Most common 2005 Saab 9-3 problems
Share of the 95 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 →
2005 Saab 9-3 recalls (2)
Seat belts › Front › Retractor
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.
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.
Service brakes, hydraulic › Power assist › Vacuum › Hoses, lines/piping, and fittings
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.
Remedy: Dealers will install a new redesigned check valve. The recall began on March 17, 2006. Owners should contact Saab at 1-800-955-9007.
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal safety investigators have looked into 2 possible defects involving the 2005 Saab 9-3:
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, maine, maryland,…
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 defect.The engineering…
What 2005 Saab 9-3 owners say
Suspension all 29 →
Tl* the contact owns a 2005 Saab 9-3. The contact stated that the passenger strut was bent. The contact mentioned that the strut was replaced but was concerned that the failure would recur. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was diagnosed that the struts needed to be repaired. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 100,000. The VIN was not provided.
While driving on the street at 30 MPH I hear a bang! I start to lose control of the steering wheel I immediately put my hazard lights on and pulled over safely once I gained control when I get out the car to inspect it my passengers side front spring is broken in two and my passenger side tire is blown. I could have been very badly injured or killed! Saab you need to do a recall this is life threatening!
Seat belts all 22 →
The contact owns a 2005 Saab 9-3. The contact stated that the front passenger's side seat belt failed to latch. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who diagnosed that the failure was related to NHTSA Campaign Number: 14V318000 (Seat Belts). The vehicle was not repaired. There was no further information provided. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.
Seat belt repair problem re 2005 Saab 9.3 VIN [redacted] purchased dec '04, involved in accident aug '05. No repair parts stocked in USA, therefore ordered from sweden. After seven weeks on order, most repair parts received and repairs finally have been started more than eight weeks since accident. However seat belt repair kit is still on back order. Am advised that Saab's original supplier of seat belt units has been discontinued and a new supplier has not been contracted. Seems to me that auto manufacturers should be required to stock safety items and should not be allowed to let supply of safety items lapse without replacement sources, particularly on late model cars (mine is of the current 2005 model year). Local dealer trying utmost, but Saab USA and Saab sweden appear not too responsive. Updated 07/18/2012
Air bags
Takata recall driver in front was in motion and came to an abrupt stop at the yellow signal light. I was not able to stop in time. There was a direct impact front end collision to my car. The force of collision activated my passenger airbag to inflate, but my driver's airbag did not...updated 05/09/16
Dt*: the contact stated while driving 30 MPH on normal road conditions, the vehicle impacted a semi truck and the air bags did not deploy. There were no warning lights illuminated prior to the incident however, after the crash, a warning message illuminated indicating an air bag malfunction. The fire department was at scene of the accident but there were no injuries sustained. The police was also present and a police report was taken. The vehicle remained inoperable and neither the dealership nor the manufacturer had been contacted yet.
2005 Saab 9-3 engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2.0L 4-cyl turbo | 5-speed manual | FWD | 19 / 29 / 23 |
| 2.0L 4-cyl turbo | 5-speed automatic | FWD | 19 / 26 / 22 |
EPA ratings. Class: Compact car.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2005 Saab 9-3 a good car?
Based on 95 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2005 9-3 rates average: about as many complaints as a typical year of the 9-3 at the same age. 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 2005 Saab 9-3?
The suspension — 29 complaints, 31% of all complaints for this model year, most often about front. Next are the seat belts (22) and air bags (12).
How many recalls does the 2005 Saab 9-3 have?
There are 2 recalls for the 2005 Saab 9-3, the most recent from June 12, 2014 (retractor). 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 2005 Saab 9-3 problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 60,000 miles; 39% 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.