NHTSA lists 179 complaints for the 2006 Saab 9-3, 11 of them mention a crash and 3 mention a fire. 4 complaints mention an injury, with 4 injuries and 0 deaths reported.
Data build 2026-10-08.
NHTSA lists this vehicle as SAAB 9-3.
At a glance
Complaints
179
With crash
11
With fire
3
With injury (complaints)
4
Injuries
4
Deaths
0
Recalls
2
Do not drive recalls
0
Park outside recalls
0
Recall potential units (maximum)
113,716
Investigations
4
Open investigations
1
Manufacturer communications
146
Complaints per 100k sold unavailable. No sales source is available for this record.
Where the complaints are
Top systems
System
Complaints
Share of this vehicle's complaints
AIR BAGS
87
48.6%
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
23
12.8%
SEAT BELTS
15
8.4%
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
13
7.3%
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
11
6.1%
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
10
5.6%
STEERING
8
4.5%
POWER TRAIN
7
3.9%
SERVICE BRAKES
7
3.9%
SUSPENSION
7
3.9%
Top subsystems
System
Subsystem
Complaints
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
COOLING SYSTEM
6
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
POWER ASSIST
4
SUSPENSION
FRONT
4
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
IGNITION
3
POWER TRAIN
AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
3
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
3
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
ENGINE
2
POWER TRAIN
MANUAL TRANSMISSION
2
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
FOUNDATION COMPONENTS
2
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
CRUISE CONTROL
2
One complaint can name several systems, so shares can add to more than 100 percent.
Model-generated complaint tags: This model year has not been tagged.
Defect: General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2006-2011 Saab 9-3 vehicles manufactured May 31, 2002, to February 15, 2011, 2006-2009 Saab 9-5 vehicles manufactured June 7, 2005, to May 28, 2009, and 2008-2009 Saturn Astra vehicles manufactured April 11, 2007, to July 24, 2008. Upon deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, excessive internal pressure may cause the inflator to rupture.
Consequence: In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, the inflator could rupture with metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver's frontal air bag inflator on Saab 9-3 and 9-5 vehicles and will replace the driver's frontal airbag module on Saturn Astra vehicles, free of charge. The recall began on March 1, 2017. Owners may contact Saab customer service at 1-800-955-9007 or Saturn customer service at 1-800-553-6000. GM's number for this recall is 28810.
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.
Consequence: 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.
Remedy: 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.
Do not drive: No. Park outside: No.
Investigations
4 investigations; 1 open.
EA21002
Opened: 2021-09-17. Closed: Not listed.
Desiccated Air Bag Inflator Rupture
From 2000 through 2017, Takata produced millions of air bag inflators using two types of phase-stabilized ammonium nitrate ("PSAN") propellant -- propellant 2004 and propellant 2004L. After prolonged exposure to high temperature cycles and humidity, inflators using propellant 2004 can degrade, causing the propellant to burn too quickly when ignited. The rapid burning can cause the inflator to rupt
Systems: AIR BAGS.
Linked campaign numbers: None listed.
EA08026
Opened: 2008-12-22. Closed: 2010-06-04.
Front Suspension Coil Spring Fracture
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 def
Systems: SUSPENSION.
Linked campaign numbers: None listed.
PE08051
Opened: 2008-08-28. Closed: 2008-12-23.
FRONT SUSPENSION COIL SPRING FRACTURE
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,
Systems: SUSPENSION.
Linked campaign numbers: None listed.
PE08005
Opened: 2008-01-28. Closed: 2008-06-03.
REDUCED BRAKE POWER-ASSIST
SAAB AUTOMOBILE AB, A SUBSIDIARY OF GENERAL MOTORS CORP. (GM), MANUFACTURED 12,317 SUBJECT VEHICLES THROUGH FEBRUARY 15, 2008, EQUIPPED WITH THE HIGH FEATURE V6 TURBOCHARGED ENGINE IDENTIFIED BY REGULAR PRODUCTION OPTION LP9.A TANDEM VACUUM BRAKE BOOSTER ASSEMBLY PROVIDES BRAKE POWER-ASSIST.THE ENGINE IS THE PRIMARY VACUUM SOURCE TO THE BOOSTER AND ITS EFFECT IS AMPLIFIED BY A VENTURI.UNDER CERTAI
Systems: SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC.
Linked campaign numbers: None listed.
Manufacturer communications
146 manufacturer communications.
Communications by system
System
Count
EQUIPMENT
44
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
24
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
22
POWER TRAIN
15
WHEELS
11
ENGINE
10
EQUIPMENT ADAPTIVE/MOBILITY
10
AIR BAGS
9
11020816
Date: 2025-07-18. Type: Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions. Systems: UNKNOWN OR OTHER.
This PI communicates the requirement to provide a pico file to receive diagnostic assistance from TAC.
11019072
Date: 2025-05-30. Type: Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions. Systems: UNKNOWN OR OTHER.
This Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician about the use of J-35616-64B and Mini 50 terminal test probe, replacement terminals, and terminated leads.
11019073
Date: 2025-05-30. Type: Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions. Systems: UNKNOWN OR OTHER.
This Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician about the use of J-35616-64B and Mini 50 terminal test probe, replacement terminals, and terminated leads.
11019074
Date: 2025-05-30. Type: Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions. Systems: UNKNOWN OR OTHER.
This Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician about the use of J-35616-64B and Mini 50 terminal test probe, replacement terminals, and terminated leads.
11008956
Date: 2024-09-09. Type: Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions. Systems: UNKNOWN OR OTHER.
This service bulletin provides information for dealers/technicians on When and How to Submit a Field Product Report (FPR) (U.S. and Canada Dealers Only).
11007208
Date: 2024-09-06. Type: Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions. Systems: UNKNOWN OR OTHER.
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
11006621
Date: 2024-08-26. Type: Service Campaign. Systems: ELECTRICAL SYSTEM.
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
11007091
Date: 2024-08-05. Type: Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions. Systems: ENGINE.
This service bulletin provides guidelines and diagnostic/repair information to technicians regarding vehicle engine oil consumption.
11004761
Date: 2024-06-28. Type: Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions. Systems: ENGINE, FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM.
This service bulletin advises of a new fuel injection cleaner kit used for decarbonizing the intake valves to correct conditions of rough idle, Crank no start, extended crank or misfire, MIL with DTCs, and explains how Top Tier fuels should be used to reduce carbon build-up.
11004557
Date: 2024-06-17. Type: Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions. Systems: UNKNOWN OR OTHER.
This bulletin provides information for use on a Product Assistance Claim (PAC), which is formerly known as a Product Allegation Resolution (PAR) claim.
Notes on this record
Complaints from the API and bulk file are merged and deduplicated by ODI number; the API alone misses records.
System and subsystem counts are numbers of distinct complaints, recalls or communications that name them. One record can name several systems, so shares across systems can add to more than 100 percent; a single share never exceeds 100 percent.
Recalls are counted once per campaign, investigations once per action and manufacturer communications once per NHTSA id, even when NHTSA lists several model names for the same record.
A sales denominator is a calendar-year proxy, not the population of vehicles still in use. Rates are copied from verified pipeline output.