2009 Saab 9-3 Owner Complaints

MY 2009 SAAB 9-3 STARTED AND RAN FINE ON THE WAY TO WORK, BUT AT LUNCH IT STARTED FOR A COUPLE SECONDS AND SHUT OFF. THE CAR CRANKS, BUT IS AUDIBLY TOO FREE SPINNING. A LOCAL SHOP SAID COMPRESSION IN THE ENGINE WAS VERY LOW, AND AFTER MULTIPLE CALLS IT SEEMS THAT MY CAR HAS THE INFAMOUS "SOFT INTAKE VALVES" PROBLEM THAT HAS BEEN A WIDESPREAD PLAGUE FOR THESE CARS FOR MODEL YEARS 07-11. THIS CAR ONLY HAS 78,000 MILES ON IT, AND HAS ALWAYS HAD THE OIL CHANGED WITH THE CORRECT GM SPEC OIL. I WOULD THINK AN ENGINE SHOULD LAST MUCH LONGER THAN THIS.

NHTSA ID

11186875

Incident

Mar 4, 2019

Mileage

78,000 mi

MISFIRES WHEN COLD, RESULTING IN ROUGH LOW IDLE SPEED AND POSSIBLE STALLING AFTER COLD START.

NHTSA ID

11076411

Incident

Jan 7, 2018

Mileage

71,000 mi

MY CAR HAS FALLEN VICTIM TO THE SOFT INTAKE VALVE ISSUE. MY CAR WAS PARKED IN MY DRIVEWAY, IT RAN PERFECTLY WELL THE NIGHT BEFORE. I ATTEMPTED TO MOVE IT ON CHRISTMAS EVE MORNING 12/24/2017 BUT IT WOULD NOT START. I THEN HAD IT TOWED TO MY LOCAL SAAB MECHANIC, AUTOMOTION IN BILLERICA, MA- THE OWNER SAID THIS IS A WELL KNOWN ISSUE HE HAS SEEN ON A NUMBER OF OCCASIONS; HE SAID HE SAW IT SO MANY TIMES HE PURCHASED NEW EQUIPMENT TO BE PREPARED FOR THE VOLUME OF CUSTOMERS. THIS IS BEING WELL DOCUMENTED AT THE SAABCENTRAL FORUM FOUND AT WWW.SAABCENTRAL.COM/FORUMS/SHOWTHREAD.PHP?T=329066 MY 2009 9-3 IS ABOUT TO HIT 70,000 MILES; MECHANIC IS CURRENTLY WORKING TO FIX THE INTAKE VALVE ISSUE AT A COST OF $2,245.00 PLUS TAX. THERE ARE 35 PAGES OF DOCUMENTED INSTANCES AT SAABCENTRAL. IT ABSOLUTELY SHOULD BE INVESTIGATED WHETHER OR NOT GM ALLOWED THESE FAULTY ENGINES TO BE IN PRODUCTION AND SOLD TO CUSTOMERS. IT HAS BEEN STATED THAT GM ALLOWED SOFT, NON-HEAT HARDENED INTAKE VALVES TO BE USED; THESE INTAKE VALVES WILL DEFORM OVERTIME AND LEAD TO THE COMBUSTION CHAMBER NOT HAVING A PERFECT SEAL.

NHTSA ID

11060779

Incident

Dec 24, 2017

Mileage

70,000 mi

THE INTAKE VALVES ARE WORN ON THE ENGINE THIS STARTED AROUND 80,000 MILES AND HAS PROGRESSIVELY GOTTEN WORSE. THE CAR WILL NOT START ON VERY COLD DAYS. IF IT DOES, IT IDLES VERY ROUGH AND HARD. DATE BELOW IS AN ESTIMATE OF WHEN THIS STARTED.

NHTSA ID

11052774

Incident

Dec 31, 2013

Mileage

80,000 mi

I HAVE OWNED MY 2008 SAAB 9-3 FOR ABOUT A YEAR NOW AND I HAVE HAD AN ONGOING ROUGH RUNNING ISSUE THAT SEEMS TO BE GETTING WORSE. WHEN I START MY CAR UP IN THE MORNING IT RUNS VERY ROUGH. IHAVE GOTTEN IT DIAGNOSED AND IT IS MISFIRING DRAMATICALLY LIKE 6000 ON ONE CYLINDER AND 1081 ON ANOTHER . I HAVE DONE SOME RESEARCH AND HAD THIS PROBLEM DIAGNOSED, SEVERAL TIMES, AS HAVING BAD INTAKE VALVES. AFTER DOING MORE RESEARCH ON THIS PROBLEM, I HAVE COME TO FIND THIS IS A RATHER COMMON ISSUE WITH THIS SPECIFIC YEAR MAKE AND MODEL. THIS IS CONCERNING BECAUSE I HAVE HAD THIS REPAIR QUOTED AT OVER $2500.00. I AM VERY FAMILIAR WITH MANUFACTURER RECALLS AND HAVE BEEN TOLD BY MULTIPLE DEALERSHIPS TO SUBMIT A COMPLAINT IN ORDER FOR THIS PROBLEM TO BE COVERED UNDER A MANUFACTURER RECALL DUE TO FAULTY PARTS. THERE IS ONLY 80,000 MILES ON THE CAR!!!!!!!!!!!

NHTSA ID

11033214

Incident

Sep 15, 2017

Mileage

80,000 mi

I WAS FIRST NOTIFIED OF THE RECALL IN 2016, BUT TOLD THAT THE REPLACEMENT PARTS NOT AVAILABLE. WHEN I GOT THE NOTICE EARLY THIS YEAR THAT PARTS AVAILABLE, I CALLED THE AUTHORIZED DEALER SEVERAL TIMES AND NEVER GOT A RESPONSE. ON ONE OCCASION I SPOKE TO SOMEONE WHO SAID HE WOULD CALL ME BACK BUT NEVER DID, AND WHO TOLD ME THAT MY CAR DOESN'T HAVE THE TAMARA AIRBAG (WHICH IT APPEARS IT DOES), AND THAT NOTHING HAD HAPPENED WITH ANY SAAB. HE WAS VERY DISMISSIVE OF THE RISK.

NHTSA ID

11001299

Incident

Mar 2, 2017

TAKATA RECALL I WAS INFORMED IN A LETTER THAT GM IS WORKING ON AIRBAG RECALL FOR MY CAR. IT STATED THAT IN CASE OF AN ACCIDENT MY AIRBAG CAN EXPLODE AND I MAY DIE. THEY ALSO SAID THAT IN ANOTHER LETTER THEY WILL SPECIFY WHEN THE REPLACEMENT PART IS AVAILABLE. IT HAS BEEN A WHILE AND I HAVE NOT HEARD ANYTHING BACK SO I DECIDED TO DO MY OWN RESEARCH. AFTER CALLING LOCAL CADILLAC DEALER HERE IN NASHVILLE, I WAS INFORMED THAT THE ONLY PLACE IN TENNESSEE THAT STILL DOES SAAB WARRANTY WORK IN IN MEMPHIS. AFTER CALLING THAT DEALERSHIP, THEY SAID THAT THE PARTS HAVE BEEN AVAILABLE FOR A WHILE. I BELIEVE THIS IS A VERY SERIOUS MATTER SINCE MY LIFE CAN BE AT DANGER EVERY TIME I DRIVE MY CAR. I FEEL LIKE GM IS ACTING NEGLIGENT IN THIS CASE. I UNDERSTAND THAT THEY DO NOT PRODUCE SAABS ANYMORE, BUT THEY SHOULD STILL DO THEIR BEST TO SUPPORT THE PRODUCT THAT THEY HAVE PRODUCED.

NHTSA ID

10979627

Incident

Apr 20, 2017

TAKATA RECALL - MY COMPLAINT IS THAT ABSOLUTELY NOTHING HAS HAPPENED, AND THAT THE STATUS OF THE RECALL ISSUED APPROXIMATELY ONE YEAR AGO IS: "RECALL INCOMPLETE. REMEDY NOT YET AVAILABLE". PEOPLE ARE STILL DYING OUT THERE BECAUSE TAKATA HAS NOT YET SOLVED THIS PROBLEM. THOSE OF US WHO OWN VEHICLES THAT ARE UNDER THIS RECALL CAN'T JUST STOP DRIVING THEM WHILE WE WAIT FOR THIS PART TO BECOME AVAILABLE. SO, INSTEAD, WE EXPOSE OURSELVES TO RISK OF INJURY AND DEATH FROM AN AIR BAG THAT IS SUPPOSED TO PROTECT US IN A CRASH. THIS IS TOTALLY UNACCEPTABLE!!! *TR

NHTSA ID

10946672

Incident

Jan 20, 2017

TAKATA RECALL. I WAS NOTIFIED OF THE RECALL IN MAY 2016. THERE HAS BEEN NO FOLLOW-UP OR FIX AVAILABLE TO THIS DATE. THIS IS A DRIVER-SIDE AIRBAG RECALL. I CANNOT SAFELY DRIVE MY CAR UNTIL THIS IS FIXED. I LIVE IN AUSTIN, TEXAS WHERE IT IS HOT AND HUMID MUCH OF THE YEAR. THIS IS AN IMPORTANT FACTOR THAT INCREASES THE DANGER RELATED TO THIS RECALL.

NHTSA ID

10946509

Incident

May 11, 2016

TAKATA RECALL--IT'S BEEN 9 MONTHS SINCE I WAS NOTIFIED OF THE RECALL, AND CALLED MY LOCAL DEALER. BUT I'VE RECEIVED NO FURTHER WORD. I LOVE THIS CAR, HOWEVER, I AM VERY CONCERN, SINCE MY WIFE USES THIS CAR EVER DAY TO GO TO WORK. IF, GOD FORBID, SOMEONE HITS THE CAR AND THE AIR BAG IMPLODES AND SHE IS INJURED OR DIES, YOU WILL BE SUED. WHEN IS THE PROBLEM GOING TO BE FIXED? VERY CONCERN OWNER AND HUSBAND!!!!!

NHTSA ID

10935317

Incident

Mar 4, 2016

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 SAAB 9-3. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 16V063000 (AIR BAGS); HOWEVER, THE PART FOR THE RECALL REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE AIR BAG WARNING INDICATOR WAS ILLUMINATED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 140,000. VIN TOOL CONFIRMS PARTS NOT AVAILABLE.

NHTSA ID

10926516

Incident

Nov 16, 2016

Mileage

140,000 mi

IT IS PUBLIC INFORMATION THAT TAKATA'S AIRBAGS CARRY A VERY HIGH RISK SINCE THE INFLATOR PROPELLANT DEGRADES TO THE POINT OF BRAKING THE STEEL HOUSING AND THROWING IT TO THE OCCUPANT CAUSING SEVERE INJURIES OR DEATH. IN SPITE OF ALL THESE FACTS, THE MANUFACTURER HAS NOT INITIATED A RECALL AND DOES NOT PROVIDE ANSWERS AFTER SEVERAL CALLS TO THEIR CUSTOMER OFFICE. MY VEHICLE HAS A TAKATA AIRBAG ACCORDING TO NHTSA'S DATABASE, THE INFLATOR MUST BE REPLACED.

NHTSA ID

10911084

Incident

Oct 3, 2016

TAKATA RECALL I HAVE BEEN AWARE OF MY VEHICLE'S RECALL FOR GREATER THAN 6 MONTHS AND MY MANUFACTURER HAS NOT YET PRESENTED A SAFE SOLUTION.

NHTSA ID

10910447

Incident

Sep 28, 2016

Mileage

50,000 mi

TAKATA RECALL--IT'S BEEN 5 MONTHS SINCE I WAS NOTIFIED OF THE RECALL, BUT I'VE RECEIVED NO FURTHER WORD. SAAB'S ARE NO LONGER BEING MANUFACTURED AND SOLD AS NEW CARS, AND THEREFORE I EXPECT I'M AT THE BOTTOM OF THE LIST. BUT I JUST PUT A GREAT DEAL OF MAINTENANCE INTO THE CAR, IT HAS 60,000 MILES AND I'M NOT IN THE MARKET FOR A NEW CAR. HOWEVER, I'M TERRIFIED TO TAKE A PASSENGER OR DRIVE THE CAR MYSELF. WHEN I WANT TO KNOW WILL MY CINCINNATI OR COLUMBUS, OH DEALER HAVE A NEW AIRBAG TO INSTALL.

NHTSA ID

10901908

Incident

Apr 1, 2016

TAKATA RECALL: GM ANNOUNCED THIS RECALL 6 MONTHS AGO. STILL NO REMEDY AND NO COMMUNICATION. MY CHILDREN ARE ABOUT TO START LEARNING TO DRIVE - I DON'T WANT TO RISK THEIR LIVES BY ALLOWING THEM TO DRIVE THE SAAB - I NEED A NEW AIRBAG. SORRY IF THIS IS THE WRONG FORM - I FOLLOWED THE SAFER LINKS.

NHTSA ID

10897470

Incident

Aug 21, 2016

TAKATA RECALL - IT HAS BEEN OVER SIX MONTHS SINCE THIS RECALL WAS ISSUED, AND THE PARTS ARE STILL NOT AVAILABLE TO FIX A POTENTIALLY LIFE THREATENING CONDITION. IT IS DIFFICULT TO DRIVE A VEHICLE THAT MAY KILL ME IF I AM INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT. WHEN WILL THE REPLACEMENT AIR BAGS BE AVAILABLE? WHY IS THE MANUFACTURER NOT MANDATED TO FIX THIS PROBLEM WITHIN A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME? I PERSONALLY THINK THAT SIX MONTHS IS MORE THAN SUFFICIENT TIME TO HAVE THIS ISSUE RECTIFIED.

NHTSA ID

10897453

Incident

Aug 21, 2016

TL* TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 SABB 9-3. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 16V063000 (AIR BAGS). THE PART TO DO THE RECALL REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. VIN TOOL CONFIRMS PARTS NOT AVAILABLE.

NHTSA ID

10896513

Incident

Feb 3, 2016

TL* TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 SAAB 9-3. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 16V063000 (AIR BAGS); HOWEVER, THE PART TO DO THE REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. VIN TOOL CONFIRMS PARTS NOT AVAILABLE. UPDATED 10/05/16*LJ *TR

NHTSA ID

10896263

Incident

Mar 14, 2016

TL* TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 SAAB 9-3. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 16V063000 (AIR BAGS); HOWEVER, THE PART TO DO THE REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. VIN TOOL CONFIRMS PARTS NOT AVAILABLE.

NHTSA ID

10884320

Incident

Mar 25, 2016

TL* TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 SAAB 9-3. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 16V063000 (AIR BAGS) AND STATED THAT THE PART WAS NOT AVAILABLE WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME FRAME TO SCHEDULE THE RECALL REPAIR. THE DEALER DID NOT GIVE A SPECIFIC DATE FOR WHEN THE PART WOULD BECOME AVAILABLE. THE MANUFACTURER COULD NOT PROVIDE AN ESTIMATED DATE FOR WHEN THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE WOULD RECEIVE THE RECALL REPAIR. THE CONTACT WAS NOT EXPERIENCING A FAILURE. VIN TOOL CONFIRMS PARTS NOT AVAILABLE.

NHTSA ID

10883555

Incident

Mar 10, 2016

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 SAAB 9-3. THE CONTACT STATED THAT NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V338000 (AIR BAGS) EXCEEDED A REASONABLE TIME FOR REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THE PART TO PERFORM THE REPAIR WOULD NOT BE AVAILABLE FOR OVER SIX MONTHS. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE.

NHTSA ID

10851955

Incident

Mar 28, 2016

TL* TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 SAAB 9-3. THE CONTACT RECEIVED A NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 16V063000 (AIR BAGS); HOWEVER, THE PART OR REMEDY FOR THE RECALL REPAIR WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. VIN TOOL CONFIRMS PARTS NOT AVAILABLE.

NHTSA ID

10836717

Incident

Feb 17, 2016

THE INTAKE VALVES ARE BAD ON THIS CAR AND IT HAS 100K MILES ON THIS. THIS IS A $2000 PLUS JOB THAT COMES OUT OF POCKET. IT SEEMS TO BE THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH SAABS AND IT APPEARS THERE ARE SEVERAL COMPLAINTS ON HERE. THIS NEEDS TO BE RECALLED AND PAID FOR BY GM, BECAUSE THEY DID NOT PROPERTY BUILD THIS ENGINE IF SO MANY ARE FAILING. MY CAR WILL TURN OVER AND NOT START IN THE COLD WEATHER.

NHTSA ID

10825910

Incident

Feb 12, 2016

Mileage

103,000 mi

CAR WENT INTO "LIMP-HOME" MODE. UPON MECHANIC INSPECTION, FAILED COMPRESSION TEST AND HAD BAD INTAKE VALVES. OUT-OF-POCKET FIX, CAR RUNNING FINE NOW. KEPT ALL PARTS REPLACED, EDGES OF VALVES ARE AS SHARP AS A KNIFE. SIMILAR EXPERIENCE AS DOCUMENTED BY OTHER SAAB OWNERS AT LINK BELOW. HTTP://WWW.SAABCENTRAL.COM/FORUMS/SHOWTHREAD.PHP?T=329066

NHTSA ID

10824602

Incident

Jan 27, 2016

Mileage

77,000 mi

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

NHTSA ID

10807509

Incident

Nov 28, 2015

Mileage

77,000 mi