2004 Saab 9-3 problems, complaints & recalls
Most-reported problem areas: Seat Belts (64) · Suspension:front (25) · Suspension (16)
🧭 Reliability snapshot
Compared against other Saab 9-3 model years — complaint volume vs the model's median year, recalls and severity. How we score →
🛣️ Complaints by mileage
168 NHTSA complaints that reported an odometer reading.
Safety recalls (3)
Seat Belts:front:retractor 2014-06-12 · campaign 14V318000 · 28,789 vehicles
Defect: 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.
Risk: 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.
Fix: 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.
Fuel System, Gasoline:delivery:fuel Pump 2011-02-28 · campaign 11E009000 · 4,887 vehicles
Defect: 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.
Risk: A VEHICLE CRASH COULD OCCUR SHOULD THE ENGINE STALL WHILE IN USE.
Fix: 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.
Seat Belts:front:retractor 2010-02-18 · campaign 10V043000 · 14,126 vehicles
Defect: 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.
Risk: 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.
Fix: 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 1
Service bulletins (82)
Technical service bulletins are repair instructions manufacturers send dealers for known issues. Unlike recalls, the fix is not automatically free — but naming the bulletin at the service desk can save diagnosis time and support goodwill repairs.
Unknown Or Other 2025-07-18 · PIP5601C · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
this pi communicates the requirement to provide a pico file to receive diagnostic assistance from tac.
Unknown Or Other 2024-09-06 · PIT3271P · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
this preliminary information communication provides information to the technician about changing the tire and wheel size on vehicles. general motors will only support a tire calibration for tires that have been sized, tested and designed for the vehicle in question and its applications. technician s
Electrical System 2024-08-26 · General Communication · Service Campaign
vehicle wide programming (vwp) is a new process to update software on gm vehicles. it provides the ability via a single selection within techline connect to first identify which modules need updating and then proceed to updating affected modules (with some exceptions). the updating of modules is com
Unknown Or Other 2024-06-17 · 18-NA-099 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
this bulletin provides information for use on a product assistance claim (pac), which is formerly known as a product allegation resolution (par) claim.
Electrical System 2024-06-06 · 24-NA-098 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
this service bulletin provides information for dealers/technicians on service programming system (sps) error codes e4398, e4399, e4401, e4403, m4404, m4413, m6954, m6955, e4414, e4423, e4491, e4492, or e6961 and resolution information.
Unknown Or Other 2024-05-07 · 09-00-89-008G · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
this warranty administration bulletin provides retail and wholesale service personnel with the policies/procedures and the warranty transaction submission procedures that support the personal property damage process.
Showing the 6 most recent of 82 bulletins. Search all of them free at nhtsa.gov.
What owners report
2024-07-15 · Seat Belts“retractor won't pull driver side seat belt back in…”
2022-06-04 · Electrical System“constant random recurrence of error codes p2122 and p2138 (either together or on their own) which results in the car switching to low power mode, with very low acceleration which makes it very dangerous to merge into traffic, pull out of stops, red lights, etc. technically supposed to require changing the throttle pedal sensor, but changing it does…”
2022-03-29 · Seat Belts · 119,000 mi“******* delete voq ******* this complaint is being marked for deletion because the consumer placed the request*djr ******* delete voq ******* …”
2020-04-14 · Seat Belts · 110,000 mi“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…”
2019-01-03 · Seat Belts“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.…”
2018-08-20 · Seat Belts · 164,000 mi“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). …”
2018-03-27 · Air Bags · 95,000 mi“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.…”
2017-11-01 · Seat Belts · 95,411 mi“i have a recall on the driver's side seatbelt. it was broken and is unspooled.…”
2016-10-24 · Seat Belts · 106,000 mi“front driver seat belt retractor has failed when i went to fasten my seat belt.…”
2016-08-08 · Engine · 1,855 mi“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…”
Excerpts of consumer complaints filed with NHTSA, lightly truncated. They are owner statements, not verified findings.