2009 Saab 9-3 Problems

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.

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.

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.

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

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!!!!!!!!!!!

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.

DURING ROUTINE UNDER HOOD INSPECTION, BRAKE FLUID RESERVOIR CAP WAS OBSERVED TO HAVE SPLIT INTO MULTIPLE PIECES. THIS DAMAGE, APPARENTLY HEAT RELATED, COMPROMISED THE ABILITY OF THE BRAKING SYSTEM TO MAINTAIN PRESSURE AND COULD RESULT IN LOSS OF BRAKING, CRASH, AND BODILY INJURY. VEHICLE WAS REMOVED FROM SERVICE PENDING RECEIPT OF REPLACEMENT PART. *TR

UPON STARTING AFTER SITTING, THE BRAKES HAVE A GREATLY INCREASED PEDAL EFFORT AND A CORRESPONDINGLY GREATLY REDUCED BRAKING EFFECT. THIS COMBINED WITH THE RELATIVELY HIGH IDLE FOR THIS MODEL OF ENGINE, (V-6), AT START UP COMBINES TO CREATES A SITUATION WHERE THE CAR IS VERY DIFFICULT TO STOP WHEN DRIVING AWAY FROM FIRST START-UP.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 SAAB 9-3. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED, THE SEAT BELT RETRACTOR WAS FRACTURED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V318000 (SEAT BELTS). THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.

THE DRIVER SIDE AND PASSENGER SEAT BELT RETRACTOR FAILS TO RETRACT. THE DRIVER SIDE HAS SOME RETRACTION LEFT AND PASSENGER SIDE HAS NONE LEFT. I FOUND THE RECALL NOTICE FROM JUNE 2014 HOWEVER IT ONLY MENTIONS THE CONVERTIBLE MODEL WHILE MY VEHICLE IS THE STATION WAGON. THE RECALL SHOULD BE EXPANDED TO COVER OTHER MODELS THAT HAVE THE SAME ISSUE. *TR

WHILE DRIVING I RECEIVED A MESSAGE THAT SAID STEERING LOCK MALFUNCTION COME TO A SAFE STOP. IT LASTED ABOUT 3 TO 4 SECONDS AND THEN WENT OFF. THE STEERING WAS NOT AFFECTED. IT HAPPENED AGAIN ABOUT AN HOUR LATER AT A LOWER SPEED, SAME MESSAGE AND AGAIN IT ONLY LASTED A FEW SECONDS. IT OCCURRED THE NEXT MORNING WHEN I STARTED THE CAR. AT NO TIME WAS THE STEERING AFFECTED. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 SAAB 9-3. WHILE DRIVING AT AN UNKNOWN SPEED, THE CONTACT HEARD A RATTLING SOUND NEAR THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE OF THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT SELF-DIAGNOSED THE VEHICLE AND STATED THAT THE FRONT COIL SPRING WAS FRACTURED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED AND THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 44,000.

SINCE 18000 MILES THE DASHBOARD HAS BEEN DISPLAYING "SYSTEM FAILURE..TIRE PRESSURE SYSTEM". IT HAS BEEN RE CALIBRATED SEVERAL TIMES. TODAY AT 47000 MILES THE AUTHORIZED SAAB REPAIR FACILITY HAS DECLARED THAT THE MONITORS ARE THE OLD STYLE, WHICH HAS HAD MANY PROBLEMS AND HAS BEEN SINCE RE-ENGINEERED. LAST WEEK, THE AUTHORIZED SAAB REPAIR FACILITY MAINTAINED THAT A RECALIBRATION WAS NECESSARY... COST $105 . THE FIX ON THIS IS $550 +. THIS IS A SAFETY HAZARD! THERE IS NEVER A WAY OF KNOWING IF THERE IS A PROBLEM SINCE THE MESSAGE COMES ON AND OFF WHILE YOU ARE DRIVING!!!!. IN ADDITION THE ALARMS AND FLASHING LIGHTS ARE A MAJOR DISTRACTION TO THE DRIVER! SHOULDN'T THESE TIRE PRESSURE MONITORS BE RECALLED? *TR

MY HOOD RELEASE( WHAT I PULL TO POP THE HOOD INSIDE OF THE CAR) BROKE 14 MONTHS AGO AND I HAD THE OLD SAAB DEALER FIX IT. YOU WOULD PULL IT AND NOTHING WOULD HAPPEN. ABOUT A MONTH AGO THE SAME THING HAPPENED. THE HOOD WOULD REMAIN IN THE COMPLETELY SHUT POSITION. ON 3-14-15 I WAS DRIVING 40 MILES PER HOUR AND THE HOOD FLEW UP AND SMASHED INTO THE WINDSHIELD. THANK GOODNESS I WAS NOT ON THE HIGHWAY AND THERE WERE NO CARS CLOSE BY. IF THIS HAPPENED ON THE HIGHWAY I HATE TO THINK WHAT COULD HAVE HAPPENED. IT IS A VERY SERIOUS ISSUE AND CLEARLY THERE IS A MANUFACTURING DEFECT IN THE HOOD RELEASE MECHANISM. THE HOOD IS UNSALVAGEBLE AS IT IS SO BENT. *TR

SINCE 18000 MILES THE DASHBOARD HAS BEEN DISPLAYING "SYSTEM FAILURE..TIRE PRESSURE SYSTEM". IT HAS BEEN RE CALIBRATED SEVERAL TIMES. TODAY AT 47000 MILES THE AUTHORIZED SAAB REPAIR FACILITY HAS DECLARED THAT THE MONITORS ARE THE OLD STYLE, WHICH HAS HAD MANY PROBLEMS AND HAS BEEN SINCE RE-ENGINEERED. LAST WEEK, THE AUTHORIZED SAAB REPAIR FACILITY MAINTAINED THAT A RECALIBRATION WAS NECESSARY... COST $105 . THE FIX ON THIS IS $550 +. THIS IS A SAFETY HAZARD! THERE IS NEVER A WAY OF KNOWING IF THERE IS A PROBLEM SINCE THE MESSAGE COMES ON AND OFF WHILE YOU ARE DRIVING!!!!. IN ADDITION THE ALARMS AND FLASHING LIGHTS ARE A MAJOR DISTRACTION TO THE DRIVER! SHOULDN'T THESE TIRE PRESSURE MONITORS BE RECALLED? *TR

DRIVERS SIDE LOW BEAM IS DIM. DEALER FOUND THE LOW BEAM BULBS WERE OVERHEATING. REPLACED LOW BEAM BULBS AND REPROGRAMMED THE ELECTRICAL CENTER UNDER THE HOOD WITH NEW SOFTWARE TO PREVENT THE HEADLIGHT BULBS FROM OVERHEATING. *TR

SINCE 18000 MILES THE DASHBOARD HAS BEEN DISPLAYING "SYSTEM FAILURE..TIRE PRESSURE SYSTEM". IT HAS BEEN RE CALIBRATED SEVERAL TIMES. TODAY AT 47000 MILES THE AUTHORIZED SAAB REPAIR FACILITY HAS DECLARED THAT THE MONITORS ARE THE OLD STYLE, WHICH HAS HAD MANY PROBLEMS AND HAS BEEN SINCE RE-ENGINEERED. LAST WEEK, THE AUTHORIZED SAAB REPAIR FACILITY MAINTAINED THAT A RECALIBRATION WAS NECESSARY... COST $105 . THE FIX ON THIS IS $550 +. THIS IS A SAFETY HAZARD! THERE IS NEVER A WAY OF KNOWING IF THERE IS A PROBLEM SINCE THE MESSAGE COMES ON AND OFF WHILE YOU ARE DRIVING!!!!. IN ADDITION THE ALARMS AND FLASHING LIGHTS ARE A MAJOR DISTRACTION TO THE DRIVER! SHOULDN'T THESE TIRE PRESSURE MONITORS BE RECALLED? *TR