2003 Saab 9-3 Exterior lighting Problems

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 SAAB 9-3. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO ACCELERATE AND DECELERATED INDEPENDENTLY WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER BUT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. IN ADDITION, THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING, THERE WAS AN ABNORMAL ODOR AND SMOKE COMING FROM THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT PULLED OVER AND DISCOVERED THAT OIL WAS LEAKING FROM THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE VALVE COVER GASKET NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 184,000. ...UPDATED 01/07/16 *BF THE CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE FAILED TO ACCELERATE WHEN ENTERING TRAFFIC FROM THE DRIVEWAY, IT MOVES OUT OF GEAR, AND THE VEHICLE HAD AN ELECTRICAL GLITCH THAT CAUSED THE HEADLIGHTS TO GO OUT OFTEN NEEDING TO BE REPLACED. *JS

NHTSA ID

10786615

Incident

Jun 5, 2014

Mileage

184,000 mi

DIRECTIONAL SIGNALS HAVE NO SOUND. THEY ARE HOOKED UP TO THE EHU UNIT WHICH THE MANUFACTURER SAYS IS NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. I FEEL IT IS A SAFETY ISSUE IF CAN NOT HEAR THE SIGNAL AND YOU DO NOT KNOW IF THEY ARE STILL ON. THEY REFUSE TO REPLACE THIS PART. MY SOUND SYSTEM IS NOT WORKING EITHER. *TR

NHTSA ID

10235782

Incident

Jul 18, 2008

Mileage

60,558 mi

DT*: THE CALLER STATED, THE IGNITION SWITCH WOULD NOT START THE VEHICLE. WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP, THE BATTERY WAS REPLACED. HOWEVER, NOTHING WAS DONE ABOUT THE RUSTED WIRING TO THE IGNITION. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED BY A LETTER. THE EMERGENCY BRAKE WAS LOCKED AND WOULD NOT RELEASE, THE HORN DID NOT WORK, THE LOW HEAD BEAM FAILED. THE TIRES WERE DEFECTIVE, THE ALARM WOULD SOUND WITHOUT WARNING. UPDATED 07/25/06. *JB

NHTSA ID

10161643

Incident

Jun 1, 2006

Mileage

33,000 mi

I HAD MY HEADLIGHTS CHANGED AT 65K BECAUSE THE BEAM WAS GETTING TO LOW AND IT WAS HARD TO SEE AT NIGHT. WHILE THE LIGHTS WERE GETTING CHANGED THE MECHANIC TOLD ME THAT THE WIRES CONNECTING THE LIGHT TO THE CAR WERE MELTING. THREE MONTHS LATER AT 80K THE DRIVER SIDE HEADLIGHT LOW BEAM FINALLY DIED. THE SID SAYS LOW BEAM FAILURE, WHICH IS DUE TO THE MELTING OF THE WIRES. *JB

NHTSA ID

10153723

Incident

Mar 11, 2006

Mileage

79,000 mi

MY SAAB HAS HAD A LITANY OF PROBLEMS SINCE I HAVE OWNED THE CAR. IT ALL STARTED WITH LITTLE ITEMS. IGNITION WOULDN'T START THE CAR. HEAD LIGHTS BURNT OUT. DASH PEELING, DOOR HANDLES DISCOLORING, EMERGENCY BRAKE GETTING STUCK AND BEING ABLE TO OPERATE MY CAR. ENGINE WARNING LIGHT BECAUSE MY GAS CAP WASN'T ON CORRECT. STEERING WHEEL LOCKING WHILE I WAS DRIVING. WHEEL LOCK LIGHT REMAINING ON WHILE I WAS DRIVING. BRAKES REPLACED DUE TO FACTORY RETRO FIT. SEAT BELTS BEING RECALLED. COMPUTER CONSTANTLY NEEDING TO BE REPLACED SO THE CAR WOULD FUNCTION. ELECTRONIC KEY FAILING SO I COULDN'T START MY CAR. MY CAR IS A 5 SPEED AND THE SHIFTER HANDLE HAS AN CONTINUES TO COME OFF IN MY HAND. A MINIMUM OF 3 FUSES NEEDING TO BE REPLACED. THE DASH BOARD GOES BLANK AT TIMES SHOWING NO FUNCTIONS OF THE CAR. WINDOW WOULDN'T GO UP OR DOWN AND REQUIRED THE REGULATOR TO BE REPLACED. ERRACTIC IDLE. SERVICE ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON BUT, DEALER DOESN'T KNOW WHY. BRAKES NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AT 30,000 MILES AND ROTORS TOO.

NHTSA ID

10125939

Incident

Jun 17, 2005

Mileage

32,000 mi

THE CONSUMER EXPERIENCED MANY PROBLEMS WITH 2003 SAAB 9-3 LINEAR AS ENGINE FAILURE LIGHT APPEAR AND ECT. *BF THERE WERE REPEATED PROBLEMS WITH THE SUN ROOF REMAINING STUCK OPEN, STABILITY CONTROL PROBLEMS, LOW FRONT HEAD BEAM, GETTING AIR TO THE GAS CAP, THE MUD FLAP WAS CRACKED, AND ON ONE OCCASION WHEN DRIVING UP A HILL THE CONSUMER LOST CONTROL OF THE STEERING. *SC *JB

NHTSA ID

10113551

Incident

Jan 24, 2005

Mileage

10,000 mi

THE CONSUMER WAS ABLE TO REMOVE THE KEY FROM THE IGNITION SWITCH WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS STILL RUNNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE DEALER REPLACED THE IGNITION MODULE. THE REPAIRS WORKED FINE FOR TWO WEEKS, THEN THE PROBLEM RECURRED. *JB THE FUEL PUMP WAS REPLACED, THE FOG AND HEAD LIGHTS WOULD GO OUT ONCE A MONTH, THE TRACTION CONTROL WAS NOT WORKING PROPERLY, THE SEAT BELTS DID NOT RECOIL TO PROVIDE SECURITY FOR THE PASSENGERS, THE CLUTCH PEDAL DID NOT HAVE THE PROPER PRESSURE WHEN APPLIED, THE ENGINE WOULD NOT "SPIN OVER," THERE WAS A BLOWN FUEL PUMP FUSE, THE DRIVER WINDOW WAS INOPERATIVE, THE SUNROOF DEFLECTOR DID NOT COLLAPSE WHEN CLOSING THE GLASS CAUSING THE GLASS TO RE-OPEN ON IT'S OWN, THE DRIVER DOOR PANEL DID NOT FIT THE FLUSH TO THE DOOR PANEL, THE RADIO AND THE ONSTAR FEATURE DID NOT WORK. *SC *JB

NHTSA ID

10107432

Incident

Feb 13, 2004

Mileage

15,000 mi

HEADLIGHTS WAS TOO LOW WHICH CAUSED DIFFICULTY IN DRIVING AT NIGHT. *LA THERE WAS NOISE IN THE REAR WHILE BACKING AND TURNING (THE DEALER COULD NOT FIND THE PROBLEM), THE ONSTAR FEATURE WOULD NOT WORK AND WAS INTERMITTENT, THE SEAT BELT LIGHT HAD COME ON AND WOULD GO OFF INTERMITTENTLY (UNABLE TO DUPLICATE), NEED SERVICE SOON LIGHT WOULD COME ON (UNABLE TO BE DUPLICATED), THE SQUEAL IN THE REAR, COULD HAVE ALSO BEEN LINKED TO SALT AND SAND IN THE ROTORS, THE TRUNK WOULD NOT STAY OPEN, THE HEAD LIGHTS WERE FOUND TO BE OUT OF ADJUSTMENT, AND THE PADS HAD RUST ON THEM. *SC *JB

NHTSA ID

10081869

Incident

Nov 15, 2003

TWICE WHILE STOPPING AT A STOP LIGHT MY CAR HAS STALLED. IT HAS STALLED ONCE WHILE DRIVING IN TRAFFIC AT ABOUT 35 MPH. IT HAS ALSO GOTTEN STUCK IN PARK TWICE AFRTER I START IT. THE SID SAYS GEAR BOX MALFUNCTIONED. THE LIGHTS BURN OUT AND THE INTERIOR IS FALLING APART. THIS CAR HAS 17,000 MILES IN IT.*AK

NHTSA ID

10059940

Incident

Dec 30, 2003

Mileage

17,000 mi

CAN NOT DIM LIGHTS WHILE ENGINE IS RUNNING. ENTRY TO SOME MILITARY BASE OR OTHER ENTRY GATES REQUIRE LIGHTS TO BE DIMMED TO PARKING LIGHTS. THERE IS A THREE WAY SWITCH TO TUNE LIGHT TO PARKING BUT ONLY WORK WHEN ENGINE IS NOT RUNNING. THIS IS A SERIOUS DESIGN FLAW IN MY OPINION. YES SAAB JUST GIVES YOU THE RUN AROUND ON WHAT'S THE FIX, EVEN SUGGEST TO REMOVE A FUSE?? I DEMAND ACTION!!!! *JB

NHTSA ID

10039142

Incident

Sep 17, 2003

Mileage

60 mi

MESSAGE OF "HEADLIGHT LEVELING MALFUNCTION, CONTACT SAAB DEALER" CAME UP ON CAR COMPUTER. TAKEN TO DEALER IMMEDIATELY. CAME UP DURING THE DAY SO WAS UNAWARE IF THERE WAS A LIGHTING SYSTEM MALFUNCTION.*AK

NHTSA ID

10026137

Incident

Jul 4, 2003

REAR LIGHT OVER LICENSE PLATE WOULD NOT GO OUT, LEAVING MY CAR AT NIGHT ILLUMINATED. TAKEN TO DEALER. PROBLEM RESOLVED.*AK

NHTSA ID

10026136

Incident

Jun 1, 2003