Bulletins
| Bulletin | Bulletin date | Replacement Bulletin | Item no. | Summary | Added |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SERVICE BRAKES, AIR - ANTILOCK - WHEEL SPEED SENSOR | |||||
| 3712649 | 02/23/2007 | 10021408 | Replacement of speed sensor wiring harness. *kb | 04/24/2007 | |
| SERVICE BRAKES, AIR - SUPPLY - CHECK VALVE | |||||
| PN-128 | 09/07/2011 | 10041585 | Saab: using by replacing check valve, vacuum pipe can be serviced. *pe | 10/11/2011 | |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC - ANTILOCK | |||||
| 3832 | 12/01/2007 | 3832C | 10019241 | Abs, red brake ,svc and 4wd light on hvac blower inoperative. *ak updated 1/30/08. *nj | 02/22/2006 |
| 1750177 | 10019207 | Abs brake svc and 4wd light on hvac blower inoperative. *ak | 02/17/2006 | ||
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC - POWER ASSIST - VACUUM - HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS | |||||
| PN-128 | 09/07/2011 | 10041585 | Saab: using by replacing check valve, vacuum pipe can be serviced. *pe | 10/11/2011 | |
Investigations
| NHTSA ID | Manufacturer | Date open | Date close | Subject | Recall campaign | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC - POWER ASSIST - VACUUM | ||||||
| PE08005 | GENERAL MOTORS CORP. | 01/28/2008 | 06/03/2008 | REDUCED BRAKE POWER-ASSIST | ||
| Saab automobile ab, a subsidiary of general motors corp. (gm), manufactured 12,317 subject vehicles through february 15, 2008, equipped with the high feature v6 turbocharged engine identified by regular production option lp9.a tandem vacuum brake booster assembly provides brake power-assist.the engine is the primary vacuum source to the booster and its effect is amplified by a venturi.under certain conditions, such as a cold engine start or at high altitudes, an electric vacuum pump (evp) supplements engine vacuum.a pressure switch measures brake booster vacuum and commands the evp when to turn on/off.check valves are located at the intake manifold, venturi, and pressure switch. gm identified two issues that affect evp performance: corrosion of electrical components inside the pump caused by moisture ingress through the air outlet when the evp shuts off and the vacuum in a section of piping between the evp and the pressure switch is released to the atmosphere; and silicone contamination of the electrical contacts inside the pressure switch resulting in a noisy or impeded electrical signal.gm addressed evp performance with two design changes.in november 2007, gm modified the rubber protective cap that covers the evp air outlet to improve sealing and in february 2008, gm added a check valve to the section of piping between the evp and the pressure switch as close as possible to the evp in an effort to reduce the back flow of moisture through the pump. in total, the office of defects investigation (odi) is aware of 240 subject vehicles affected by the alleged defect.complainants report that symptoms occur immediately after a cold engine start and only for a short duration (30 to 60 seconds), during which period the amount of brake power-assist provided to the operator may be reduced due to an inoperative evp.the symptoms may be more pronounced the longer the vehicle has been parked as there is a natural tendency for the brake booster to slowly release the vacuum over time if it is not replenished.full brake power-assist capability resumes after this brief cold start period or immediately after a warm engine start.the three reported crashes all occurred at low speeds (< 5mph) while reversing from a garage or parking space and resulted in minimal to minor property damage. the subject issue differs from a previous safety recall (05v-236) affecting certain model year (my) 2003-2005 saab 9-3 vehicles equipped with a defective check valve that could become brittle and fracture, resulting in a lasting and total loss of brake power-assist at any time.the defective check valve did not meet lifetime durability requirements and gm predicted a 100% failure rate at less than 4 years of service.in comparison, gm predicts an evp failure rate of approximately 6.4% at 3 years in service for the subject vehicles resulting in reduced brake power-assist for a short duration.the subject issue also differs from a previous odi influenced safety recall (03v-474) to address evp moisture ingress in certain my 2000 volvo s40 and v40 vehicles.the recalled volvo vehicles utilized a steel vacuum pipe between the evp and the brake booster.moisture ingress and subsequent corrosion could compromise the vacuum pipe resulting in a lasting and total loss of brake power-assist.moisture does not appear to have a significant impact on the polyether-ester plastic vacuum pipe used in the subject vehicles. a safety-related defect has not been identified at this time and further use of agency resources does not appear to be warranted.accordingly, this investigation is closed.the closing of this investigation does not constitute a finding by nhtsa that a safety-related defect does not exist.the agency will take further action if warranted by the circumstances. | ||||||
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC - POWER ASSIST - VACUUM - HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS | ||||||
| PE08005 | GENERAL MOTORS CORP. | 01/28/2008 | 06/03/2008 | REDUCED BRAKE POWER-ASSIST | ||
| Saab automobile ab, a subsidiary of general motors corp. (gm), manufactured 12,317 subject vehicles through february 15, 2008, equipped with the high feature v6 turbocharged engine identified by regular production option lp9.a tandem vacuum brake booster assembly provides brake power-assist.the engine is the primary vacuum source to the booster and its effect is amplified by a venturi.under certain conditions, such as a cold engine start or at high altitudes, an electric vacuum pump (evp) supplements engine vacuum.a pressure switch measures brake booster vacuum and commands the evp when to turn on/off.check valves are located at the intake manifold, venturi, and pressure switch. gm identified two issues that affect evp performance: corrosion of electrical components inside the pump caused by moisture ingress through the air outlet when the evp shuts off and the vacuum in a section of piping between the evp and the pressure switch is released to the atmosphere; and silicone contamination of the electrical contacts inside the pressure switch resulting in a noisy or impeded electrical signal.gm addressed evp performance with two design changes.in november 2007, gm modified the rubber protective cap that covers the evp air outlet to improve sealing and in february 2008, gm added a check valve to the section of piping between the evp and the pressure switch as close as possible to the evp in an effort to reduce the back flow of moisture through the pump. in total, the office of defects investigation (odi) is aware of 240 subject vehicles affected by the alleged defect.complainants report that symptoms occur immediately after a cold engine start and only for a short duration (30 to 60 seconds), during which period the amount of brake power-assist provided to the operator may be reduced due to an inoperative evp.the symptoms may be more pronounced the longer the vehicle has been parked as there is a natural tendency for the brake booster to slowly release the vacuum over time if it is not replenished.full brake power-assist capability resumes after this brief cold start period or immediately after a warm engine start.the three reported crashes all occurred at low speeds (< 5mph) while reversing from a garage or parking space and resulted in minimal to minor property damage. the subject issue differs from a previous safety recall (05v-236) affecting certain model year (my) 2003-2005 saab 9-3 vehicles equipped with a defective check valve that could become brittle and fracture, resulting in a lasting and total loss of brake power-assist at any time.the defective check valve did not meet lifetime durability requirements and gm predicted a 100% failure rate at less than 4 years of service.in comparison, gm predicts an evp failure rate of approximately 6.4% at 3 years in service for the subject vehicles resulting in reduced brake power-assist for a short duration.the subject issue also differs from a previous odi influenced safety recall (03v-474) to address evp moisture ingress in certain my 2000 volvo s40 and v40 vehicles.the recalled volvo vehicles utilized a steel vacuum pipe between the evp and the brake booster.moisture ingress and subsequent corrosion could compromise the vacuum pipe resulting in a lasting and total loss of brake power-assist.moisture does not appear to have a significant impact on the polyether-ester plastic vacuum pipe used in the subject vehicles. a safety-related defect has not been identified at this time and further use of agency resources does not appear to be warranted.accordingly, this investigation is closed.the closing of this investigation does not constitute a finding by nhtsa that a safety-related defect does not exist.the agency will take further action if warranted by the circumstances. | ||||||
Consumer Complaints
| Fail date | miles | occurences | Purchase date |
|---|---|---|---|
| SERVICE BRAKES | |||
| 11/06/2012 | 78000 | 1 | |
| I have had my 2006 saab 9-3 in for service 4 times for an abs/traction control/stability control failure. each time i take it to the dealership, they tell me that the cost is around $385 for a hub assembly, no labor included. i have talked to many people who have had the same problem. the real problem is that the wire leading to the wheel corrodes. now my car is at the dealership for the same problem and they want to put in a rear harness for the same system and want to charge me $315 just for the part, doesn't include labor. this part has been found for around $120 elsewhere. this is very frustrating as the car acts as a totally different animal when it is not functioning properly. every time this has happened the temperature has been 40 degrees f or lower. *tr | |||
| 11/06/2012 | 78000 | ||
| I have had my 2006 saab 9-3 in for service 4 times for an abs/traction control/stability control failure. each time i take it to the dealership, they tell me that the cost is around $385 for a hub assembly, no labor included. i have talked to many people who have had the same problem. the real problem is that the wire leading to the wheel corrodes. now my car is at the dealership for the same problem and they want to put in a rear harness for the same system and want to charge me $315 just for the part, doesn't include labor. this part has been found for around $120 elsewhere. this is very frustrating as the car acts as a totally different animal when it is not functioning properly. every time this has happened the temperature has been 40 degrees f or lower. | |||
| 07/13/2012 | 58000 | 1 | |
| Had been having problems with a very rough idle. then when putting car into reverse from a cold start the brakes would be inoperable (brake would not press down). throwing car into a different gear was only way to stop car. very scary when parked on an incline one morning and reversed into traffic but couldn't stop. took to service repair to find the brake booster needed replaced. said this was unacceptable failure in car of this age/mileage who has very regular service record. *tr | |||
| 07/13/2012 | 58000 | ||
| Had been having problems with a very rough idle. then when putting car into reverse from a cold start the brakes would be inoperable (brake would not press down). throwing car into a different gear was only way to stop car. very scary when parked on an incline one morning and reversed into traffic but couldn't stop. took to service repair to find the brake booster needed replaced. said this was unacceptable failure in car of this age/mileage who has very regular service record. | |||
| SERVICE BRAKES, ELECTRIC | |||
| 05/15/2008 | 27000 | 1 | |
| I own a 2006 saab 9-3 aero sport combi. two weeks ago, after the vehicle had been parked for 24 hours, i started the vehicle and placed the gear shift in reverse. the vehicle started rolling out of the drive way. the brake pedal was rock hard at the top of the stroke. it took me nearly 75 feet to stop the vehicle. the vehicle was traveling at 2-3 mph. the vehicle is currently at the dealership because the brake booster is back ordered. this is the third time the vehicle has been in the shop for this complaint. each time the aux. brake booster was replaced. *tr | |||
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC | |||
| 09/25/2009 | 33200 | 1 | |
| 2006 saab aero v6, at a cold start and while backing out of the driveway, the brake pedal goes very hard and the car will not stop for 15 -20 ft. *tr | |||
| 07/11/2009 | 40000 | 1 | |
| Similar issue to nhtsa defect investigation # pe08005. loss of brake power assist after a cold start up and reversing. the vehicle is very hard to stop, requiring high pedal pressure, until the car has warmed up for ~30 seconds. this has occurred numerous times over the past 6 months. it is more prominent after sitting for several days. also while driving on the road, when a bump is hit while brakes are applied, brakes make a metal-on-metal grinding sound and the braking action does not work until additional pressure is applied. this also happened when braking on slippery road conditions such as snow or rain. this caused a near accident when my car did not stop for another 10 feet than intended and entered an intersection on a red light. *tr | |||
| 07/11/2009 | 40000 | ||
| Tl*the contact owns a 2006 saab 9-3. while driving approximately 50 mph, the power steering failed. immediately, the brake and accelerator pedals failed to respond and the engine stalled without warning. the engine failed to restart after several attempts. roadside assistance was called to the scene and the vehicle was towed to an authorized dealer for inspection. the technician stated that the failure was related to the idling within the computerized system. the vehicle was taken back to the dealer on two separate occasions for identical failures. the technician stated that the failures were related to the temperature sensor, which was replaced. the failure continued and the vehicle is currently being repaired. the vin was unknown. the failure mileage was 40,000 and current mileage was 40,550. | |||
| 07/01/2009 | 51000 | 1 | |
| Loss of brake power assist after a cold start up. the vehicle is very hard to stop, requiring high pedal pressure, until the car has warmed up for ~30 seconds. this has occurred numerous times over the past 6 months. *tr | |||
| 06/06/2008 | 20000 | 1 | |
| Car will not stop when in reverse after morning start-up. no braking power in reverse even at idle. problem has been addressed 3 times by dealership. car in again for same problem only 5 days after previous fix in shop again now almost 2 weeks as of today. *tr | |||
| 06/01/2008 | 20000 | 1 | |
| On cold start, my hydraulic brakes fails to operate. *tr | |||
| 02/02/2008 | 1 | ||
| When a bump is hit while brakes are applied, brakes make a metal-on-metal grinding sound. when steering wheel is turned after braking (pulling into or out of parking space) metallic clicking sound is heard. brakes work better after car is warmed up. *tr | |||
| 06/15/2007 | 15000 | 1 | |
| Loss of brake power assist after a cold start up. the vehicle is very hard to stop, requiring high pedal pressure, until the car has warmed up for ~30 seconds. this has occurred numerous times over the past 6 months. the car has been left with 2 different dealers on several occasions, to allow them to observe and diagnose the problem. they have never been able to duplicate it. i have given the dealers info about the current nhtsa investigation (pe08005) pertaining to this same complaint for this model car from several other sources, and noted that earlier models of this car were recalled for a (possibly) similar defect. *tr | |||
| 01/06/2008 | 21200 | 2 | 12/30/2005 |
| My 2006 saab 9-3 aero has a series of unpredictable braking motions. i have had the braking sensor assembly replaced - however brake pressure and control are unpredictable. letting up on the brake slowly results in a loss of all brake pressure in a non-progressive fashion. there are also times that only by pushing the brake pedal all the way down to the stop that the car can be held in place when idling. *tr | |||
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC - ANTILOCK | |||
| 10/29/2006 | 19000 | 12 | 10/13/2006 |
| Fear of accident coming from brake booster continuing to go bad in my car. brake will stiffen and not stop car - will only slow down. car has been looked at 5 times since nov. 2006 for this condition. gm will not do anything but replace the part and it has failed numerous times, replaced 2 times after complaints. *tr | |||
| 03/27/2007 | 15383 | 4 | 08/17/2006 |
| Tl*the contact owns a 2006 saab 9-3. the contact discovered that his brakes failed shortly after starting the vehicle when he placed the vehicle in reverse to back out of his parking space. when the transmission is shifted from park into reverse or drive before the engine has been warmed up, the brakes do not work to slow the vehicle and the brake pedal feels rock hard. to stop the vehicle the contact shifted the transmission into park. brake function appeared to return to normal after the engine warmed up. this failure has occurred on four separate occasions. at 15,383, the contact struck another vehicle when the brakes failed while reversing out of a parking space. the crash occurred at low-speed approximately 2mph and no one was injured. the contact's vehicle was scratched but there was no apparent damage to the other vehicle. dealer replaced electric vacuum pump multiple times under warranty. contact claims faulty vacuum check valve caused brake booster to leak and electric vacuum pump to run too long and burn out. the contact pursued remedy under lemon law and the vehicle was repurchased by saab on january 7, 2008. | |||
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC - ANTILOCK - CONTROL UNIT/MODULE | |||
| 01/06/2008 | 21200 | 2 | 12/30/2005 |
| My 2006 saab 9-3 aero has a series of unpredictable braking motions. i have had the braking sensor assembly replaced - however brake pressure and control are unpredictable. letting up on the brake slowly results in a loss of all brake pressure in a non-progressive fashion. there are also times that only by pushing the brake pedal all the way down to the stop that the car can be held in place when idling. *tr | |||
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC - ANTILOCK - WHEEL SPEED SENSOR | |||
| 01/06/2008 | 21200 | 2 | 12/30/2005 |
| My 2006 saab 9-3 aero has a series of unpredictable braking motions. i have had the braking sensor assembly replaced - however brake pressure and control are unpredictable. letting up on the brake slowly results in a loss of all brake pressure in a non-progressive fashion. there are also times that only by pushing the brake pedal all the way down to the stop that the car can be held in place when idling. *tr | |||
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC - FOUNDATION COMPONENTS - DISC - PADS | |||
| 12/17/2007 | 100 | 1 | 03/25/2006 |
| The abs system was not working correctly for the first 6 months that i owned the car. this caused the rear brakes to be partially engaged all the time when the car was driven. it was so bad that you could hear and smell the brakes scraping. the dealer said it was all right to drive the vehicle. i took them approx. 6 months to get the correct parts to repair the problem. all the time the brakes were rubbing which caused them prematurely wear out. i have never in my life had rear brakes wear out in 15k miles. one of two things has happened. the abs caused the pads to wear out or they had bad brake pads to begin with.(note: my other saab has 30k miles on it and still has it's original rear brakes). *tr | |||
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC - FOUNDATION COMPONENTS - MASTER CYLINDER | |||
| 02/21/2008 | 15000 | 2 | 10/01/2006 |
| Tl*the contact owns a 2006 saab 9-3. on three occasions, when applying the brakes, the pedal extended to the floor. the failure was noticed while driving 3 mph. the vehicle did not stop. she pumped the brakes and the vehicle eventually stopped. on the third occasion, she ended up in the middle of an intersection before the vehicle stopped. the dealer currently has the vehicle. the contact stated that she was experiencing the same failure as mentioned in nhtsa campaign id number pe08005 (service brakes, hydraulic:power assist:vacuum service brakes, hydraulic: power assist:vacuum:hoses, lines/piping, and fittings). the current mileage was 15,300 and failure mileage was 15,000. update 04-02-08 *bf the dealer replaced the mast cylindere. updated | |||
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC - POWER ASSIST | |||
| 02/21/2008 | 15000 | 2 | 10/01/2006 |
| Tl*the contact owns a 2006 saab 9-3. on three occasions, when applying the brakes, the pedal extended to the floor. the failure was noticed while driving 3 mph. the vehicle did not stop. she pumped the brakes and the vehicle eventually stopped. on the third occasion, she ended up in the middle of an intersection before the vehicle stopped. the dealer currently has the vehicle. the contact stated that she was experiencing the same failure as mentioned in nhtsa campaign id number pe08005 (service brakes, hydraulic:power assist:vacuum service brakes, hydraulic: power assist:vacuum:hoses, lines/piping, and fittings). the current mileage was 15,300 and failure mileage was 15,000. update 04-02-08 *bf the dealer replaced the mast cylindere. updated | |||
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC - POWER ASSIST - HYDRAULIC | |||
| 06/15/2007 | 18000 | 20 | 02/28/2006 |
| Intermittent loss of brake power assist on cold start, giving very hard pedal. recovers with several pumps of brake pedal, or several seconds of idle time. began about mid-june, 2007, and was reported to dealer. behavior is not consistent, and may vary with weather conditions. barely avoided a low-speed accident in a parking deck first time it happened. car taken to dealer specifically to identify / repair problem on 11-7-07. dealer response has been positive, but unable to locate specific problem. dealer found that other saab 9-3 aero (v6) models exhibited similar characteristic, including brand new 08. further pursuit with saab got negative response, as dealer was unable to find the problem, and reported the car normal in that it behaved as other similar models on cold start. i then reported to a saab owner website, and responses from others led to coverage of current nhtsa investigation pe08005. *tr | |||
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC - POWER ASSIST - HYDRAULIC - HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS | |||
| 09/19/2007 | 13000 | 6 | 03/04/2006 |
| Tl*the contact owns a 2006 saab 9-3. while reversing the vehicle at 4 mph, the contact depressed the brake pedal and the vehicle did not stop. he had to stand on the brake pedal in order to stop the vehicle. the failure occurred approximately six times and only when driving in reverse. the vehicle was taken to the dealer on september 24, 2007. the contact believed that the vehicle should be included in nhtsa campaign id number 05v236000 (service brakes, hydraulic:power assist:vacuum:hoses, lines/piping, and fittings). the current and failure mileages were 13,000. | |||
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC - POWER ASSIST - VACUUM | |||
| 07/13/2007 | 28825 | 100 | 10/29/2005 |
| 22 june 07 rear brakes replaced, noticed on initial driving that brake pedal would 'bottom out' , brakes would make metal on metal sound, and vehicle slow to stop. 13 july 07 vehicle returned to dealer with brake complaint, hand brake adjusted. 17 aug 07 vehicle returned to dealer with same above complaint, vacuum booster pipes and non-return valve replaced 5 sep 07 vehicle returned to dealer with same complaint, vacuum pump pipe assembly replaced again. 10 sep 07 vehicle returned to dealer with same complaint, no problem found. as of this date brakes continue to malfunction on initial startup, once brakes have been used for several stops they appear to start working more correctly. *jb | |||