2009 Saab 9-3 problems and complaints
Owners have filed 43 complaints with NHTSA about the 2009 Saab 9-3. The most-reported areas: Air Bags (17), Engine (12), Fuel/Propulsion System (4).
Key takeaways
- 43 owner complaints on file with NHTSA.
- 1 involve a crash, 0 a fire, 0 reported injuries.
- Complaints are unverified owner reports; recalls are confirmed defects.
| Component | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Air Bags | 17 | 40% |
| Engine | 12 | 28% |
| Fuel/Propulsion System | 4 | 9% |
| Service Brakes | 3 | 7% |
| Seat Belts | 2 | 5% |
| Electrical System | 1 | 2% |
| Tires | 1 | 2% |
| Wheels | 1 | 2% |
| Steering | 1 | 2% |
| Structure | 1 | 2% |
| Suspension | 1 | 2% |
| Engine And Engine Cooling | 1 | 2% |
One complaint can name several components, so shares add up to more than 100%.
| Version | Overall | Front | Side | Rollover |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 Saab 9-3 Convertible w/SAB | Not rated | Not rated | Not rated | Not rated |
| 2009 Saab 9-3 4-DR w/SAB | Not rated | Not rated | Not rated | 4/5 |
Latest complaints, as filed
Owner-written and unverified by NHTSA.
Engine - filed 2019-03-14
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 TH...
Engine - filed 2018-03-05
MISFIRES WHEN COLD, RESULTING IN ROUGH LOW IDLE SPEED AND POSSIBLE STALLING AFTER COLD START.
Engine - filed 2018-01-05
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 W...
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More for the 2009 Saab 9-3
Complaints are reports filed by owners with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. NHTSA publishes them without verifying them, and counts rise with how many cars were sold, so compare years of the same model rather than different models. Crash ratings are NHTSA's own 5-Star Safety Ratings results.