2006 Saab 9-3 Brakes Problems

VEHICLE STALLS WHILE IN DRIVE THERE IS INTERNAL FUEL ISSUE CAUSING ENGINE TO MISFIRE AND POTENTIAL DAMAGE

NHTSA ID

11173160

Incident

Jan 8, 2019

Mileage

160,000 mi

WHEN BACKING OUT OF MY GARAGE THIS MORNING THE VEHICLE BRAKES WERE VERY DIFFICULT TO ENGAGE AND HAD TO FORCIBLY DEPRESS THE BRAKE PEDAL TO STOP THE VEHICLE (WHICH STILL DID NOT PROVIDE FULL BRAKING FORCE) AND AVOID RUNNING INTO THE PARKED VEHICLE BEHIND ME. THIS HAS BEEN A PROBLEM FOR AS LONG AS I HAVE OWNED THE VEHICLE. TYPICALLY OCCURS WHENEVER THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN PARKED FOR SOME TIME (E.G. OVER NIGHT OR DURING THE WORK DAY) - JUST REPLACED THE BRAKE PADS AND ROTORS AND THIS HAD ABSOLUTELY NO POSITIVE IMPACT ON THE PROBLEM. DEFINITELY A SAFETY ISSUE THAT COULD RESULT IN AN ACCIDENT. *TR

NHTSA ID

10644438

Incident

Oct 14, 2014

Mileage

83,200 mi

MULTIPLE SHORTS INDICATED ON SID. ORIGINAL MESSAGE "ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL FAILURE". THIS IS A COMMON COMPLAINT AMONGST SAAB OWNERS FOR THIS MAKE AND MODEL. OCCASIONALLY, AN ASSOCIATED AN ABS FAILURE INDICATION WILL APPEAR WHILE TRAVELING. HAVE NOT NOTICED A LOSS IN ABS FUNCTION YET, BUT IT WAS DRY WHEN THESE SHORTS OCCURRED. THE FAILURE IS ASSUMED TO BE ASSOCIATED WITH THE CRUISE CONTROL FUNCTION AND ITS USE HAS BEEN LOST. *TR

NHTSA ID

10592938

Incident

Oct 14, 2013

Mileage

90,000 mi

UPON STARTING THE VEHICLE AFTER SITTING, THE BRAKES HAD GREATLY INCREASED PEDAL EFFORT TO APPLY AND GREATLY REDUCED BREAKING RESULT. THE CAR FAILED TO STOP AND STRUCK A POLE WHILE BACKING UP.

NHTSA ID

10542489

Incident

Aug 23, 2010

Mileage

54,079 mi

2 INCIDENTS OCCURRED. I HAVE OWNED THE CAR FOR 1 WEEK AND, OCCASIONALLY ON COLD STARTS, WHEN ATTEMPTING TO BACK UP AND STOP, THE BRAKE PEDAL IS HARD TO DEPRESS MAKING BRAKING EXTREMELY DIFFICULT. ADDITIONALLY, ON OCCASION, IF I ACCELERATE AND THEN ATTEMPT TO DEPRESS BRAKE PEDAL, THE PEDAL IS EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO DEPRESS MAKING STOPPING DIFFICULT. THIS HAS ALMOST RESULTED IN AN ACCIDENT DURING HGH TRAFFIC SITUATIONS. *TR

NHTSA ID

10532103

Incident

Jul 26, 2013

Mileage

74,689 mi

I HAVE HAD MY 2006 SAAB 9-3 IN FOR SERVICE 4 TIMES FOR AN ABS/TRACTION CONTROL/STABILITY CONTROL FAILURE. EACH TIME I TAKE IT TO THE DEALERSHIP, THEY TELL ME THAT THE COST IS AROUND $385 FOR A HUB ASSEMBLY, NO LABOR INCLUDED. I HAVE TALKED TO MANY PEOPLE WHO HAVE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM. THE REAL PROBLEM IS THAT THE WIRE LEADING TO THE WHEEL CORRODES. NOW MY CAR IS AT THE DEALERSHIP FOR THE SAME PROBLEM AND THEY WANT TO PUT IN A REAR HARNESS FOR THE SAME SYSTEM AND WANT TO CHARGE ME $315 JUST FOR THE PART, DOESN'T INCLUDE LABOR. THIS PART HAS BEEN FOUND FOR AROUND $120 ELSEWHERE. THIS IS VERY FRUSTRATING AS THE CAR ACTS AS A TOTALLY DIFFERENT ANIMAL WHEN IT IS NOT FUNCTIONING PROPERLY. EVERY TIME THIS HAS HAPPENED THE TEMPERATURE HAS BEEN 40 DEGREES F OR LOWER. *TR

NHTSA ID

10496655

Incident

Nov 6, 2012

Mileage

78,000 mi

HAD BEEN HAVING PROBLEMS WITH A VERY ROUGH IDLE. THEN WHEN PUTTING CAR INTO REVERSE FROM A COLD START THE BRAKES WOULD BE INOPERABLE (BRAKE WOULD NOT PRESS DOWN). THROWING CAR INTO A DIFFERENT GEAR WAS ONLY WAY TO STOP CAR. VERY SCARY WHEN PARKED ON AN INCLINE ONE MORNING AND REVERSED INTO TRAFFIC BUT COULDN'T STOP. TOOK TO SERVICE REPAIR TO FIND THE BRAKE BOOSTER NEEDED REPLACED. SAID THIS WAS UNACCEPTABLE FAILURE IN CAR OF THIS AGE/MILEAGE WHO HAS VERY REGULAR SERVICE RECORD. *TR

NHTSA ID

10472330

Incident

Jul 13, 2012

Mileage

58,000 mi

ON JULY 22ND 2010 AT APPROXIMATELY 1500 EST, I STARTED MY CAR, A 2006 SAAB 9-3 AERO SPORT SEDAN AND PLACED IT INTO REVERSE TO EXIT MY GARAGE/ DRIVEWAY ON MY WAY TO WORK. AS I NEARED THE STREET I DEPRESSED THE BRAKE PEDAL TO SLOW DOWN AND ENTER THE STREET BUT THE BRAKE PEDAL SEEMED TO BE INEFFECTIVE AND I ENDED UP PUTTING THE CAR INTO NEUTRAL AND ENTERING THE STREET AT AN ANGLE. AFTER I HAD STOPPED IN THE STREET I PUMPED THE BRAKES AND PUT THE EMERGENCY BRAKE ON AND SHORTLY (2MIN) I WAS ON MY WAY WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT. I REPORTED THIS INCIDENT TO MY SAAB DEALER, AND THEY SAID THEY HAD NEVER HEARD OF THIS BEFORE AND SAID THERE WAS NOTHING I COULD DO AS IT WAS OUT OF WARRANTY. DURING THE REST OF THE SUMMER I DROVE THAT CAR I HAD NO FURTHER PROBLEMS. (IT IS MY PARENTS CAR THAT I DROVE WHEN I WAS HOME FOR THE SUMMER). I LATER FOUND OUT THAT MY PARENTS ALSO HAD THIS PROBLEM INTERMITTENTLY SO I BEGAN SEARCHING ONLINE AND FOUND OTHERS THAT HAD A SIMILAR PROBLEM AND REFERENCED A REPORT PE08005 WHICH SEEMED TO DESCRIBE MY PROBLEM. I BROUGHT THIS REPORT TO THE SAAB DEALER AND THEY TOLD ME THEY HAD NEVER SEEN IT AND COULDN'T DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT. *TR

NHTSA ID

10405979

Incident

Jul 22, 2010

Mileage

58,000 mi

LOW OF VEHICLE POWER BRAKE ASSIST. AFTER SITTING FOR SEVERAL HOURS, WHEN THE CAR WAS FIRST STARTED THE POWER BRAKE ASSIST WOULD NOT WORK OR WOULD WORK AT A REDUCED RATE. THERE WERE NOT CHECK ENGINE OR BRAKE LIGHTS TO NOTIFY US OF A FAILURE. THIS ALMOST RESULTED IN AN ACCIDENT. IT TOOK NEARLY 20 FT TO GET THE VEHICLE TO A COMPLETE STOP. HAD THIS OCCURRED IN A PARKING LOT OR IN ANOTHER LOCATION WERE A PERSON OR VEHICLE WAS CLOSE BY AN ACCIDENT WOULD HAVE OCCURRED. THE VACUUM PUMP WAS REPLACED I BELIEVE THE PART # IS 12822387. HAD A NOTIFICATION BEEN GIVEN THAT THERE WAS AN ISSUE SUCH AS A CHECK ENGINE OR BRAKE LIGHT, THIS WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN AS BIG OF AN ISSUE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10395349

Incident

Mar 9, 2011

Mileage

45,236 mi

ON A COLD START, THE BRAKES FAIL. *TR

NHTSA ID

10375328

Incident

May 1, 2008

Mileage

36,000 mi

BRAKE VACUUM PIPE CHECK VALVE BROKE APART, RESULTING IN A LOSS OF BRAKING POWER AND CHECK ENGINE FAULT. CAR WAS NOT DRIVABLE AFTER INCIDENT. *TR

NHTSA ID

10341358

Incident

Jun 30, 2010

Mileage

53,000 mi

ON COLD STARTUP THE VEHICLE HAS NO POWER ASSISTED BRAKES. THIS HAS LEAD TO NUMEROUS OCCASIONS WHERE YOU GET IN THE CAR AND BEGIN TO BACK OUT AND NEARLY HIT ANOTHER VEHICLE. IT TAKES NEARLY A MINUTE AFTER STARTUP OF THE VEHICLE BEFORE IT IS SAFE TO PUT IT IN GEAR. *TR

NHTSA ID

10336065

Incident

Jun 12, 2010

Mileage

37,564 mi

FOUND MY CAP TO MY BRAKE RESERVOIR CRACKED OPEN LIKE A TIN CAN ABOVE THE THREADS. THE PLASTIC LITERALLY SPLIT IN TWO. THE CAP STILL COULD BE TWISTED ON AND OFF EASILY, BUT WOULD NO LONGER PREVENT BRAKE FLUID FROM ESCAPING. CAP WILL BE REPLACED WITH A NEW ONE. I HAVE HEARD SIMILAR COMPLAINTS FROM PEOPLE WITH MY CAR POSSIBLY RELATED TO THE HEAT GENERATED BY THE TURBO. 2006 SAAB 9-3 AERO 2.8L V6. *TR

NHTSA ID

10324056

Incident

Apr 2, 2010

Mileage

39,000 mi

INTERMITTENT BRAKE FAILURE. MORE NOTICEABLE AT COLD STARTS PULLING OUT FORWARD OR BACKWARD. BRAKE PEDAL GOES TO THE FLOOR WITH VERY LITTLE BRAKING POWER. VERY DANGEROUS TO DRIVE AND WE PARKED THE CAR AND CONTACTED THE DEALER. THEY HAVE NOW HAD THE CAR FOR 4 WEEKS AND ARE WAITING ON A PART FROM THE FACTORY. THIS IS A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION ON THIS CAR AND COULD VERY EASILY RESULT IN AN ACCIDENT WITH INJURIES OR DEATH. I AM A MALE AND IT WAS ALL I COULD DO TO GET THE CAR STOPPED ON AT LEAST 2 OCCASIONS. I HAD TO USE THE EMERGENCY BRAKE ON ONE OCCASION TO AVOID A COLLISION. THIS CAR HAS 32,000 MILES ON IT. THE DEALER SAID THE PROBLEM WAS A VACUUM LINE ON THE BRAKE BOOSTER BUT THE REPLACEMENT MUST COME FROM SAAB. I AM NOT SURE IF THIS WILL RESOLVE THE PROBLEM OR NOT. *TR

NHTSA ID

10293380

Incident

Sep 18, 2009

Mileage

32,500 mi

2006 SAAB AERO V6, AT A COLD START AND WHILE BACKING OUT OF THE DRIVEWAY, THE BRAKE PEDAL GOES VERY HARD AND THE CAR WILL NOT STOP FOR 15 -20 FT. *TR

NHTSA ID

10285770

Incident

Sep 25, 2009

Mileage

33,200 mi

SIMILAR ISSUE TO NHTSA DEFECT INVESTIGATION # PE08005. LOSS OF BRAKE POWER ASSIST AFTER A COLD START UP AND REVERSING. THE VEHICLE IS VERY HARD TO STOP, REQUIRING HIGH PEDAL PRESSURE, UNTIL THE CAR HAS WARMED UP FOR ~30 SECONDS. THIS HAS OCCURRED NUMEROUS TIMES OVER THE PAST 6 MONTHS. IT IS MORE PROMINENT AFTER SITTING FOR SEVERAL DAYS. ALSO WHILE DRIVING ON THE ROAD, WHEN A BUMP IS HIT WHILE BRAKES ARE APPLIED, BRAKES MAKE A METAL-ON-METAL GRINDING SOUND AND THE BRAKING ACTION DOES NOT WORK UNTIL ADDITIONAL PRESSURE IS APPLIED. THIS ALSO HAPPENED WHEN BRAKING ON SLIPPERY ROAD CONDITIONS SUCH AS SNOW OR RAIN. THIS CAUSED A NEAR ACCIDENT WHEN MY CAR DID NOT STOP FOR ANOTHER 10 FEET THAN INTENDED AND ENTERED AN INTERSECTION ON A RED LIGHT. *TR

NHTSA ID

10279733

Incident

Jul 11, 2009

Mileage

40,000 mi

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 SAAB 9-3. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 50 MPH, THE POWER STEERING FAILED. IMMEDIATELY, THE BRAKE AND ACCELERATOR PEDALS FAILED TO RESPOND AND THE ENGINE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE ENGINE FAILED TO RESTART AFTER SEVERAL ATTEMPTS. ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE WAS CALLED TO THE SCENE AND THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER FOR INSPECTION. THE TECHNICIAN STATED THAT THE FAILURE WAS RELATED TO THE IDLING WITHIN THE COMPUTERIZED SYSTEM. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALER ON TWO SEPARATE OCCASIONS FOR IDENTICAL FAILURES. THE TECHNICIAN STATED THAT THE FAILURES WERE RELATED TO THE TEMPERATURE SENSOR, WHICH WAS REPLACED. THE FAILURE CONTINUED AND THE VEHICLE IS CURRENTLY BEING REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 40,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 40,550.

NHTSA ID

10278816

Incident

Jul 11, 2009

Mileage

40,000 mi

LOSS OF BRAKE POWER ASSIST AFTER A COLD START UP. THE VEHICLE IS VERY HARD TO STOP, REQUIRING HIGH PEDAL PRESSURE, UNTIL THE CAR HAS WARMED UP FOR ~30 SECONDS. THIS HAS OCCURRED NUMEROUS TIMES OVER THE PAST 6 MONTHS. *TR

NHTSA ID

10278365

Incident

Jul 1, 2009

Mileage

51,000 mi

CAR WILL NOT STOP WHEN IN REVERSE AFTER MORNING START-UP. NO BRAKING POWER IN REVERSE EVEN AT IDLE. PROBLEM HAS BEEN ADDRESSED 3 TIMES BY DEALERSHIP. CAR IN AGAIN FOR SAME PROBLEM ONLY 5 DAYS AFTER PREVIOUS "FIX" IN SHOP AGAIN NOW ALMOST 2 WEEKS AS OF TODAY. *TR

NHTSA ID

10231479

Incident

Jun 6, 2008

Mileage

20,000 mi

ON COLD START, MY HYDRAULIC BRAKES FAILS TO OPERATE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10231436

Incident

Jun 1, 2008

Mileage

20,000 mi

I OWN A 2006 SAAB 9-3 AERO SPORT COMBI. TWO WEEKS AGO, AFTER THE VEHICLE HAD BEEN PARKED FOR 24 HOURS, I STARTED THE VEHICLE AND PLACED THE GEAR SHIFT IN REVERSE. THE VEHICLE STARTED ROLLING OUT OF THE DRIVE WAY. THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS ROCK HARD AT THE TOP OF THE STROKE. IT TOOK ME NEARLY 75 FEET TO STOP THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TRAVELING AT 2-3 MPH. THE VEHICLE IS CURRENTLY AT THE DEALERSHIP BECAUSE THE BRAKE BOOSTER IS BACK ORDERED. THIS IS THE THIRD TIME THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN IN THE SHOP FOR THIS COMPLAINT. EACH TIME THE AUX. BRAKE BOOSTER WAS REPLACED. *TR

NHTSA ID

10230224

Incident

May 15, 2008

Mileage

27,000 mi

WHEN A BUMP IS HIT WHILE BRAKES ARE APPLIED, BRAKES MAKE A METAL-ON-METAL GRINDING SOUND. WHEN STEERING WHEEL IS TURNED AFTER BRAKING (PULLING INTO OR OUT OF PARKING SPACE) METALLIC CLICKING SOUND IS HEARD. BRAKES WORK BETTER AFTER CAR IS WARMED UP. *TR

NHTSA ID

10227403

Incident

Feb 2, 2008

LOSS OF BRAKE POWER ASSIST AFTER A COLD START UP. THE VEHICLE IS VERY HARD TO STOP, REQUIRING HIGH PEDAL PRESSURE, UNTIL THE CAR HAS WARMED UP FOR ~30 SECONDS. THIS HAS OCCURRED NUMEROUS TIMES OVER THE PAST 6 MONTHS. THE CAR HAS BEEN LEFT WITH 2 DIFFERENT DEALERS ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS, TO ALLOW THEM TO OBSERVE AND DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM. THEY HAVE NEVER BEEN ABLE TO DUPLICATE IT. I HAVE GIVEN THE DEALERS INFO ABOUT THE CURRENT NHTSA INVESTIGATION (PE08005) PERTAINING TO THIS SAME COMPLAINT FOR THIS MODEL CAR FROM SEVERAL OTHER SOURCES, AND NOTED THAT EARLIER MODELS OF THIS CAR WERE RECALLED FOR A (POSSIBLY) SIMILAR DEFECT. *TR

NHTSA ID

10226404

Incident

Jun 15, 2007

Mileage

15,000 mi

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 SAAB 9-3. ON THREE OCCASIONS, WHEN APPLYING THE BRAKES, THE PEDAL EXTENDED TO THE FLOOR. THE FAILURE WAS NOTICED WHILE DRIVING 3 MPH. THE VEHICLE DID NOT STOP. SHE PUMPED THE BRAKES AND THE VEHICLE EVENTUALLY STOPPED. ON THE THIRD OCCASION, SHE ENDED UP IN THE MIDDLE OF AN INTERSECTION BEFORE THE VEHICLE STOPPED. THE DEALER CURRENTLY HAS THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT SHE WAS EXPERIENCING THE SAME FAILURE AS MENTIONED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER PE08005 (SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:POWER ASSIST:VACUUM SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC: POWER ASSIST:VACUUM:HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS). THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 15,300 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 15,000. UPDATE 04-02-08 *BF THE DEALER REPLACED THE MAST CYLINDERE. UPDATED

NHTSA ID

10220221

Incident

Feb 21, 2008

Mileage

15,000 mi

MY 2006 SAAB 9-3 AERO HAS A SERIES OF UNPREDICTABLE BRAKING MOTIONS. I HAVE HAD THE BRAKING SENSOR ASSEMBLY REPLACED - HOWEVER BRAKE PRESSURE AND CONTROL ARE UNPREDICTABLE. LETTING UP ON THE BRAKE SLOWLY RESULTS IN A LOSS OF ALL BRAKE PRESSURE IN A NON-PROGRESSIVE FASHION. THERE ARE ALSO TIMES THAT ONLY BY PUSHING THE BRAKE PEDAL ALL THE WAY DOWN TO THE STOP THAT THE CAR CAN BE HELD IN PLACE WHEN IDLING. *TR

NHTSA ID

10218466

Incident

Jan 6, 2008

Mileage

21,200 mi