Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (service brakes, ABS, rotors and pads, parking brake).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2006 Saab 9-3 owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
Tl contact owns a 2006 Saab 9-3. The contact discovered that his brakes failed shortly after starting the vehicle when he placed the vehicle in reverse to back out of his parking space. When the transmission is shifted from park into reverse or drive before the engine has been warmed up, the brakes do not work to slow the vehicle and the brake pedal feels rock hard. To stop the vehicle the contact shifted the transmission into park. Brake function appeared to return to normal after the engine warmed up. This failure has occurred on four separate occasions. At 15,383, the contact struck another vehicle when the brakes failed while reversing out of a parking space. The crash occurred at low-speed approximately 2mph and no one was injured. The contact's vehicle was scratched but there was no apparent damage to the other vehicle. …
On July 22nd 2010 at approximately 1500 est, I started my car, a 2006 Saab 9-3 aero sport sedan and placed it into reverse to exit my garage/ driveway on my way to work. As I neared the street I depressed the brake pedal to slow down and enter the street but the brake pedal seemed to be ineffective and I ended up putting the car into neutral and entering the street at an angle. After I had stopped in the street I pumped the brakes and put the emergency brake on and shortly (2min) I was on my way without further incident. I reported this incident to my Saab dealer, and they said they had never heard of this before and said there was nothing I could do as it was out of warranty. During the rest of the summer I drove that car I had no further problems. (it is my parents car that I drove when I was home for the summer). …
Intermittent loss of brake power assist on cold start, giving very hard pedal. Recovers with several pumps of brake pedal, or several seconds of idle time. Began about mid-June, 2007, and was reported to dealer. Behavior is not consistent, and May vary with weather conditions. Barely avoided a low-speed accident in a parking deck first time it happened. Car taken to dealer specifically to identify / repair problem on 11-7-07. Dealer response has been positive, but unable to locate specific problem. Dealer found that other Saab 9-3 aero (v6) models exhibited similar characteristic, including brand new 08. Further pursuit with Saab got negative response, as dealer was unable to find the problem, and reported the car "normal" in that it behaved as other similar models on cold start. …
Tl contact owns a 2006 Saab 9-3. While driving approximately 50 MPH, the power steering failed. Immediately, the brake and accelerator pedals failed to respond and the engine stalled without warning. The engine failed to restart after several attempts. Roadside assistance was called to the scene and the vehicle was towed to an authorized dealer for inspection. The technician stated that the failure was related to the idling within the computerized system. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer on two separate occasions for identical failures. The technician stated that the failures were related to the temperature sensor, which was replaced. The failure continued and the vehicle is currently being repaired. The VIN was unknown. The failure mileage was 40,000 and current mileage was 40,550.
Intermittent brake failure. More noticeable at cold starts pulling out forward or backward. Brake pedal goes to the floor with very little braking power. Very dangerous to drive and we parked the car and contacted the dealer. They have now had the car for 4 weeks and are waiting on a part from the factory. This is a very dangerous situation on this car and could very easily result in an accident with injuries or death. I am a male and it was all I could do to get the car stopped on at least 2 occasions. I had to use the emergency brake on one occasion to avoid a collision. This car has 32,000 miles on it. The dealer said the problem was a vacuum line on the brake booster but the replacement must come from Saab. I am not sure if this will resolve the problem or not.
I have had my 2006 Saab 9-3 in for service 4 times for an ABS/traction control/stability control failure. Each time I take it to the dealership, they tell me that the cost is around $385 for a hub assembly, no labor included. I have talked to many people who have had the same problem. The real problem is that the wire leading to the wheel corrodes. Now my car is at the dealership for the same problem and they want to put in a rear harness for the same system and want to charge me $315 just for the part, doesn't include labor. This part has been found for around $120 elsewhere. This is very frustrating as the car acts as a totally different animal when it is not functioning properly. Every time this has happened the temperature has been 40 degrees f or lower.
Tl contact owns a 2006 Saab 9-3. On three occasions, when applying the brakes, the pedal extended to the floor. The failure was noticed while driving 3 MPH. The vehicle did not stop. She pumped the brakes and the vehicle eventually stopped. On the third occasion, she ended up in the middle of an intersection before the vehicle stopped. The dealer currently has the vehicle. The contact stated that she was experiencing the same failure as mentioned in NHTSA campaign id number pe08005 (service brakes, hydraulic:power assist:vacuum service brakes, hydraulic: power assist:vacuum:hoses, lines/piping, and fittings). The current mileage was 15,300 and failure mileage was 15,000. Update 04-02-08 the dealer replaced the mast cylindere. Updated
Similar issue to NHTSA defect investigation # pe08005. Loss of brake power assist after a cold start up and reversing. The vehicle is very hard to stop, requiring high pedal pressure, until the car has warmed up for ~30 seconds. This has occurred numerous times over the past 6 months. It is more prominent after sitting for several days. Also while driving on the road, when a bump is hit while brakes are applied, brakes make a metal-on-metal grinding sound and the braking action does not work until additional pressure is applied. This also happened when braking on slippery road conditions such as snow or rain. This caused a near accident when my car did not stop for another 10 feet than intended and entered an intersection on a red light.
The ABS system was not working correctly for the first 6 months that I owned the car. This caused the rear brakes to be partially engaged all the time when the car was driven. It was so bad that you could hear and smell the brakes scraping. The dealer said it was all right to drive the vehicle. I took them approx. 6 months to get the correct parts to repair the problem. All the time the brakes were rubbing which caused them prematurely wear out. I have never in my life had rear brakes wear out in 15K miles. One of two things has happened. The ABS caused the pads to wear out or they had bad brake pads to begin with.(note: my other Saab has 30K miles on it and still has it's original rear brakes).
22 June 07 rear brakes replaced, noticed on initial driving that brake pedal would 'bottom out' , brakes would make metal on metal sound, and vehicle slow to stop. 13 July 07 vehicle returned to dealer with brake complaint, hand brake adjusted. 17 aug 07 vehicle returned to dealer with same above complaint, vacuum booster pipes and non-return valve replaced 5 sep 07 vehicle returned to dealer with same complaint, vacuum pump pipe assembly replaced again. 10 sep 07 vehicle returned to dealer with same complaint, no problem found. As of this date brakes continue to malfunction on initial startup, once brakes have been used for several stops they appear to start working more correctly.
NHTSA investigations
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 certain conditions, such…
Brake complaints in other 9-3 years
Frequently asked questions
How common are brake problems on the 2006 Saab 9-3?
NHTSA has 31 complaints about the brakes of the 2006 Saab 9-3, 17% of the model year's 179 complaints. The component named most often is antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip (2 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2006 Saab 9-3 brake problems?
No. NHTSA lists no brakes recall for the 2006 Saab 9-3, though it has 2 recalls for other components. If the problem is widespread, a repair may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin — ask a dealer.
At what mileage do 2006 Saab 9-3 brake problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 38,000 miles, and 33% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 3 crashes, 0 fires and 0 injuries to brakes problems on this model year. If you notice symptoms, have the car checked before driving further.
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.