2006 Saab 9-3 Recalls, Complaints & Specs
2 safety recalls list the 2006 Saab 9-3, and owners have filed 179 complaints with NHTSA. Check your own VIN below.
2 safety recalls for the 2006 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.
-
Inflator module (air bags)
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…
-
Retractor (seat belts)
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…
179 owner complaints filed with NHTSA
Owners of the 2006 Saab 9-3 have filed 179 complaints with NHTSA; 11 describe a crash and 3 describe a fire. Reports cite 4 injuries and 0 deaths. The average mileage at failure in those reports is 57,230 miles. Complaints peaked in 2016 with 47 filed that year.
Most-reported components
What owners are reporting
“The contact owns a 2006 SAAB 9-3. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked and shut off, the contact attempted to start the vehicle, and the vehicle failed to start. The contact also notic”
Owner complaint to NHTSA, August 6, 2025 · Fuel system, gasoline
“Warning message that airbag is not working. Loud hissing sound immediately in front of dashboard, as if air is escaping. We cannot drive the car for fear of the airbag inflating. We are going to have”
Owner complaint to NHTSA, October 1, 2021 · Air bags
Fuel economy and specs
EPA ratings for the 2006 Saab 9-3 (9-3 Convertible, 9-3 Sport Sedan, 9-3 SportCombi). Ranges cover every tested configuration.
| Combined | 19–23 mpg |
|---|---|
| City / Highway | 15–20 / 25–29 |
| Fuel | Premium |
| EPA class | Compact Cars, Small Station Wagons, Subcompact Cars |
| Engine | 4/6 cyl, 2/2.8 L |
| Transmission | Automatic (S5); Automatic (S6); Manual 5-spd; Manual 6-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 2006 Saab 9-3
How do I know if my 2006 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 2006 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 14V318000).
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.