2004 SAAB 9-3 Complaints

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 SAAB 9-3. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DRIVER SIDE SEAT BELT WOULD NOT RETRACT. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO STATED THAT THE SEAT BELT ASSEMBLY NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. ALSO, THE MECHANIC MADE HER AWARE THAT THE VEHICLE MIGHT BE INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 10V043000 (SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR). THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE WHO DID NOT OFFER ANY ASSISTANCE SINCE THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN ANY RECALLS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 105,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 105,100.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 SAAB 9-3 CONVERTIBLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE ATTEMPTING TO UTILIZE THE DRIVER'S SEAT BELT, THE SEAT BELT RETRACTED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THEY ADVISED THAT THE RETRACTOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND ADVISED THE CONTACT THAT HIS VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 10V043000 (SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR). THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE APPROXIMATELY 60,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 SAAB 9.3. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DRIVERS SEAT BELT WOULD NOT RETRACT; THEREFORE, SHE WAS UNABLE TO USE IT. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO REPLACED THE DRIVERS SEAT BELT RETRACTOR SENSOR. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 110,000 AND THE APPROXIMATE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 115,000. ...UPDATED 10/17/12 *BF UPDATED 10/17/12*JB

I HAVE NOT HAD ANY PRIOR PROBLEMS WITH ANY OF HTE SEAT BELTS ON MY 2004 93 ARC CONVERTIBLE. I WAS DRIVING MY CAR AS USUAL ON SATURDAY, JUNE 30, 2012 AND WHEN I CAME TO A STOP, I RELEASED MY SEAT BELT AFTER MY CAR WAS IN PARK AND I WAS PREPARING TO EXIT THE VEHICLE. INSTEAD OF IT RETRACTING THERE WAS A STRANGE NOISE AND THE ENTIRE BELT CAME UNSPOOLED. I TRIED TO GIVE IT A LITTLE TUG TO REWIND IT, BUT IT CONTINUED TO UNSPOOL AND WOULD NOT RETRACT. THIS WAS THE FIRST TIME THAT THERE WAS ANY PROBLEM AT ALL WITH THE DRIVERS SIDE SEAT BELT. WHEN I ARRIVED AT HOME I LOOKED ON LINE TO SEE IF THERE WAS ANY INFORMATION ON HOW TO REMEDY THIS PROBLEM AND AFTER GOOGLING SAAB SEATBELT 2 RECALLS IMMEDIATELY CAME UP ON 2004 9-3 ARC MODELS; NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 10V043000 & NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 04V226000 LISTING (GENERAL MOTORS IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2004 SAAB 9-3 SEDANS. SOME OF THESE VEHICLES WERE PRODUCED WITH FRONT SEAT BELT RETRACTORS THAT, OVER TIME, COULD FAIL TO RETRACT.) I CONTACTED THE FALLS CHURCH, VA SAAB DEALERSHIP CLOSEST TO ME AND WAS TOLD THAT MY CAR WAS NOT A SEDAN AND THEREFORE WAS NOT A PART OF EITHER RECALL, BUT IT HAS THE SAME PROBLEM AND DESCRIPTION AS WHAT HAPPENED TO THE CARS WHO'S SEAT BELT RETRACTORS WERE RECALLED. I WAS TOLD THAT IF I BRING IT IN TO THE DEALERSHIP AND PAY THEIR MIMINUM AMOUNT THEY WOULD LET ME KNOW HOW MUCH IT WOULD BE TO REPLACE MY DEFECTIVE PART. I AM NOT UNDERSTANDING HOW THE SAME YEAR, SAME MODELS, WITH THE SAME PROBLEMS ARE NOT RECALLED BECAUSE THEY ARE CONVERTIBLE, BUT THE SEDANS ARE. CLEARLY THERE MAY BE A DIFFERENT SET UP WITH THE SEAT BELT CONFIGURATION BUT THE RETRACTOR PART SHOULD BE SIMILAR IF NOT THE SAME REGARDLESS OF THE REST. I WOULD LIKE TO UNDERSTAND WHY MY CAR IS NOT COVERED BY THE RECALL THAT IS STILL IN EFFECT. THANK YOU. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 SAAB 9-3. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE RETRACTOR FOR THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE SEAT BELT FAILED AND WOULD NOT RETRACT. THE CONTACT REFERENCED TWO RECALLS ASSOCIATED WITH THE FAILURE UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBERS:04V226000 AND 10V043000 (SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR). THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE HOWEVER, THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN EITHER OF THE RECALL CAMPAIGNS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 72,912. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 72,500.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 SAAB 9-3 CONVERTIBLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT BELT WOULD NOT RETRACT. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND DID NOT OFFER ANY ASSISTANCE SINCE THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL ASSOCIATED WITH NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 10V043000 (SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR). THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 60,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 SAAB 93 CONVERTIBLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DRIVER ATTEMPTED TO SECURE THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE SEAT BELT, BUT THE SEAT BELT WOULD NOT RETRACT INTO THE PRETENSIONER. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER AND THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALLS ASSOCIATED WITH NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBERS 10V043000 (SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR) OR 04V226000 (SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR). THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 58,000.

LOUD CRACKING NOISE WHEN GOING OVER A SMALL BUMP IN ROAD. INSPECTION SHOWED BROKEN RIGHT FRONT COIL SPRING. COULD HAVE PUNCTURED TIRE AND CAUSED AN ACCIDENT. *JS UPDATED 08-03-12 *BF

SAAB 9-3 REAR ENDED A DODGE SPRINTER VAN AT ~5MPH AND PASSENGER AB DEPLOYED. PASSENGER SEAT WAS COMPLETELY EMPTY. VEHICLE NORMALLY DISPLAYS SEAT BELT WARNING WHEN SEAT HAS A HEAVY BAG (OR PASSENGER) IN IT AND WARNING WAS NOT DISPLAYED. ONLY EXTERIOR DAMAGE WAS TO FRONT FASCIA. NO DAMAGE TO HOOD OR EITHER QUARTER PANEL. ACCIDENT OCCURRED AT A 3 WAY INTERSECTION WITH A YIELD SIGN. VEHICLE IN FRONT OF SAAB STARTED TO PROCEED AND THEN ABRUPTLY STOPPED. DRIVER OF THE SAAB WAS LOOKING BEHIND THEM TO INSURE TRAFFIC WAS CLEAR, LOOKED UP TO NOTICE VEHICLE IN FRONT HAD STOPPED, AND SLAMMED ON BRAKES. THE VEHICLE IN FRONT (DODGE SPRINTER VAN) DID HAVE A LARGE TOW HITCH WITH A SMALL ALUMINUM DIAMOND PLATE STEP. *TR

I WAS BACKING OUT OF MY GARAGE WHEN I HEARD A LOUD CLUNK COMING FROM THE FRONT LEFT AREA OF MY CAR, ACCOMPANIED BY A BURNING RUBBER SMELL EMANATING FROM SOMEWHERE. I GOT OUT OF THE CAR AND THOUGHT IT LOOKED A LITTLE LOWER ON THE LEFT SIDE. I FELT IT WAS UNSAFE TO DRIVE DUE TO THE LOUD NOISE WHEN I PUT IT IN REVERSE, NOT TO MENTION THE SMELL OF BURNING RUBBER. I GOT MY CAR TOWED FOR $75, ONLY TO FIND OUT I WAS CORRECT IN MY ONLINE ASSESSMENT OF THE PROBLEM BEING MY FRONT SUSPENSION COIL BEING BROKEN (AS PER A LOCAL AUTO BODY DIAGNOSTIC), DUE TO THE NUMEROUS AND VERY SIMILAR SOUNDING COMPLAINTS ESPECIALLY FOR THE 2003 AND 2004 SAABS. I'M LUCKY THAT I DIDN'T END UP SHREDDING MY TIRE AND LOSING CONTROL OF MY VEHICLE AS I AS ABOUT TO EMBARK ON AN HOUR DRIVE, USING HIGHWAYS, TO MEET A FRIEND. HOWEVER, NOW I COME TO FIND OUT THAT SAAB, SINCE GOING BANKRUPT IN MID-DECEMBER OF 2011 NO LONGER IS MANUFACTURING OR RELEASING ANY PARTS - SO I AM LEFT WITH A CAR THAT IS NOT DRIVE-ABLE UNTIL I CAN FIND A SOLUTION TO THIS VERY FRUSTRATING PROBLEM. *TR