2001 SAAB 9-3 Complaints

The contact owns a 2001 Saab 9-3. The contact stated that the vehicle was overheating while driving. Additionally, the contact stated that the vehicle failed to start. A mobile independent mechanic diagnosed the vehicle and determined that the failure was related to NHTSA Campaign Numbers: 05V399000 (Electrical System) and 06V126000 (Fuel System, Gasoline). The vehicle was not repaired. The dealer was not notified of the failure. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 150,000.

unexpected and unrequested deployment of driver side seat air bag. i was driving the vehicle at a speed of 0-5mph attempting to back the vehicle into a parking spot when the driver seat air bag deployed. a report was made with the local police department. no indicator or failure lights were present, the vehicle is able to be inspected at this time for further information. It is unknown about any other inspections by anyone other than the local police department.

I left my home with my daughter in the afternoon to go to the bank and hardware store. I drove to the bank to make a deposit. We had to wait for quite awhile in the drive-through line at the bank, so I turned off my engine a couple of times rather than having the car idle. After making the deposit at the bank, I pulled out of the bank lot and began driving to the hardware store. I had driven for about two minutes and was driving along at approximately 25-30 miles an hour, and suddenly there was a terrible explosion at my left ear and massive pain in my left arm. I thought the car had been shot at and my arm hit. I was terrified we were still being shot at and looked at my daughter whose hands were over her ears. I could tell by that time that I was not bleeding and so was worried that the bullet had hit her. I could hear only faintly out of my left ear. There was smoke and the smell of an explosion. I could see by this time that an airbag had come out of my driver's seat and thought that it had been hit too. My daughter told me she was o.k. and to pull the car over so that we could see what had happened. I was shaking with fear and pain in my arm but finally calmed down enough to park the car and get out to see what had happened. It became clear that the car had not been shot at and that the driver's side seat airbag had simply spontaneously exploded without any warning whatsoever. The driver's seat side seam was completely ripped, multiple pieces of seat foam were lying about, and the air bag in the seat was out and ripped. The seat was still smoking. Luckily I had had my window completely down, or the explosion would have been louder in the car, and my arm and left side could have been more badly injured. I called my longtime Saab repairman who told me that what happened to me was extremely rare. He said I would need a new seat and that the computer system would need to be reset for the airbag system to work again. Insurance will examine soon. I may try GM too.

EXCESSIVE LEAKING. WAS DRIVING ON E-WAY AND ENGINE STOPPED OR SOMETHING OCCURED WHERE IT SOUNDED AS IF THE CAR TURNED OFF. THE BATTERY WAS WORKING BUT, WHEN I PRESSED ON ACCELERATOR IT DIDN'T PROPEL FORWARD. I CAREFULLY STEERED WITH HAZARD LIGHTS TO SIDE OF THE ROAD. IGNITION CRANKS BUT, CAR WON'T TURN OVER. REPLACED DIRECT IGNITION COIL, CRANKSHAFT SENSOR BUT, ISSUE SEEMS TO BE THE FUEL PUMP. A RECALL WAS ISSUED REGARDING THIS: RECALL 06V126000 AFFECTED CARS SAAB 9-3 2001 ENGINE, MAY 12, 2006 ORIGINAL RECALL FROM THE NHTSA MANUFACTURER'S REPORT DATE MAY 12, 2006 NHTSA ACTION NUMBER RQ05003 POTENTIAL NUMBER OF UNITS AFFECTED 11,886 NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 06V126000 COMPONENT FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS SUMMARY ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES, THE FUEL PUMP RETAINING TABS HOLDING THE FUEL LINES WERE DAMAGED DURING PRODUCTION. CONSEQUENCE OVER TIME, THIS COULD CAUSE THE FUEL LINES TO LOOSEN FROM THE PUMP RESULTING IN FUEL LEAKAGE. IF AN IGNITION SOURCE WERE PRESENT, THE FUEL MAY IGNITE RESULTING IN A VEHICLE FIRE.

WHEN I CHANGED THE BATTERY OF THE CAR KEY, ITS DOORS AND TRUNK STOPPED LOCK AND UNLOCK. THE BELT OF THE GAS TANK WAS BROKEN ALSO. I REPLACED ALSO THE FUEL TANK.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 SAAB 9-3. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE FAILED TO START WHILE THE BATTERY WARNING INDICATOR WAS ILLUMINATED. IN ADDITION, THE VEHICLE WOULD STALL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE IGNITION DISCHARGE MODULE FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 05V399000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM). THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 186,000.

TL * THE CONTACT OWNED A 2001 SAAB 9-3. THE CONTACT WAS INVOLVED IN A CRASH AND THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE DRIVER DIED AND A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE SPEED WAS 40-45 MPH. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 98,000. UPDATED 09/11/14*LJ THE CONSUMER STATED THE 7 YEAR OLD PASSENGER WAS RUSHED TO THE HOSPITAL. THE A PILLAR AS WELL AS THE ROOF CAVED IN. POLICE DETERMINED VEHICLE SPEED WAS NOT A FACTOR. UPDATED 1/13/2015 *JS

WHEN COMING TO A STOP AT AN INTERSECTION, THE DRIVERS SIDE SEAT BELT LOCKS REPEATEDLY MAKING IT IMPOSSIBLE TO LEAN FORWARD TO SEE IF THE INTERSECTION IS CLEAR. EVEN AFTER SLOWLY LEANING ALL OF THE WAY BACK AND TRYING TO LEAN FORWARD AGAIN, IT LOCKS. THE SEAT BELT MUST BE REMOVED TO AVOID BEING HELD BACK IN THE SEAT AND UNABLE TO SEE. IN ADDITION, WHEN TRYING TO REMOVE THE SEAT BELT, THE BUTTON STICKS AND MUST BE PRESSED SEVERAL TIMES BEFORE IT RELEASES. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 SAAB 9-3 CONVERTIBLE. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE ATTEMPTING TO ENGAGE THE BRAKE PEDAL, THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL EXTENDED TO THE FLOOR WITH OUT ANY WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER AND THE TECHNICIAN WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 108,000.

HAD THE ENGINE LIGHT ON FOR THREE MONTHS THEN I WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY YESTERDAY AND SUDDENLY THE ENGINE WOULDN'T TAKE GAS. I WAS ABLE TO PULL OVER OFF THE HIGHWAY SLOWLY AND IT STOPPED COMPLETELY AFTER I MADE THE EXIT. THE MECHANIC TOLD ME THAT I NEED A NEW IGNITION CASSETTE! SO DANGEROUS! *TR