Most common 2002 Saab 9-3 problems
Share of the 46 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Saab 9-3 complaints by model year
Best 9-3 years: 2011, 2010, 2002. Years to avoid: 2003, 2008, 2004, 2007. Compare all years →
2002 Saab 9-3 recalls (4)
Fuel system, gasoline › Delivery › Hoses, lines/piping, and fittings
On certain passenger vehicles, the fuel pump retaining tabs holding the fuel lines were damaged during production.
Remedy: Dealers will develop a securing bracket that will secure the fuel lines to the fuel pump even if the plastic retaining tabs should break. The recall began on June 13, 2007.
Electrical system › Ignition › Module
Certain passenger vehicles equipped with b205/b235 4-cylinder gasoline engines and b308 6-cylinder gasoline engines May experience overheating and burnout of the isolated gated bipolar transistor (igbt) within the ignition discharge module (idm) due to increased susceptibility to electrical loads.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect to see what version idm is in the vehicle and replace the idm if it is a version built prior to the introduction of qp3.
Fuel system, gasoline › Delivery › Hoses, lines/piping, and fittings
On certain passenger vehicles, the fuel pump retaining tabs holding the fuel lines were damaged during production.
Remedy: Dealers will develop a securing bracket that will secure the fuel lines to the fuel pump even if the plastic retaining tabs should break. The recall began on March 14, 2005. Owners should contact Saab at 1-800-955-9007.
Steering › Linkages › Tie rod assembly
Vehicle description: passenger vehicles. The tie rod end retaining nuts May not have been properly tightened at the factory.
Remedy: All vehicles will be inspected and corrected prior to customer delivery. No owner notification will be required.
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal safety investigators have looked into a possible defect involving the 2002 Saab 9-3:
Engine stall/ engine compartment fires
Odi opened pe05-017 based on 35 reports of alleged engine stalling due to the failure of the idm cassette on the subject vehicles.all complainants reported that the engine shut down suddenly without warning and most reported that the vehicle would not restart.in 3 incidents, the complainants reported smoke and/or fire resulted from the idm failure.during pe05-017, additional failure data was identified as noted in…
What 2002 Saab 9-3 owners say
Electrical system
My 2002 Saab 9-3 stalled in traffic and could not be started again. The direct ignition module had burnt out suddenly, and smoke was seen coming out of the connector when I tried to start the car. The module failed with no warning at all, and I was lucky to have been in heavy, but slow traffic. The module was replaced and the car is running. The car has less than 50,000 miles on it, so the sudden failure of such a critical component is surprising and disconcerting. I have little faith that this will not happen again, without any warning.
2002 Saab 9-3 convertible, about 13,000 miles caught on fire. Drove to office, turned off engine, & parked car. Got out of car & noted unusual smell despite that guages indicated "checking OK"ay. Went into my office & called zee Saab of milford where new car was originally leased from & where all services had been performed. No problems had ever been noted with the car. Told to call Saab roadside assistance, which I did. Went back outside to where car was parked to wait for roadside and noticed smoke coming from the hood area. Then saw fire & flames coming from the top of the hood and underneath the front of the car. Immediately called witon ct fire department and within 15 minutes fire was extinguished. In that very short amount of time, the entire front of the car was significantly damaged from the fire. A newspaper reporter was with the fire dept. …
Engine & cooling
The radiator exploded, spewing fluids everywhere, overheating my vehicle without warning when I was driving 45 mph, almost causing a multi-car crash.
The blower on the air conditioner was not working. In addition I went in twice to have them look at the heating unit or climate control. The third time they replaced it, but it still turns off and sets to zero. Now the heat will come on whereas it didn't before. I recently (last week feb. 16) down shifted in traffic because there was an accident ahead. I down shifted for five to four to three and the car turned off and I drifted to the side. I had the car towed to the dealer and they looked at it later the following week. I had to call the sales department to get someone from service to call me (my salesman has since quit). When the call was returned, the manager of sales todd aluded to the fact that this repair would not be covered under warranty. …
Transmission & drivetrain
On August 13, 2006, my wife was driving our 2002 Saab 9-3 convertible when the engine caught fire. She was able to get out of the car safely, but the car was destroyed. Investigations by international motors (falls church, va) after the event showed that the transmission had disintegrated and transmission fluid has sprayed throughout the engine compartment causing the fire.
Tl contact owns a 2002 Saab 9-3. While driving 30 MPH, the vehicle began to hesitate as if the emergency brake was engaged. The contact also heard a grinding noise coming from the vehicle. She was unable to drive more than 20 MPH. When the mechanic attempted to test drive the vehicle, it failed to shift into gear. The mechanic stated that the gears inside the transmission exploded into little pieces. For three weeks, the mechanic attempted to repair the transmission, however, the transmission was diagnosed and repaired by another transmission specialist. The contact is requesting that Saab pay the cost to repair the vehicle. The current and failure mileages were 60,000. Updated 02-01-08. The consumer stated the transmission light illuminated once again and is presently in the shop. Updated 02/01/08
2002 Saab 9-3 engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2.0L 4-cyl turbo | 5-speed manual | FWD | 20 / 30 / 24 |
| 2.0L 4-cyl turbo | 4-speed automatic | FWD | 18 / 27 / 21 |
| 2.3L 4-cyl turbo | 5-speed manual | FWD | 17 / 26 / 20 |
EPA ratings. Class: Subcompact car.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2002 Saab 9-3 a good car?
Based on 46 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2002 9-3 rates better than average: 45% fewer complaints than a typical year of the 9-3 at the same age. It is one of the best 9-3 years by this measure. Complaint counts don't account for sales volume or individual maintenance, so have any used car inspected before buying.
What is the most common problem with the 2002 Saab 9-3?
The electrical system — 16 complaints, 35% of all complaints for this model year, most often about ignition › module. Next are the engine & cooling (8) and transmission & drivetrain (6).
How many recalls does the 2002 Saab 9-3 have?
There are 4 recalls for the 2002 Saab 9-3, the most recent from March 7, 2007 (hoses, lines/piping, and fittings). Recall repairs are free at any authorized dealer — check whether yours has been done with the VIN recall check.
What are the best and worst years of the Saab 9-3?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2011, 2010 and 2002. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 2003, 2008, 2004 and 2007. See the full Saab 9-3 years comparison.
At what mileage do 2002 Saab 9-3 problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 55,000 miles; 35% of problems with a recorded mileage started before 50,000 miles.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.