Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (engine, cooling system, oil leaks, timing chain, exhaust).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2007 Saab 9-3 owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
2007 Saab 9-3 went on fire with driver in it. Car was serviced at massey Saab, orlando, flon June 3rd, 2008 (40,000 mile service, electrical repairs, detail, wheel alignment). Vehicle was in mcdonald's drive-through in orlando fl on junction of 535 n and hotel plaza blvd. Engine caught on fire. Manger of mcdonald's (frederico) and I (driver) pushed car away from building and other people. Flames entered cabin while I was in the vehicle steering it. I jumped out just in time, and the whole car went up in flames. There have been records of other Saab's having similar fire problems in the past. I would like to have this investigated so other's are not injured in an occurrence like this. I am lucky to be alive. The fire department arrived and extinguished the flames, and informed me how lucky I was that I jumped out, and not brought the car home and parked it in my garage. …
It appears I too have been struck with the misfortune of having what I have termed " morning sickness" in cooler weather. I currently have one - hundred and forty- eight thousand miles on this vehicle. I just had it diagnosed low compression in two of the cylinder's, one cylinder has 150 psi?, the other has 175. I believe they should be 200 psi? Usually it does not last long ( of rough running) of course depending on outside temperature. I have recorded a temp . Of five above f., and the car started fine, but took a while for it to " clear out ", generally no more than a minute or two. I see I am not the only one with this problem, thought I'd share with others and maybe something could be done about it. I guess I feel I am luck, that with all miles I have on the vehicle, that I have gotten this far, question is how much farther can I go before I need to something??
I was having an issue with my engine idling rough when starting up and while driving cold. After the car warms, the issue get a bit better. But while cold, the car runs terribly rough. After spending over $3000 trying to diagnose and fix the issue, including replacing the entire fuel system, several engine parts, and hours of labor and wasted time, the Saab dealer narrows it down to a compression issue involving one of the intake valves, which it seems is a common problem for the 2007 model 9-3s. They estimate an additional $2,500 of work to fix it! I've read hundreds of complains on this issue. If this is such a common issue, GM should recall these faulty parts and replace them.
First issue was front suspension coils. Replaced both. Biggest issue was once the weather became very cold, car would not start. Ended up being a victim of the bad intake valves provided by GM. Now, after a complete valve job and having the car run great from March 2017 to dec 2017..it appears it May have a cracked block. Car never overheated. Fluids were always maintained. Looked into that and apparently there were some casting issues as well. Thanks GM.
On August 27, 2012, while shopping in the mall, I came out side to the fire department putting a fire out that looks to have occurred while I was in the store. I don't understand how the care caught fire while it was parked. When I got out of the car it seemed to be fine. The fire marshall report side that it was an electrical fire that started because a defect from the manufacturer.
2007 Saab 9-3 aero equipped with 2.8l v6 turbo engine (convertible) - engine compartment fire - (odometer - 23,200 miles) upon starting, engine ran a little rough, proceeded to Saab dealer for service - no service lights on dash - eventually lost power brakes - engine stalled and burst into flames - all happened within a one-mile distance.
Needs valve job ($3K) due to improperly hardened valves. Very common problem on this car. Rough running when cold. Compression test verifies this condition: very poor when cold, but fine when warm. If left on-fixed, will cause permanent misfiring.
Upon attempting to start the engine, sometimes it runs very rough and then stalls. Repeated attempts to start the engine result in stalls or, finally, result in the engine running very rough and then gradually smoother.
In cold weather (slightly below freezing at the time) vehicle started but idled very roughly. Drove down street and while coasting engine was idling and sputtered and stalled within 1 minute of initial start. Loss of brake assist, power steering, power to accelerate with traffic. Pulled off to side and restarted engine. Again rough idle. Applied gas pedal and held rpms slightly above idle to warm engine. After ~5 minutes, car was idling normally. No further issues once engine reached operating temperature. Upon research Saab/GM (spna technical assistance) has issued a notice to certified service centers that intake valves are prematurely wearing causing severe issues in cold start situations. Notice is dated 12/17/2013 and was re-issued to expand scope of model years known to be effected. …
Tl* the contact owns a 2007 Saab 9-3. The contact stated that the engine valves failed prematurely. The service engine indicator illuminated and the vehicle performed roughly each time the failure occurred. In addition, the springs that connected to the front struts had premature rust and corrosion, which caused it to fracture without warning. An independent mechanic diagnosed that the front coils springs and eight valves needed to be replaced. The vehicle was also inspected by a dealer (conntech Saab specialists, 180 jefferson blvd, warwick, ri 02888, [phone]). The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The VIN and failure mileage were not available.
Engine complaints in other 9-3 years
Frequently asked questions
How common are engine problems on the 2007 Saab 9-3?
NHTSA has 24 complaints about the engine & cooling of the 2007 Saab 9-3, 15% of the model year's 155 complaints. The component named most often is engine (2 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2007 Saab 9-3 engine problems?
No. NHTSA lists no engine & cooling recall for the 2007 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 2007 Saab 9-3 engine problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 76,000 miles, and 6% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 0 crashes, 5 fires and 0 injuries to engine & cooling 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.