2005 Saab 9-3 Suspension Problems

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 SAAB 9-3. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE PASSENGER STRUT WAS BENT. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE STRUT WAS REPLACED BUT WAS CONCERNED THAT THE FAILURE WOULD RECUR. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE STRUTS NEEDED TO BE REPAIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100,000. THE VIN WAS NOT PROVIDED.

NHTSA ID

10836946

Incident

Feb 1, 2016

Mileage

100,000 mi

WHILE DRIVING ON THE STREET AT 30 MPH I HEAR A BANG! I START TO LOSE CONTROL OF THE STEERING WHEEL I IMMEDIATELY PUT MY HAZARD LIGHTS ON AND PULLED OVER SAFELY ONCE I GAINED CONTROL WHEN I GET OUT THE CAR TO INSPECT IT MY PASSENGERS SIDE FRONT SPRING IS BROKEN IN TWO AND MY PASSENGER SIDE TIRE IS BLOWN. I COULD HAVE BEEN VERY BADLY INJURED OR KILLED! SAAB YOU NEED TO DO A RECALL THIS IS LIFE THREATENING!

NHTSA ID

10824229

Incident

Feb 3, 2016

Mileage

130,000 mi

JUST PUT 2005 SAAB 9-3 INTO SHOP FOR NEW BREAKS AND WAS INFORMED THAT THE FRONT PASSENGER COIL SPRING WAS BROKEN. PARTS ARE UNAVAILABLE. I HAVE NO RECOLLECTION AS TO WHEN THIS MIGHT HAVE HAPPENED. THANKFULLY IT WAS NOT ON FREEWAY. *TR

NHTSA ID

10654158

Incident

Nov 10, 2014

Mileage

167,000 mi

I WENT TO PUT NEW TIRES ON THE CAR BECAUSE OF A FLAT TIRE AND THE SERVICE GARAGE INDICATED THE FRONT COIL SPRINGS WERE BROKEN. I CALLED A SAAB DEALEARSHIP AND THAT INDICATED THAT THE PREVIOUS OWNER REPLACED THE SPRINGS BUT THE REPLACEMENT SPRINGS WERE NOT COVERED. *TR

NHTSA ID

10626883

Incident

May 10, 2012

Mileage

52,892 mi

FRONT COIL SPRINGS BROKE. SERVICE STATION HAD TO REMOVE FRONT STRUT ASSEMBLIES TO REPLACE "BROKEN" FRONT COIL SPRINGS- INSTALL STRUTS-CLEAN AFFECTED SURFACES AND TWO NEW TIRES. *TR

NHTSA ID

10454715

Incident

Apr 6, 2012

Mileage

66,489 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 SAAB 9-3. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 5 MPH, THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE SUSPENSION COIL SPRING FRACTURED AND PUNCTURED THE FRONT PASSENGER TIRE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DRIVABLE AND WAS TOWED TO A LOCAL MECHANIC SHOP WHERE THE FAILURE WAS CONFIRMED. THE DEALER WAS CONTACTED AND ADVISED THAT THE PARTS NEEDED FOR THE REPAIR WERE ON A NATIONAL BACK ORDER AND THE DEALER WAS UNAWARE OF WHEN THE PARTS WOULD BECOME AVAILABLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE WHO STATED THEY WERE NOT SURE WHEN THE PARTS WOULD BECOME AVAILABLE AND OFFERED NO FURTHER ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 78,000.

NHTSA ID

10453833

Incident

Mar 27, 2012

Mileage

78,000 mi

THE FRONT-RIGHT COIL SPRING HAS BROKEN (WHEN TURNING 180 DEGREE, AT 3 OR 5 MPH); *TR

NHTSA ID

10452688

Incident

Mar 22, 2012

Mileage

78,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 SAAB 9-3. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 25 MPH, SHE HEARD A LOUD NOISE AND THE VEHICLE STARTED TO DRIVE DIFFERENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN STRAIGHT TO THE DEALER WHERE THEY ADVISED HER THAT THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE COIL SPRINGS WERE FRACTURED AND NEEDED TO BE REPAIRED. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND THEY ADVISED HER THAT THEY HAD ISSUED AN EXTENDED WARRANTY BUT HER VEHICLE WAS NOT ONE OF THE AFFECTED UNITS THAT THE WARRANTY WOULD COVER. THE FAILURE AND THE CURRENT MILEAGES WERE APPROXIMATELY 42,000.

NHTSA ID

10450858

Incident

Mar 7, 2012

Mileage

42,000 mi

A FEW WEEKS AGO, I BEGAN TO NOTICE A CLUNKING SOUND NEAR FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE TIRE WHEN GOING OVER BUMPS IN THE ROAD. UPON INVESTIGATION THIS WEEK, I COULD SEE THAT THE COIL SPRING WAS BROKEN RIGHT THROUGH THE METAL. I HAD NEVER HEARS OF ANYTHING LIKE THAT. MILEAGE IS APPROXIMATELY 77,000. DROVE IT TO THE MECHANIC, WHO CONFIRMED THAT THERE IS A BROKEN SPRING. THEY INFORMED ME THAT, ALTHOUGH THE PART IS NOT EXPENSIVE, THERE ARE NONE AVAILABLE, THAT THIS IS A KNOWN DEFECT, AND THE PART IS ON A NATIONAL BACKORDER! I NEVER REC'D ANY SORT OF NOTIFICATION FROM SAAB ABOUT THIS. THE MECHANIC ALSO SAID THAT I WAS INCREDIBLY LUCKY THAT THE BREAK DIDN'T HAPPEN ON THE FREEWAY, THAT IT COULD HAVE TAKEN OUT THE BRAND NEW FRONT TIRE. I HAVE A YOUNG DAUGHTER AND I VOLUNTEER TO DRIVE OTHER SCHOOL KIDS ON A WEEKLY BASIS--THIS COULD HAVE BEEN CATASTROPHIC. UNTIL A NEW SPRING IS FOUND, I WAS TOLD NOT TO DRIVE THE CAR, THAT IT COULD BLOW OUT THE TIRE AT ANY TIME. THERE IS NO ETA ON THE NEW PART. EVEN THOUGH SAAB IS BANKRUPT, THERE'S A LOCAL DEALER STILL IN BUSINESS, SO I'M THE WAIT LIST FOR THE PART WITH THEM AS WELL. IN THE MEANTIME, I'M STUCK. *TR

NHTSA ID

10449201

Incident

Feb 21, 2012

Mileage

77,000 mi

COIL BROKE , AND COULD HAVE DESTROYED THE TIRE AT HIGH SPEEDS WOULD HAVE BEEN REALLY BAD. *TT

NHTSA ID

10445908

Incident

Jan 26, 2012

Mileage

67,342 mi

WHILE BACKING OUT OF MY DRIVEWAY, I HEARD A LOUD NOISE THAT SOUNDED LIKE A SPRING. AFTER TAKING THE CAR TO THE DEALER, I WAS INFORMED THAT THE PASSENGER STRUT SPRING REQUIRED REPLACEMENT. SEVERAL HOURS LATER, I WAS INFORMED THAT THE PART WAS ONLY AVAILABLE FROM SAAB IN SWEDEN AND THE ETA WAS UNKNOWN DUE TO SAAB BANKRUPTCY STATUS. A DAY LATER THE DEALER WAS ABLE TO LOCATE A USED PART WITH A 30-DAY WARRANTY BUT I WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR ALL REPAIR COSTS. FORTUNATELY, NO DAMAGE WAS DONE TO MY TIRES, AS I HAD JUST REPLACED THE SET ONLY TWO WEEKS PRIOR. ALSO, I APPRECIATE THE DEALER TELLING ME OF THE RISK IN CONTINUING TO DRIVE THE CAR WITH THE BROKEN SPRING. THEY ALSO PROVIDED A LOANER CAR FOR THE PERIOD OF THE REPAIR. STILL, IF THIS IS A KNOWN DEFECT FOR THIS MODEL AND YEAR, THE REPAIR COST SHOULD HAVE BEEN COVERED AND/OR CONSUMERS SHOULD HAVE RECEIVED SOME TYPE OF NOTIFICATION OF THE POTENTIAL PROBLEM. *TR

NHTSA ID

10445539

Incident

Jan 12, 2012

Mileage

101,250 mi

APPROXIMATELY 4 MONTHS AGO MY RIGHT FRONT COIL SPRING BROKE ON MY 2005 SAAB 9-3 AT AROUND 75,000 MILES. I WAS PULLING OUT OF MY GARAGE WHEN IT SNAPPED, BUT COULD NOT DETERMINE THE SOURCE OF THE SOUND AS NOTHING APPEARED BROKEN TO MY UNTRAINED EYE AND THE VEHICLE STILL OPERATED FINE. OVER THE NEXT COUPLE WEEKS I BROUGHT IT IN TO THE DEALERSHIP FOR FRONT END NOISE AND THE BROKEN SPRING WAS DISCOVERED. NOT A BIG DEAL AS THE REPAIR WAS COVERED UNDER A SERVICE BULLETIN AND NO DAMAGE OCCURRED TO THE VEHICLE. HOWEVER, A FEW DAYS AGO MY RIGHT REAR COIL SPRING SNAPPED AS I WAS TRAVELING DOWN THE HIGHWAY. THERE WAS NO APPARENT CHANGE IN HOW THE VEHICLE HANDLED, BUT AFTER MY EXPERIENCE WITH THE FRONT SPRING THE SOUND WAS FAMILIAR AND THEREFORE I HAD MY HUSBAND INSPECT IT. APPARENTLY, THERE IS NO SERVICE BULLETIN FOR THE REAR SPRINGS, JUST THE FRONT SPRINGS AND I'M WONDERING WHY BOTH FRONT AND REAR ARE NOT COVERED BY THIS SERVICE BULLETIN. *KB

NHTSA ID

10416748

Incident

Jul 30, 2011

Mileage

82,000 mi

I HAVE A 2005 SAAB 9-3 THAT BECAME UNDRIVEABLE AFTER THE FRONT LEFT COILS/SPRINGS BROKE, PUNCTURING THE FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE TIRE. THE CAR WAS IN MOTION WHEN A POPPING SOUND WAS HEARD, FOLLOWED BY GRINDING AND A BURNING RUBBER SMELL. AT THAT POINT THE CAR WAS NOT ABLE TO BE DRIVEN. IT WAS TOWED TO A LOCAL REPAIR SHOP AND THEN TO A SAAB DEALERSHIP TO COMPLETE THE REPAIRS BECAUSE THERE IS A CAMPAIGN OUT FOR THIS ISSUE, BUT NOT A RECALL. THE SPRINGS/COILS WERE REPLACED FOR FREE BUT THE TIRE COST WAS PRORATED AND THE CAR REQUIRED AN ALIGNMENT AFTER THE REPAIRS WHICH WAS NOT COVERED IN THE COST. THIS CAR HAD BEEN IN THE DEALER SERVICE DEPARTMENT 2 WEEKS PRIOR TO THIS FAILURE AND THE COILS/SPRINGS WERE SPECIFICALLY CHECKED DUE TO THE CAMPAIGN. THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT DETERMINED THAT THE PARTS DID NOT SHOW ANY SIGN OF DAMAGE AND SO WERE NOT REPLACED. BOTH TOW TRUCK DRIVERS AND THE REPAIR SHOP OWNER COMMENTED THAT I WAS LUCKY THAT THIS DID NOT HAPPEN ON THE HIGHWAY, CONSIDERING HOW QUICKLY IT RENDERED THE CAR UNDRIVEABLE AND WHAT COULD HAVE HAPPENED HAD I BEEN GOING AT A FAST RATE OF SPEED, SURROUNDED BY OTHER CARS. I AM SHOCKED THAT THIS ISSUE IS NOT A RECALL AS IT IS A HUGE SAFETY RISK. *TR

NHTSA ID

10398885

Incident

Apr 6, 2011

Mileage

74,155 mi

SINCE I BOUGHT MY CAR (NEW) IN JUNE '05 I HAVE COMPLAINED OF A "CRUNCHING NOISE" IN THE FRONT SUSPENSION EVERY TIME THE WEATHER TURNED COLD. I WAS TOLD THE PROBLEMS VARIED FROM BALL BEARINGS TO THE SWAY BAR, TO JUST DIRT BUILD UP. EACH TIME THE DEALER MADE SOME "REPAIR" TO GET ME OUT THE DOOR. THE PROBLEM CONTINUED. NOW, APRIL '11 I HAVE A BROKEN SPRING IN THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE. I HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT I HAVE TO PAY THE DEALER TO DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM BEFORE THEY WILL CONSIDER FIXING IT UNDER ANY SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCE FREE OF CHARGE. I HAVE SOURCED SOME PARTS FOR IT AND AM CONSIDERING HAVING IT FIXED BY MYSELF, RATHER THAN GO TO THE DEALER WHO BRUSHED ME OFF FOR 5 YEARS. THANKFULLY I WAS JUST PULLING OUT OF MY PARKING SPOT WHEN I HEARD THE GRINDING NOISE FROM THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE AND I WAS NOT TRAVELING AT A HIGH RATE OF SPEED WHEN THIS HAPPENED. THE SPRING BROKE DOWNWARD AND WAS VERY NEAR THE TIRE. THERE COULD HAVE BEEN A SERIOUS TIRE BLOWOUT ON THE HIGHWAY HAD I NOT BEEN SO LUCKY. *TR

NHTSA ID

10394268

Incident

Apr 4, 2011

Mileage

53,000 mi

AS I WAS PULLING OUT OF MY GARAGE, I HEARD A LOUD POPPING SOUND. WHEN I GOT OUT OF THE CAR TO INSPECT WHAT HAPPENED, I NOTICED A BROKEN STRUT COIL ON THE PASSENGER SIDE. I AM REPORTING THIS BECAUSE WHEN I VISITED SEVERAL ONLINE FORUMS, IT SEAMS THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM FOR SAABS, AND IT COULD BE DANGEROUS IF IT OCCURS AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. THE CAR HAD TO BE TOWED TO A REPAIR SHOP AND IS CURRENTLY AWAITING REPAIR. THE DAMAGED PART IS AVAILABLE. AUTOMOBILE IS A 2005 SAAB 9-3 CONVERTIBLE ARC. *TR

NHTSA ID

10392275

Incident

Mar 20, 2011

2005 SAAB 9-3 DRIVER'S SIDE FRONT STRUT SPRING JUST BROKE. NO WARNING, DROVE YESTERDAY AND CAR WAS FINE, WENT TO BACK OUT OF GARAGE AND A TERRIBLE GRINDING, SCRAPING NOISE OCCURRED. DISCOVERED THE SPRING BROKE AND RUBBING AGAINST TIRE. LUCKILY THIS DID NOT OCCUR WHILE DRIVING AT NORMAL SPEEDS. SEEMS LIKE IT COULD HAVE CAUSED TIRE BLOW OUT AND POSSIBLY AN ACCIDENT. *TR

NHTSA ID

10386600

Incident

Mar 6, 2011

Mileage

55,662 mi

TO WHOM THIS MAY BE CONCERNED: I JUST CALLED SAAB CORP AND MY LOCAL SAAB DEALER, AND THEY'RE ACTING LIKE IT'S NO BIG DEAL???? I THINK IT'S A VERY BIG DEAL AND ACCORDING TO MY PERSONAL NON-SAAB MECHANIC, THIS COULD HAVE BEEN A LIFE-THREATENING ORDEAL IF THE COIL-SPRING WOULD HAVE BROKE AT A HIGHER SPEEDS... IT'S JUST PLAIN WRONG THAT SAAB-CORP IS NOT MAKING A BIGGER DEAL ABOUT THIS ISSUE??? WHY??? ANY AND ALL INFO WILL BE APPRECIATED. ALSO I'M THINKING ABOUT REPORTING THIS TO MY OUR LOCAL CONGRESSMAN AND STATE SENATOR?? THANK YOU AND SAFE-DRIVING:: [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

NHTSA ID

10376237

Incident

Jan 10, 2011

Mileage

64,000 mi

2005 SAAB 93 - FRONT PASSENGER COIL BROKE AND DUG INTO TIRE. NO WARNING INDICATED SUCH AS STRANGE SOUNDS OR CAR HANDLING DIFFERENTLY. JUST SUDDENLY BROKE NEAR BOTTOM OF COIL AND THE BROKEN END OF THE COIL DUG INTO THE TIRE. THE TIRE HAS AN INDENTATION THE GOES COMPLETELY AROUND THE INSIDE. TIRE IS DAMAGED/DANGEROUS NOW AND NEEDS TO BE REPLACED ALSO. WAS DRIVING SLOWLY AT THE TIME SO NO PERSONAL INJURY. *TR

NHTSA ID

10303283

Incident

Dec 23, 2009

Mileage

756,464 mi

THE PROBLEM APPARENTLY OCCURRED WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE FREEWAY. I HEARD A LOUD "CLUNK" THAT SOUNDED LIKE I HAD HIT SOMETHING BUT THERE WAS NOTHING IN THE ROAD. FOLLOWING THAT, EVERY TIME I WOULD DRIVE OVER AN IRREGULARITY IN THE ROAD I WOULD HEAR A "CLUNK" IN THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE. I TOOK IT TO A LOCAL SHOP TO FIND OUT WHAT WAS MAKING THE NOISE AND THEY DISCOVERED THE BROKEN RIGHT FRONT COIL SPRING. THE SHARP BROKEN END WAS VERY CLOSE TO ROTATING INTO THE SIDE OF THE TIRE WHICH WOULD HAVE BEEN CATASTROPHIC. I HAVE THE BROKEN PIECE OF THE SPRING. I HAVE ALSO LEARNED THAT THIS IS A DISTURBINGLY COMMON PROBLEM WITH THIS MODEL OF SAAB AS I RAN ACROSS A WEB SITE WITH MANY SAAB 9-3 OWNERS THAT HAVE EXPERIENCED THE SAME THING AT ROUGHLY THE SAME MILEAGE I HAVE WHICH IS 49700. MY FOUR YEAR, 50,000 MILE WARRANTY RECENTLY EXPIRED. I JUST FOUND OUT ABOUT THE BROKEN SPRING YESTERDAY AND HAVE NOT YET HAD IT REPAIRED. I INTEND TO CONTACT THE DEALER TOMORROW MORNING BUT I WANT YOUR ORGANIZATION TO BE AWARE OF THIS DANGEROUS DEFECT. *TR

NHTSA ID

10302094

Incident

Jan 23, 2010

Mileage

49,700 mi

WITH A LITTLE OVER 50,000 MILES AN ODD NOISE STARTED IN THE FRONT SUSPENSION. A COUPLE OF MONTHS AFTER THIS CLUNKING NOISE BEGAN I MADE AN APPOINTMENT AT A SAAB DEALER AND IT WAS DIAGNOSED AS A BROKEN SPRING. I HAD BOTH SPRINGS REPLACED (THE RIGHT FRONT WAS BROKEN) AS A PRECAUTION, BECAUSE I HAVE LEARNED THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM FOR NEWER SAAB 9-3'S. ALTHOUGH I WAS ABLE TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE WITH THE BROKEN SPRING, A SPRING FAILURE OF THIS NATURE COULD CAUSE CATASTROPHIC FAILURE OF THE TIRE, HENCE THE SAFETY CONCERN. THE FREQUENCY OF BROKEN SPRINGS IN THIS MODEL OF CAR LEADS ME TO CONCLUDE THAT A RECALL IS IN ORDER. *TR

NHTSA ID

10298331

Incident

Mar 15, 2009

Mileage

53,000 mi

2005 SAAB 9-3 ARC, FRONT RIGHT SPRING BROKE AND DESTROYED FRONT RIGHT TIRES. APPROXIMATELY 38K MILE ON VEHICLE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10296592

Incident

Dec 21, 2009

Mileage

38,000 mi

MY 2005 SAAB 93 44,500 MILES. WHILE DRIVING TO WORK ON A SIX LANE DIVIDED HIGHWAY (I495) IN THE RIGHT TRAVEL LANE THE RIGHT FRONT COIL SPRING BROKE AND SHRED THE TIRE CAUSING A BLOW OUT. THE DRIVER HAD NEVER BEFORE EXPERIENCED A TIRE BLOW OUT AND WAS STARTLED AND JERKED THE STEERING WHEEL TO THE LEFT IN A MOMENT OF PANIC AND THE CAR BEGAN TO SLIDE SIDEWAYS WHILE SCRUBBING OFF SPEED. THE CAR REMAINED MOSTLY IN THE RIGHT TRAVEL LANE. THERE WASN'T MUCH TRAFFIC ON THE ROAD AT 5AM AND THE CAR DID NOT HIT ANY OTHER VEHICLES OR OBJECTS. THE DRIVER REGAINED CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND PULLED OFF THE RIGHT SHOULDER OF THE ROAD AND GOT OUT OF THE VEHICLE TO EXAMINE THE DAMAGE. THE RIGHT FRONT TIRE WAS FLAT SO THE DRIVER JACKED THE CAR UP AND REMOVED THE TIRE. IMMEDIATELY APPARENT WAS THE BROKEN COIL SPRING. THE DRIVER DID NOT WANT TO SPEND THE MONEY FOR A TOW TRUCK. INSTEAD, THE DRIVER DECIDED TO INSTALL THE TEMPORARY SPACE SAVER SPARE TIRE AND LIMP THE CAR HOME BY DRIVING ON THE SHOULDER FOR ABOUT 10 MINUTES AT 30MPH WITH THE HAZARD WARNING LIGHTS FLASHING. THE CAR WAS PARKED IN THE DRIVEWAY AND ANOTHER VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN TO WORK. LATER A MECHANIC WAS HIRED TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE WHERE IT WAS PARKED IN THE OWNER'S DRIVEWAY. BOTH FRONT COIL SPRINGS AND THE DAMAGED TIRE WERE REPLACED AT A TOTAL COST OF APPROXIMATELY $600.

NHTSA ID

10294828

Incident

Dec 7, 2009

Mileage

44,500 mi

NORMAL DRIVING. BOTTOM SIX INCHES OF FRONT RIGHT STRUT COIL SPRING JUST BROKE. I HAVE NEVER SEEN A COIL SPRING JUST BREAK BEFORE. THIS PART IS STILL ON THE CAR AND I HAVE THE BROKEN SIX INCH SEMI-CIRCULAR PIECE. IT TOOK ALMOST THREE MONTHS BEFORE I DISCOVERED WHERE A CLICKING SOUND WAS COMING FROM IN THE FRONT RIGHT SUSPENSION. *TR

NHTSA ID

10291543

Incident

Aug 16, 2009

Mileage

70,000 mi

FRONT COIL SPRING FRACTURE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10284047

Incident

Aug 23, 2009

Mileage

43,920 mi

2005 SAAB 9-3 ARC SEDAN FRONT COIL SPRING FRACTURED. BROKEN SPRING CONTACTED TIRE SIDE WALL AND CAUSED IRREPARABLE DAMAGE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10278496

Incident

Jul 18, 2009

Mileage

67,000 mi