2003 SAAB 9-3 Complaints

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 SAAB 9-3. THE CONTACT HEARD A STRANGE NOISE IN THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE FRONT COIL SPRING SNAPPED. HE CHOSE NOT TO HAVE THE VEHICLE REPAIRED BECAUSE HE BELIEVES IT IS A MANUFACTURER DEFECT. THROUGH ONLINE RESEARCH, THE CONTACT FOUND AN OPEN INVESTIGATION FOR THE SAME FAILURE (NHTSA ACTION NUMBER EA08026 (SUSPENSION:FRONT:SPRINGS:COIL SPRINGS) DATE INVESTIGATION OPENED : DECEMBER 22, 2008). HE BELIEVES THAT A RECALL SHOULD BE ISSUED. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 85,000.

ANOTHER FRONT SUSPENSION COIL SPRING FAILURE ON A SAAB 9-3. ON RETURNING FROM A 2 WEEK VACATION I STARTED THE CAR IN THE AIRPORT PARKING LOT AND HEARD A CLICKING / RUBBING NOISE FROM THE FRONT LEFT WHEEL. I STOPPED AND INSPECTED THE WHEEL AND NOTED RUST ON THE BRAKE ROTOR AND ASSUMED THAT THIS WAS THE CAUSE OF THE NOISE AND WOULD WEAR OFF WHEN THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED. DROVE ~1/4 MILE AND STOPPED AT A LIGHT BEFORE TURNING ON TO THE INTERSTATE WHEN I SAW SMOKE COMING FROM THE WHEEL. CLOSER INSPECTION REVEALED THAT THE FRONT LEFT SUSPENSION COIL SPRING HAD FAILED AND THE FRACTURED SPRING WAS RUBBING ON THE TIRE. THE CAR WAS TOWED TO THE SAAB DEALER WHERE THE FRONT SPRINGS WERE REPLACED AND THE DAMAGED TIRE REPLACED. I HAVE THE FAILED SPRING HARDWARE. DESPITE THE LARGE NUMBER OF SIMILAR FAILURES OF THE FRONT SPRING ON SAAB 9-3S, SAAB REFUSED TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THIS WAS AN ISSUE AND CHARGED ME FOR THE REPAIR. I FEEL LUCKY THAT I STOPPED TO INVESTIGATE BEFORE TURNING ON TO INTERSTATE. IF I HAD NOT IT WOULD HAVE UNDOUBTEDLY RESULTED IN A HIGH SPEED TIRE FAILURE. *TR

FRONT DRIVER SIDE SPRING COIL BROKE WHICH CAUSED TIRE BLOWOUT AND CAR TO BE IMMOBILIZED..DID NOT CAUSE ANY INJURIES OR ACCIDENTS BUT VERY WELL COULD HAVE HAD THERE BEEN ANYONE ELSE ON THE ROAD AT THE TIME. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 SAAB 9-3. WHEN THE PARKING BRAKE WAS ENGAGED, IT REMAINED STUCK IN POSITION. IT TOOK THE CONTACT APPROXIMATELY TEN MINUTES TO RETURN THE PARKING BRAKE TO ITS NORMAL POSITION. ON A SEPARATE OCCASION, THE VEHICLE WAS SERVICED BY AAA AND THEY TOO WERE UNABLE TO MOVE THE BRAKE OUT OF POSITION. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO ANOTHER SERVICE STATION TO SEE IF THE PARKING BRAKE COULD BE MOVED. THE DEALER WAS NOTIFIED, BUT COULD NOT ASSIST WITH THE REPAIRS. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED AND THE CONTACT MUST APPLY MASKING TAPE OVER THE PARKING BRAKE SO IT CAN BE USED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS LESS THAN 12,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 61,000. UPDATED 12/11/08 *BF UPDATED 12/11/08. *JB

I AM ANOTHER SAAB OWNER WITH THE PROBLEM DESCRIBED COMPLAINT "INVESTIGATION # PE08051." THIS WAS DISCOVERED DURING OTHER WORK BEING PERFORMED ON THE CAR. ALONG WITH OTHER NUMEROUS PROBLEMS, THIS MAY EXPLAIN WHY WE HAVE GONE THROUGH MANY SETS OF TIRES AND ALIGNMENT HAS ALWAYS BEEN A PROBLEM. THE 1ST AND LAST SAAB I WILL EVER OWN. *TR

2003 SAAB 9-3 SE CONV (73K MIKES AT TIME OF INCIDENT WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH ON HIGHWAY CAR SUDDEENLY QUIT RUNNING DIRECT IGNITION CASSETTE FAILED AND RUINED CATALYTIC CONVERTER AND O2 SENSORS SAAB FORCED TO RECALL THIS PART UP TO YEAR 2002. MY 2003 IS OLD SAAB BODY STYLE WITH DEFECTIVE DI CASSETTE. PART NUMBER ON CASSETE IS FROM THE 2002 AND EARLIER MODEL YEARS. *TR

FRONT SPRING FAILURE FROM CORROSION DAMAGE ' FRONT PASSENGER SPRING BROKEN, COMPLETELY BROKEN OFF PIECE APPROXIMATELY 5-6' FOUND. EVERY TIME THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN OVER A ROUGH ROAD SURFACE (AKA POTHOLE, DIRT ROAD, SPEED BUMP), A VIBRATION / RATTLING NOISE WAS HEARD COMING FROM THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE. ORIGINALLY, IT WAS BELIEVED THAT THE NOISE WAS DUE TO A WHEEL OR BRAKE ISSUE, SO WE DROVE THE CAR FOR QUITE SOME TIME THINKING IT WAS JUST A MINOR ANNOYANCE, NOT A SERIOUS SAFETY RISK (SOME DRIVERS HAVE HAD THE SPRING SHOOT OUT AND SHRED THEIR TIRES WHILE DRIVING!). WE GOT THE TIRES / WHEELS BALANCED, ROTATED AND ALSO REPLACED THE BRAKES, NONE OF WHICH HELPED THE PROBLEM. THEN ANOTHER MECHANIC CONFIRMED THE PROBLEM DURING AN OIL CHANGE WHEN THEY FOUND THE BROKEN OFF PIECE OF SPRING WHICH WAS CAUSING THE RATTLE. THE BROKEN OFF PIECE HAS A SIGNIFICANT CONCENTRATION OF RUST THE LAST 1' OR SO WHERE THE BREAK OCCURRED. THERE IS A RUBBER SHEATH THAT PARTIALLY COVERS THAT SECTION OF THE SPRING, BUT IT IS OBVIOUSLY FLAWED IN KEEPING WATER FROM CORRODING THE SPRING AS THERE IS A LOT OF RUST ALL THROUGHOUT. THE OTHER SPRING HAS RUST ON IT AS WELL, BUT HAS NOT FAILED YET' WE PLAN TO REPLACE BOTH SPRINGS NOW, HOPEFULLY WITH THE NEXT MODEL YEAR'S SPRINGS WHICH I HEARD HAVE A BETTER SHIELD TO PREVENT THIS FROM OCCURRING. RESEARCHING ONLINE WHAT THE PROBLEM WAS, I FOUND THAT THIS PROBLEM ALSO OCCURS ON THIS MODEL YEAR SAAB IN THE UK AS FOUND ON THE SAABSCENE.COM FORUM AND I READ THAT THE NHTSA JUST STARTED INVESTIGATING THIS ISSUE AUGUST 28, 2008 AS INVESTIGATION # PE08051. *TR

WAS ON MY WAY TO REPAIR SHOP FOR AN ONSTAR MALFUNCTION WHICH KNOCKED OUT MY ENTIRE SOUND SYSTEM, INCLUDING WARNING BUZZERS, ETC....WHILE ON THE FREEWAY I THOUGHT I HAD BEEN INVADED BY ALIENS THE CAR COULD BARLEY DRIVE THEN ALL THE WARNING LIGHTS AND MALFUNCTION LIGHTS STARTED FLASHING ON MY COMPUTER SCREEN IM LUCKY IT DIDN'T CAUSE AN ACCIDENT I COULD NOT CONTROL THE CAR I COULD NOT ROLL DOWN THE WINDOW, COULD NOT GET THE CAR FROM DRIVE TO PARK, COULD NOT STEER, SHUT IT OFF AND IT WOULDN'T START AGAIN WITHOUT A JUMP. BATTERY HAD BEEN REPLACED NO MORE THEN 6 MONTHS PRIOR. IT APPARENTLY WAS THE ALTERNATOR. IT IS A HAZARD WHEN IT MALFUNCTIONS DUE TO NO CONTROL OF THE CAR. I HAVE HAD MORE PROBLEMS WITH THIS CAR FOR 62,000 IT SHOULDN'T HAVE SO MANY BREAKDOWNS AND MALFUNCTIONS I HAVE OWNED IT FOR A LITTLE OVER A YEAR AND HAVE HAD MANY DIFFERENT MALFUNCTIONS IE. GEAR BOX MALFUNCTION, TRANSMISSION MALFUNCTION, TEMP MALFUNCTION, AIRBAG MALFUNCTION AND THE LATEST ONSTAR MALFUNCTION WHICH HAS AFFECTED MY ENTIRE SOUND SYSTEM, THE CD PLAYER HAD TO BE REPLACED THE AMP WENT BAD HAD TO HAVE A NEW THERMOSTAT THE WINDOW ARM HAD TO BE REPLACED (DRIVING AND THE WINDOW JUST FELL INTO THE DOOR I AM SURPRISED IT DIDN'T SHATTER, THE SAAB LOGO ON THE TRUNK LOST ALL THE COLOR, THE DOOR HANDLES ARE PEELING AND FADING AS WELL AS THE INTERIOR PARTS. BATTERY DIED, ASHTRAY BROKE HAD TO HAVE REPLACED BROKE AGAIN BUT NO WARRANTY AND TOO MUCH TO REPLACE. THE BRAKE CALIPER HAD TO BE REPLACED BRAKE PADS WORN OUT TOO SOON, TIRE TREAD WORN BEFORE ITS TIME. EVERYTIME PART WAS NEEDED IT HAD TO BE ORDERED WAY OVERPRICED TOOK OVER A WEEK TO GET PARTS ON TOP OF THAT SHIPPING AND HANDLING CHARGES APPLY. THIS CAR IS UNRELIABLE DEEMING IT UNSAFE AS FAR AS I AM CONCERNED STILL OWE 9,000 BUT WITH ALL PROBLEMS NOT WORTH A DIME. I HAVE DISABLED PEOPLE IN CAR ALOT CAN'T BE SURE ABOUT THEIR SAFETY NOT GOOD AND NOW NO ONSTAR NOT UPGRADEABLE, EVEN STILL ONSTAR MALFUNCTION LIGHT IS ON NO SOUND SYSTEM. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 SAAB 9-3. WHEN THE CONTACT TURNED THE VEHICLE, THE INSTRUMENT PANEL INDICATED THAT THERE WAS A GEAR BOX MALFUNCTION. THE WARNING LIGHT DIMMED A FEW DAYS LATER. AFTERWARDS, THE CONTACT EXPERIENCED ACCELERATION FAILURES. AFTER IDLING AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT, IT WAS DIFFICULT TO ACCELERATE. THE VEHICLE WOULD ALSO SHIFT UNEASILY. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO MERGE ONTO THE FREEWAY, THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT PICK UP SPEED AND ALLOW HER TO SHIFT GEARS. THE CONTACT WAS CONCERNED THAT THE LACK OF ACCELERATION COULD CAUSE A CRASH WHILE MERGING INTO TRAFFIC. THE DEALER STATED THAT A NEW TRANSMISSION WAS NEEDED. SHE SPOKE WITH THE MANUFACTURER AND IS AWAITING A RETURN CALL; HOWEVER, SHE WAS INFORMED THAT THEY PROBABLY WOULD BE UNABLE TO ASSIST. THE SPEED WAS UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 54,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 38,000.

THE FRONT LEFT COIL SPRINGS SNAPPED IN HALF, SHOVING A JAGGED, BROKEN SPRING INTO THE INNER SIDE WALL OF THE TIRE WHILE MY WIFE WAS DRIVING OUR SON TO SCHOOL. THE ENSUING DRAMA CONSISTED OF A NEARLY UNCONTROLLABLE VEHICLE AND PLUMES OF SMOKE BILLOWING OUT FROM THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE. FEARING FOR THE SAFETY OF HERSELF AND OUR SON, MY WIFE PULLED HIM OUT OF THE CAR AND RAN A DISTANCE AWAY AS SHE FEARED IT WAS ABOUT TO CATCH FIRE. SHE CALLED ME FROM HER CELL PHONE, CRYING, AND IN A NEAR PANIC AS OTHER DRIVERS PULLED OVER TO HELP. EVERYTHING TURNED OUT OKAY FOR US, BUT I CAN?T SAY THAT THE SAME WOULD HAVE HAPPENED IF THE SPRING HAD BROKEN AFTER SHE DROPPED OFF OUR SON AND WAS ON THE INTERSTATE GOING TO WORK. WE ARE THANKFUL SHE WAS ONLY TRAVELING 35 MPH RATHER THAN 70 MPH. AFTER THIS OCCURRED, AND AFTER A COMPLETE LACK OF HELP OR EXPLANATION FROM OUR DEALER, WE WERE MOTIVATED TO RESEARCH THIS ISSUE FURTHER TO DETERMINE IF THIS WAS A ?FREAK ACCIDENT? OR IF IN FACT THERE WAS SOME ISSUE WITH THE DESIGN OF THE SUSPENSION SYSTEM. IT APPEARS FROM A CURSORY SEARCH OF THE INTERNET THAT THERE ARE AT LEAST SEVERAL DOZEN OTHER INSTANCES OF THIS HAPPENING TO THIS PARTICULAR YEAR, MAKE, AND MODEL OF VEHICLE. IN MOST CASES, THE SAME THING HAPPENED EXACTLY AS IT DID TO US. AND WHEN WE LEARNED THAT SAAB HAD REDESIGNED THE FRONT COIL SPRING SEATS THE FOLLOWING YEAR (PRESUMABLY TO ADDRESS THIS ISSUE), IT BECAME APPARENT THAT EVEN THE MANUFACTURER HAD ACKNOWLEDGED THAT A PROBLEM EXISTED. I AM HOPING THAT THIS WILL LEAD TO A FULL INVESTIGATION INTO THIS ISSUE WHICH COULD NOT ONLY POTENTIALLY PROTECT THE LIVES OF OTHER UNKNOWING OWNERS AND THEIR VEHICLE OCCUPANTS AS WELL AS OTHER DRIVERS, BUT ALSO TO HELP SHOULDER THE FINANCIAL BURDEN OF THIS PROBLEM. IN ALL CASES THAT I HAVE RESEARCHED, THE SPRINGS BROKE JUST AFTER THE FACTORY WARRANTY RAN OUT (AT 4 YEARS/50,000 MILES), AND CONSEQUENTLY, THE DEALERS HAVE BEEN CHARGING FOR THIS REPAIR. IN OUR CASE IT WAS $500.00!!! *TR