Saab 9-3 2004

• Recall 103808 [USA]: In the event of a crash, a seat belt that has not retracted may not properly restrain the seat occupant, increasing their risk of injury.
  General motors llc (gm) is recalling certain model year 2004-2011 saab 9-3 convertible vehicles manufactured july 30, 2003, to february 15, 2011. In the affected vehicles, the driver's side front seat belt retractor may break, causing the seat belt webbing not to retract.
  gm will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver's seat belt retractor, free of charge. The recall began on october 6, 2015. Owners may contact saab customer service at 1-800-955-9007. Gm's number for this recall is 14222. Note: special coverage 10086 will replace the passenger side seat belt retractor if it fails, free of charge, for the life of the vehicle.
  owners may also contact the national highway traffic safety administration vehicle safety hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (tty 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.Safercar.Gov.

• Recall 79849 [USA]: A vehicle crash could occur should the engine stall while in use.
  Ti automotive is recalling certain fuel pumps, part numbers tu456 and tu303, sold under various brand names as aftermarket and replacement equipment for the motor vehicles listed above. The defective fuel pump may seize, stopping the fuel flow to the engine creating a stalling condition.
  ti automotive will notify owners of record and will replace any defective fuel pump with a new or reworked fuel pump free of charge. The safety recall began on february 22, 2011. Owners may contact ti automotive at 1-866-867-3759 or log on to www.Recallresponse.Com.
  this recall only pertains to aftermarket and replacement fuel pumps and has no relation to any original equipment installed on vehicles manufactured by general motors.Owners may also contact the national highway traffic safety administration's vehicle safety hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (tty 1-800-424-9153), or go to http://www.Safercar.Gov .

• Recall 82439 [USA]: Using a seat belt that has not retracted, and in the event of a crash, a seat occupant may not be properly restrained increasing the risk of personal injury.
  General motors is recalling certain model year 2004 saab 9-3 sedans. Some of these vehicles were produced with front seat belt retractors that, over time, could fail to retract.
  dealers will replace the driver side retractor free of charge. If the front passenger retractor were to fail to retract, gm will replace the front passenger retractor free of charge under a special coverage that will be released for the same population for 10 years from new vehicle date of sale. The safety recall is expected to begin during july 2010. Owners may contact saab at 1-800-955-9007 or at the owner center at saabparts.Com/us. Note: in june 2014, gm expanded the special coverage from 10 years to be for the lifetime of the vehicle.
  gm's recall no. E090273.Owners may also contact the national highway traffic safety administration's vehicle safety hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (tty 1-800-424-9153), or go to http://www.Safercar.Gov .

• Recall 36242 [USA]: If this condition were to occur when minimum stopping distance is required, a crash could occur.
  Certain sport sedan and convertible passenger vehicles were produced with a vacuum pipe check valve for the brake booster that may fail from exposure to elevated temperatures. This could result in sudden loss of power brake assist, usually with little or no warning.
  dealers will install a new redesigned check valve. The recall began on march 17, 2006. Owners should contact saab at 1-800-955-9007.
  saab recall no. 15019 (gm recall no. 05057).Customers can also contact the national highway traffic safety administration's auto safety hotline at 1-888-327-4236.

• Recall 42547 [USA]: In the event of a crash, a front seat occupant may receive more severe injuries.
  Some sport sedans were built with seat belt retractors that were damaged during the manufacturing process. If damaged, over time, the automatic tensioning system (ats) cable in the seat belt retractor could break causing the belt webbing to not retract.
  dealers will replace the seat belt retractor assemblies. The recall began on january 24, 2005. Owners should contact saab at 1-800-955-9007.
  saab recall no. 15017. Customers can also contact the national highway traffic safety administration's auto safety hotline at 1-888-dash-2-dot (1-888-327-4236).

• Recall 34434 [USA]: This could cause the seat back to fold forward in a frontal crash, resulting in injury to the driver and/or front seat passenger.
  Certain passenger vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 207, "seating systems." the backrest locking mechanism on some front seats may have been installed incorrectly.
  dealers will inspect the vehicle's front seats to determine if they are equipped with the improperly installed component. If either or both of the seats have this component, they will be replaced. The dealer may need to order a complete new seat or seats (including matching upholstery) and the parts may take up to two to four weeks to arrive. Saab will provide a rental car for the owner until the new seat(s) is (are) available and installed by the dealer. Owner notification is expected to begin during february 2004. Owners should contact saab at 1-800-955-9007.
  saab recall no. 15014.Customers can also contact the national highway traffic safety administration's auto safety hotline at 1-888-dash-2-dot (1-888-327-4236).

• Recall R/2006/047 [UK]: Reduced braking performance
  It has been identified that under certain conditions a valve within the brake servo may have a shortened service life due to high ambient and engine bay temperatures. This could affect the functioning of the servo resulting in reduced braking performance
  recalled vehicles will have the subject valve checked and replaced if necessary.

• Recall R/2004/186 [UK]: Seat belt may not retract
  The front seat belt retractors may malfunction with the effect that the spooled out portion of the webbing will not retract.
  recalled vehicles will have the seat front seat belts replaced.

• Recall 2014228 [Canada]: Seats and restraints
  On certain convertible model vehicles, the tensioning cable in the driver's seat belt retractor may break, causing the belt to fail to retract. If a crash were to occur with a seat belt in this condition, it could increase the risk of injury to the driver. Correction: dealers will replace seat belt retractor assemblies.

• Recall 2010039 [Canada]: Seats and restraints
  On certain vehicles, the automatic tensioning system (ats) cable of the seatbelt retractors could fail. Should this occur, the webbing spooled out by the user would not retract. If the spool cable were to break while the belt is being worn, the belt would function normally in a crash. It would then be obvious to the occupant that the belt needs repair as soon as possible. Correction: dealers will replace the driver's seatbelt retractor.

• Recall 2004160 [Canada]: Seats and restraints
  On certain vehicles, the automatic tensioning system (ats) cable in the seatbelt retractor could break, causing webbing spooled out by the user to not retract. With this condition in the event of a vehicle crash, a front seat occupant may receive more severe injuries. Correction: dealers will replace the seatbelt retractor assemblies.

To ensure accuracy and for your safety, it is recommended to do a free VIN recall check here or here [USA] - UK - Canada.

Bulletins are notices put out by manufacturers in conjunction with the NHTSA to notify the public of manufacturing issues or changes.

• Seat belt retractor investigation as of 20090930

  Odi has received eight complaints of front seat belt retractors breaking on model year 2004 saab 9-3 vehicles.A common failure scenario involves the driver hearing a noise and the belt suddenly losing tension.A non-functioning seat belt increases the risk and severity of injury in the event of a crash. General motors initiated a recall in may 2004 (04v226) to replace both front seat belts because of a similar problem in 25,355 model year 2003 and 5,980 model year 2004 saab 9-3 sedans.The retractors contained an automatic tensioning system (ats), a design feature and mechanism to enhance occupant comfort by reducing shoulder belt pressure.Investigation found that the cable in the ats mechanism was damaged during the suppliers manufacturing process.The failures occurred when the cable broke. Recall 04v226 did not cover model year 2004 9-3 sedans manufactured after september 30, 2004, and before may 10, 2004, which incorporated modified ats manufacturing processes.The current investigation finds that the ats on the drivers seats on the post-recall population is failing prematurely.This is a different problem than the manufacturing defect that led to the original recall.General motors now will recall the balance of 2004 saab 9-3 sedan driver seats with the ats feature.Not all 2004 9-3 seat belt retractors are subject to recall.The retractors on 9-3 sedan passenger seats, due to their less frequent use than drivers seats, do not have the same risk of premature failure as those on the drivers seats.Saab will replace the passenger side retractors for 10 years from new vehicle date of sale under a special coverage program.Model year 2004 9-3 convertibles have a different seat/seat belt design and construction.Saab 9-3 vehicles manufactured on and after may 10, 2004, do not have the ats feature and therefore are not subject to this problem.
  

  Show Content

• Front suspension coil spring fracture investigation as of 20081222

  To date, odi is aware of 142 non-duplicative complaints related to the alleged defect.In addition, odi is aware of 2,626 subject vehicles with one or more warranty claims related to the alleged defect.In total, odi is aware of 2,714 unique subject vehicles that have experienced one or more front suspension coil spring fractures.Odi is not aware of any crashes or injuries related to the alleged defect.The engineering design and testing data supplied by gm, along with the frequency of consumer complaints and warranty claims related to the alleged defect, tends to support the position that, in general, the coil springs that fractured on many subject vehicles did not achieve the expected service life.However, in regard to the subject vehicles, a front suspension coil spring fracture itself has little safety consequence, as evidenced by the minimal impact on vehicle ride and handling and by the number of drivers who were unaware of the failure condition for some time until alerted by service personnel.The ratio of tire punctures to coil spring fractures appears low and there are no reports of crashes, deaths or injuries related to the alleged defect. A safety-related defect has not been identified at this time and further use of agency resources does not appear to be warranted.Accordingly, this investigation is closed.The closing of this investigation does not constitute a finding by nhtsa that a safety-related defect does not exist.The agency will continue to monitor this issue and will take further action if warranted by the circumstances.See the ea08-026 engineering analysis closing report for more details.
  

  Show Content

• Front suspension coil spring fracture investigation as of 20080828

  On august 28, 2008, the office of defects investigation (odi) opened a preliminary evaluation (pe08-051) to investigate alleged front suspension coil spring fractures in certain model year (my) 2003-2004 saab 9-3 vehicles sold or registered in "salt belt" states.(note: for purposes of this investigation, the "salt belt" includes connecticut, delaware, the district of columbia, illinois, indiana, iowa, maine, maryland, massachusetts, michigan, minnesota, missouri, new hampshire, new jersey, new york, ohio, pennsylvania, rhode island, vermont, west virginia and wisconsin).Subsequent analysis of data provided by general motors corp. (gm) has led the agency to expand the scope of this investigation to include all my 2003-2006 saab 9-3 vehicles sold or registered in "salt belt" states. To date, odi is aware of 53 non-duplicative complaints and/or field reports that allege coil spring fracture in the subject vehicles, including 23 alleging the fractured spring damaged a tire, with 16 of those involving a tire puncture.Analysis of warranty data provided by gm identified 1,218 claims paid to repair subject vehicles that experienced the alleged defect, of which 138 vehicles also suffered damage to the adjacent tire and of those, 79 vehicles experienced a tire puncture.Odi is not aware of any crashes or injuries related to the alleged defect. Gm made several design changes to the coil springs and/or mcpherson strut assemblies used in the subject vehicles in an apparent effort to address the alleged defect condition.However, gm maintains that the subject vehicles remain well controlled in the event of tire puncture, that the rate of tire puncture incidents related to coil spring fractures is low, and that the alleged defect does not pose an unreasonable risk to motor vehicle safety.Accordingly, this investigation has been upgraded to an engineering analysis (ea08-026) to further study the safety consequences of the alleged defect.
  

  Show Content

Common OBD Error codes specific to this vehicle.

• P2126 [1] Throttle/Pedal Position Sensor/Switch "E" Circuit Range/Performance
• P2138 [1] Throttle/Pedal Pos Sensor/Switch D / E Voltage Correlation
• P2122 [1] Throttle/Pedal Position Sensor/Switch "D" Circuit Low
• P2123 [1] Throttle/Pedal Position Sensor/Switch "D" Circuit High
• P2127 [1] Throttle/Pedal Position Sensor/Switch "E" Circuit Low
• P2128 [1] Throttle/Pedal Position Sensor/Switch "E" Circuit High
• P1605 [1] Loss of KAM Power; Open Circuit

Called devoe automotive in naples to have recalled seatbelt fixed, it just failed to retract. I sent a picture of the vin. And was told they could not find it and could not help us with out a letter with our vin on it saying the broken seatbelt was recalled, just because it will not retract that didn't mean it was a recall issue. I astked how i would get a letter but received no guidance. I was also told saab is out of business and they will help known customers and since we were in tampa they couldn't help it was so far for us to travel. I stated they are one of five dealership who was listed to fix this recall. Also told them tampa repair man was sick with carona virus and that's why i called them. She told me anyone can fix a broken seatbelt, but that's not true and we can't find anyone to help us. Basically because we were not a local known customer this dealership would not support us unless i proved they had too.

Called devoe automotive in naples to have recalled seatbelt fixed, it just failed to retract. I sent a picture of the vin. And was told they could not find it and could not help us with out a letter with our vin on it saying the broken seatbelt was recalled, just because it will not retract that didn't mean it was a recall issue. I astked how i would get a letter but received no guidance. I was also told saab is out of business and they will help known customers and since we were in tampa they couldn't help it was so far for us to travel. I stated they are one of five dealership who was listed to fix this recall. Also told them tampa repair man was sick with carona virus and that's why i called them. She told me anyone can fix a broken seatbelt, but that's not true and we can't find anyone to help us. Basically because we were not a local known customer this dealership would not support us unless i proved they had too.

Tl* the contact owns a 2004 saab 9-3. The contact stated that the driver's side seat belt failed to retract without warning. The vehicle was taken to autonation chevrolet west amarillo (7300 i-40 frontage rd, west amarillo, tx 79106, 806-553-5673) and was informed that the repairs were not included in nhtsa campaign number: 14v318000 (seat belts). The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified. The failure mileage was 164,000.

Air bag malfunction light

I have a recall on the driver's side seatbelt. It was broken and is unspooled.

Takata recall - gm dealers advise my car not affected but on recall websites my 2004 saab 9-3 aero is shown to have a takata air bag.

Front driver seat belt retractor has failed when i went to fasten my seat belt.

While driving, without any warning the car engine stalls. No warning at all!! Once it stops, ignition key won't work. The only way to restart the car is to disconnect the battery. This is all done in the emergency shoulders, breakdown lanes, its also happened on the highway exit ramps. Luckily each time there was a place to pull over. We could get killed. It has happened numerous times . Sometimes it stalls 2-3 times a day. I am so disappointed in this car. I am afraid to drive it, and how can i sell it knowing that something bad could happen to the new owner.

Takata recall? My car keeps giving me the following alert: airbag malfunction. How can i verify it is part of the recall?

I recieved a letter recall 15027 dated december 2018. I had to have my seatbelt repaired in june 2016. The cost of the repair was $401 and was repaired by bicklers repair. I am requesting reembursement for the repair in 2016. It is still not functioning correctly so i currently have it in for repairs at rimrock pontiac in billings.

2004 saab 9-3. Consumer writes in regards to driver airbag inflator recall notice. *smd

Takata recall: i contacted my dealer as instructed and was informed that there are no parts and no information as to when the parts will be available. I asked them to disconnect my seemingly murderous airbag and they said it was illegal. Why is it not illegal to have to wait for an indefinite period of time to repair something that is potentially very dangerous or even fatal? I believe takata should offer rental cars to those waiting and if they had to assume that financial responsibility they may come up with the repair parts faster. Is there another way to address this situation? Is any action being taken to motivate takata to deal with this in a more efficient manner? Even if i were to sell the car, the recall would make it unwanted by any customer. Please let me know how to resolve this.

Tl* takata recall. The contact owns a 2004 saab 9-3. The contact received a notification of nhtsa campaign number: 16v063000 (air bags); however, the part for the recall was not available. The contact stated that the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer and dealer were not notified. The contact had not experienced a failure.

Tl* the contact owns a 2004 saab 9-3. The contact received notification of nhtsa campaign number: 16v063000 (air bags); however, the part to do the repair was unavailable. The manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not notified. The contact had not experienced a failure. Vin tool confirms parts not available.

Tl* the contact owns a 2004 saab 9-3. The contact received a recall notification for nhtsa campaign number: 16v063000 (air bags) in march of 2016. The contact called saab to determine when the parts would be available. The contact was advised that the notification was sent by mistake and the vin was no longer included in the recall. The manufacturer informed the contact that he would receive a second notice. The contact did not feel safe driving the vehicle because the air bags could potentially deploy without warning. The contact had not experienced a failure.

Tl* the contact owns a 2004 saab 9-3. The contact received a recall notification for nhtsa campaign number: 16v063000 (air bags) and stated that the parts needed were unavailable to perform the recall repair. The manufacturer was not notified of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. Parts distribution disconnect.

Takata inflators: i recently received my safety recall notice for the driver airbag defect in my 2004 saab 9-3. I understand the circumstances and that the repair parts for this defect are currently not available. I also understand the severe implications to this defect in case of an accident. I have talked to my certified service center and they suggested i reach out to you because i would like you to issue me a written approval to authorize them to disconnect the air bag to remove the risks. The dealership told me that in the past they have received requests to disconnect passenger airbags when someone needed to use a car seat and they did not want the airbag to explode on impact. This is a similar situation, where i do not want the airbag to explode on impact due to a defective part. Since you are unable to fix this problem immediately, and i need to be able to drive the car, i cannot be driving a car that can cause serious injuries or death if i were to get in an accident. Therefore, the only option is to disconnect the hazard so the car can still be safely driven. The seatbelt is in place, along with side airbags for safety. Once you have supplied the parts to fix the airbag, then it can be installed and reconnected. Thank you, *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2004 saab 9-3. The contact stated that the front springs and front struts failed without warning. The contact stated that the fracture happened twice, once on each side. A mechanic diagnosed that the springs prematurely fractured and the front struts and sprints needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The vin was not available. The approximate failure mileage was 150,000.

Saab recall. I received both seat belt retractor and airbag inflate defect safety recall notice. However, in my car the seat belt retractor malfunction is in the driver side. I have called the saab official service center and the dealer for both problems several days up today and i have not had an answer or solution to those problems. Besides, i have tried to repair the seat belt, but i can't find the part. As you can see in the attached photos to drive with a seat belt in that conditions is extremely dangerous. However, i feel that i am not safe driving my car, and that the hazard has increased with this car's airbag malfunction. I am a 79 years old man who has this car as the only mean of transportation that i have.

Tl* takata recall. The contact owns a 2004 saab 9-3. The contact received notification of nhtsa campaign number: 16v063000 (air bags); however, the part to do the repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. Vin tool confirms parts not available. Updated 05/26/16*lj updated 06/14/16.*jb

I have a 9-3 saab everytime i stop and turn car off when i get back in a put key in i get a steering wheel lock contact saab dealer it won't even let me turn the key i have the car for about years and now it's doing this i have to disconnect the battery and reconnect for the computer reset and restart me car can you help me with this thank you ..... *tr

Seatbelt retractor on driver's side completely unspooled and will not retract under normal use effecting driver's safety in event of a crash. While convertible and passeger side retractors seem to be covered under warranty we are told our car is not covered and it is $550 to repair the problem. This doesn't make sense when so many saabs have this problem. The car was parked when it unspooled and wouldn't retract. This is a major safety issue in operating the vehicle.

Approximately 5 minutes after starting, the car stalled on a busy, 6 lane road. The engine was not able to start again, or even attempt to ignite. The check engine light was on. The car spent 2 days in the mechanic, who was able to source a P1605 error code. However, he told us only a licensed saab technician could extract details from the code. While at the shop, the car was also started by the mechanics and appeared to be working normally, upon which they deleted the error code. Two days after the initial incident, we drove it back approximately 12 miles back home without any issues. Later that same day, the car stalled a second time on the expressway after 10-15 minutes of driving; fortunately i was driving in the right-hand lane and was easily able to pull over on the shoulder. After the car was towed to a specialized saab mechanic, they were able to conclude that the issues were stemming from a defective ecu (engine control unit). We exchanged the ecu with a brand new part, at the cost of $1400. While clearing up the finances, i spoke with a service representative at the mechanic/dealer who informed me that while my car was in the shop, there were 2 more cars that had came in with the same problem. Also, customer service from an online saab parts retailer informed me that this has been a known problem to him, based off other customers' experiences. Their cars would stall, be fine after cooling down, but would stall again later.

This is a serious issue known to nhtsa and gm under pe 08051. It needs to be addressed and a recall issued. Backing out of garage i heard a pop from right front area of car when put in reverse. Drove about 200 feet before i smelled burning rubber. Car became very difficult to steer. I had car towed to independent service garage. It is determined that the right front spring broke and became entangled in front suspension, steering and tire. Had i been going at a speed greater than 20 miles per hour i would have not been able to steer the car to a safe stop. Both gm and nhtsa know of the breaking front spring in salted road areas including missouri. This vehicle has only 55000 miles and is stored in a garage at home and work. Please put out a recall issue immediately, this is a very serious issue. Also a front seat belt recall went out last summer. I have contacted the manufacturer several times, the replacement seat belt is always several month out. Mine has become knotted and does not lay flat across my body but is more like a rolled rope. Gm needs to address this issue and get the parts out asap as well. Again gm needs to recall the known issue on the front springs on 2003 - 2006 saab 9-3's and fulfill their current recall on the damaged recalled seat belt. Updated 09/08/15*lj updated 10/26/2017*cn

Tl* the contact owned a 2004 saab 9-3. While driving approximately 40 mph, the steering column jammed and resulted in a crash. The vehicle was destroyed and towed away. The driver was injured and required medical attention. A police report was field. The manufacturer was not notified of the issue. The vin was invalid. The approximate failure mileage was 104,000.

I do have a 2004 saab 9-3 arc convertible. There is a seat belt recall. I brought the car to my gmc tustin dealer 3 weeks ago. However, they cannot fix the problem because the part is not available. Since it is a seat belt issue, i do not like to drive the car because of safety issue. By law, how fast does the manufacturer have to replace the part?

Tl* the contact owns a 2004 saab 9-3. While driving approximately 5 mph, the seat belt retractor became inoperable without warning. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was diagnosed that the seat belt retractor needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The technician stated that the vin was included in nhtsa campaign number:14v318000 (seat belts); however, the part to do the repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 58,000.

Tl* the contact owns a 2004 saab 9-3. The contact stated that the seat belt retractor seized. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The failure mileage was 162,000.

Low beam headlights are so dim that the vehicle can not be safely driven at night. High beam work great.

Tl* the contact owns a 2004 saab 9-3. The contact stated that while at a stop sign, there was a odor of burning oil inside the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the valve cover gasket was leaking. The vehicle was repaired; however, the failure recurred. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 117,000.

I just called the gm saab customer assistance center to ask about the recent driver's side front seat belt recall. I had paid for that last year an am requesting to be reimbursed but was told i will have to wait until the next notice comes out saying that they actually have the parts. In the notice i read that they indicated the passenger side seat belt will not be covered however if an issue arises it will be covered. When i asked if someone could be killed since this seat belt might not function properly i was told yes. When i asked why it was not then part of the recall i was told because they do not have parts. This is absolutely outrageous that lives are being put at risk simply because the particular supplier of these parts to gm is out of them. I had no problem getting the part when i had to pay for it. There is no excuse for taking a risk like this with peoples lives and the danger of having someone use the passenger seat was not mentioned in the recall notice and only acknowledged when i asked. I am a trained ems provider and find this completely unacceptable. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2004 saab 9-3. The contact stated that the driver side seat belt failed and would not retract. The contact attempted to report the failure to the manufacturer to be referred to an authorized dealer but was unable to get through to schedule a recall repair. The contact was unable to schedule the recall repair within a reasonable timeframe. The contact was not able to secure the driver side seat belt for it to retract. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was unknown.

Driver's side seat belt retractor failed. Have investigated recalls and found that three previous recalls do not cover this vin number. Have been unable to find a replacement part; have contacted a dealership 2+ hours away that will replace the entire seat at a cost of $650. This seems to be the only alternative, and have only owned the car 8 months. Gm should recall all affected vehicles, and/or expand the june 2014 recall to cover additional vehicles. *tr

Gm sent me a recall notice dated 08/2014 regarding faulty seat belts in 2004 saab convertibles. Gm safety recall #14222/ saab safety recall #15027. It has been 8 months and no further word from gm about the repair. I believe i may be driving an unsafe vehicle. Any updates thanks, [xxx] information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.S.C. 552(b)(6). *tr

Saab aero 9-3 with only 73k driver seat belt worked fine on saturday the next day i noticed it was not retracted so pulled on it and it unraveled in my lap. Call gm monday after researching recalls online. My vin is not covered?... If it is a known problem and the buyer experiences the issue -wouldn't you think that gm would repair it??? *tr

Upon coming to a stop at a stop sign the front drivers side seatbelt came unravelled from the seat back and will not retract. I looked up the vehicle for recalls and found their is a vin specific recall on this make/model/year but my vehicle was not included in the vin specific. My concern is that this issue has been known to gm and saab since 2010 and not only was i not notified so i have been driving in a potentially. Unsafe vehicle but now i am being told my vin is not included in the recall. *tr

I took my vehicle in for a blower motor malfunction and a brake job to my regular mechanic who works on all my vehicles. While they had the vehicle up on the lift, he noticed that the right front spring had broken and gouged the tire leaving the tire damaged and the car inoperable. When they called the dealership to order a new spring from saab, the parts department said that b/c of mileage and age it would be covered under a service bulletin. Yeah! So, i called dealership and inquired about having the vehicle towed (100 miles) and the saab dealership do the work. Mileage on 9-3, 94,484 good! 6 months past the "time" limit! Bad! Needless to say, after $700 later i have replaced both front springs as well as the $175 damaged tire. The spring could have caused serious damage to the car, occupants as well as others if i was driving while the damaged tire gave out, due to the spring breaking! The vehicle drove perfectly & i was not aware of the broken spring! This is not my only vehicle and i honestly feel that saab should honor the mileage before the "time" b/c the amount of the vehicle being driven is what seems to be the cause of the failure of the springs.

Driver's seat belt will not retract. After googling i read that there are 2 recalls on the saab 9-3 2004 driver side seat belt retractors not working. Today i was told by the dealer currently servicing saab's (jim ellis mazda) that this vin is not included. If that is true, the recall needs to be extended to other vin's since this one failed too. Please help!!!!!! *tr

Right front spring broke off during travel. 2nd incident. Note broken coils replaced in 2010. *tr

The left front strut spring snapped and the right front strut spring is moving (circular back and forth motion). *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2004 saab 9-3. The contact stated that while driving approximately 60 mph, the front passenger's side tire blew. The vehicle was towed to a private mechanic, who replaced the damaged tire and also advised that the failure was caused by fractured coil springs. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The approximate failure and current mileage was 140,000.

I was traveling at 50mph when i heard a loud pop from the front suspension. After the pop the front end would rattle over bumps. Upon further inspection i discovered the front right coil spring had cracked. After looking at the spring more i found another crack in the same spring. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2004 saab 9-3. The contact stated that while traveling various speeds, the vehicle suddenly stalled. The vehicle was taken to a private mechanic where it was found that the fuel filter had failed. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted about the failure. The failure mileage and vin was not available.

Tl* the contact owns a 2004 saab 9-3. The contact stated that the driver's side seat belt failed to retract or latch. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was 84,000 and the current mileage was 84,200.

Tl-the contact owns a 2004 saab convertible 93. The contact stated he bought the vehicle form the dealer on december 11, 2013 the check engine light illuminated when he turned the igination on at the dealer and it remained on. The mechanic diagnosed it was an igination malfunction, and it needed to be replaced. The vehicle had not been repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the problem. The approximate failure mileage was 107,775.Lj

I got in my vehicle, went to put on my seat-belt, and the entire belt pulled out of the unit. It will not retract at all anymore. Upon researching online, i found that there was an open recall on my year/model vehicle with respect to the broken belt retractors. I contacted gm and was told that my vin number falls outside of the recall range. It seems that if i have the same year/model vehicle being recalled and the same issue as the vehicles being recalled, gm should expand the vin's that are being covered to fix this very important safety mechanism failure. *tr

Tl- the contact owns a 2004 saab 9-3 convertible. The contact was inquiring about a recall nhtsa campaign number: 10v043000 (seat belts) and stated that the vin was not included. The contact also mentioned that he's experienced the problem that was listed in the recall. The manufacturer was notified. The failure mileage was 112,000. Jr

Passengers side seat belt doesn't work. There was a recall by nhtsa however i have never been contacted regarding getting the seat belt fixed. This is a very big safety issue. I cannot have anybody drive with me. *tr

Seat belt has released into my lap as i came to a stop and will not retract. Very dangerous issue!!! I'm glad i wasn't in an accident because the seat belt is worthless. This is a recall item on 2004 saab's but the recall doesn't reach to my vin #. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2004 saab 9-3. The contact stated that the driver's side seat belt webbing failed to retract whenever it was engaged. The contact mentioned that nhtsa recall campaign number 10v043000 (seat belts) was associated with the failure. The vehicle was not taken to a dealer for a diagnostic test. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The approximate failure and current mileage was 83,000. . ..Updated 03-12-14 *bf the consumer paid for the repairs out of pocket. Updated 03/20/14

Drivers side seat belt failed on a non accident related incident. Was repaired approximately 2-3 years ago, however the passenger side seat belt has sinced failed. I tried to get this fixed via the dealer ship, however the dealership was adamant about not paying for the repair. As i pointed out to the dealership, this was a safety failure and possible lawsuit if the passerger was killed in a car accident. Massachusetts requires seat belt usage. I contacted the ag for massachusetts, but they could not help me. The passenger side seat belt is unrepaired at this time. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2004 saab 9-3. The contact stated whenever engaging the front driver's seat belt the webbing failed to retract. Nhtsa recall campaign number 10v043000 (seat belt) was associated with the failure; however, the vin was not included. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 112,000.

I drive a 2004 9-3 arc convertible. I pulled the driver side seatbelt to clip in and the retractor failed to retract. The driver side seat belt is now non-functional as it is completely extended. This is the same problem described in nhtsa recall campaign#10v043000 for saab 9-3 2004 sedans. The dealership said that it only covers sedans and not convertibles, however this is the exact same problem. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2004 saab 9-3. The contact stated the front driver's side seat belt retractor became fractured. There were two recalls under nhtsa campaign number: 10v043000 (seat belts) and nhtsa campaign number: 04v226000 (seat belts) that could have been related to the failure. The manufacturer was contacted and stated the contact's vin was not included in either recall. The vehicle was not repaired. The approximate failure mileage was 140,000.

I got into my car and the drivers side seat belt would not go tight and kept coming out until it is now all the way out. I called saab usa about a recall i found for 2004 saab seat belts. I was told that is only for sedans and did not cover my car since it's not a sedan. This makes no sense and of course is very dangerous. I will be following up with the local dealer, saab usa and nhtsa as this is clearly a major safety issue. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2004 saab 9-3. The contact stated that the front driver's side seat belt webbing failed to retract. There were two recalls associated with the failure under nhtsa campaign id numbers 10v043000 (seat belts) and 04v226000 (seat belts) however, the vin was not included in either recall. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the defect. The approximate failure mileage was 119,000.

Filled gas tank and gauge read full. After a few minutes, gauge read empty. Once 1/4 of the tank was used, gauge popped back up to 3/4 full. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2004 saab 9-3. The contact stated that the front driver's side seat belt would not retract. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who stated that there was a recall for the failure under nhtsa campaign number: 10v043000 (seat belts). The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and stated that the vin was not included in the recall. The vehicle was not repaired. The approximate failure mileage was 60,000. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2004 saab 9-3. The contact stated that after entering the vehicle, the driver's side seat belt failed to operate. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic for diagnosis but they were unable to duplicate the problem. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 120,000. *tr

I got in the car to leave for work and when i put my seat belt on it came completely out and now won't retract. I found out there is a gm recall for this issue but all the gm service centers near me refuse to work on saab vehicles. The nearest saab service center i can find is approximately 110 miles from my home and i don't feel safe driving that distance with a malfunctioning seat belt. *tr

I was getting out of my driver side seat belt and it unwound all the way out and now will not retract at all. I found on line that there was a recall for this exact thing on my year and make of car but my vin# seems to not be included. Recall #42582- seat belts: front retractor. This is a $550 dealer service charge and i can not afford to fix this myself. How could this be? Exact problem exact year make and model?? *tr

Filled gas tank and gauge read full. After a few minutes, gauge read empty. Began occurring when going around a corner, but now reads empty immediately after filling. Once 1/8 to 1/4 of the tank is used, gauge reads accurately. *tr

The low beam headlights are not bright. Took it to a saab dealer, was told that the wiring that turns of the headlights were burnt and ready to catch fire. Was told this would cost about $1000. Did some research and found this is not only common, but every saab 9-3 has this problem. If this is such a bad thing, then why are there no recalls and this a concern? *tr

Heard strange noises in front end while turning. Had mechanic check it out and found right front spring broken. I understand there is a recall. Concerned with how to get this handled before it breaks entirely and causes an accident. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2004 saab 9-3 convertible aero. The contact stated that while driving approximately 40 mph, the driver's seat belt retractor failed without warning. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was advised that the driver's side retractor needed to be replaced. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and stated that the vehicle was not included in nhtsa campaign number: 10v043000 (seat belts). The vehicle was not repaired. The approximate failure mileage was 135,000 and the current mileage was 138,000. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2004 saab 9-3. The contact stated that the front driver's side seat belt became detached and would not secure around the contact. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted about the failure and informed the contact that the vehicle was not included in nhtsa campaign number 10v043000 (seat belts). The failure mileage was 50,000.

I was stopped at a stop sign and when i attempted to adjust my seatbelt there was a popping sound and all the tension in the belt released. It will no longer retract and remains fully extended. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2004 saab 9-3. The contact stated that the driver side seat belt would not retract. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who stated that the seat belt assembly needed to be replaced. Also, the mechanic made her aware that the vehicle might be included in nhtsa campaign id number: 10v043000 (seat belts:front:retractor). The manufacturer was made aware of the failure who did not offer any assistance since the vehicle was not included in any recalls. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was 105,000 and the current mileage was 105,100.

Tl* the contact owns a 2004 saab 9-3 convertible. The contact stated that while attempting to utilize the driver's seat belt, the seat belt retracted. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where they advised that the retractor needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and advised the contact that his vehicle was not included in nhtsa campaign id number 10v043000 (seat belts:front:retractor). The failure and current mileages were approximately 60,000.

The automatic tensioning system cable in the driver's side front seat belt retractors broke. This caused the sat belt webbing to be spooled out and not retract. *tr we took the car to a saab dealer and after several weeks they said they had no idea when they would have the parts took the car to a local repair shop and they replaced the faulty belt components. We just received a recall notice (14222/saab safety recall 15027) from gm about this problem, stating there are no parts available and will notify us when parts are available. How do we recover the $532 we spent fixing this problem 2 years ago?

Tl* the contact owns a 2004 saab 9.3. The contact stated that the drivers seat belt would not retract; therefore, she was unable to use it. The vehicle was taken to the dealer who replaced the drivers seat belt retractor sensor. The failure mileage was 110,000 and the approximate current mileage was 115,000. ...Updated 10/17/12 *bf updated 10/17/12*jb

Tl* the contact owns a 2004 saab 9-3. The contact stated the driver's side seat belt webbing failed to retract whenever it was engaged. Nhtsa recall campaign number 10v043000 (seat belts) was associated with the failure. The manufacturer was notified and stated the vin was not included in the recall. The approximate failure mileage was 60,000.

I have not had any prior problems with any of hte seat belts on my 2004 93 arc convertible. I was driving my car as usual on saturday, june 30, 2012 and when i came to a stop, i released my seat belt after my car was in park and i was preparing to exit the vehicle. Instead of it retracting there was a strange noise and the entire belt came unspooled. I tried to give it a little tug to rewind it, but it continued to unspool and would not retract. This was the first time that there was any problem at all with the drivers side seat belt. When i arrived at home i looked on line to see if there was any information on how to remedy this problem and after googling saab seatbelt 2 recalls immediately came up on 2004 9-3 arc models; nhtsa campaign id number: 10v043000 & nhtsa campaign id number: 04v226000 listing (general motors is recalling certain model year 2004 saab 9-3 sedans. Some of these vehicles were produced with front seat belt retractors that, over time, could fail to retract.) i contacted the falls church, va saab dealership closest to me and was told that my car was not a sedan and therefore was not a part of either recall, but it has the same problem and description as what happened to the cars who's seat belt retractors were recalled. I was told that if i bring it in to the dealership and pay their miminum amount they would let me know how much it would be to replace my defective part. I am not understanding how the same year, same models, with the same problems are not recalled because they are convertible, but the sedans are. Clearly there may be a different set up with the seat belt configuration but the retractor part should be similar if not the same regardless of the rest. I would like to understand why my car is not covered by the recall that is still in effect. Thank you. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2004 saab 9-3 convertible. The contact stated that the front passenger seat belt would not retract. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and did not offer any assistance since the vehicle was not included in the recall associated with nhtsa campaign id number: 10v043000 (seat belts:front:retractor). The vehicle was not repaired. The failure and current mileage was 60,000.

Tl* the contact owns a 2004 saab 9-3. The contact stated that the retractor for the front driver side seat belt failed and would not retract. The contact referenced two recalls associated with the failure under nhtsa campaign id numbers:04v226000 and 10v043000 (seat belts:front:retractor). The manufacturer was made aware of the issue however, the vin was not included in either of the recall campaigns. The vehicle was not repaired. The current mileage was 72,912. The failure mileage was 72,500.

Saab 9-3 rear ended a dodge sprinter van at ~5mph and passenger ab deployed. Passenger seat was completely empty. Vehicle normally displays seat belt warning when seat has a heavy bag (or passenger) in it and warning was not displayed. Only exterior damage was to front fascia. No damage to hood or either quarter panel. Accident occurred at a 3 way intersection with a yield sign. Vehicle in front of saab started to proceed and then abruptly stopped. Driver of the saab was looking behind them to insure traffic was clear, looked up to notice vehicle in front had stopped, and slammed on brakes. The vehicle in front (dodge sprinter van) did have a large tow hitch with a small aluminum diamond plate step. *tr

Loud cracking noise when going over a small bump in road. Inspection showed broken right front coil spring. Could have punctured tire and caused an accident. *js updated 08-03-12 *bf

Front right tire started smoking, followed quickly by blowout. After removing tire, discovered the spring part of the suspension had fractured into 2 pieces, one piece loose and unattached, the other still intact with the car. The piece still attached to the car was out of place and in the way of the tire which caused it to rub up against the tire and caused it to blow out after cutting through the entire circumference of the tire. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2004 saab 93 convertible. The contact stated that the driver attempted to secure the front driver side seat belt, but the seat belt would not retract into the pretensioner. The vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer and the contact was informed that the vehicle was not included in the recalls associated with nhtsa campaign id numbers 10v043000 (seat belts:front:retractor) or 04v226000 (seat belts:front:retractor). The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was 58,000.

Coil springs broken, campaign 15917, inspect and replace broken coil springs. *tr

Broken front coil springs caused the vehicle to be unsafe to operate. Both left and right springs are broken with spring material extending towards the tire. Will require tow for service. Tire failure is likely if driven. *tr

The rear driver's side door lock actuator doesn't always lock or unlock using the keyfob. It sometimes clicks like it's trying to lock/unlock, but is always .5-1 second slower than the other doors. *tr it does not have a key slot to unlock the door via a key. The door can be locked/unlocked using the push/pull rod on the interior - until the actuator fully freezes, then it can't be locked or unlocked at all.

Tl* the contact owns a 2004 saab 9-3. The contact stated that the vehicle was taken to a dealer for repairs under nhtsa campaign id number: 10v043000 (seat belts: retractor) but the dealer advised the contact that the vehicle could only be repaired by an authorized saab dealer. The contact stated that there were no saab dealers in the area and the vehicle would not be able to be repaired. The initial dealer offered to perform the recall repair but the manufacturer would not authorize the dealer to perform the repairs. The vin was not available. The current mileage was 100,000 and the failure mileage was unknown.

Put my seat belt on and it would not retract. Drivers side only. *tt

The drivers side seat belt retractor needs to be replaced as it no longer functions. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2004 saab 9- 3 convertible. The contact stated that the driver side front seat belt failed to retract back in place. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where the dealer confirmed that the seat belt retractor needed to be replaced. The manufacturer was contacted and they advised that the vin did not qualify for repairs under nhtsa campaign id number: 10v043000 (seat belts:front:retractor). The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was 52,000 and the current mileage was 52,321.

I have a 2004 saab 9-3. Today, i exited my car and when i closed the door, the adhesive holding the glass to my side view mirror failed(the mirror/glass fell to the ground). This is the first time this has happened to me. I feel that this is a serious concern because i use my mirrors all the time while driving and making safe lane changes. I now have a drivers side mirror(glass) that is no longer there. I feel this is a serious safety issue. Many people have certain medical issues that will not allow them to completely turn their neck/torso to the left to view oncoming traffic while trying to merge. If a person with said problem lost the ability to view their mirror they will be forced to blindly merge into lanes that they cannot be sure are clear and safe. Furthermore, i looked into replacing the mentioned mirror and came upon this website. (https://www.Internetglassnetwork.Com/ssl/saab/9_3.Htm) you can clearly read that this is a very common problem. *tr

My saab convertible only has 59000 miles on it and my seat belt system does not work. Saab and its dealerships refuse to fix the problem because they claim it is out of warranty and only selected vins were covered for recalls-even though the part is the same (defective seat belt retractor). As i understand, by federal law, they are required to cover the repairs of the seat belt system for ten years despite their crappy vehicle warranty. My mechanic says he has had the same situation with other customers. I need some help! *tr

When attempting to put on seat belt, the retractor failed and the seat belt is extended to it's largest capacity and will not retract. This happened when the car was not moving. I took the car to be repaired at a repair shop for swedish cars and was told that fixing it was not covered under the current recall for the driver's side seat belt retractor. I was told that recall applied to only sedans. I was quoted a cost of over $800 to fix the part. From what i understand, this is a common occurrence in the 2004 saabs. I was also told that it was not covered under warranty.

Tl* the contact owns a 2004 saab 9-3. While the vehicle was parked, the contact noticed the drivers side seat belt would not retract after had been extended. The vehicle was not taken to a dealer for diagnostic testing. The vehicle was not repaired. The approximate failure mileage was 180,000.

The side seam of the front driver seat tore with out warning. The driver's side airbag is located here and may become exposed in a dangerous manor. Car has only 39,000 miles is very well maintained. Driver is not overweight/fat. This is unsafe. I have owned many other cars and seats should not tear where air bag is located. This is defect. Gm will not repair, "car out of warranty". Independent shop will not stitch "liability concern due to airbag". Help. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2004 sabb 9-3. The contact stated that the driver's side seat belt would not retract. The contact spoke with the manufacturer in regards to nhtsa campaign id number: 10v043000 (seat belts: front: retractor) but was told that the vehicle was not included in the recall. The vehicle was not repaired. The current mileage is 112,000. Updated 03/30/12

Tl* the contact owns a 2004 saab 9-3 aero. The contact stated that while attempting to fasten the driver side seat belt, the seat belt retractor failed. The vehicle was taken to the dealer. The dealer inspected the vehicle and advised that the seat belt assembly would need to be replaced. The dealer replaced the driver side seat belt assembly. The manufacturer would not assist with the repair because the vehicle warranty was expired. The failure and the current mileage was 109,000. The vin was not available.

Was driving 2004 saab 9-3 vehicle when the strut spring broke, and started digging into the tire creating a lot of smoke from burnt rubber. Upon closer inspection it appears that the strut strings had broke on both sides, only the passenger side spring came off of its 'mount' and dug its way into the tire. Nothing was hit to cause this reaction. Upon searching the internet, this seems to be a more common, than not problem with this model of 9-3. Saab has agreed to extend the warranty to fix the problem, but this is a very serious safety hazard and these springs should be recalled. A significant amount of damage was done to the tire before i stopped. If the vehicle had been traveling any faster, i believe the consequences could have been significantly worse.

Tl* the contact owns a 2004 saab 9-3. While driving approximately 45 mph, the contact abruptly depressed the brakes to avoid a crash and the contact stated that the seat belt failed to tighten and restrain him properly. The contact was not injured. The vehicle was taken to a local mechanic who inspected the vehicle and found that the seat belt unit needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact referenced the recall associated with nhtsa campaign id number: 10v043000 (seat belts:front:retractor)but the manufacturer advised that the vin was not included in the recall. The approximate failure mileage was 130,000. Saab offered to pay for the parts as a goodwill gesture, but would not acknowledge the vehicle identification number being included in the recall. Updated evoq 06/14/11

I have a 2004 saab 9-3; the driver side front seatbelt retractor was replaced under recall, but i believe that the retractors for the remaining three outer seatbelts do not function well, even though they technically receive less use than the driver's. I have to help take up the slack in the belts to make sure they are snug for backseat passengers (in booster seats), much as i had to do with the driver's seatbelt before the recall. *tr

The gas gauge fluctuates from filled to empty, randomly, even though the tank is full every time the tank is filled. *tr

2004 saab 9-3 convertible. Consumer states issues with fuel tank and sensor *tgw the consumer stated the engine light illuminated as well as the greenbox malfunction light due to the vehicle not having the latest software. So, the dealer had to perform the sps of the transmission control module to update to the newest software. The consumer was informed that because he ran the vehicle on low fuel, it shorted out the fuel sensor. The consumer also stated when he first purchased the vehicle, the engine light illuminated due to a faulty fuel pump. *jb

Tl* the contact owns a 2004 saab 9-3. While driving approximately 55 mph the front passenger side tire blew out. The contact was able to pull off to the side of the road. The vehicle was towed to the dealer. The technicians stated the front passenger side coil spring needed to be replaced. The contact decided to replace both front driver and passenger side coil springs. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer issued an extended warranty for the failure but the vehicle was not covered under the warranty due to the mileage. The approximate failure mileage was 124,000. Updated 05/18/11 *bf updated 2/9/12 *cn

Tl* the contact owns a 2004 saab 9-3. The contact stated that the driver side seat belt would no longer retract. The contact called the manufacturer regarding the failure and the recall associated with nhtsa campaign id number: 04v226000 (seat belts:front:retractor) but was advised that the vehicle was not included in the recall. The manufacturer offered to assist with partial repairs. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact believed that the manufacturer should be liable for the failure due to the safety risk involved. The failure mileage was 92,000.

Tl* the contact owns a 2004 saab 9-3. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds over turbulent road conditions or when making a turn, the vehicle would exhibit a creaking noise from the front end. The contact also mentioned that an abnormal clicking noise was heard when first starting the vehicle. The vehicle was not taken diagnostic testing or repairs. The manufacturer was also no longer in business. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was 80,000.

The drivers side seat belt fails to retract on my 2004 saab 9-3. The seat belt is useless. There is a recall for this exact problem but my vin# is not covered! *tr

Drivers side seat belt failed on my 2004 saab 9-3 convertible. This happened at about 43,000 miles. Seat belt will not retract and no longer usable. I contacted saab and my vin was not included in the recall. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2004 saab 9-3. While driving approximately 45 mph the vehicle suddenly stalled. The contact was able to restart the vehicle; however, the failure occurred intermittently. The fuel gauge on the instrument panel was also functioning erratically while driving. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer for diagnostic testing. The vehicle was not repaired. The approximate failure mileage was 100,000.

Left work parking lot and felt something rubbing on drivers side tire. Pulled over to see what was wrong. Could not find anything. Started driving again and smelled a tire smell and noticed blue smoke from my rearview mirror. Started to pull over and the tire blew. Thought i blew a tire. Go to put the spare tire on and see the spring from the strut had almost cut my tire off the inside of the rim. Called my local saab dealer and they said they would replace the one spring. As i was looking up how much this was going to cost me(before i found out i was still under warranty) every site i visited said the same thing saab recommends replacing both springs yet the dealership says they will only replace the one that broke and shredded my tire. Looking on the internet i see this is a problem that has not turned into a recall. If i had made it to the first round about the speed limit goes to 55mph the amount of force that pulled my car to the right at 15mph was almost enough to hit an on coming car. I can only imagine what it would have done at 55mph on a two lane highway. *tr

I received a letter from saab dated feb 2010 to owners of 2003 - 2006 saab 9-3s there was a potential problem of the suspension spring corrosion may weaken and/or break. 3rd paragraph bold underlined: do not take your car to the dealer as a result of the letter unless you believe your car has the condition. I did not take it in. On may 18, 2010 the spring on the left front broke resulting in the front end dropping. During the loading on flat bed tow truck the oil pan was damaged with a $1055 repair at my expense. No oil leak prior to this incident. *tr

2004 saab 9-3 arc. The circuit located in the rear of the car, which controls the rear light clusters including the top mounted brake light often fails. I have replaced it twice in just over a year and it has failed again. It starts with one bulb failing and the warning message shows up on the display. Then in a series all the other bulbs start to fail. They either don't work or are always on even if the car is switched off and locked. The entire circuit board was replaced twice at a price of over $700 inc of labor. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2004 saab 9-3. The contact stated that the seatbelt made a popping sound and no longer retracted. The dealer stated that the vehicle was not included in recall 10v043000 (seat belts: front: retractor). The current and failure mileages were approximately 60,000.

Tl*the contact owns a 2004 saab 9-3. While driving at approximately 2 mph, the contact heard a loud pop noise from the front end of the vehicle. After driving half a mile at approximately 30 mph, he heard another loud pop and the front passenger tire blew out. The tire was replaced with a spare and contact drove to a repair center where he was informed the front passenger side coil spring broke and pierced the tire. The vehicle had not been repaired at the time of the complaint. The contact called the manufacturer who stated that the failure was a known issue that was being serviced on a case by case basis. The vin was not available. The current and failure mileages were approximately 72,000.

The seat belt retractor on my 2004 saab 9-3 failed. Saab issued a recall for some failed seat belt retractors in 2004 9-3s, but not for the full model year. My car was not included. It seems that they have not been sufficiently comprehensive in their recall. *tr

In feb 2010 i received a letter from saab saying that the front springs of my car could fail due to corrosion. They said could cause the height of the vehicle to decrease by an inch or two. What they neglected to say was that the broken spring can hit the tire and cause the tire to fail, which is what has happened to me and may other saab owners. Their letter should have mentioned this since tire failure caused my car to break down in the middle of a busy road which had no shoulder and i had no warning that this could happen. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2004 saab 93. While driving 55 mph she heard something snap and noticed that the drivers side seat belt was loose and had broken. She was unable to secure or tighten it. The vehicle was taken to the dealer and they stated that they needed to order a seat belt mechanism to repair it. The seat belt was repaired at the owners expense. The failure and current mileages were 103000. Updated 4/7/2010 *cn updated 06/02/10*jb

During the time frame that i first received the notice of the recall of the front seat belt retractors for my vehicle the rear seat belt retractors (left-side passenger behind the driver) on my vehicle had failed to retract properly. When i initially took my vehicle in to replace the driver side seat belt retractors i inquired as to the rear seat belt retractors and i was told that there was no recall for the rear seat belts at that time however, i should continue to monitor saab website for any additional seatbelt recalls. As of date i have not located any additional recall notices from saab regarding the seat belts on the 2004 9-3 aero. For safety reasons i no longer use the lest side passenger seat in my vehicle as now the seat belt does not retract at all. *tr

My front driver side coil has snapped and i've found out this is a recurring issue from saab. This is quite a dangerous situation. I've not seen any letter warning us of this potential danger. *tr

2004 saab 9-3 front right spring coil failure. No warning prior to defect. Loud noise in wheel well first/only sign upon starting car and pulling out of driveway. Returned home immediately and made appointment with independent mechanic. Drove approx. 2 miles to mechanic who diagnosed front right suspension spring coil fractured/broken. Made appointment with saab dealer who assured me it was safe to drive car to dealer. Drove approx. 1.5m when broken coil spring punctured tire resulting in blown-out tire. Saab towed car, replaced both front spring coils and tire at no change. *tr

My 2004 saab 9-3 arc had a dangerous seat heater issue. I was nearly burned when the seat heater went crazy. So, hot i couldn't touch the seat. I had to stop the car and get out. This is dangerous!!! *tr

Front coil spring has broken. *tr

Left front spring failure. There was an erratic occasional metal to metal noise coming from the under the hood. There was no indication of the spring being broken. Took car to service center and discovered spring failure. Upon further inquiry with saab dealer discovered this is a recurring problem. Had car repaired and parts replaced with new redesigned springs to correct defect. Old parts not available. Why hasn't a recall been issued? Why hasn't a warning been sent out to saab owners? We own a second saab 9-3 and i am concerned about front spring failure on this car! *tr

The halogen headlights on the saab 9-3, from 2003 through present, do not adequately illuminate the roadway. This type of headlight lamp design is known as a "projector beam" & is a different concept than traditional headlights. They're designed to better illuminate road signs & peripheral road markers, which they do, but as far as the primary purpose of headlights, (to illuminate the roadway in front of the vehicle) they are inadequate & only extend light about 40' down the roadway, which is not nearly enough to drive safely at night. Please note that this complaint is only regarding the lowbeam halogen headlights, as both the highbeams & optional xenon type headlights are more than adequate. The irony of this problem is that the saab 9-3 is among the very safest cars available today, from a crash test perspective, but nighttime visibility is a separate safety related issue which i've never seen test results for. My family has owned saabs exclusively for the last 30 years & haven't had this headlight problem until we purchased a saab model 9-3, of which we now own 2: an '04 & an '07, both of which suffer from the same problem. If you access the website www.Saabnet.Com & search on "dim headlights", you'll see numerous complaints regarding this same issue. *tr

The seat belt on my saab 9.3 - 2004 stopped working for no reason. I found on the internet that the item had been recalled but saab refuses to acknowledge the recall. Nhtsa number 04v226000. *tr

2004 saab 9-3. Consumer states that he received a recall for the driver's side front seat belt tensioning may fail. Consumer would like to be reimbursed since he paid for the repair out of his pocket. *kb the consumer stated he submitted the necessary paperwork, but he still has not received reimbursement. The consumer stated he has since received a second letter regarding the recall. *jb

Heard a loud noise while pulling out of the parking lot; soon after, there was a rubber(tire) burning smell and vibration on the front right side. The coil spring snapped and was pressing against the tire and rim. Had the car towed to the mechanic. Changed both front coil springs. Mileage on the car-44,000. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2004 saab 9-3. The left coil spring fractured and then punctured a whole in his driver side front tire. The vehicle has not been taken to the dealer nor has the manufacturer been contacted. The failure mileage was 70,000. The vin number was unknown.

Tl* the contact owns a 2004 saab 93. The front driver-side seat belt retractor would not retract the seat belt. The vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer for inspection. The technician stated the failure was contributed to the retractor. The vehicle identification number was excluded from recall campaign id number 04v226000 (seat belts front:retractor). The vehicle was in the process of being repaired for the malfunction. The failure and current mileages were unknown.

Driver side front coil spring "broke" while driving my 2004 saab 9-3 on the highway at over 50 mph. Caused significant strut damage and rattling over the next few days as i was working to schedule in a mechanic visit. They finally quoted me $930 in repairs to replace both front springs, struts and to perform an alignment. Apparently, a lot of other saabs of the same model has had this issue arise for them, i think the springs should be recalled. It is a significant safety issue. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2004 saab 9-3. The driver-side front seat belt retractor had broken which caused the belt webbing to not retract. He contacted the dealer and the manufacturer in reference to recall number 04v226000 (seat belts:front:retractor). He was advised that he vehicle identification number was not included in the recall, so he was ineligible for a free remedy. No repairs were made. The current and failure mileages were 106,000.

Vehicle owner pulled into a parking space and stopped, saw smoke coming from under the hood. Owner reported that the smoke became black and a fire erupted. Fire origin in right rear of engine compartment, cause undetermined. Vehicle has 2.0 liter turbocharged 4-cylinder engine. *tr

I was using my car's seat warmer and the seat began to get very hot in one spot on the seat. I also noticed a burning smell that smelled like burning lead or rubber. The level of heat that was coming from the spot on the seat lead me to lift myself off of the seat in order to prevent burning my leg. I turned the seat warmer off, which seemed to make the burning subside. This sequence continued until about a week later when the seat warmer stopped working. About a month later, with the help of a family friend i removed the seat from the car and removed the upholstery in order to investigate the issue and try to fix it. Upon removing the upholstery, we found that the wiring of the seat warmer had started a small fire in the seat cushion and burned a hole (3 inches wide and 1 inch deep) in the cushion. The backing of the leather that covers the cushion had also been burned through. The wiring was not recognizable and repair was not possible without professional service. We left the seat as it is for now until we can figure out how to repair this issue, and figure out how to prevent this dangerous situation from occurring again. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2004 saab 9-3 purchased october 2006. While driving less than 20 mph, she heard a loud whizzing noise, and then noticed that the seat belt was still connected to the pillar, but the tensioner had become dislodged. The vehicle was taken to a local repair shop, but they could not perform the work because there was a recall. However her vin was not included in recall campaign number 04v226000 (seat belts:front:retractor). No repairs were made to date. The current and failure mileages were under 79,037.

Tl* the contact owns a 2004 saab 9-3. The contact stated that the low beam headlights were progressively becoming more dim over the last two years, reducing visibility. The vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer where the contact was informed that this failure was a known issue. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 35,000 and the current mileage was 48,000. The vin was unavailable.

Coil spring on front right tire of 2004 saab 9-3 broke. Shredded tire. *tr

As i was putting on my seatbelt i heard a snap and an unrolling sound in the door of the car and the seatbelt lost tension. The seatbelt would not regain tension. I took the car to the dealer and they said that the retractor had broken. There is a recall on 2004 saab 93 seatbelt retractors, but they said that my car was not part of the recall and therefore i am responsible for the repair ($455). They did not have the part in stock to fix it so they sent me home, without offering a rental car even though i expressed my concern that i was lacking a critical safety feature of my car. *tr

Front spring coil is broke. During oil change, dealer checked and found a piece of the coil missing. I would like saab to reimburse for this $400+ repair job. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2004 saab 9-3. While the contact was examining the vehicle she noticed that the front driver side coil spring snapped and punctured the front driver side tire. The vehicle has not been diagnosed by the dealer. The current and failure mileages were 45000.

On, 8/18/2009 as i was driving i heard something snap in the driver's side b-pillar trim at this same moment my seatbelt went completely loose. It will no longer retract, the belt pulls out freely with no resistance and is now completely out and will not retract. In the event of an evasive maneuver/crash i (the driver) will not be held into the seat properly and risk being ejected from the vehicle. There is currently a recall in the 03/04 saab 9-3's for the front seatbelt retractors. I have contacted saab usa; they will not replace the retractor because my vin falls right outside of the covered recalled cars. I believe that my car is suffering from the recalled item, and that the recall should be extended to include a larger vin range. *tr

Left front suspension coil spring broken. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2004 saab 9-3. When the contact released the seat belt, the mechanism on the door post made a loud noise and the seat belt failed. The dealer advised her to call the manufacturer for assistance. The manufacturer advised her to not drive the vehicle. The contact would have to pay for the repairs and then have the dealer inspect the vehicle. The dealer stated that the seat belt failed and would cost $400 to repair. The contact referenced nhtsa campaign id number 04v226000 (seat belts:front:retractor); however, the dealer stated that this recall does not exist. The vehicle has not yet been repaired. The failure and current mileages were 49,200. Updated 08/04/09 *bf the right front coil spring was broken. Updated 08/10/09.*jb

Both front coil springs were broken when the car went in for inspection. Each of the front springs had approximately 3-4 inch long piece broken off where it meets the bottom retainer. Awaiting word from saab to see if they are going to cover the repair. *tr

2004 saab 93 arc 63,000 miles. Broken coil spring. I was driving at highway speed when i felt a large thump. My steering went erratic and heard grinding noises. I pulled over immediately. Car was towed. The cause and damage was determined to be a broken coil spring which chain reacted and caused the front strut to break, and bend the stabilizer bar. After researching this, i have found this to be a common problem in 03-05 saab 9-3 (listed with nhtsa as well as other sources) it is not recalled and saab has yet to determine if they will fix this as a courtesy. Bill, $1200. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2004 saab 9-3. While driving between 30-35 mph, the contact heard a strange noise underneath the vehicle. The noise was first noticed two weeks ago. He jacked up the vehicle and noticed that the coil spring failed. The contact feels that this is a safety issue because a crash could have occurred. The current and failure mileages were 24,500.

Front driver side coil spring broke. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2004 saab 9-3 convertible. The contact was involved in a crash with another vehicle while driving 30 mph; however, his air bags failed to deploy. There were no serious injuries, but the driver and his spouse complained of aches and pains. A police report was filed. The manufacturer has not been notified. The dealer was informed of the air bag failure. The current and failure mileages were approximately 42,000. Updated 5/27/09 *cn

My driver side seat belt webbing will no longer retract. This occurred this morning during my normal commute to work this morning, at which time there was a sudden breaking sound from behind the molding. *tr

I have a 2004 saab 9-3 that has experienced a front suspension coil spring failure. There has been no damage as of yet but i would like gm to pay for replacing the defective part. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2004 saab 9-3. When the contact attempted to buckle her front seat belt, she noticed that the retractor failed. This prevented the belt webbing from retracting. The dealer stated that her vin was excluded from nhtsa campaign id number 04v226000 (seat belts:front:retractor). It would cost approximately $497 to replace the seat belt retractor assembly. The contact is in the process of having the vehicle repaired. The manufacturer did not assist. The failure and current mileages were 47,000.

Noticed a sudden steering pull and thump/rattle in front end. Drove to nearest shop to have a look and was told my front coil springs were broken and lucky that the spring did not shred the tire and cause a loss of control/accident! I've been told that this has been a somewhat common defect on similar year models. Shop recommended replace both springs before driving again. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2004 saab 9-3. When attempting to reverse the vehicle at 3 mph, the contact smelled a burning rubber odor and heard a loud noise. He noticed that the front passenger side coil spring fractured and punctured the tire. The dealer would not assist with the repairs because there were no recalls available. The vehicle has not been repaired. The failure and current mileages were 57,000. Updated 03/27/09 *bf updated 04/01/09.*jb

While driving my wife experiences a scraping sound. Then her right front tire blew out and was shredded. Fortunately she was traveling very slowly on a local street, and was able to pull over; otherwise the tire blowout could have caused her serious harm. Turns out it was the spring (or coil) that had broken. Cost us $650.00 to repair and replace both springs (saab said you have to replace both springs at same time, even though only one broke) and for a new tire. Saab dealer said broken springs/coils not covered. I kept the broken spring. We had the local car repair shop discard the shredded tire. *tr

My 2004 saab 93 arc had 2 broken front coil springs. Told corrosion caused breakage. Right front broke while driving with my 8 year old son in the car. Car had to be towed. Car is currently in the shop. Repairs over 400$ for just coil springs to be replaced. *tr

I have a 2004 saab 9-3 linear and was driving near my house and heard a loud crack from the front driver side. I drove the car home a block and took the wheel off to find a piece of the front suspension coil spring snapped off and the remainder was rubbing against my tire. Luckily no harm was done to myself or tire but it could have occurred on the interstate with not as good results. I have done some research and this is a serious problem with this car not only in the us but same thing in europe. I will have to get my car towed to a mechanic and get the coil replaced. *tr

On 2004 saab 9-3, right front coil spring broke, slashed wall of tire resulting in immediate deflation. Vehicle taken to local repair shop, repaired same day, requested old part to be held. *tr

About 5 inches of the lower part of the front drivers side coil spring had snapped off and remained in the wheel well. Will have to take it in to get it repaired, just noticed it, time of incident unknown it could have happened when the car was purchased in 06. *tr

1. Standard driving conditions in minnesota. 2. Front left coil spring breakage. Near the top of spring. 3. Replaced both front springs at dealership. *tr

I was driving through the ted williams tunnel and the left front coil spring broke. I did not hit a bump. The spring caused a catastropic failure of the left front tire. I had to be towed out of the tunnel and have new coil springs installed. *tr

Several months ago i had placed my 2004 9-3 saab in park and left the car running to get out and turn off my sprinklers. While out of the car the vehicle rolled up the driveway and headed to wards my garage narrowly missing my house. I ran after the car and jumped in the drivers seat just as the car made contact with the garage door. I was able to put on the brake and stop the car before it knocked down the whole garage. I contacted saab immediately and they had the car checked by their mechanics who said they could find nothing. I know that i had put the car in park before exiting. The car also was parked on an incline and instead of rolling backwards had it not been in park it actually rolled up the driveway as if it went from park into drive. I was unaware of the issue until i heard that gm has other cars with the same issue. Since they are trying to sell saab i am sure they are trying to hide that this problem may also exist in the saabs as well. *tr

On july 25 2008, my daughter was driving my 2004 saab 9-3 sport sedan. She went off the road, side swiping 2 trees before slamming into a drainage pipe/embankment. The left side curtain airbags were the only ones that deployed. The car is a total loss with extensive front-end damage. If not for her wearing her seat belt, i would likely be making funeral arrangements. This is the second front-end collision with this vehicle without the airbags deploying. I questioned saab in 2004 about the first incident which their reply was that the car performed as it was designed. That accident was significant enough to trigger all the seat belt sensors and fry the main computer. *tr

While driving 35~40mph sudden very loud pop noise. Didn't hit a hole or anything. Car was still drivable, but stop to the side to inspect the tires. No flat tires and car seemed structurally ok. Continued to drive over the next few days. A rattling noise was always present over bumps. Finally looked behind the front left tire and saw the coil spring was broke in two locations. *tr

I purchased a 2004 saab 9-3 around march 15, 2007. A little over a month ago, i was vacationing in florida when the vehicle would not accelerate. I had it towed to the local saab dealership in orlando, fl where i was told i needed to purchase a speed sensor. This was done and the cost was approximately $515.00. The day after the repair, i noticed the car continued to have rough and inappropriate shifting. I took it to my local saab dealership in dublin, oh where a diagnostic was performed. The transmission fluid was changed and the transmission reprogrammed. The service technician stated that the transmission fluid was, 'milky and dark in appearance.' they suggested that i take the car, drive it for 2 weeks and bring it back to see if the problem continued. After driving the car for 2 weeks i returned it to the dealership to find out that the transmission needed to be replaced. The cost for this is $7000.00. The dealership informed me that the couplings had gone bad and caused coolant to leak into the transmission fluid. These same couplings were recalled by saab in 2003-2004. However, by vin number, my vehicle does not fall within the dates of the recall. The radiator and couplings were manufactured during that recall period and are considered to be defective parts. I was told by the dealership to contact gm/saab to try and obtain financial assistance. I have been in that process for almost 1 month now. Originally, they offered to pay 25% towards parts and labor for the new transmission (admitting guilt) which would decrease the cost for me to $5000.00. I should not be responsible for paying for their negligence. *tr

2004 9-3 convertible, aero. Had developed a sound from the fan behind the glove box. Usually begins to get louder when a/c is on. Taken to my local dealership where i informed it was normal "wear & tear." cost to fix was estimated at 500.00. This is my third saab convertible and it's only problem after 100, 000 miles. *tr

Upon driving our 2004 saab 9-3 into a parking lot we noticed the car was not handling correctly. Front end was very low to ground, car not turning correctly, and making a noise. Upon having it towed to the dealer it appeared one of the front coil springs had snapped. Based on numerous other reported complaints similar to ours, we were very lucky that it happened very close to work, after getting off of the mass pike or we could have had a blown tire at 70 mph. After discussion with the saab dealer and their district manager, saab replaced both front coil springs at no cost to us without any argument. Ironically a friend of ours had just had the exact same problem a month earlier with the same outcome. *tr

While driving the right front coil spring broke and then punctured tire causing blow out. Was able to control the car and pull off road. Had i been on the highway a different outcome could have been expected. Had no symptoms leading up to this. *tr

Fuel gauge is normal. I fill the car up completely and then the fuel gauge light comes on and the needle drops to empty. This happens randomly even when the car is filled with fuel. *tr

After noticing an increasingly loud suspension clunk coming from the drivers side front wheel. I brought the car into the saab dealership for service, i was told that the front spring was snapped and both front needed to be replaced as the car was no longer safe to drive. After further investigation on the web i have found there are similar problems with the springs for this year and model, i was lucky that i did not experience and failure at high speed as some others have. I find this to be extremely dangerous that the springs are rotting and snapping after only a few years. I live in the snow belt that is noted in the already open investigation. Action# pe08052 and ea08026. *tr

Cabin fan runs although key is no in ignition and unit is on off position. The situation also happens when unit is in off position and car is being driven. *tr

Interior cabin fan.. The fan stays on although the car is "off" (key out of ignition), and while ac or heat are off (at 0). There is also a noise at time coming from the fan under the glove box. Dealer claims this is not a defect and will cost around $1000, the darn car is less than 3.5 years old and not a defect.. Sure. *tr

Cooling system .. Although the car does not "over heat" the antifreeze is spilling out. This has been happening for a few months and i always considered this to be a problem of other cars since my car is relatively new. The other day the car indicated that the coolant was low. *tr

Backing my 2004 saab 93 out of the garage i heard i loud rubbing noise. I got my husband, he had me drive up the driveway, then back down. On the way back a tire blew, so we had the car towed to the dealer. The right front spring had broken and jetted into the tire, causing the blowout. The left front spring was also cracked at the base, so both needed to be replaced at a cost to me of $1300. The car has about 62k miles on it. *jb

Headlights.. I have replaced the headlight bulbs 3 times in one year. Currently the driver side headlights, side light lower bumper, and light within the headlight assembly have blown. There seems to a an electrical problem with the headlights as they continue to blow out.. Short lights as high beam are okay. I have purchased the light bulbs in autozone, pepboys and oem to ensure that its not vendor supplier issue. *tr

The keyless entry and alarm system have not been working. They started slowing down in working, but then the keyless entry module (the actual key) just stopped. I changed the battery on the key, yet it still does not work. This has been going on for so long. *tr

Saab with defective brakes customer wants to be reimbursed for the whole cost of repairs*cc the consumer stated the brake booster valve can fail prematurely. The brakes worked only with extreme hard pressure. Goodyear informed the consumer the part that was being replaced on the brakes was recalled. The manufacturer only reimbursed the consumer $46.00 for the actual part. *jb

While driving vehicle at normal speed the engine shuts off. This is the third time vehicle has quit while driving. Previous 2 times dealership has checked vehicle and found no problems. *nm

Everytime i fill the gas tank to full and i start driving (esp. On a highway), the fuel gauge drops to empty--even though it is full. The, i have to stop the car and turn it on several times before the fuel gauge goes back up to full again. *tr

At 50,100 miles the radio doesn't work properly. Volume increases out of contro,l and radio works normally for a few minutes to 1 hour.*ak

Car does not accelerate when gas pedal is pressed - have had numerous "near misses" of being rear-ended when pulling out onto street because of the delay in acceleration. *nm

My car stalls while accelerating or deacelerating and the cannot be restarted. Dealer now has the auto and has indicated it is the main module and cannot be repaired. The car is a 2004 saab convertible 2.0t 9 3. The car was leased on april 23, 2004. Although the manurfacturer's warranty indicates repair or replace, the dealer does not want to replace the vehicle. They actually would like me to have the lease terminated and to roll the last three payments into a new lease with a new car.

Brake failure. Resulted in collision. Dealership identified failed brake components and replaced the master cylinder, abs manifold, brake pads and rotors. Claim was made to saab/gm, claim# 513166, and warranty covered the brake repairs. They settled in full for the substitute transportation and collision deductible but only offered a percentage of the insurer's collision repair payments. This could result in an adverse policy rating for the commercial account. *nm

Tl*the contact owns a 2004 saab 9-3. The contact received a recall notice for nhtsa campaign id number 04v226000 (seat belts:front:retractor) and immediately scheduled an appointment to have the vehicle repaired. During the repair, the dealer broke the eight pillar plastic cabs, in which they never repaired. One year later, he noticed that the seat belts would not retract properly. The contacted returned to the dealer, but they would not repair the vehicle again according to the recall. The manufacturer has not been notified. The vin was unknown. The failure mileage was 45,000 and current mileage was 86,000.

Dt*: the contact stated while stopped at a yield attempting to turn left the vehicle was hit in the rear by another vehicle traveling 30mph. Seat belts were in use; however injuries were sustained to the head, upper back and knee. The contact believes the back and head injuries were sustained due to the head rest being too hard. No police reports were filed. The vehicle was driven away from the crash scene.

My 2004 saab arc convertible is equipped with the wrong wheels and tires. It is equipped with 215/55 r16 93 h m+s tires and wheels. The owners manual recommends 225/45 r17 94 w rf/xl tires for the 2.0 turbo engine. My car has said engine. This compromises safety and performance. I discovered this on 10-17-2005. *jb

Dt: the contact owns a 2004 saab 93arc. Could take the key out of the ignition switch without the car being in park. On july 22, 2005 car rolled down driveway, causing property damage. The contacted concern was that someone may not know about this problem a may get hurt. The problem was corrected by the dealership, who replaced some parts to correct the problem. But the contact was uncertain of what parts were replaced. *ak the dear replaced the ignition, ignition switch, reprogrammed the key and installed the latest software. *nm

1) spark plug blew out of cylinder head due to spark plug threads missing. Dealer used insert to replace threads. *jb

Faulty installation at factory of brake line resulting in rubbing of the line until loss of all fluid and braking ability. Potentially fatal result as all braking is lost without warning.

Airbags deployed with no accident and no impact roll bars deployed with no accident and no impact/convertible top was not down. Barnd new saab 9.3 car towed to dealer/corporate has been contacted by owner of car/no response from carporate for one week. Car still at dealer with no answers or reasons for deployment of airbags and rollbars. Police towed vehicle/no report/no accident

Owner was driving at approximately 65 mph the check engine light came on and the vehicle stalled. Vehicle "b" rear ended owner's vehicle while being driven at 70 mph. Upon impact, the frontal air bags failed to deploy. Owner sustained injuries, was taken to the emergency room and released. *ak

I am an owner of a 2004 saab 9-3ss and it has come to my immediate attention that there may be a fault with the electronic steering wheel lock engagement on this vehicle. I had to take evasive action to avoid a potentially dangerous accident as a direct result of my seering wheel locking up. This happens while driving down a hill. Before the physical lock-up of the steering wheel i depress my clutch getting ready to engage a gear coming out of neutral, the engine magically dies (the rpm?S drop from idle speed to zero, they key is in the ?On? Position and the car is moving), without any notice the steering wheel locks up as if the key was removed, all while i?M attempting to navigate winding downhill turns. I couldn?T turn the steering wheel so i reacted quickly by getting on the brakes and slowing the vehicle while turning the key off then on again to release the locked steering wheel so that i could steer the vehicle. *ak

Air bag can discharged without being in an accident. *bf the consumer requested the air bags to be disconnected on the driver's side due to previous injuries. *sc *jb

While accelerating from 60 mph on the highway, the accelerator pedal became stuck. This caused the vehicle to accelerate up to 80 mph before the consumer was able to reach down while driving and lift the accelerator pedal by hand. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, and they informed the consumer that the carpet caused the accelerator pedal to stick. *ak the consumer did not agree with the dealers evaluation. The consumer lifted the accelerator off of the floor and indicated that he would have had to remove the carpet first if it was in the way. Only the accelerator was stuck. *jb *nm

While the locking mechanism on the passenger door will pop to the open position. When the door lock is depressed the door lock mechanism will again pop up. Then from the driver door when depressing the switch to lock all the door the mechanism will lock then within seconds unlock. I have reported this problem to 2 distinct saab dealers and they claim no problem exist but situation continues to occur. Safety issue when driving a child can open door or someone can gain entrance to the car due to failure to maintain door locked. *nm

I own a 2004 saab 9-3 sedan. A few days i experienced the same problem with the front seatbelt retractor as described in this report : pe09048. I called saab in reference to recall #5938 for some 2004 models, but they claim that my car was not part of that recall. *tr

Defect in braking system causing uneven wear on front brakes. Eventually the one side is worn down completely causing brake failure. *jb

Complaint received via e-mail." i had an accident with my car. The air bag on the driver's side did not deploy yet the passenger side did. It was a total front collision in which i hit a ford econoline van in the rear end and was driving at the speed of approx 50 kph. No one was in the passenger seat and the air bag deployed. I was driving and belted yet my air bag did not deploy. I hit the steering wheel. All the mechanics that saw the car and heard of the accident could not believe that the driver's air bag did not to off. There was over $17,000 in damage to the car and i was taken to the hospital. A gm engineer came out and checked out the black box on the my car, it was also faulty and was unable to communicate with his computer." please send copy of the pictures you e-mailed back with your complaint form. *jb

Pulled into a standard, paved, parking space turned electronic ignition key to off position and removed key. Car did not turn off, engine and electrical system continued to function as though key was in ignition.*ak onboard computer displayed "steering wheel lock failure: contact service." turned steering wheel, checked for obstructions, and attempted to turn car off by reinserting key into ignition. When key inserted into ignition, onboard computer toggled to "key not recognized: contact service" and then back to previous message. Was only able to turn car off by removing fuel pump fuses, and then by removing battery terminal to prevent battery drainage as electrical system continued to function. Car only has 4000 miles and was brought in initially by tow truck to saab dealership on 6/15 and ignition was said to be replaced. On 6/16, drove car home and turned off without problem. On 6/17, drove to work and exact same situation was repeated, with a tow required. Car continues to be in service, new relay ordered, but problem persists, and other diagnostics are being run by service department. I have been told that there is no record of similar occurrence in 2004 saab 9-3 sport sedan. Will most likely never buy another saab or volkswagen again.

The heating system, upon each initial start up, blew a foul-smelling gas into the passenger compartment. (nar) *ph *cb

Recall notice from saab regarding defective brakes. Dealer doesn't have parts to fix. Saab says there is nothing they can do. *jb

Car instrumentation panel turns off while driving. Car "acts" as if it was off with the red circular alarm flashing, console lights off, clock off, yet i am driving at 50 mph and the brakes, steering are performing as if i was driving down the road (as i am). Stopped for dinner came out and car did not turn on, light came on, engine light came on but nothing else - could not open trunk from the key fob thing or from the driver side door switch. Called aaa they could not turn the car on and the car battery was charged. Key in ignition and brake depressed did not release car shifter to neutral. This went on for an hour. Finally i need to get into trunk and found a plastic cap behind the rear seat head rest and depressed a switch that owned the trunk although it was to pull down the rear seat... We joked that now the car would turn on and it did when by happenstance the high beams were depressed. Got in the car and drove it home but again the car still driving normally lost the console lights and functionality so i flashed the high beam and all came back except for clock, oh, did i mention now i have a "gear box malfunction" displayed as an error code. Oh, i reported that i replace headlights almost every 2-3 months. My interior cabin fan isn't working and that was after it worked even with the car turned off. *tr

The driver side seat belt retractor broke. The seat belt completely unwound. Also the passenger side retractor is very slow to retract. *tr

Engine may stall when cold and car is traveling 30-45mph. Nearly lost control of vehicle on 2 occasions due to loss of steering and ran onto shoulder/lawn of homeowner. We have had the vehicle in 4 times for repairs or modifications in attempts to fix this but saab will not even admit there is an issue that needs fixing. *jb

While driving at 5 mph and leaving a shopping mall consumer depressed the brakes, and seconds later the traction control failure light came on. Vehicle stalled, and could not be started. Vehicle had been to the dealer twice, who replaced the t6ecm or main computer.*ak

Consumer has attempted to have recall work performed on 2004 9-3, mechanic informed him that they had to order part. *ts *jb