2003 SAAB 9-3 Complaints

ON MAY 14 I WENT OUT TO MY CAR AND NOTICED THAT THE FRONT LEFT OF MY CAR WAS LEANING TOWARDS THE GROUND. AFTER MY HUSBAND TOOK OFF THE TIRE, THE SPRING TO MY CAR JUST FELL OFF. THE CAR WAS TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP WHERE I WAS ADVISE THAT THIS IS AN GOING ISSUE WITH SAAB. WHEN I CONTACTED SAAB USA THEY STATED THAT THIS WAS NOT A PROBLEM AND THAT THEY WOULD NOT HELP ME PAY TO HAVE A NEW SPRING ON MY CAR. THE GENTLEMEN WHO TOWED MY CAR ALSO ADVISE ME THAT THIS WAS HIS 5TH SAAB HE TOWED THIS MONTH WITH THE SAME PROBLEM THAT I HAVE - BROKEN SPRING. *TR

PASSENGER SIDE FRONT SPRING SNAPPED. WHILE DRIVING HOME, I NOTICED A LOUD METAL ON METAL TAPPING NOISE AFTER GOING OVER ANY BUMPS. I KNEW RIGHT AWAY SOMETHING WITH MY RIGHT FRONT WAS WRONG, ABOUT A MINUTE LATER I HEARD A LOUD BANG, FOLLOWED BY METAL BOUNCING ON PAVEMENT. I PULLED OVER AND FOUND A PIECE OF MY SPRING HAD BROKEN COMPLETELY OFF. RIGHT AFTER THIS HAPPENED IT WAS MUCH HARDER TO STEER AND THANK GOD THAT THIS HAPPENED IN A NEIGHBORHOOD WHERE I WAS ONLY DOING 20MPH. SUPPOSE THIS HAPPENED ON A FREEWAY DOING 65? SUPPOSEDLY THIS IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM AS I HAVE READ ABOUT IT ON FORUMS. *TR

2003 SAAB 9-3, SEATBELT WILL NOT RETRACT PROPERLY 1. SEAT BELT IS SLOW TO RETRACT, ALMOST TO THE POINT WHERE I HAVE TO PUSH IT BACK INTO THE RETRACT SYSTEM. 2. IT FAILS EVERYTIME I ENTER MY CAR 3. NOTHING YET. SAAB USA IS UNWILLING TO HELP WITH THE ISSUE. *TR

NO ACCIDENT OR ANYTHING YET, BUT ACCORDING TO A FORUM I FOLLOW, {SAAB CENTRAL} THERE ARE ALOT OF PEOPLE EXPERIENCING FRONT COIL SPRING FAILURE ON 2003 SAAB 9-3.THIS ON CARS WITH UNDER 100,000 MILES. DON'T HAVE TO TELL YOU THAT THIS COULD BE BAD NEWS IF THE BROKEN SPRING PUNCHED INTO THE TIRE AT SPEED. TO ME, HAVING TO REPLACE COIL SPRINGS AS A MAINTENANCE ITEM EVERY 70000 MILES IS UNACCEPTABLE. I WILL HAVE MY 03 SAAB UP ON JACK STANDS TO CHECK OUT THE SPRINGS AS BEST AS I CAN, BUT THIS IS THE TYPE OF FAILURE YOU CAN NOT REALLY SEE UNTIL IT IS TO LATE. I HAVE NO WAY OF CHECKING FOR METAL FATIGUE. HOPEFULLY, THIS IS A PROBLEM YOU CAN MOVE ON BEFORE SOMEONE GETS HURT. *TR

FRONT COIL SPRING BRAKES AND THE BROKEN PIECE LAUNCHES OFF THE CAR INTO THE WHEEL WELL AREA WHICH MAY RESULT IN TIRE DAMAGE AT HIGH SPEEDS. *TR

LEFT FRONT SPRING SNAPPED WHILE IN NORMAL DRIVING CIRCUMSTANCES. POTENTIAL FOR SERIOUS ACCIDENT EXISTS. DEALER REPLACING BOTH FRONT SPRINGS STATING THIS IS A COMMON OCCURRENCE. *TR

WAS PARKED WHEN I TURNED THE KEY TO START THE CAR THE PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG AND CURTAIN DEPLOYED. NO CRASH NO IMPACT NO NOTHING JUST WENT OFF SAAB DOES NOT WANT TO HELP! *TR

THE FRONT DRIVERS SIDE SPRING BROKE. HAPPENED WHILE THE CAR WAS SITTING STILL. *TR

2003 SAAB 9-3 ARC. STARTED CAR AND SMELLED TIRE BURNING, DROVE AROUND BUILDING, CHECKED TIRES -- ALL 4 LOOKED FINE, CHECKED, DROVE ABOUT 1 MILE AND RIGHT FRONT TIRE BLEW. HAD AAA CHANGE TIRE, AND WAS SHOWN IT BLEW FROM THE INSIDE. TOOK VEHICLE TO COSTCO FOR TIRE REPLACEMENT. WAS INFORMED THAT THE SPRING COIL BROKE (WAS HANDED ABOUT A 6 INCH PIECE) AND THAT WAS WHAT BLEW THROUGH THE TIRE. CAR WAS TOWED TO THE SAAB DEALERSHIP AND BOTH SPRINGS WERE REPLACED. THE LEFT FRONT IS VERY ERODED FROM RUST AND ALSO APPEARS READY TO BREAK. CONSEQUENCES - 2 NEW TIRES, 2 NEW FRONT COIL SPRINGS AND A TOW. *TR

FRONT RIGHT SUSPENSION SPRINGS ON MY 2003 SAAB 9-3 BROKE. NO ACCIDENT OCCURRED, BUT COULD HAVE BEEN DEADLY IF IT WAS ON THE FREEWAY. THERE SEEMS TO BE A PATTERN OF THIS. . SOMETHING LIKE THIS SHOULD NOT BE HAPPENING ON THIS TYPE OF CAR. IT WAS TAKEN TO THE NEAREST DEALER THAT WANTS TO CHARGE $1100 FOR THE FIX BECAUSE I AM OUT OF WARRANTY BY. I AM ALSO IN THE PROCESS OF CONTACTING SAAB USA. *TR