AI Damage1999 Saab 9-3 Convertible: common problems
Owners of the 1999 Saab 9-3 Convertible filed 16 complaints with NHTSA, most often about air bags and electrical system. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 16
What fails most often
- 1 Air bags 25% of all complaints
- 2 Electrical system 25% of all complaints
- 3 Seat belts 19% of all complaints
- 4 Engine and cooling 6% of all complaints
- 5 Fuel system 6% of all complaints
- 6 Powertrain 6% of all complaints
- 7 Steering 6% of all complaints
- 8 Wheels 6% of all complaints
- Air bags: 4 complaints (25% of all).
- Electrical system: 4 complaints (25% of all).
- Seat belts: 3 complaints (19% of all).
- Engine and cooling: 1 complaints (6% of all).
- Fuel system: 1 complaints (6% of all).
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 16 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).
Components owners complain about
| Component | Owner complaints | involving a crash | Technical service bulletins (TSB) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Air bags | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| Electrical system | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| Seat belts | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Engine and cooling | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Fuel system | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Powertrain | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Steering | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Wheels | 1 | 0 | 0 |
What owners report
Short excerpts of NHTSA complaints in the original wording. These are owner statements not verified by NHTSA; personal data removed.
I was traveling along on the interstate and all of a sudden the side curtain driver airbag deployed for no reason. It nearly caused me to wreck from the loud pop which blurred my vision as well.
The contact stated that the driver side seat belt failed to retract. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 100,000. Updated 10/29/14
While my wife was driving to work, the passenger side airbag deployed. There was no collision and only the side airbag deployed, none of the others did. This could have caused an accident if it had been any of the other airbags, particularly those on the left.
1999 saab 93 caught fire while on the ohio turnpike. Seems like the fire originated under the hood in the engine compartment. (ohio traffic crash report)
Driving on road and passenger's side air bag deployed on its own in afternoon of friday, april 27th. No passenger was in the seat. Saab was immediately contacted. Car was taken to saab dealer monday morning. Car was left there all day and saab corp was to have the car inspected.
The check engine light came on while I was highway driving; I parked the vehicle as soon as possible and didn't use it until the mechanic was available. The diagnostic test showed direct ignition failure, the part was replaced with a new part.
Dt: consumer states the fuel pump retaining tabs that hold the fuel line together failed on a 1999 saab 9-3 convertible. The consumer smelled gas, while driving. Pulled over and saw that the gas was leaking out everywhere. Had vehicle towed to the dealership. The models 2001-2002 were recalled on the exact same thing.
At that time, I hadn't experienced any engine stalling or failure as a result of this problem but was warned that it might fail without warning while driving if the di cassette wasn't replaced.
When owners complained
NHTSA complaints by filing year. The peak shows at what age the problems show up most.
Comparison
By complaint count this model year ranks 9,040 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 25% most complained about).
On average one model year of the 9-3 Convertible has 12 complaints (5 years in the data). This year has 16, above average.
What to check before buying
- Air bags. Check the SRS light, stored codes and airbag/curtain status after any impact.
- Electrical system. Scan all modules, test the battery and alternator, inspect connectors near the impact zone.
- Seat belts. Belt pretensioners after airbag deployment, SRS codes.
- Engine and cooling. Radiator and fan after a frontal hit, coolant level and condition, overheating.
Other years of this model
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 1999 Saab 9-3 Convertible?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: air bags, electrical system, seat belts. Total complaints: 16. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: seat belts (19%), smoke, burning smell, fire (13%), fuel system, fuel smell (6%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 1999 Saab 9-3 Convertible?
NHTSA lists 0 manufacturer service bulletins for this year. A bulletin tells dealers how to diagnose or fix a known issue; it is not a recall.
Should I buy a 1999 Saab 9-3 Convertible from a US auction?
Owner complaints describe defects, not crash damage. Before bidding, check the components listed above and review the lot photos: VinWind builds a report of visible and hidden damage by VIN.
Other 1999 models
Read also
Sources: public NHTSA data (USA): service bulletins and owner complaints; YouTube: links to videos credited to their authors. Complaints are owner statements not verified by NHTSA, and describe defects rather than crash damage. Data updated 2026-11-05.