2003 SAAB 9-3 Complaints

AFTER THE OUTSIDE TEMPERATURE DROPS BELOW 40F, THE VEHICLE DISPLAYS A MALFUNCTION LIGHT ON THE DASHBOARD. UPON INVESTIGATION, THE DIAGNOSIS IS A FAILURE ON THE SECONDARY AIR PUMP AND CHECK VALVE. THIS IS AN EMISSIONS SYSTEM. THE PUMP WAS ADDED TO IMPROVE PERFORMANCE UNDER EMISSIONS TESTING. THE VEHICLE WARRANTY HAS EXPIRED AND SAAB IS NOT COVERING THIS ITEM UNDER EMISSIONS WARRANTY. THIS IS AN EXTREMELY COMMON ISSUE, MANY SAAB OWNERS ARE COMPLAINING ABOUT THE ISSUE. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 SAAB 9-3. THE DRIVER'S SEAT BELT DOES NOT RETRACT AND REMAINS LOOSE. THE CONTACT HAS NOT TAKEN THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER, BUT HE DISCOVERED NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 04V226000 (SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR). THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT HIS VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. THE CONTACT FELT THAT IT WAS UNSAFE TO DRIVE A VEHICLE WITH A MALFUNCTIONING SEAT BELT. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 49,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 51,000.

IN, APPROXIMATELY, THE LAST FOUR MONTHS, MY ENGINE WARNING LIGHT MY ENGINE WARNING LIGHT HAS GONE ON. IN CONTACTING THE DEALER, THE FIRST TIME, THE GAS CAP HAD NOT BEEN PROPERLY PUT BACK ON. THE TWO SUBSEQUENT TIMES, I AM CERTAIN THAT IT HAD BEEN. AFTER THE THIRD TIME, I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER, THINKING IT WAS EITHER THE O2 SENSOR, OR THE GAS CAP. I WAS TOLD, BY THE SERVICE ADVISOR, THAT THERE WAS (I BELIEVE HE SAID) A VAPOR LEAK. IT WOULD REQUIRE PUTTING ON A REDESIGNED GAS CAP. THE SERVICE WRITE-UP STATED IT WAS "REPLACED WITH AN UPDATED GAS CAP". *TR

WHEN CAR IS LOCKED AND TRUNK LID IS OPENED WITH THE KEY FOR THE CAR ALARM WILL SOUND OFF, THE REAR TRUNK HANDLE ALSO ONLY WORKS WHEN REAR TRUNK HATCH IS ACTUALLY OPENED. *TR

I HAVE OWNED 4 DIFFERENT SAAB MODELS AND I HAVE ALLAYS HAD HEATED SEATS. THIS LAST WINTER WHILE WEARING A SUIT AND WOOL OVERCOAT I FELT A BURNING SENSATION ON MY BACK. I IMMEDIATELY TURNED MY SEAT OFF, WHEN I GOT OUT OF THE CAR THERE WHERE COIL BURN MARKS IN MY LEATHER SEAT. THERE HAS TO BE A SAFETY ISSUE IF A HEATED SEAT COIL CAN BURN THROUGH LEATHER, AND CAN BE FELT THROUGH AN INCH OF WOOL... *TR

2003 SAAB 93 LINEAR - HEATING/AIR CONDITION BLOWER MOTOR COMPONENT FAILURE. POWER DRIVER WINDOW REGULATOR COMPONENT FAILURE. DEALER REPLACING BOTH PARTS. THE TRANSMISSION HAS SLIPPAGE WHEN ACCELERATING AT LOWER SHIFTS AFTER COASTING AT SLOWER SPEEDS 20 TO 30 MPH OR HARD SPRING TO NEXT GEAR FROM STOP, VERY SIMILAR TO COMPLAINTS ALREADY RECORDED. DEALER HAS PREVIOUSLY UPDATED THE SOFTWARE TO CORRECT AND NOW SUGGESTS NEW VALUE BODY OR COMPLETE TRANSMISSION. *JB

MESSAGE APPEARED ON THE DISPLAY NOTIFYING ME THAT THE PASSENGER SIDE HEADLAMP AND DIRECTIONAL SIGNAL HAD FAILED. I ATTEMPTED TO CHANGE THE BULBS AND FOUND THAT THE WIRING HAD MELTED AND BROKEN AWAY FROM THE ELECTRICAL CONNECTORS. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 SAAB 9-3. WHILE DRIVING 5 MPH UNDER NORMAL DRY CONDITIONS, THE VEHICLE SHUT OFF WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO RESTART THE VEHICLE. THERE IS A RECALL FOR THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM IGNITION MODULE (RECALL#06V410000). THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THE RECALL APPLIED TO THE 2002-2003 SAAB 9-5 MODEL. THERE WAS A DEFECT INVESTIGATION (NHTSA ACTION # EA04008) FOR THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM IGNITION MODULE; HOWEVER, IT WAS CLOSED ON OCTOBER 27, 2004. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 60,200 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 61,000.

2003 SAAB 9-3 CUSTOMER STATES THAT THE FRONT END OF THE CAR JUST DROPPED OFF AFTER HAVING THE CAR INSPECTED THE FRONT COIL SPRING WAS FOUND TO BE BROKEN**CC THE CONSUMER WAS TOLD THE PASSENGER SIDE COIL SPRING WAS ALSO IN THE PROCESS OF FAILING. THE CONSUMER WAS INFORMED THAT THE FAILURE WAS CAUSED BY RUST THAT HAD FORMED INSIDE A RUBBER BOOT THAT WAS USED AT THE BASE OF THE SPRING TO DAMPEN NOISE. WATER WAS ABLE TO GET INSIDE THE BOOTS AND REMAIN, WHICH CAUSED RUST TO FORM AND EVENTUALLY COMPROMISED THE INTEGRITY OF THE SPRING. THE FRONT PADS AND ROTORS WERE REPLACED. THE CONSUMER WAS INFORMED THAT THE NEW SPRINGS DID HAVE THE RUBBER BOOTS THAT THE ORIGINAL SPRINGS HAD. *JB

WAS DRIVING CAR SMELT FUEL PULLED OVER AND FOUND GAS SPRAYING OUT FROM UNDER CAR BY FUEL TANK NO CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND CAR RAN FINE BUT THERE WAS A LOT OF FUEL COMING OUT. FUEL LINES HAD STARTED TO COME OUT FROM FUEL PUMP LIKE REPORTED IN THE 2001 SAAB 93 RECALL. *AK