2001 Saab 9-3 Engine Problems

NO INCIDENT

NHTSA ID

11320371

Incident

Mar 4, 2020

AT APPROXIMATELY 75,000 MILES, DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE AROUND 70MPH, OIL LIGHT BEGINS FLICKERING. AFTER SLOWING DOWN TO 60 THE LIGHT STOPPED FLICKERING AND INSTEAD STAYED ON. FROM THE TIME I WAS ABLE TO SLOW DOWN TO PULL OFF THE ROAD A KNOCKING SOUND COULD BE HEARD FROM THE ENGINE PROGRESSIVELY GETTING LOUDER. THE CAR WAS THEN TAKEN HOME AND INSPECTED. REMOVING THE OIL PAN REVEALED THAT THE OIL PICK-UP TUBE WAS CLOGGED AND THE PAN WAS CAKED WITH BURNT OIL. A LOCAL MECHANIC ESTIMATED $3,000 TO REPAIR THE INTERNAL DAMAGE. CALLED SAAB, THEY SAID THE CAR WAS BEYOND ANY WARRANTY AND THAT IT WAS MY FAULT FOR NOT TURNING THE CAR OFF IMMEDIATELY AFTER SEEING THE LIGHT. FURTHERMORE AFTER RESEARCHING THIS ISSUE, I SPOKE WITH 3 SAAB REPRESENTATIVES WHO CLAIMED TO KNOW NOTHING OF THIS OIL SLUDGE ISSUE AND WERE NOT ABLE TO BRING IT UP AS IT DOES NOT HAVE A RECALL NUMBER, A FOURTH ONE WAS ABLE TO PULL UP A RECORD BASED ON MY V.I.N. SHOWING THAT THIS KNOWN OIL SLUDGE PROBLEM WAS "REPAIRED" BACK IN 2006 UNDER THE NAME "SPECIAL POLICY" WHICH WAS GOOD FOR 8 YEARS AFTER THE IN SERVICE DATE SO LONG AS ALL RECORDS OF THE CAR WERE KEPT. ACCORDING TO THIS REPORT MY ARGUMENT WAS POINTLESS CONSIDERING I WAS APPROXIMATELY 5 MONTHS OUT OF WARRANTY AND DID NOT HAVE THE REQUIRED SERVICE LOGS. *TR

NHTSA ID

10356233

Incident

Mar 10, 2009

Mileage

75,000 mi

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 SAAB 9-3. WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH, THE OIL PRESSURE LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT TURNED THE VEHICLE OFF AND THE LIGHT TURNED OFF. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR DIAGNOSIS AND THE MECHANIC FLUSHED THE OIL SLUDGE OUT. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 102,500. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 95,000. UPDATED 07/15/10 *BF THE CONSUMER STATED HE RECEIVED A LETTER FROM SAAB ACKNOWLEDGING A PROBLEM WITH SEVERAL YEAR MODELS REGARDING INTERNALLY LUBRICATED ENGINE PARTS. THE LETTER STATED THEY WERE EXTENDING THE WARRANTY FOR A TOTAL OF EIGHT YEARS FROM THE SERVICE DATE WITH UNLIMITED MILEAGE. THE CONSUMER STATED HIS COVERAGE EXPIRED. THE COST TO REPAIR THE PROBLEM WAS $2500. UPDATED 07/19/10*JB

NHTSA ID

10327518

Incident

Sep 15, 2009

Mileage

95,000 mi

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 SAAB 9-3. WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT DROVE TO THE DEALER AND THEY STATED THAT THE IGNITION CASSETTE FAILED. SHE THEN FOUND A RECALL ON HER VEHICLE FOR THE SAME FAILURE HER VEHICLE WAS EXPERIENCING; HOWEVER, THE DEALER STATED THAT HER VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED. THE CONTACT BELIEVES THAT HER VEHICLE SHOULD BE INCLUDED IN THE RECALL BECAUSE IT IS EXPERIENCING THE SAME FAILURE. THE RECALL NUMBER WAS UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 82,347. UPDATED 05/20/08. *LJ THE DOOR HANDLE WAS REPLACED. UPDATED 05/20/08

NHTSA ID

10224915

Incident

Apr 18, 2008

Mileage

82,347 mi

2001 SAAB 9-3 WITH OIL LIGHT ILLUMINATED. CONSUMER STATES THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT RESTART WHEN PULLED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. CONSUMER STATED THAT THERE WERE A LOT OF REPORTS OF OIL SLUDGE ON THIS MAKE AND MODEL. *KB THE CONSUMER HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO THE DEALER AND WAS INFORMED THE VEHICLE NEEDED A NEW ENGINE, DUE TO SLUDGE BUILD-UP IN THE OIL PAN.

NHTSA ID

10220651

Incident

Dec 19, 2007

Mileage

61,300 mi

NO WARNING. OIL LIGHT GOES ON WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY. VEHICLE TOWED TO SAAB DEALERSHIP. ENGINE SEIZED. SLUDGE FOUND IN THE OIL PICKUP PAN. PERFECT SERVICE RECORDS. SAAB/GM WILL NOT HONOR EXTENDED 8 YEAR WARRANTY. FOR KNOWN SLUDGE PROBLEM. *TR

NHTSA ID

10218915

Incident

Dec 17, 2007

Mileage

61,000 mi

ENGINE SEIZED. *TR

NHTSA ID

10215180

Incident

Dec 19, 2007

Mileage

61,300 mi

CAR TAKEN TO DEALER TWICE BECAUSE "CHECK ENGINE LIGHT" ON INTERMITTENTLY; TOLD THERE WERE "NO PROBLEMS" AND INSTRUCTED ON HOW TO CLEAR MESSAGE. "CHECK ENGINE LIGHT" AND "OIL" LIGHT BEGAN TO FLICKER INTERMITTENTLY; TAKEN TO 2 INDEPENDENT MECHANICS FOR CHECK; BOTH STATED THERE WAS OIL IN THE PAN, OIL IN THE ENGINE, NO OBVIOUS PROBLEM. "CHECK ENGINE" AND "OIL" LIGHTS CAME ON AND STAYED ON; CAR BEGAN MAKING NOISE. PULLED OVER AND HAD TOWED TO INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO STATED BEARINGS WERE SHOT AND NEW ENGINE NEEDED. SAAB USA HAS PERSISTED IN DENYING CULPABILITY DESPITE LETTER AND MECHANIC'S STATEMENT. TOLD ME CAR WAS UNDER WARRANTY RESULTING IN TOWING FROM INDEPENDENT SHOP TO DEALER; DEALER THEN SAID CAR WAS NOT UNDER WARRANTY. BBB COMPLAINT FILED; NOW SAAB USA INSISTS ENGINE MUST BE TORN DOWN TO DIAGNOSE PROBLEM AND I MUST ACCEPT RISK THAT IF THE PROBLEM IS NOT THEIRS, I WILL OWE $1500 FOR TEAR-DOWN; DEALER WANTS STORAGE CHARGES. CAR OUT OF SERVICE NOW 43 DAYS AND COUNTING. *JB

NHTSA ID

10186418

Incident

Feb 12, 2007

Mileage

90,714 mi

DEC. 10, 2005 WHILE DRIVING ON THE PA TURNPIKE OIL LIGHT CAME ON THEN WENT OFF. OIL LIGHT CAME ON AGAIN CAR LOST ALL POWER. SAAB TOWING LEFT US ON BUSY TURNPIKE FOR 2 1/2 HOURS IN FREEZING COLD. TOWED TO PURCHASE DEALER WAS TOLD NEEDS NEW ENGINE IT THROUGH A ROD. AFTER 2 MONTHS OF NO HELP FORM DEALER OR SAAB TOOK TO INDEPENDENT SAAB MECHANIC. WAS TOLD BENT ROD OR CRANK SHAFT FROM SLUDGE BUILD UP NEED SMALL BLOCK ENGINE. 7 MONTHS AND SAAB WANTS TO ONLY GIVE $500 TOWARDS REPAIR DEALER CHARGING $6,000. SAAB IS AWARE OF SLUDGE PROBLEM IN THESE ENGINES (SEE WEB ON CONSUMER REPORTS AND CENTER FOR AUTO SAFETY) YET, WON'T STAND BY THEIR WORD TO EXTEND WARRANTY 8 YEARS UNLIMITED MILES. WE HAVE COMPLAINED TO DEALER SINCE PURCHASE ABOUT ENGINE LIGHT BEING ON AND STALLING. NO ISSUES FOUND BY THEM. IDM WAS REPLACED 2 MONTHS PRIOR TO THIS WITH ENGINE LIGHT REMAINING ON. NO CALL BACK FROM DEALER. HAVE RECEIVED NO HELP FROM SAAB OR DEALER, WITHOUT IT RESULTING IN THEM MAKING MONEY OFF OF US. *JB

NHTSA ID

10161880

Incident

Dec 10, 2005

Mileage

93,000 mi

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AT 55MPH, THE OIL LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THERE WAS A VERY LOUD NOISE AND THE VEHICLE STALLED. IT WAS TOWED TO A LOCAL DEALERSHIP WHERE IT WAS DETERMINED THE VEHICLE THREW A ROD. AFTER TWO MONTHS, THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE MECHANIC DETERMINED THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER WAS TOO CLOSE TO THE OIL PAN CAUSING THE OIL TO BECOME VERY THICK, CAUSING OIL STARVATION TO THE ENGINE. THE MECHANIC DETERMINED THE VEHICLE NEEDED A NEW ENGINE.

NHTSA ID

10152762

Incident

Mar 15, 2006

Mileage

93,977 mi

WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH VEHICLE SHUT OFF. DEALER STATED ENGINE NEED TO BE CLEANED OF SLUDGE. *AK

NHTSA ID

10117034

Incident

Mar 25, 2005

Mileage

74,000 mi

2001 SAAB 9-3 TURBO-CHARGER FAILED ON START-UP ON FEB. 1, 2005; OIL WAS BLOWN INTO EXHAUST SYSTEM; CAR WAS REGULARLY MAINTAINED, NO PRIOR WARNING; MANUFACTURER DENIED COVERAGE BECAUSE OUT OF 50,000 MILE WARRANTY AND REPAIR SHOP DONE BY LOCAL SHOP, NOT DEALER.*AK

NHTSA ID

10112751

Incident

Feb 1, 2005

Mileage

70,000 mi

HAD THE CAR SERVICED FOR 40000 SERVICE. COMPLAINED OF STALLING WHEN LIFTING OFF THE GAS. THE VERY NEXT DAY THE CAR STALLED ON THE FREEWAY AND UNABLE TO RESTART. THE DEALER IS SAYING THAT MY AFTERMARKET BYPASS VALVE CAUSED THE FAILURE. THEY ARE REFUSING TO COVER THE REPAIR UNDER WARRANTY. THE FAILURE LOOKS MORE LIKE A HEAD GASKET FAILURE AND NOT AN OVERBOOST PROBLEM. *AK

NHTSA ID

10043836

Incident

Oct 25, 2003

Mileage

42,389 mi

WHILE TRAVELING ON THE HIGHWAY AND WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING TVEHICLE SHUTDOWN, AND WOULD NOT RESTART. *AK

NHTSA ID

10026805

Incident

Jul 8, 2003

WHILE DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEED THE ENGINE SHUT CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO LOSE POWER STEERING. TS

NHTSA ID

8023796

Incident

Nov 8, 2002