2003 SAAB 9-3 Complaints

PURCHASED 2003 9-3 LINEAR IN AUGUST 2003. THE CAR HAS BEEN BACK TO THE DEALER FOR SERVICE SEVERAL TIMES WITHIN THE FIRST FEW MONTHS OF OWNERSHIP.*AK FIRST TIME CAR WAS IN ON COMPLAINT OF FRONT WHEELS OUT OF ALIGNMENT (CAR PULLS TO THE LEFT ALL THE TIME COASTING, UNDER ACCELERATION, ETC.). THE STEERING WHEEL MUST BE HELD SLIGHTLY OFF CENTER TO ALLOW THE CAR TO GO STRAIGHT. DEALER DENIED PROBLEM AND ATTRIBUTED IT TO CURVATURE IN THE ROAD. I HAVE DRIVEN OTHER CARS OVER THE SAME ROAD EVEN THE SAME MODEL LOANER CAR WITHOUT THE PULL TO THE LEFT. COMPLAINED TWO ADDITIONAL TIMES WITH NO RESPONSE FROM DEALER. BECAUSE THE CAR HAS MORE SIGNIFICANT PROBLEMS I HAVE GIVEN UP ON THIS ONE FOR NOW. SECOND TIME CAR WAS OUT OF SERVICE FOR OVER 20 CONSECUTIVE DAYS WHILE DEALER DIAGNOSED AND FIXED ONSTAR AND STEREO MALFUNCTION. THE STEREO WAS NOT FUNCTIONING AT SEVERAL POINTS IN THE DAY AND THEN WOULD COME BACK ON AUTOMATICALLY AT THE NEXT START-UP. DEALER REPLACED ALL COMPONENTS OF THE SYSTEM STEREO, CD PLAYER, ONSTAR MODULE, ECT. TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM. THIRD TIME WAS A MAJOR COMPLAINT. I HAVE EXPERIENCED SLIPPAGE IN THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION AT ALMOST EVERY OTHER SHIFT UNDER MODERATE TO HARD ACCELERATION. THE CAR ACTUALLY REVS RPMS BETWEEN SHIFT FOR 3 TO 4 SECONDS BEFORE SHIFTING TO THE NEXT GEAR. ADDITIONALLY, UNDER HARD ACCELERATION FROM A COMPLETE STOP THE CAR WILL NOT SHIFT UNTIL AFTER FUEL PUMP CUT-OFF IN THE RPM RANGE. DEALER COULD NOT DIAGNOSE VIA COMPUTER; HOWEVER I SUGGESTED A TECH DROVE THE CAR FOR A DAY OR TWO. TECH ACKNOWLEDGED SLIPPAGE PROBLEM AND SAID HE EXPERIENCED A SIMILAR PROBLEM ON OTHER 2003 9-3 VEHICLES; HOWEVER; WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE OR FIX. HE PUT IN A CALL TO SAAB TECHNICAL TO SEE IF THEY HAVE FURTHER INFORMATION. WE AWAIT SAAB TECHNICAL RESPONSE.

CAR LEASED 9/23/03 AND ONE WEEK AFTER A LOUD RATTLING/KNOCKING NOISE STARTS UP FROM RIGHT REAR. TO DEALER 6 TIMES FOR THIS PROBLEM. RIGHT REAR SHOCK REPLACED TWICE AND ON 12/19/03 DISTRICT SAAB REP CONCLUDED THAT NOISE COMES FROM SHOCK AND IS A NORMAL NOISE. I DISAGREE AND DO NOT UNDERSTAND THIS EXPLANATION. DELEARSHIP WILL NOT MAKE ANY MORE ATTEMPTS TO FIX THIS RATTLING/KNOCKING NOISE. FILED A COMPLAINT WITH SAAB CUSTOMER SERVICE ON 12/23/03 AND HAVE NOT HEARD FROM THEM. AM DISAPPOINTED AND UPSET THAT THE NOISE CAN NOT BE LOCATED AND FIXED.

SINCE PURCHASING MY 2003 SAAB 9-3 IN JUNE THE CAR HAS STALLED 4 TIMES WHILE EITHER AT STOP LIGHTS OR SITTING IN TRAFFIC. ONCE THE CAR STALLED WHILE GOING 40 MPH. I'VE TAKEN THE CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP SEVERAL TIMES TO HAVE THE PROBLEM CORRECTED. EACH TIME A SOFTWARE UPGRADE IS PERFORMED. AND EVERY TIME I CONTACT THE SERVICE DEPT THEY ARE SURPRISED AS TO THIS OCCURRENCE.*AK

THE STEERING COLUMN HAD TO BE REPLACED. THE DEALER STATED THE STEERING COLUMN WAS INSTALLED INCORRECTLY. PLEASE PROVIDE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. *NLM

DEALER - SAAB EXCHANGE WON'T/CAN'T FIX VEHICLE. STEERING PROBLEM, RATTLE PROBLEM, FAN BLOWER PROBLEM, SEAT PROBLEM, BRAKE LIGHT PROBLEM, ETC... *LA

WHILE DRIVING AT 70 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE DRIVER RESTARTED THE VEHICLE AND DROVE IT TO THE DEALER FOR ANALYSIS. THE MECHANIC NOTICED THAT ELECTRICAL SYSTEM HAD A SHORTAGE. *PH

THIS IS MY SECOND COMPLAINT. I HAD ORIGINALLY FILED COMPLAINT 10041666 A FEW WEEKS AGO. NOW THE PROBLEM WITH MY SAAB STALLING HAS BECOME WORSE. I WAS TRAVEL IN TRAFFIC, WHEN THE VEHICLE STALLED WHILE IN TRAFFIC. THE ENGINE STALLING CAUSED ME TO REAR END THE VEHICLE IN FRONT ME. WHICH IN TURN CAUSED A FOUR CAR ACCIDENT. THERE WERE NO INJURIES REPORTED, BUT NOW MY PROBLEM IS MUCH MORE SEVERE. I HAVE CONTACTED SAAB ABOUT THIS PROBLEM (MUCH LIKE I DID THE FIRST TIME) AND NOTING IS BEING DONE TO HELP ME. I AM NOW STUCK WITH A DEFECTIVE VEHICLE THAT STALLS ALL THE TIME, AND IS AS FAR AS I AM CONCERNED TOTALLY USELESS AND A HUGE SAFETY PROBLEM. THE ACCIDENT CAUSED OVER $15000 IN DAMAGE TO MY SAAB ALONE, ALONG WITH DEPLOYMENT OF THE AIR BAGS. I AM REALLY SURPRISED THAT I WAS NOT KILLED OR SEVERELY HURT IN THE ACCIDENT. THE NHTSA NEEDS TO STEP UP TO THE PLATE AND HELP OUT ALL THE SAAB 9-3 OWNERS HERE... THESE CARS ARE NOT SAFE, AND THE REPRESENT A VERY LARGE PROBLEM JUST WAITING TO HAPPEN. *LA

VEHICLE EQUIPPED WITH AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION STALLS AT LOW SPEEDS DURING BRIEF PERIODS OF ACCELERATION. FREQUENTLY, THIS OCCURS WHILE CROSSING AN INTERSECTION, MAKING A LEFT HAND TURN FROM A STOP SIGN, OR A TURN IN FRONT OF TRAFFIC. *LA

MY 2003 SAAB 9-3 HAS STALLED 3 TIMES IN TRAFFIC. TOOK IT TO THE DEALER AND THEY CAME UP WITH NOTHING. CAR IS IN SHOP RIGHT NOW AND WILL SEE IF ANYTHING IS FOUND BUT I DOUBT IT. SAAB CUSTOMER CARE IS OBLIVIOUS TO PROBLEM. THIS IS A POTENTIALLY LIFE THREATENING PROBLEM. SEEMS TO HAPPEN WHILE CRUISING IN TRAFFIC AT SPEED UNDER 30 MPH. CAR COMPLETELY LOCKS UP AND WILL NOT START UNTIL PULLED OFF THE ROAD, TURNED OFF AND TURNED ON AGAIN. *LA

MY 2003 SAAB 9-3 ARC (PURCHASED THIS JULY) WITH AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION NEARLY STALLED (SPUTTERED, HESITATED AND NEARLY LOST POWER) WHILE MAKING A LEFT HAND TURN BETWEEN ONCOMING TRAFFIC. WHILE THIS CAR HAS NOT FULLY STALLED OUT, I HAVE FELT IT HESITATED ON A NUMBER OF OTHER OCCASIONS. I OWNED ANOTHER 2003 SAAB, IDENTICAL IN EVERY WAY, THAT COMPLETELY STALLED OUT AT IDLE SPEED WHILE STUCK IN TRAFFIC AND ALSO WHILE STARTING OUT IN REVERSE AND IN FORWARD. THE FACT THAT THIS NEW CAR NEARLY STALLED IN FRONT OF ONCOMING TRAFFIC HAS REALLY SCARED ME. I HAVE READ A NUMBER OF COMPLAINTS ON THE WEB ABOUT STALLING IN THE 2003 SAAB 9-3. I SPOKE TO SAAB CUSTOMER SERVICE YESTERDAY AND THEY DENIED ANY OTHER COMPLAINTS ON THE STALLING ISSUE. I AM BRINGING MY CAR TO THE DEALER ON MONDAY, HOWEVER, I FEEL THAT SAAB NEEDS TO ADDRESS THIS POTENTIALLY VERY SERIOUS ISSUE. *LA