causing injury and bruising to left arm.”
Owner complaint to NHTSA, July 11, 2020 · Air bags
Fuel economy and specs
EPA ratings for the 2000 Saab 9-3 (9-3 Convertible, 9-3 Viggen, 9-3 Viggen Convertible). Ranges cover every tested configuration.
| Combined | 20–22 mpg |
|---|---|
| City / Highway | 17–19 / 23–27 |
| Fuel | Premium, Regular |
| EPA class | Midsize Cars, Subcompact Cars |
| Engine | 4 cyl, 2/2.3 L |
| Transmission | Automatic 4-spd; Manual 5-spd |
Compare Saab 9-3 model years
Recall and complaint counts for every Saab 9-3 model year in NHTSA's database.
| Model year | Recalls | Complaints |
|---|---|---|
| 1994 Saab 9-3 | 0 | 1 |
| 1999 Saab 9-3 | 3 | 64 |
| 2000 Saab 9-3 | 2 | 50 |
| 2001 Saab 9-3 | 4 | 59 |
| 2002 Saab 9-3 | 4 | 37 |
| 2003 Saab 9-3 | 4 | 212 |
| 2004 Saab 9-3 | 5 | 207 |
| 2005 Saab 9-3 | 2 | 95 |
| 2006 Saab 9-3 | 2 | 179 |
| 2007 Saab 9-3 | 2 | 155 |
| 2008 Saab 9-3 | 2 | 184 |
| 2009 Saab 9-3 | 2 | 43 |
| 2010 Saab 9-3 | 3 | 30 |
| 2011 Saab 9-3 | 3 | 30 |
Checking a specific 2000 Saab 9-3
How do I know if my 2000 Saab 9-3 has an open recall?
Enter your 17-character VIN above. The VIN is on the driver's side dashboard (visible through the windshield), the driver's door jamb sticker, and your registration or insurance card. The check runs against NHTSA's live database and tells you which campaigns list your vehicle. 2 campaigns currently list the 2000 Saab 9-3; your car may already have been repaired under some of them.
Is the recall repair free?
Yes. Under federal law, manufacturers must fix safety recalls at no charge for vehicles up to 15 years old from the date of sale to the first owner. Contact any authorised Saab dealer with your VIN and the NHTSA campaign number (for example 01V168000).
What is the difference between a recall and a complaint?
A recall is a safety campaign filed by the manufacturer or ordered by NHTSA, with a defined defect and remedy. A complaint is a report an owner sent to NHTSA; it is not verified, but patterns of complaints are what trigger NHTSA investigations and, eventually, recalls.
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.