2003 Saab 9-3

FRONT SPRING FAILURE FROM CORROSION DAMAGE ' FRONT PASSENGER SPRING BROKEN, COMPLETELY BROKEN OFF PIECE APPROXIMATELY 5-6' FOUND. EVERY TIME THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN OVER A ROUGH ROAD SURFACE (AKA POTHOLE, DIRT ROAD, SPEED BUMP), A VIBRATION / RATTLING NOISE WAS HEARD COMING FROM THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE. ORIGINALLY, IT WAS BELIEVED THAT THE NOISE WAS DUE TO A WHEEL OR BRAKE ISSUE, SO WE DROVE THE CAR FOR QUITE SOME TIME THINKING IT WAS JUST A MINOR ANNOYANCE, NOT A SERIOUS SAFETY RISK (SOME DRIVERS HAVE HAD THE SPRING SHOOT OUT AND SHRED THEIR TIRES WHILE DRIVING!). WE GOT THE TIRES / WHEELS BALANCED, ROTATED AND ALSO REPLACED THE BRAKES, NONE OF WHICH HELPED THE PROBLEM. THEN ANOTHER MECHANIC CONFIRMED THE PROBLEM DURING AN OIL CHANGE WHEN THEY FOUND THE BROKEN OFF PIECE OF SPRING WHICH WAS CAUSING THE RATTLE. THE BROKEN OFF PIECE HAS A SIGNIFICANT CONCENTRATION OF RUST THE LAST 1' OR SO WHERE THE BREAK OCCURRED. THERE IS A RUBBER SHEATH THAT PARTIALLY COVERS THAT SECTION OF THE SPRING, BUT IT IS OBVIOUSLY FLAWED IN KEEPING WATER FROM CORRODING THE SPRING AS THERE IS A LOT OF RUST ALL THROUGHOUT. THE OTHER SPRING HAS RUST ON IT AS WELL, BUT HAS NOT FAILED YET' WE PLAN TO REPLACE BOTH SPRINGS NOW, HOPEFULLY WITH THE NEXT MODEL YEAR'S SPRINGS WHICH I HEARD HAVE A BETTER SHIELD TO PREVENT THIS FROM OCCURRING. RESEARCHING ONLINE WHAT THE PROBLEM WAS, I FOUND THAT THIS PROBLEM ALSO OCCURS ON THIS MODEL YEAR SAAB IN THE UK AS FOUND ON THE SAABSCENE.COM FORUM AND I READ THAT THE NHTSA JUST STARTED INVESTIGATING THIS ISSUE AUGUST 28, 2008 AS INVESTIGATION # PE08051. *TR

WAS ON MY WAY TO REPAIR SHOP FOR AN ONSTAR MALFUNCTION WHICH KNOCKED OUT MY ENTIRE SOUND SYSTEM, INCLUDING WARNING BUZZERS, ETC....WHILE ON THE FREEWAY I THOUGHT I HAD BEEN INVADED BY ALIENS THE CAR COULD BARLEY DRIVE THEN ALL THE WARNING LIGHTS AND MALFUNCTION LIGHTS STARTED FLASHING ON MY COMPUTER SCREEN IM LUCKY IT DIDN'T CAUSE AN ACCIDENT I COULD NOT CONTROL THE CAR I COULD NOT ROLL DOWN THE WINDOW, COULD NOT GET THE CAR FROM DRIVE TO PARK, COULD NOT STEER, SHUT IT OFF AND IT WOULDN'T START AGAIN WITHOUT A JUMP. BATTERY HAD BEEN REPLACED NO MORE THEN 6 MONTHS PRIOR. IT APPARENTLY WAS THE ALTERNATOR. IT IS A HAZARD WHEN IT MALFUNCTIONS DUE TO NO CONTROL OF THE CAR. I HAVE HAD MORE PROBLEMS WITH THIS CAR FOR 62,000 IT SHOULDN'T HAVE SO MANY BREAKDOWNS AND MALFUNCTIONS I HAVE OWNED IT FOR A LITTLE OVER A YEAR AND HAVE HAD MANY DIFFERENT MALFUNCTIONS IE. GEAR BOX MALFUNCTION, TRANSMISSION MALFUNCTION, TEMP MALFUNCTION, AIRBAG MALFUNCTION AND THE LATEST ONSTAR MALFUNCTION WHICH HAS AFFECTED MY ENTIRE SOUND SYSTEM, THE CD PLAYER HAD TO BE REPLACED THE AMP WENT BAD HAD TO HAVE A NEW THERMOSTAT THE WINDOW ARM HAD TO BE REPLACED (DRIVING AND THE WINDOW JUST FELL INTO THE DOOR I AM SURPRISED IT DIDN'T SHATTER, THE SAAB LOGO ON THE TRUNK LOST ALL THE COLOR, THE DOOR HANDLES ARE PEELING AND FADING AS WELL AS THE INTERIOR PARTS. BATTERY DIED, ASHTRAY BROKE HAD TO HAVE REPLACED BROKE AGAIN BUT NO WARRANTY AND TOO MUCH TO REPLACE. THE BRAKE CALIPER HAD TO BE REPLACED BRAKE PADS WORN OUT TOO SOON, TIRE TREAD WORN BEFORE ITS TIME. EVERYTIME PART WAS NEEDED IT HAD TO BE ORDERED WAY OVERPRICED TOOK OVER A WEEK TO GET PARTS ON TOP OF THAT SHIPPING AND HANDLING CHARGES APPLY. THIS CAR IS UNRELIABLE DEEMING IT UNSAFE AS FAR AS I AM CONCERNED STILL OWE 9,000 BUT WITH ALL PROBLEMS NOT WORTH A DIME. I HAVE DISABLED PEOPLE IN CAR ALOT CAN'T BE SURE ABOUT THEIR SAFETY NOT GOOD AND NOW NO ONSTAR NOT UPGRADEABLE, EVEN STILL ONSTAR MALFUNCTION LIGHT IS ON NO SOUND SYSTEM. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 SAAB 9-3. WHEN THE CONTACT TURNED THE VEHICLE, THE INSTRUMENT PANEL INDICATED THAT THERE WAS A GEAR BOX MALFUNCTION. THE WARNING LIGHT DIMMED A FEW DAYS LATER. AFTERWARDS, THE CONTACT EXPERIENCED ACCELERATION FAILURES. AFTER IDLING AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT, IT WAS DIFFICULT TO ACCELERATE. THE VEHICLE WOULD ALSO SHIFT UNEASILY. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO MERGE ONTO THE FREEWAY, THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT PICK UP SPEED AND ALLOW HER TO SHIFT GEARS. THE CONTACT WAS CONCERNED THAT THE LACK OF ACCELERATION COULD CAUSE A CRASH WHILE MERGING INTO TRAFFIC. THE DEALER STATED THAT A NEW TRANSMISSION WAS NEEDED. SHE SPOKE WITH THE MANUFACTURER AND IS AWAITING A RETURN CALL; HOWEVER, SHE WAS INFORMED THAT THEY PROBABLY WOULD BE UNABLE TO ASSIST. THE SPEED WAS UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 54,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 38,000.

THE FRONT LEFT COIL SPRINGS SNAPPED IN HALF, SHOVING A JAGGED, BROKEN SPRING INTO THE INNER SIDE WALL OF THE TIRE WHILE MY WIFE WAS DRIVING OUR SON TO SCHOOL. THE ENSUING DRAMA CONSISTED OF A NEARLY UNCONTROLLABLE VEHICLE AND PLUMES OF SMOKE BILLOWING OUT FROM THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE. FEARING FOR THE SAFETY OF HERSELF AND OUR SON, MY WIFE PULLED HIM OUT OF THE CAR AND RAN A DISTANCE AWAY AS SHE FEARED IT WAS ABOUT TO CATCH FIRE. SHE CALLED ME FROM HER CELL PHONE, CRYING, AND IN A NEAR PANIC AS OTHER DRIVERS PULLED OVER TO HELP. EVERYTHING TURNED OUT OKAY FOR US, BUT I CAN?T SAY THAT THE SAME WOULD HAVE HAPPENED IF THE SPRING HAD BROKEN AFTER SHE DROPPED OFF OUR SON AND WAS ON THE INTERSTATE GOING TO WORK. WE ARE THANKFUL SHE WAS ONLY TRAVELING 35 MPH RATHER THAN 70 MPH. AFTER THIS OCCURRED, AND AFTER A COMPLETE LACK OF HELP OR EXPLANATION FROM OUR DEALER, WE WERE MOTIVATED TO RESEARCH THIS ISSUE FURTHER TO DETERMINE IF THIS WAS A ?FREAK ACCIDENT? OR IF IN FACT THERE WAS SOME ISSUE WITH THE DESIGN OF THE SUSPENSION SYSTEM. IT APPEARS FROM A CURSORY SEARCH OF THE INTERNET THAT THERE ARE AT LEAST SEVERAL DOZEN OTHER INSTANCES OF THIS HAPPENING TO THIS PARTICULAR YEAR, MAKE, AND MODEL OF VEHICLE. IN MOST CASES, THE SAME THING HAPPENED EXACTLY AS IT DID TO US. AND WHEN WE LEARNED THAT SAAB HAD REDESIGNED THE FRONT COIL SPRING SEATS THE FOLLOWING YEAR (PRESUMABLY TO ADDRESS THIS ISSUE), IT BECAME APPARENT THAT EVEN THE MANUFACTURER HAD ACKNOWLEDGED THAT A PROBLEM EXISTED. I AM HOPING THAT THIS WILL LEAD TO A FULL INVESTIGATION INTO THIS ISSUE WHICH COULD NOT ONLY POTENTIALLY PROTECT THE LIVES OF OTHER UNKNOWING OWNERS AND THEIR VEHICLE OCCUPANTS AS WELL AS OTHER DRIVERS, BUT ALSO TO HELP SHOULDER THE FINANCIAL BURDEN OF THIS PROBLEM. IN ALL CASES THAT I HAVE RESEARCHED, THE SPRINGS BROKE JUST AFTER THE FACTORY WARRANTY RAN OUT (AT 4 YEARS/50,000 MILES), AND CONSEQUENTLY, THE DEALERS HAVE BEEN CHARGING FOR THIS REPAIR. IN OUR CASE IT WAS $500.00!!! *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 SAAB 9-3. THE AIR CONDITIONER BLOWER STOPPED WORKING IN THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FOR REPAIR AND DISCOVERED THAT THE HEAT FROM THE BLOWER MELTED THE WIRING IN THE ENGINE. THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE HAS NOT YET BEEN DETERMINED. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 60,000.UPDATE 10/01/08 *CW UPDATED 10/02/08.*JB

I BROUGHT MY CAR IN TO THE DEALERSHIP BECAUSE I RECEIVED A SAFETY RECALL NOTICE. THE CAR WAS WORKING COMPLETELY FINE BEFORE I BROUGHT IT IN, BUT I FIGURED I SHOULD TAKE CARE OF THIS RECALL ITEM (THE FUEL PUMP RETAINING TABS - RECALL ID# 12866). WHEN I WENT TO PICK UP MY CAR AFTER THEY PERFORMED THE NECESSARY SERVICE, THE CAR WAS MAKING A LOT OF NOISE AND SHAKING SIGNIFICANTLY. THE MECHANIC REASSESSED THE VEHICLE AND TOLD ME THAT MY IGNITION DISCHARGE MODULE HAS AN INTERNAL FAULT. THE DEALER HAS OFFERED TO REPAIR THE CAR FOR $996. *TR

BOTH FRONT SUSPENSION SPRINGS ON MY 2003 SAAB 9-3 BROKE. A FRONT TIRE WAS PUNCTURED WHILE THE CAR WAS IN MOTION DUE TO THE BREAK. NO ACCIDENT OCCURRED, BUT COULD HAVE BEEN DEADLY IF IT WAS ON THE FREEWAY. THERE SEEMS TO BE A PATTERN OF THIS. MY CAR ONLY HAS 36,000 MILES ON IT. SOMETHING LIKE THIS SHOULD NOT BE HAPPENING ON THIS TYPE OF CAR. IT WAS TAKEN TO THE NEAREST DEALER THAT WANTS TO CHARGE $1100 FOR THE FIX BECAUSE I AM OUT OF WARRANTY BY 6,000 MILES. I AM ALSO IN THE PROCESS OF CONTACTING SAAB USA. *TR

1. THERE IS A DISTINCT SOUND WHEN THE VEHICLE GOES OVER BUMPS, IT RATTLES ON THE DRIVER SIDE, STRUT. BROUGHT IT TO A SAAB DEALERSHIP THEY CAN'T FIND THE PROBLEM. BROUGHT IT TO A SMALL SHOP, THEY REPLACED THE DUST COVERS ON THE FRONT STRUTS AND AFTER BRINGING IT BACK SIX TIMES FOR THE SAME PROBLEM THEY CAN'T FIND THE PROBLEM. BOTH SHOPS STATE THAT THE STRUTS ARE JUST FINE. RATTLES LIKE THE STRUT IS READY TO FALL OFF. HAVE NO MORE IDEA WHERE TO GO. SAAB DEALERSHIP STATES THAT IT'S SUPPOSED TO SOUND LIKE THAT BECAUSE OF A SPORT SEDAN. I DON'T BELIEVE IT. BATTERY DRAW. DRAWS BATTERY DEAD AFTER TWO DAYS LETTING IT SIT. BROUGHT IT TO AUTHORIZED SAAB DEALERSHIP THEY CAN'T FIND A DRAW. BROUGHT IT TO SMALL SHOP, THEY FOUND A DRAW OF 1AMP. AFTER THREE NEW BATTERIES, STILL DRAWS AND DEAD BATTERY. *TR