RoadVitals

2005 Saab 9-3 Fuel system Problems

Owner-reported complaints naming the fuel system system, filed with NHTSA

Data refreshed

Fuel system reportsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
9
Latest Dec 11, 2020
Share of all reportsThis category as a share of every owner report on file for this model year. One report can name more than one component, so the categories overlap.
9%
of 95 total
Crash or fire reportedReports in this category whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. The reporter's own answer on the NHTSA form, not a verified finding.
1
Injuries or deaths reportedTotals the submitters entered on their own reports in this category. Not verified by NHTSA and not a casualty statistic.
0

What this page shows

Reports naming fuel storage or delivery — tanks, pumps, lines, injectors and fuel leaks. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2005 Saab 9-3 submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 9 reports on file name it.

Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.

Owner reports naming fuel system

Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed

Fuel system
Filed Dec 11, 2020

IT HAPPENED TO ME TWICE.. WHILE DRIVING THE GAS GAUGE WILL DROP TO EMPTY AND WHEN PRESSING ON THE GAS IL JUST REV THERE BE A CUT OFF DUE TO THE FUEL LEVEL SENSOR IN WHICH IT'S A COMMON IN ALL SAABS I DON'T KNOW WHY THIS ISSUE HASN'T BECOME A RECALL. IT'S DANGEROUS THE CUT OFF IS AROUND 2-3 SECONDS. I ALMOST CAUSE AN ACCIDENT DUE TO THE LOST OF POWER. I WAS ENTERING THE FREE WAY AND AN 18 WHEELER HAD TO SWITCH LANES AND PASSED I WAS GOING AROUND 45 MPH MERGING . THE SECOND TIME I WAS GOING 25 MPH AND IT FELT LIKE THE ENGINE SHUT OF AND GATHER SPEED. THERE IS A RECALL FOR THE FUEL PUMP AND MY VEHICLE HAS THE SAME SYMPTOMS OTHERS HAVE DESCRIBE. IT FEELS LIKE THE CAR HAS ISSUES BUT THEIR NOT PARTS TO DIFFICULT TO CHANGE BUT IF YOU TAKE THE CAR TO A MECHANIC THEYL CHARGE YOU RIDICULOUS FOR LABOR ALMOST $1200 JUST IN CHANGING THE DRIVE BELT?

NHTSA ID
11382978
Incident
Apr 7, 2020
Mileage
86,000 mi
Fuel system
Filed Aug 6, 2019
Fire reported

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 SAAB 9-3. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE TRYING TO START THE VEHICLE, HE HEARD AN ABNORMAL NOISE. THE CONTACT STATED HE SAW SMOKE COMING THE HOOD. THE CONTACT STATED NO WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT STATED HE EXITED THE VEHICLE AND WAS INFORMED FIRE WAS COMING FROM A FUEL LEAK ON THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE. THE CONTACT STATED A BYSTANDER CAME WITH A FIRE EXTINGUISHER AND EXTINGUISH THE FIRE. THE CONTACT STATED THERE WERE NO INJURIES OR MEDICAL ATTENTION NEEDED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE CONTACT CALLED THE LOCAL DEALER FLIKKEMA SAAB LOCATED AT 2424 176TH ST, LANSING, IL 60438, (708) 474-1933, AND WERE MADE AWARE OF FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED AS OF YET. THE MANUFACTURER HAD BEEN INFORMED OF FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 74,000. *DT *JB

NHTSA ID
11242006
Incident
Aug 2, 2019
Mileage
74,000 mi
Driver assistanceFuel systemExterior lighting
Filed Feb 18, 2017

FREQUENTLY THE CAR STALLS SUDDENLY IN TRAFFIC, LOOSES POWER I CAN'T ACCELERATE THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS POTENTIAL TO GET HIT. THE OTHER PROBLEM IS THE CAR VIBRATES AND ALL OF SUDDEN A LOT OF SMOKE COMES OUT FROM BACK AND RICH GASOLINE SMELL COMES AND THE SPEED TURNS TO 0. I TURN IT OFF FOR FIVE MINUTES AND RESTART SOMETIMES IT STARTS OK SOMETIMES IT VIBRATES AGAIN. THIS HAPPENS VERY FREQUENTLY

NHTSA ID
10955386
Incident
Feb 15, 2017
Mileage
190,000 mi
Fuel system
Filed Aug 21, 2015

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 SAAB 9-3. WHILE DRIVING AT 65 MPH, THE VEHICLE DECELERATED AND BEGAN TO VIBRATE AS AN ABNORMAL NOISE EMITTED FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT WITHOUT WARNING. AS A RESULT, THE VEHICLE STALLED AND WHEN ATTEMPTING TO RESTART THE LOW FUEL WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT PRIOR TO THE FAILURE, THE FUEL GAUGE DISPLAYED TO HAVE HALF A TANK FULL OF FUEL. AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WAS ABLE TO BRING FUEL AND REFUEL THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS ABLE TO RESTART. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE FAILURE HAD PROGRESSED AND THE FUEL GAUGE FLUCTUATES CAUSING THE CONTACT TO BE UNAWARE OF THE ACCURATE FUEL LEVEL. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 93,000.

NHTSA ID
10750363
Incident
Aug 13, 2015
Mileage
93,000 mi
Fuel system
Filed Aug 5, 2013

CAR STALLED. WILL NOT START....I WAS TOLD THERE WAS A RECALL ON THE FUEL PUMP. I CALLED AND WAS TOLD I NEEDED THE FUEL PUMP PART NUMBER. I CALLED THE DEALER THAT I BOUGHT THE CAR FROM, STILL MAKING PAYMENTS, AND HE SAID THAT HE COULD NOT ASSIST ME BECAUSE HE BOUGHT THE CAR FROM AN AUCTION. PLEASE HELP ME , I NEED TO GET THE FUEL PUMP REPLACED. *TR

NHTSA ID
10533757
Incident
Jul 10, 2013
Mileage
97,141 mi
ElectricalFuel system
Filed Mar 6, 2013

VEHICLE STALLED DURING A RIGHT TURN AT SLOW SPEED. *TR

NHTSA ID
10501474
Incident
Mar 6, 2013
Mileage
66,486 mi
Fuel systemPowertrain (other)
Filed Dec 6, 2011

IN APRIL 2011, WHEN I STARTED MY CAR MY ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. I HAD VERY LITTLE POWER ON ACCELERATION UNTIL MY CAR HIT 2000 RPM. A DIAGNOSTIC SHOWED IT WAS A THROTTLE POSITION SENSOR. FIRST OCCURRENCE WAS SIX MONTHS AGO, IT HAS HAPPENED AT LEAST 20 TIMES SINCE. THE CAR WILL ACT LIKE THIS FOR 2 DAYS THEN WORK NORMAL AGAIN. I HAVE TO PROCEED WITH EXTREME CAUTION PULLING OUT IN TRAFFIC. I ALSO TAKE OFF EXTREMELY SLOW FROM ANY FULL STOPS I MAKE. IT IS HIT OR MISS EVERY TIME I START MY CAR. *TR

NHTSA ID
10438728
Incident
Jun 6, 2011
Mileage
69,000 mi
Fuel system
Filed Jun 26, 2009

REPEATED ATTEMPTS TO TIGHTEN GAS CAP HAVE FAILED, AND RESULTS IN THE CEL (CHECK ENGINE LIGHT). SINCE THE CAP'S MECHANISM IS OBVIOUSLY WORN OUT, AND THIS IS EMISSIONS RELATED, I FEEL THAT IT SHOULD BE COVERED UNDER EXTENDED EMISSION WARRANTY. *TR

NHTSA ID
10275060
Incident
May 12, 2009
Mileage
45,641 mi
EngineFuel system
Filed Sep 29, 2005

THE ENGINE ON MY 2005 SAAB 9-3 HAS FAILED TWO TIMES WITHIN THE FIRST 4900 MILES ON THE ODOMETER. THE FIRST FAILURE OCCURRED IN JUNE OF 2005 AND THE PROBLEM WAS DIAGNOSED AS A THROTTLE BODY FAILURE. THE FAILURE RESULTS IN THE CAR ACCELERATING EXTREMELY SLOW WITHOUT ANY PRIOR NOTICE. THE SECOND FAILURE OCCURRED ON JULY 18, 2005 WHEN I WAS NEARLY HIT MAKING A LEFT HAND TURN. THE SAME SYMPTOMS PRESENTED WITHOUT ANY INDICATION THAT THERE WAS A FAILURE ABOUT TO OCCUR. I HAVE RESEARCHED THE SAABNET WEBSITE AND IT APPEARS I AM NOT ALONE IN FALLING VICTIM TO THE DEFECTIVE THROTTLE BODY IN THE SAAB 9-3 MODEL. IT APPEARS TO BE A PERVASIVE PROBLEM. SAAB'S ATTORNEY INDICATED THAT THIS DID NOT RISE TO THE LEVEL OF A RECALL NOR A PROBLEM THAT REQUIRE REPLACEMENT OF THE VEHICLE. *JB

NHTSA ID
10138156
Incident
Jul 18, 2005
Mileage
5,000 mi

Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.

Other components reported on this vehicle

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Elsewhere on this vehicle

Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .