Saab 9-3 Convertible 2001
Model 9-3 Convertible made in 2001 by Saab got 32 consumer complains, 7 investigations there is 1 recall as well as 3 service bulletins. Consumer complaints with reference, among others things, to air bags, electrical system and engine and engine cooling. Technical service bulletines regarding equipment, structure and visibility. The car had some investigations: electrical system, fuel system, gasoline. There was one recall concerning fuel system, gasoline .
Model 2001
Recalls
| Campaign | Manufacturer | Manufacturing date | Type | # of units affected | Date Owner notified Mfg | Recall Initiated by | Manufacturers of recalled vehicles/products | Report Recieved Date | Record Creation Date | Regulation Part Number | FMVSS Number | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE - DELIVERY - HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS | ||||||||||||||||
| 04V557000 | SAAB CARS USA, INC. | from 05/01/2000 to 07/31/2001 | V (Vehicle) | 17394 | 03/14/2005 | MFR | SAAB CARS USA, INC. | 11/19/2004 | 11/23/2004 | |||||||
| Defect Summary | On certain passenger vehicles, the fuel pump retaining tabs holding the fuel lines were damaged during production. | |||||||||||||||
| Consequence Summary | Over time, this could cause the fuel lines to loosen from the pump resulting in fuel leakage. if an ignition source were present, the fuel may ignite resulting in a vehicle fire. | |||||||||||||||
| Corrective Summary | 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. | |||||||||||||||
| Notes | Saab recall no. 15018 (gm recall no. 04101).customers can also contact the national highway traffic safety administration | |||||||||||||||
Bulletins
| Bulletin | Bulletin date | Replacement Bulletin | Item no. | Summary | Added |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| EQUIPMENT - MECHANICAL | |||||
| MI-811-2716 | 02/01/2009 | 10029344 | Saab: under certain circumstances control module's analogue inputs may produce invalid signal. this means the soft top's control module does not function as intended. difficulties in opening/closing soft top in extremely hot weather. functi | 07/06/2009 | |
| STRUCTURE - BODY - ROOF AND PILLARS | |||||
| MI-811-2716 | 02/01/2009 | 10029344 | Saab: under certain circumstances control module's analogue inputs may produce invalid signal. this means the soft top's control module does not function as intended. difficulties in opening/closing soft top in extremely hot weather. functi | 07/06/2009 | |
| VISIBILITY - POWER WINDOW DEVICES AND CONTROLS | |||||
| 835 | 07/23/2001 | 621481 | Addressing customer complaint front windows jumping out of track on vehicles up to vin 17004996. *tt | 09/25/2001 | |
Investigations
| NHTSA ID | Manufacturer | Date open | Date close | Subject | Recall campaign | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | ||||||
| PE05017 | SAAB CARS USA, INC. | 04/07/2005 | 09/23/2005 | ENGINE STALL/ ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRES | 05V399000 | |
| Odi opened pe05-017 based on 35 reports of alleged engine stalling due to the failure of the idm cassette on the subject vehicles.all complainants reported that the engine shut down suddenly without warning and most reported that the vehicle would not restart.in 3 incidents, the complainants reported smoke and/or fire resulted from the idm failure.during pe05-017, additional failure data was identified as noted in the failure report summary above.the complaint data represents incidents where the complainants alleged a stall or fire.on september 13, 2005, general motors (gm) notified nhtsa of a safety defect on 95,081 my 2000-2002 saab 9-3 and 9-5 vehicles with 4-cylinder gasoline engines and 8,117 my 2001 9-5 vehicles with 6- cylinder gasoline engines (recall 05v-399).the notification stated that certain vehicles within these populations may experience overheating and burnout of the isolated gated bipolar transistor (igbt) within the idm due to increased susceptibility to electrical loads.overheating of the igbt occurs most often at engine start-up for both a 4-cylinder and 6-cylinder engine, but it may also occur while the engine is running.when the idm fails on a 4-cylinder while it is running, the engine may stall without warning, with no ability to be restarted.when the idm fails on a 6-cylinder engine while it is running, the driver will initially experience reduced power and rough operation because the engine will only be running on three cylinders.the check engine light will flash.if the driver continues, unburnt fuel in the exhaust can cause thermal damage to the catalytic converter.the engine may stall and not restart.thermal damage to other underhood components and the underbody may also result from prolonged driving.the recall population encompasses 84% of the stalling and fire complaints (215 for vehicles with 4-cylinder engines and 36 for vehicles with 6-cylinder engines).the 36 months in service (mis) stalling rates for each model year of recalled vehicles with 4-cylinder engines were all greater than two percent.although the 36 mis stall rate for the recalled my 2001 vehicles with v6 engines was lower, at 1.3 percent, these vehicles also had the highest rate of confirmed (open flame verified) fires at 62 per 100,000 vehicles.gm will instruct owners to bring their vehicles to a dealer for idm inspection and replacement, if necessary.consequently, this investigation is closed.odi will monitor the effectiveness of the scope and remedy of gm's action and take further action if warranted. | ||||||
| PE05017 | SAAB CARS USA, INC. | 04/07/2005 | 09/23/2005 | ENGINE STALL/ ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRES | 06V410000 | |
| Odi opened pe05-017 based on 35 reports of alleged engine stalling due to the failure of the idm cassette on the subject vehicles.all complainants reported that the engine shut down suddenly without warning and most reported that the vehicle would not restart.in 3 incidents, the complainants reported smoke and/or fire resulted from the idm failure.during pe05-017, additional failure data was identified as noted in the failure report summary above.the complaint data represents incidents where the complainants alleged a stall or fire.on september 13, 2005, general motors (gm) notified nhtsa of a safety defect on 95,081 my 2000-2002 saab 9-3 and 9-5 vehicles with 4-cylinder gasoline engines and 8,117 my 2001 9-5 vehicles with 6- cylinder gasoline engines (recall 05v-399).the notification stated that certain vehicles within these populations may experience overheating and burnout of the isolated gated bipolar transistor (igbt) within the idm due to increased susceptibility to electrical loads.overheating of the igbt occurs most often at engine start-up for both a 4-cylinder and 6-cylinder engine, but it may also occur while the engine is running.when the idm fails on a 4-cylinder while it is running, the engine may stall without warning, with no ability to be restarted.when the idm fails on a 6-cylinder engine while it is running, the driver will initially experience reduced power and rough operation because the engine will only be running on three cylinders.the check engine light will flash.if the driver continues, unburnt fuel in the exhaust can cause thermal damage to the catalytic converter.the engine may stall and not restart.thermal damage to other underhood components and the underbody may also result from prolonged driving.the recall population encompasses 84% of the stalling and fire complaints (215 for vehicles with 4-cylinder engines and 36 for vehicles with 6-cylinder engines).the 36 months in service (mis) stalling rates for each model year of recalled vehicles with 4-cylinder engines were all greater than two percent.although the 36 mis stall rate for the recalled my 2001 vehicles with v6 engines was lower, at 1.3 percent, these vehicles also had the highest rate of confirmed (open flame verified) fires at 62 per 100,000 vehicles.gm will instruct owners to bring their vehicles to a dealer for idm inspection and replacement, if necessary.consequently, this investigation is closed.odi will monitor the effectiveness of the scope and remedy of gm's action and take further action if warranted. | ||||||
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM - IGNITION | ||||||
| PE05017 | SAAB CARS USA, INC. | 04/07/2005 | 09/23/2005 | ENGINE STALL/ ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRES | 06V410000 | |
| Odi opened pe05-017 based on 35 reports of alleged engine stalling due to the failure of the idm cassette on the subject vehicles.all complainants reported that the engine shut down suddenly without warning and most reported that the vehicle would not restart.in 3 incidents, the complainants reported smoke and/or fire resulted from the idm failure.during pe05-017, additional failure data was identified as noted in the failure report summary above.the complaint data represents incidents where the complainants alleged a stall or fire.on september 13, 2005, general motors (gm) notified nhtsa of a safety defect on 95,081 my 2000-2002 saab 9-3 and 9-5 vehicles with 4-cylinder gasoline engines and 8,117 my 2001 9-5 vehicles with 6- cylinder gasoline engines (recall 05v-399).the notification stated that certain vehicles within these populations may experience overheating and burnout of the isolated gated bipolar transistor (igbt) within the idm due to increased susceptibility to electrical loads.overheating of the igbt occurs most often at engine start-up for both a 4-cylinder and 6-cylinder engine, but it may also occur while the engine is running.when the idm fails on a 4-cylinder while it is running, the engine may stall without warning, with no ability to be restarted.when the idm fails on a 6-cylinder engine while it is running, the driver will initially experience reduced power and rough operation because the engine will only be running on three cylinders.the check engine light will flash.if the driver continues, unburnt fuel in the exhaust can cause thermal damage to the catalytic converter.the engine may stall and not restart.thermal damage to other underhood components and the underbody may also result from prolonged driving.the recall population encompasses 84% of the stalling and fire complaints (215 for vehicles with 4-cylinder engines and 36 for vehicles with 6-cylinder engines).the 36 months in service (mis) stalling rates for each model year of recalled vehicles with 4-cylinder engines were all greater than two percent.although the 36 mis stall rate for the recalled my 2001 vehicles with v6 engines was lower, at 1.3 percent, these vehicles also had the highest rate of confirmed (open flame verified) fires at 62 per 100,000 vehicles.gm will instruct owners to bring their vehicles to a dealer for idm inspection and replacement, if necessary.consequently, this investigation is closed.odi will monitor the effectiveness of the scope and remedy of gm's action and take further action if warranted. | ||||||
| PE05017 | SAAB CARS USA, INC. | 04/07/2005 | 09/23/2005 | ENGINE STALL/ ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRES | 05V399000 | |
| Odi opened pe05-017 based on 35 reports of alleged engine stalling due to the failure of the idm cassette on the subject vehicles.all complainants reported that the engine shut down suddenly without warning and most reported that the vehicle would not restart.in 3 incidents, the complainants reported smoke and/or fire resulted from the idm failure.during pe05-017, additional failure data was identified as noted in the failure report summary above.the complaint data represents incidents where the complainants alleged a stall or fire.on september 13, 2005, general motors (gm) notified nhtsa of a safety defect on 95,081 my 2000-2002 saab 9-3 and 9-5 vehicles with 4-cylinder gasoline engines and 8,117 my 2001 9-5 vehicles with 6- cylinder gasoline engines (recall 05v-399).the notification stated that certain vehicles within these populations may experience overheating and burnout of the isolated gated bipolar transistor (igbt) within the idm due to increased susceptibility to electrical loads.overheating of the igbt occurs most often at engine start-up for both a 4-cylinder and 6-cylinder engine, but it may also occur while the engine is running.when the idm fails on a 4-cylinder while it is running, the engine may stall without warning, with no ability to be restarted.when the idm fails on a 6-cylinder engine while it is running, the driver will initially experience reduced power and rough operation because the engine will only be running on three cylinders.the check engine light will flash.if the driver continues, unburnt fuel in the exhaust can cause thermal damage to the catalytic converter.the engine may stall and not restart.thermal damage to other underhood components and the underbody may also result from prolonged driving.the recall population encompasses 84% of the stalling and fire complaints (215 for vehicles with 4-cylinder engines and 36 for vehicles with 6-cylinder engines).the 36 months in service (mis) stalling rates for each model year of recalled vehicles with 4-cylinder engines were all greater than two percent.although the 36 mis stall rate for the recalled my 2001 vehicles with v6 engines was lower, at 1.3 percent, these vehicles also had the highest rate of confirmed (open flame verified) fires at 62 per 100,000 vehicles.gm will instruct owners to bring their vehicles to a dealer for idm inspection and replacement, if necessary.consequently, this investigation is closed.odi will monitor the effectiveness of the scope and remedy of gm's action and take further action if warranted. | ||||||
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM - IGNITION - MODULE | ||||||
| PE05017 | SAAB CARS USA, INC. | 04/07/2005 | 09/23/2005 | ENGINE STALL/ ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRES | 05V399000 | |
| Odi opened pe05-017 based on 35 reports of alleged engine stalling due to the failure of the idm cassette on the subject vehicles.all complainants reported that the engine shut down suddenly without warning and most reported that the vehicle would not restart.in 3 incidents, the complainants reported smoke and/or fire resulted from the idm failure.during pe05-017, additional failure data was identified as noted in the failure report summary above.the complaint data represents incidents where the complainants alleged a stall or fire.on september 13, 2005, general motors (gm) notified nhtsa of a safety defect on 95,081 my 2000-2002 saab 9-3 and 9-5 vehicles with 4-cylinder gasoline engines and 8,117 my 2001 9-5 vehicles with 6- cylinder gasoline engines (recall 05v-399).the notification stated that certain vehicles within these populations may experience overheating and burnout of the isolated gated bipolar transistor (igbt) within the idm due to increased susceptibility to electrical loads.overheating of the igbt occurs most often at engine start-up for both a 4-cylinder and 6-cylinder engine, but it may also occur while the engine is running.when the idm fails on a 4-cylinder while it is running, the engine may stall without warning, with no ability to be restarted.when the idm fails on a 6-cylinder engine while it is running, the driver will initially experience reduced power and rough operation because the engine will only be running on three cylinders.the check engine light will flash.if the driver continues, unburnt fuel in the exhaust can cause thermal damage to the catalytic converter.the engine may stall and not restart.thermal damage to other underhood components and the underbody may also result from prolonged driving.the recall population encompasses 84% of the stalling and fire complaints (215 for vehicles with 4-cylinder engines and 36 for vehicles with 6-cylinder engines).the 36 months in service (mis) stalling rates for each model year of recalled vehicles with 4-cylinder engines were all greater than two percent.although the 36 mis stall rate for the recalled my 2001 vehicles with v6 engines was lower, at 1.3 percent, these vehicles also had the highest rate of confirmed (open flame verified) fires at 62 per 100,000 vehicles.gm will instruct owners to bring their vehicles to a dealer for idm inspection and replacement, if necessary.consequently, this investigation is closed.odi will monitor the effectiveness of the scope and remedy of gm's action and take further action if warranted. | ||||||
| PE05017 | SAAB CARS USA, INC. | 04/07/2005 | 09/23/2005 | ENGINE STALL/ ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRES | 06V410000 | |
| Odi opened pe05-017 based on 35 reports of alleged engine stalling due to the failure of the idm cassette on the subject vehicles.all complainants reported that the engine shut down suddenly without warning and most reported that the vehicle would not restart.in 3 incidents, the complainants reported smoke and/or fire resulted from the idm failure.during pe05-017, additional failure data was identified as noted in the failure report summary above.the complaint data represents incidents where the complainants alleged a stall or fire.on september 13, 2005, general motors (gm) notified nhtsa of a safety defect on 95,081 my 2000-2002 saab 9-3 and 9-5 vehicles with 4-cylinder gasoline engines and 8,117 my 2001 9-5 vehicles with 6- cylinder gasoline engines (recall 05v-399).the notification stated that certain vehicles within these populations may experience overheating and burnout of the isolated gated bipolar transistor (igbt) within the idm due to increased susceptibility to electrical loads.overheating of the igbt occurs most often at engine start-up for both a 4-cylinder and 6-cylinder engine, but it may also occur while the engine is running.when the idm fails on a 4-cylinder while it is running, the engine may stall without warning, with no ability to be restarted.when the idm fails on a 6-cylinder engine while it is running, the driver will initially experience reduced power and rough operation because the engine will only be running on three cylinders.the check engine light will flash.if the driver continues, unburnt fuel in the exhaust can cause thermal damage to the catalytic converter.the engine may stall and not restart.thermal damage to other underhood components and the underbody may also result from prolonged driving.the recall population encompasses 84% of the stalling and fire complaints (215 for vehicles with 4-cylinder engines and 36 for vehicles with 6-cylinder engines).the 36 months in service (mis) stalling rates for each model year of recalled vehicles with 4-cylinder engines were all greater than two percent.although the 36 mis stall rate for the recalled my 2001 vehicles with v6 engines was lower, at 1.3 percent, these vehicles also had the highest rate of confirmed (open flame verified) fires at 62 per 100,000 vehicles.gm will instruct owners to bring their vehicles to a dealer for idm inspection and replacement, if necessary.consequently, this investigation is closed.odi will monitor the effectiveness of the scope and remedy of gm's action and take further action if warranted. | ||||||
| FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE - DELIVERY - HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS | ||||||
| RQ05003 | SAAB CARS USA, INC. | 12/20/2005 | 04/28/2006 | FUEL LINE LEAKAGE | 06V126000 | |
| On november 19, 2004 gm notified odi of a defect condition that could result in fuel leakage at the fuel pump connections in approximately 17,400 model year (my) 2001 and 2002 saab 9-3 passenger vehicles built at the uusikaupunki, finland assembly plant between may 2000 and july 2002 (gm recall no. 14101, nhtsa recall no. 04v-557).according to gm, plastic fuel pump retaining tabs holding the fuel lines were damaged during the manufacturing process for some of the 9-3 vehicles built at the finland plant.gm indicated that, over time, this could cause the fuel lines to loosen from the pump resulting in fuel leakage which, in the presence of an ignition source, couldcause a vehicle fire.the recalled vehicles were fitted with a securing bracket to hold the fuel lines to the fuel pump even if theretaining tabs should break. rq05-003 was opened to investigate complaints of fuel pump retaining tab failure resulting in fuel leakage in my 2001 saab 9-3 vehicles built at the trollhatten, sweden plant.in its response to rq05-003 gm indicated that concerns with the retaining tab failure in my 2001 saab 9-3 vehicles were not limited to vehicles produced in finland.in an april 20, 2006 letter (copy attached), gm informed nhtsa that it was expanding its recall to include the my 2001 9-3 vehicles built in sweden (gm recall no. 14101, nhtsa recall no. 06v-126).saab plans to begin mailing owner letters for the additional vehicles in may 2005.this investigation is closed. | ||||||
Consumer Complaints
| Fail date | miles | occurences | Purchase date |
|---|---|---|---|
| AIR BAGS - FRONTAL | |||
| 06/17/2008 | 108000 | 1 | |
| Was hit from behind at approximately 60mph. i was knocked unconscious. vehicle continued on at hit head first into concrete wall in excess of 40 mph. air bag did not deploy. i was taken to hospital and suffered broken collarbone. *tr | |||
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | |||
| 06/02/2008 | 78077 | 1 | |
| After doing some research, i have found that i have spent $494.97 on what was a recall previously, i have a saab 93 convertible and was driving on the freeway when the engine light came on and started losing power. took to the dealership and need the di-cassette replaced. on this vehicle i have also had the alternator replaced 3 times in 2 years. *tr | |||
| 10/16/2003 | 1 | 08/01/2002 | |
| At 75 mph on a major highway, my car simply shut down, engine would not restart. had to coast across three lanes of busy traffic to get to shoulder. car would not restart, burning electrical smell and smoke came from engine. car was towed to dealership, where failed the cassette was diagnosed. is still in shop 4 days later. check engine light has been coming on for 8 months, have been told repeatedly by saab that it's because i am not tightening the gas cap enough. check engine light was on, as usual, but i ignored it, as it's on half the time i drive the car. dealership seemed to know immediately that the cassette was blown. this defect needs to be remedied. very dangerous. *la | |||
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM - IGNITION | |||
| 04/01/2005 | 65000 | 1 | 07/27/2001 |
| Dic failure direct ignition cassette failuer di cassette failure. those are the terms i've heard for this problem that affects all saabs in the model years 99-04. i have a 2001 9-3 convertible and it lost power all of a sudden because of a defective part that is in every single saab for many years. losing power at high sped is not only inconvenient, but dangerous and frightening. saab needs to be forced to recall all saabs and replace the di cassette with one that works. please order this immediately. it is a safety issue affecting thousands of cars. thank you. | |||
| 10/16/2003 | 1 | 08/01/2002 | |
| At 75 mph on a major highway, my car simply shut down, engine would not restart. had to coast across three lanes of busy traffic to get to shoulder. car would not restart, burning electrical smell and smoke came from engine. car was towed to dealership, where failed the cassette was diagnosed. is still in shop 4 days later. check engine light has been coming on for 8 months, have been told repeatedly by saab that it's because i am not tightening the gas cap enough. check engine light was on, as usual, but i ignored it, as it's on half the time i drive the car. dealership seemed to know immediately that the cassette was blown. this defect needs to be remedied. very dangerous. *la | |||
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM - IGNITION - MODULE | |||
| 07/01/2009 | 74000 | ||
| Tl*the contact owns a 2001 saab 9-3 convertible. the engine light has been illuminated for 3 weeks. a mechanic stated that there was a problem with the direct ignition cassette failure and needed to be replaced. the mechanic also confirmed that the spark plugs needed to be replaced. nhtsa campaign id number: 05v399000 pe05017 nhtsa action number: pe05017 component: electrical system:ignition:module is related to the failure. the contact is concerned about the safety risk and the potential number of units affected per the recall. the manufacturer confirmed that the vin nor year, make and model of her vehicle was related to the recall. the current and failure mileage was 74,000. | |||
| 12/19/2005 | 1 | ||
| Consumer 2001 saab 93 stalled. *ts prior to receiving the recall notice, the consumer had already paid for the repairs and has since requested reimbursement, however the manufacturer requested a copy of the consumers check as proof that the repairs were made. the consumer refused to send them a copy of his check. *jb | |||
| 02/17/2006 | 1 | 10/17/2000 | |
| Driving 70 mph on highway my 2001 saab se convertible engine just stopped - all of the dash lights lit up - smoke started coming out of the hood. i, fortunately, was able to pull over prior to being hit by any cars on this 3-lane highway. previously, i have had my ignition cassette replaced - it seems that it has failed again. in addition, although i have under 50,000 miles on the car (no accidents) i have spent over $4,000 in repairs to date (not counting the numerous times it was in the dealership having repairs done under warranty). i have gone past the statute of limitations on the lemon law - otherwise i would file for that. constantly the dash idiot lights come on - every time i bring it in, they tell me nothing is wrong (yet i have to pay the diagnosis charge).*jb | |||
| 10/16/2003 | 1 | 08/01/2002 | |
| At 75 mph on a major highway, my car simply shut down, engine would not restart. had to coast across three lanes of busy traffic to get to shoulder. car would not restart, burning electrical smell and smoke came from engine. car was towed to dealership, where failed the cassette was diagnosed. is still in shop 4 days later. check engine light has been coming on for 8 months, have been told repeatedly by saab that it's because i am not tightening the gas cap enough. check engine light was on, as usual, but i ignored it, as it's on half the time i drive the car. dealership seemed to know immediately that the cassette was blown. this defect needs to be remedied. very dangerous. *la | |||
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM - IGNITION - SWITCH | |||
| 04/05/2001 | |||
| At 70mph ignition switch was bumped, and vehicle cut off. dealer has been notified. *ak | |||
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING | |||
| 10/11/2009 | 89000 | 1 | |
| While driving on expressway, motor failed due to lack of oil circulation brought on by plugging of oil pump intake screen from degradation of oil, due to design of saab 9/3 that cooks oil in turbocharger and catalytic converter directly beneath oil pan. contributing factors long oil change interval, (10,000 saab recommendation), vehicle had less than 7,000 miles since last oil change. complete engine failure resulted. vehicle disabled. i had it towed to a pep boys location and was informed that the engine lost 2 cylinders and needs to be completely replaced. *tr | |||
| 02/04/2007 | 91526 | 1 | 12/01/2001 |
| While driving on expressway, motor failed due to lack of oil circulation brought on by plugging of oil pump intake screen from degradation of oil, due to design of saab 9/3 that cooks oil in turbocharger and catalytic converter directly beneath oil pan. contributing factors long oil change interval, (10,000 saab recommendation), vehicle had 8,000 miles since last oil change. also -3*f temperature further impeded oil circulation. complete engine failure resulted. vehicle disabled. engine shortblock was replaced at dealership | |||
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - ENGINE | |||
| 06/18/2009 | 165000 | ||
| Tl*the contact owns a 2001 saab 9-3 convertible. in 2006, the contact received a recall notice for nhtsa campaign id number 103-7-22538. there were no failures at the time; however, the contact took the vehicle in for service to prevent the recall consequence. in 2007, the vehicle failed to start intermittently. the contact did not feel the need to file a complaint at that time. since the beginning of 2009, the vehicle has frequently been stalling and is a major inconvenience. on june 10, 2009, the vehicle was serviced for the stalling issue and the contact was informed that the crank sensor needed to be replaced. he feels that he should not have to pay for services that were performed in 2006, which were supposed to remedy the failures in the first place. the failure mileage was 165,000. | |||
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - ENGINE - GASOLINE | |||
| 02/04/2007 | 91526 | 1 | 12/01/2001 |
| While driving on expressway, motor failed due to lack of oil circulation brought on by plugging of oil pump intake screen from degradation of oil, due to design of saab 9/3 that cooks oil in turbocharger and catalytic converter directly beneath oil pan. contributing factors long oil change interval, (10,000 saab recommendation), vehicle had 8,000 miles since last oil change. also -3*f temperature further impeded oil circulation. complete engine failure resulted. vehicle disabled. engine shortblock was replaced at dealership | |||
| FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE | |||
| 01/11/2004 | 1 | 10/24/2001 | |
| My saab 9-3 convertible began pouring fuel at an alarming rate (more than 1/2 a tank poured out from the bottom-rear). no accident, bump, or road debris was involved. when the car was shut off, the fuel spill stopped. this is clearly a fire-hazard. at the rate it was flowing out, a lit cigarette in the road, a spark from road debris, or other flame source would have lit the car up like an explosive torch. i was also informed by saab roadside assistance that the fire department would need to certify the car was ok to tow - and was also told by the weary firefighters that because the leak was not active (the car was turned off) they would not provide certification - which was readily accepted by the roadside assistance leading me to believe they have heard this story before. my service team was familiar with the problem - even predicting it has something to do with a clip near the fuel line & tank that, when it breaks, leads to a flood of gasoline. i await their formal diagnosis. if the service dealers know about this problem - and the apparent scope of it - it seems deploying a plan to correct it would be the reasonable, and safe, thing for saab to do. it would be a tragedy to loose a person to this known defect. *la | |||
| FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE - DELIVERY - FUEL PUMP | |||
| 07/27/2002 | 3 | 07/25/2001 | |
| Vehicle leaked fuel at an alarming rate. *ph there was a leak coming from the fuel pump line. fuel pressure was found and the hose at the pump blown (clip broken). the fuel assembly was replaced. *sc *jb | |||
| FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE - DELIVERY - HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS | |||
| 08/23/2006 | 39500 | 1 | 10/13/2004 |
| Dt*: the contact stated gasoline leaked onto the engine due to loosened fuel lines on the fuel pump. there was an nhtsa recall, # 06v126000 regarding the fuel system, gasoline: delivery: hoses, lines/piping, and fittings. the vehicle was not included in the recall due to the vin. updated 9/15/2006 - *nm | |||
| 08/06/2006 | 67000 | 1 | 02/15/2005 |
| Had just had an update friday of another incident with gasoline / fuel pump rupture and failure leading to excessive gas being pumped out . then on sunday, it happened to me, a very strong gas smell, especially noticeable when stopped for any period of time. upon arrival (10 min) to destination, i looked under car, especially after being alerted from .mycarstats.com/safetystation. gas was everywhere! and pumping out like crazy, even though ignition was off.. residual pressure i suspect.. a lot more came out.. though i live in canada , this is a us car, i bought early last year: a 2001 saab 9-3 viggen conv't, saab usa , said it would be covered for being fixed, >>04v557000. 15018.. but saab canada, has no recall and is questioning it, even though they have replaced clips in other 9-3s.. car is undrivable. *jb | |||
| 10/27/2004 | 35200 | 1 | |
| The vehicle has a fuel leak. the fitting that goes on the fuel pump is cracked. when the vehicle leaked it would run along the gas line which was near the exhaust pipe. the heat from the exhaust could cause a fire if contact was made. *ak *sc | |||
| FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE - STORAGE - TANK ASSEMBLY | |||
| 07/14/2002 | 14500 | 1 | 06/01/2001 |
| Car was pouring fuel (over 1/4 tank) onto ground after backing car out of garage. saab roadside told me to contact fire dept. to certify the ability to tow the car. fire dept. stated that there was nothing they could do after arriving on the scene. saab roadside towed the car to santa ana, ca saab dealer. dealer was very nonchalant about the repair, even though the fire dept. had to be called. dealer stated it was a broken bracket at the gas tank. i have contacted saab legal dept. and they state there is nothing they can do from a lemon law status. after some of the comments i have seen on the nhtsa site, i believe they have fuel line issues, and don't want to face them. don't buy this car. it is a potential fire hazard.*ak | |||
| POWER TRAIN - AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION | |||
| 11/20/2010 | 46000 | ||
| Tl- the contact owns a 2001 saab 9-3 convertible. the contact was traveling 65 mph when the transmission failed on the vehicle. the engine light came on and the vehicle lost power, the engine, however was still running. the dealer stated the code that came up stated the entire transmission needed to be replaced. the vin was not available at the time of the complaint. the vehicle had not been repaired at the time of the complaint. the failure mileage and current mileages was 46000.rl | |||
| POWER TRAIN - MANUAL TRANSMISSION | |||
| 01/19/2004 | 20500 | 2 | |
| While driving 60 mph the manual gear shift became stuck. please provide additional information. *jb | |||
| SEAT BELTS - FRONT | |||
| 02/16/2007 | 1 | 12/24/2000 | |
| The seat belt on my 2001 saab 93 will not work. i am unable to pull the strap out from the side of the car. i took it to my local saab dealer they told me it would cost $700.00 to fix. my car is only 6 years old, not only did the seat belt stop working but the abs system needs to be replaced at a cost of $3200.00. all of these repairs seem to be a safety issue that cost an excessive amount of money. i think that saab should repair at the very least the seat belt which i am currently driving without. *jb | |||
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC - ANTILOCK | |||
| 02/16/2007 | 1 | 12/24/2000 | |
| The seat belt on my 2001 saab 93 will not work. i am unable to pull the strap out from the side of the car. i took it to my local saab dealer they told me it would cost $700.00 to fix. my car is only 6 years old, not only did the seat belt stop working but the abs system needs to be replaced at a cost of $3200.00. all of these repairs seem to be a safety issue that cost an excessive amount of money. i think that saab should repair at the very least the seat belt which i am currently driving without. *jb | |||
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC - FOUNDATION COMPONENTS - DISC - PADS | |||
| 07/05/2002 | 1 | 07/01/2001 | |
| This vehicle has been nothing, but problems since day one. the rims have bent on two occasions, the rear struts had to be replaced, brake fluid needed to be added and the brake pads had to be replaced all within one year of owning the vehicle. there is a class action law suite concernig the wheel rims. everytime the vehicle is driven we are fearful that the wheel rims are going to bend again. this causes problems on the wear and tear of the tires as well.also the fuel tank is linking fluid. this vehcile is a lemon. it looks good, but it is not safe.*ak. the wheel problem has caused the two front tires to wear out. | |||
| SUSPENSION - REAR - SHOCK ABSORBER | |||
| 07/05/2002 | 1 | 07/01/2001 | |
| This vehicle has been nothing, but problems since day one. the rims have bent on two occasions, the rear struts had to be replaced, brake fluid needed to be added and the brake pads had to be replaced all within one year of owning the vehicle. there is a class action law suite concernig the wheel rims. everytime the vehicle is driven we are fearful that the wheel rims are going to bend again. this causes problems on the wear and tear of the tires as well.also the fuel tank is linking fluid. this vehcile is a lemon. it looks good, but it is not safe.*ak. the wheel problem has caused the two front tires to wear out. | |||
| TIRES | |||
| 1 | 04/01/2001 | ||
| Request for reimbursement for problems recurring with pirelli tires and factory rims.*mr saab refused to provide a warranty explanation on the consumers tires and rims that were replaced and refused to offer any types of explanation on the integrity and safety of these specific tires and rims. the consumer received one payment but wants to remind saab about the remainder of payments which he was entitled to. *cb the consumer stated the left and right front tires ballooned out 12 inches on the inside. the consumer had to replace the rims and the tires. the check engine light illuminated. *jb | |||
| TIRES - SIDEWALL | |||
| 11/15/2004 | 1 | ||
| Not a failure, but misleading information to consumers which might lead to problems. i was sold dunlop sp sport fm901 tires for my saab 9-3 (i am fairly safety conscious) and was told that they were snow legal by just tires, a goodyear owned dealer. recently, i checked inflation and looked for the m&s rating on the sidewall--not there. i looked on the dunlop web site...it showed that the tires rated a 5 for snow on their 1-10 performance scale (indicating to a reasonably intelligent person that they would be average, i.e., what one would expect for an all- season tire). just to be sure, i sent a web-based inquiry to dunlop. goodyr came back to tell me they were not m&s but that they did score a 5 rating. it seems to me that having any snow rating, not to mention a 5, for a tire which is not m&s rated is dangerous and misleading. i know that the dealer will deny that they told me the tires were rated, so all i can do is to point out the problem to nhtsa and consumer outlets. hope you can convince goodyear-dunlop to stop the misleading practice. thanks. *ak | |||
| WHEELS - RIM | |||
| 1 | 04/01/2001 | ||
| Request for reimbursement for problems recurring with pirelli tires and factory rims.*mr saab refused to provide a warranty explanation on the consumers tires and rims that were replaced and refused to offer any types of explanation on the integrity and safety of these specific tires and rims. the consumer received one payment but wants to remind saab about the remainder of payments which he was entitled to. *cb the consumer stated the left and right front tires ballooned out 12 inches on the inside. the consumer had to replace the rims and the tires. the check engine light illuminated. *jb | |||
| 07/05/2002 | 1 | 07/01/2001 | |
| This vehicle has been nothing, but problems since day one. the rims have bent on two occasions, the rear struts had to be replaced, brake fluid needed to be added and the brake pads had to be replaced all within one year of owning the vehicle. there is a class action law suite concernig the wheel rims. everytime the vehicle is driven we are fearful that the wheel rims are going to bend again. this causes problems on the wear and tear of the tires as well.also the fuel tank is linking fluid. this vehcile is a lemon. it looks good, but it is not safe.*ak. the wheel problem has caused the two front tires to wear out. | |||
Car dealers selling
| State | City | Zip | Name | Phone |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CA | MISSION VIEJO | SAAB OF MISSION VIEJO | 949 347-8626 | |
| CA | PASADENA | 91107 | SYMES | 626 795 3381 |
| FL | VERO BEACH | 32962 | VERO BEACH SAAB | 772-567-6633 |
| FL | WEST PALM BEACH | SCHUMACHER SAAB | ||
| MD | ROCKVILLE | VOB SAAB | ||
| MI | SOUTHFIELD | GLASSMAN SAAB | 248-354-3300 | |
| MI | TROY | 48084 | SAAB OF TROY | 866.703.4444 |
| TX | DALLAS | 75209 | SEWELL | 2143502000 |
| VA | WARRENTON | 20187 | S&S AUTO SALES | 540-349-2744 |