AI Damage2009 Saab 9-3: common problems
Owners of the 2009 Saab 9-3 filed 43 complaints with NHTSA, most often about air bags and engine. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 43
- involving a crash
- 1
What fails most often
- 1 Air bags 40% of all complaints
- 2 Engine 28% of all complaints
- 3 Fuel/propulsion system 9% of all complaints
- 4 Service brakes 7% of all complaints
- 5 Seat belts 5% of all complaints
- 6 Electrical system 2% of all complaints
- 7 Engine and cooling 2% of all complaints
- 8 Exterior lighting 2% of all complaints
- Air bags: 17 complaints (40% of all).
- Engine: 12 complaints (28% of all).
- Fuel/propulsion system: 4 complaints (9% of all).
- Service brakes: 3 complaints (7% of all).
- Seat belts: 2 complaints (5% of all).
Engines and transmissions
US-market versions per EPA. On the right: how many NHTSA complaints name this engine or transmission type.
- 2 L · petrol · turbo · 4 cyl
- 2.8 L · petrol · turbo · 6 cyl
- automatic, 5-speed
- automatic, 6-speed
- manual, 6-speed
Drive: FWD, AWD
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 43 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 | 17 | 0 | 0 |
| Engine | 12 | 0 | 0 |
| Fuel/propulsion system | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| Service brakes | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Seat belts | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Electrical system | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Engine and cooling | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Exterior lighting | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Steering | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Structure | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Suspension | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Tires | 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.
My hood release( what I pull to pop the hood inside of the car) broke 14 months ago and I had the old saab dealer fix it. You would pull it and nothing would happen. About a month ago the same thing happened. The hood would remain in the completely shut position.
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 well known issue he has seen on a number of occasions; he said he saw it so many times he purchased new equipment to be prepared for…
I have owned my 2008 saab 9-3 for about a year now and I have had an ongoing rough running issue that seems to be getting worse. When I start my car up in the morning it runs very rough. Ihave gotten it diagnosed and it is misfiring dramatically like 6000 on one cylinder and 1081 on another .
I was first notified of the recall in 2016, but told that the replacement parts not available. When I got the notice early this year that parts available, I called the authorized dealer several times and never got a response.
Takata recall I was informed in a letter that gm is working on airbag recall for my car. It stated that in case of an accident my airbag can explode and I may die. They also said that in another letter they will specify when the replacement part is available.
The air bag warning indicator was illuminated. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 140,000. Vin tool confirms parts not available.
The resulting problem is that the car will not start when cold and the compression during a cold start is half of what it should be. The valves are faulty and the repair is $4000 at my local dealer, who is authorized to work on saab. This is a manufacturing issue and is not being recognized as such.
The contact stated that while driving at 65 mph, the engine stalled while all the warning lights illuminated. The failure occurred numerous times. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure.
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 5,758 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 16% most complained about).
On average one model year of the 9-3 has 90 complaints (15 years in the data). This year has 43, below average.
What to check before buying
- Air bags. Check the SRS light, stored codes and airbag/curtain status after any impact.
- Engine. Cold start, unusual noises, oil leaks and engine codes.
- Fuel/propulsion system. Fuel smell, leaks, rough running, fuel-system codes.
- Service brakes. Pedal feel, ABS operation, leaks, discs and hoses.
Other years of this model
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 2009 Saab 9-3?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: air bags, engine, fuel/propulsion system. Total complaints: 43. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: stalls while driving (9%), won't start (7%), seat belts (7%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2009 Saab 9-3?
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 2009 Saab 9-3 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 2009 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.