2001 Saab 9-3 Recalls, Complaints & Specs
4 safety recalls list the 2001 Saab 9-3, and owners have filed 59 complaints with NHTSA. Check your own VIN below.
4 safety recalls for the 2001 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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Hoses, lines/piping, and fittings (fuel system)
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.
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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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Hoses, lines/piping, and fittings (fuel system)
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.
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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…
59 owner complaints filed with NHTSA
Owners of the 2001 Saab 9-3 have filed 59 complaints with NHTSA; 1 describe a crash and 1 describe a fire. Reports cite 3 injuries and 1 death. The average mileage at failure in those reports is 78,608 miles. Complaints peaked in 2005 with 17 filed that year.
Most-reported components
What owners are reporting
“The contact owns a 2001 Saab 9-3. The contact stated that the vehicle was overheating while driving. Additionally, the contact stated that the vehicle failed to start. A mobile independent mechanic di”
Owner complaint to NHTSA, November 25, 2024 · Fuel system, gasoline
“unexpected and unrequested deployment of driver side seat air bag. i was driving the vehicle at a speed of 0-5mph attempting to back the vehicle into a parking spot when the driver seat air bag deploy”
Owner complaint to NHTSA, October 11, 2021 · Air bags
Fuel economy and specs
EPA ratings for the 2001 Saab 9-3 (9-3 Convertible, 9-3 Viggen, 9-3 Viggen Convertible). Ranges cover every tested configuration.
| Combined | 21–22 mpg |
|---|---|
| City / Highway | 18–19 / 25–28 |
| 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 2001 Saab 9-3
How do I know if my 2001 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. 4 campaigns currently list the 2001 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.