AI Damage2000 Saab 9-3 Convertible: common problems
Owners of the 2000 Saab 9-3 Convertible filed 12 complaints with NHTSA, most often about air bags and electrical system. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 12
- involving a crash
- 1
What fails most often
- 1 Air bags 25% of all complaints
- 2 Electrical system 17% of all complaints
- 3 Seat belts 17% of all complaints
- 4 Engine and cooling 8% of all complaints
- 5 Fuel system 8% of all complaints
- 6 Powertrain 8% of all complaints
- 7 Structure 8% of all complaints
- 8 Tires 8% of all complaints
- Air bags: 3 complaints (25% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Electrical system: 2 complaints (17% of all).
- Seat belts: 2 complaints (17% of all).
- Engine and cooling: 1 complaints (8% of all).
- Fuel system: 1 complaints (8% of all).
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 12 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 | 3 | 1 | 0 |
| Electrical system | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Seat belts | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Engine and cooling | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Fuel system | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Powertrain | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Structure | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Tires | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Other | 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've got a 2000 saab 9-3 and I was hit on the drivers side and the side impact air bag did not deploy. Instead my head got knocked against the side window, driving my glasses into my forehead. Now I've got a scar across my forehead that will require plastic surgery.
Driving along, maybe 20-30 mph and driver side airbag deploys for no reason (side, not steering wheel airbag). . No crash, no impact, just driving straight and, boom! My left ear is ringing and my left arm is probably bruised.
Takata recall: I received a recall notice in march 2016. The saab customer assistance center continues to tell me the airbag replacement is not available and "I should not worry because there have been no accidents with saab vehicles." however, I own other vehicles with the same recall, and those manufacturers have…
The seat belt retracted and then stayed retracted. I have been looking for a proper replacement for the drivers side seat belt and have yet to find one for less than $200.00 for a used one and over $300.00 for a refurbished one.
The contact stated that the driver's side seat belt would not retract and became tight around the contact. As a result, the contact began choking from the pressure of the seat belt becoming tighter. The contact spoke to the manufacturer and was told that the seat belts were not under warranty.
I saw smoke coming from the area between the front passenger seat and the right door. I opened the right door to find the light fixture in the right quarter panel had fallen out and was burning the seat cover by the air bag. The lamp reflector is metal and burned the seat cover.
My car was damaged on the way to wk because I hit a pot hole on new construction. Who would I talk to about this. I almost had a blow out & it was in heavy traffic. The new tarred road has a deep hole & it's a matter of time before someone gets hurt.
Engine blew do to excessive carbon build up, saab has been aware of this problem since 1999 and offered a extended warranty to original buyers till 8 years and unlimited mileage. To fix, engine has to be replaced. Car only has 100,000 miles.
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 10,160 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 28% most complained about).
On average one model year of the 9-3 Convertible has 12 complaints (5 years in the data). This year has 12, about 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 2000 Saab 9-3 Convertible?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: air bags, electrical system, seat belts. Total complaints: 12. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: seat belts (17%), warning lights, check engine (17%), airbags did not deploy (8%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2000 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 2000 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 2000 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.