2011 Saab 9-3 Problems
Owner-reported complaints filed with NHTSA, grouped by component
Data refreshed
What this page shows
Everything below is an owner-reported complaint submitted to NHTSA about the 2011 Saab 9-3, grouped by the component NHTSA recorded on the report. These are not confirmed defects, and they are not recalls. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a category with more reports in it is not evidence that a part is defective.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Reports by component
Ranked by how many owner reports name each component category
- Airbags2578.1%
- Seat belts39.4%
- Brakes13.1%
- Engine13.1%
- Powertrain (other)13.1%
- Suspension13.1%
Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.
Each component in detail
What the reports in each category say, in the owners' own words
Airbags
Reports naming the air-bag system — deployment behaviour, inflators, sensors and warning lights.
From owner reports, verbatim
DRIVERS SIDE AIRBAG SPONTANEOUSLY DEPLOYED WHILE IN MOTION ON A CITY STREET GOING IN A FORWARD, STRAIGHT MOTION.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 SAAB 9-3. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING, THE AIR BAG SENSOR WARNING LIGHT REMAINED ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO WAS UNABLE TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER AND LOCAL DEALER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 103,000.
Seat belts
Reports naming seat belts, buckles, retractors and pretensioners.
From owner reports, verbatim
driver side seat belt not retracting, there is a recall but does not include this vin number.
TL* TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 SAAB 9-3. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBERS: 14V318000 (SEAT BELTS) AND 16V063000 (AIR BAGS) HOWEVER, THE PARTS TO DO THE REPAIRS WERE UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIRS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUES. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. VIN TOOL CONFIRMS PARTS NOT AVAILABLE AND PARTS DISTRIBUTION DISCONNECT. UPDATED 02/21/17*LJ UPDATED 03/01/17.*JB
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Brakes
Reports naming service brakes, the antilock braking system, brake hoses, master cylinders or the parking brake.
From owner reports, verbatim
LARGE SECTIONS OF THE FRONT BRAKE ROTORS ARE FLAKING APART. THE ROTOR SURFACE IS REDUCED TO ABOUT HALF OF NORMAL AND NO LONGER PROVIDES SAFE STOPPING ABILITY. STOPPING DISTANCE IS SIGNIFICANTLY INCREASED AND SAFETY IS SEVERELY COMPROMISED. VEHICLE MILEAGE AT TIME PF PROBLEM DISCOVERY 14,000 MILES.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Engine
Reports naming the engine itself — including stalling, misfires, oil consumption, cooling and internal engine components.
From owner reports, verbatim
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 SAAB 9-3. THE CONTACT DETECTED A STRONG ODOR OF COOLANT INSIDE THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS LEAKING COOLANT AND SCREWS WERE MISSING THAT CONNECTED THE TRANSMISSION TO THE MOTOR. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER AND DEALER WERE NOT MADE WARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 120,000.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Powertrain (other)
Powertrain reports that are not specifically the engine or transmission — driveshafts, axles, transfer cases and differentials.
From owner reports, verbatim
THE ALL WHEEL DRIVE HYDRAULIC PUMP WENT BAD AND THERE ARE NONE AVAILABLE TO FIX CAR. THE HALDEX ALL WHEEL DRIVE IS BEING USED ON VARIOUS OTHER MAKES AND I BELIEVE THAT THERE IS A DEFECT IN THE DESIGN OF THE SYSTEM. WHEN I CHECKED ON LINE THERE HAVE BEEN A NUMBER OF PEOPLE REPORTING THIS SAME PROBLEM WITH THE HYDRAULIC PUMP ON THEIR ALL WHEEL DRIVE CARS. *TR
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Suspension
Reports naming suspension components — springs, struts, shocks, control arms and related hardware.
From owner reports, verbatim
PUMP ON REAR XWD FAILURE
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
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.
Elsewhere on this vehicle
Data sources
- NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation — owner-reported complaints and the components recorded on them
Data on this page last refreshed .