KnownCarProblems2000 Saab 9-3 Problems and Recalls
Owners filed 50 complaints with NHTSA about the 2000 Saab 9-3, most often about the electrical (46% of complaints, typically around 71,500 miles). It is 8th of 12 9-3 model years by number of complaints and has 2 recalls.
Most common 2000 Saab 9-3 problems
Electrical
23 complaints · 46%Half of these problems showed up before 71,500 miles. Parts named most often: ignition.
Was driving down the gsp during the evening rush hour (5pm or so) in the left lane on the express side. Pickup truck approximately 4 ft off my rear bumper(nj you know). Heavy rain. My 2000 Saab 9-3 viggen just shut off.no warning. No power to get to appropriate shoulder so I had to drive the car off the left hand side…
Tl contact owns a 2000 Saab 9-3. In 2006, the contact received a recall notice for NHTSA campaign id number 05v399000. The failure was not present at the time, but the ignition control module was replaced as a precautionary remedy. After the repair, the vehicle would hesitate and often stall. The dealer stated that…
Engine
13 complaints · 26%Half of these problems showed up before 96,000 miles. Parts named most often: engine, cooling system.
Tl contact owns a 2000 Saab 9-3. At 68,359 miles, the engine was rebuilt due to a blown piston. The manufacturer stated that his VIN was not included in the recall. Fifteen months later, the entire engine had to be rebuilt for the same failure. While driving 55 MPH, the vehicle stalled and the engine suddenly failed.…
Saab 2000 9-3 turbo continued to be plagued with no start problems (recalled item repaired by Saab dealership. Oil sludge as a result of problems related to recall caused engine/turbo to fail at 94,000 on interstate highway. Car has been towed to mechanic. Service at dealership is documented and should have prevented…
Air bags
10 complaints · 20%Half of these problems showed up before 135,000 miles.
I was driving down my neighborhood street going approximately 15mph when my passenger side impact airbag spontaneously deployed causing a loud explosion sound and my passengers side inside door handle was ejected from the door. I had not hit anyone or anything.
Side airbag on driver's side (located in outside edge of driver's seat) deployed while the car was parked and running. This was clearly a malfunction -- there was no external event or damage that would cause an airbag to deploy. Significant bruising to driver's left arm, temporary hearing loss; did not require medical…
Fuel system
3 complaints · 6%Parts named most often: storage.
2000 Saab 9-3 fuel line disconnected at the tank on the pressurized side of the fuel pump due to a broken plastic tab which hods the fuel line in place ( a terriable design) allowing the fuel pum do discharge the fuel directly on top of the gas tank at the maximum discharge rate of the fuel pump ... I.e. Gallons per…
Gas started leaking at a steady stream from the top of the tank whenever the engine was running. The car was towed to the dealer. From the dealer repair statement: "customer states check raw gas leaking from above the fuel tank, only with car running. Fuel tank retainer clip broken. Replaced fuel tank retainer clip."…
Seat belts
3 complaints · 6%The contact owns a 2000 Saab 9-3. The contact stated that the vehicle was stopped when she experienced extreme difficulty pulling the front driver's seat belt out of its pretensioner. The failure recurred whenever the seat belt was operated. Approximately five years later, the pretensioner fractured. The vehicle was…
I was driving to the store when I heard boom and seen smoke and I realise the side airbag open. I did not come in contact with anything . The driver seatbelt went about a year ago, it began jam meachican saided that pulley jam.
Complaints are owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects. One complaint can name several components, so shares add up to more than 100%.
2000 Saab 9-3 recalls
Electrical: module
Risk: Overheating of the igbt occurs most often at engine start-up, but it may also occur while the engine is running. Engine stalling may occur, which could result in a crash.
Fix: Dealers will inspect to see what version idm is in the vehicle and replace the idm if it is a version built prior to the introduction of qp3. An interim letter will be mailed to owners in october 2005, informing them of the condition. Parts are now available and owners will be notified to bring their vehicles in to the dealers to have the idm replaced by letter dated march 13, 2006. Owners may contact saab at 1-800-955-9007.
Full defect summary
Certain passenger vehicles equipped with b205/b235 4-cylinder gasoline engines and b308 6-cylinder gasoline engines may experience overheating and burnout of the isolated gated bipolar transistor (igbt) within the ignition discharge module (idm) due to increased susceptibility to electrical loads.
Air bags
Risk: These vehicles do not comply with the requirements.
Fix: Dealers will clean the sunvisor surface and apply a new air bag alert label on both sunvisors. Owner notification began july 30, 2001. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact saab at 1-800-955-9007.
Full defect summary
Vehicle description: certain passenger vehicles fail to comply with requirements of fmvss no. 208, "occupant crash protection." the air bag alert labels may not be permanently affixed as required by this standard.
Recall repairs are free at any franchised dealer. Enter your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see which recalls are still open on your car.
NHTSA defect investigations
Engine stall/ engine compartment fires
Summary
Odi opened pe05-017 based on 35 reports of alleged engine stalling due to the failure of the idm cassette on the subject vehicles.all complainants reported that the engine shut down suddenly without warning and most reported that the vehicle would not restart.in 3 incidents, the complainants reported smoke and/or fire resulted from the idm failure.during pe05-017, additional failure data was identified as noted in the failure report summary above.the complaint data represents incidents where the complainants alleged a stall or fire.on september 13, 2005, general motors (gm) notified NHTSA of a safety defect on 95,081 my 2000-2002 saab 9-3 and 9-5 vehicles with 4-cylinder gasoline engines and
Questions about the 2000 Saab 9-3
- What are the most common problems with the 2000 Saab 9-3?
- By NHTSA owner complaints: electrical (23 complaints, typically around 71,500 miles); engine (13 complaints, typically around 96,000 miles); air bags (10 complaints, typically around 135,000 miles).
- How many recalls does the 2000 Saab 9-3 have?
- 2 recalls listed by NHTSA, the latest from September 14, 2005 (electrical). Check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see which ones are still open on your car.
- Is the 2000 a bad year for the Saab 9-3?
- It is 8th of 12 9-3 model years by number of complaints, with 50 complaints. Complaint counts are not adjusted for how many cars were sold, so popular years collect more of them, and the newest years have had less time to.