Engine complaints by model year
| Year | Complaints | Share of year's complaints | Typical mileage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | 1 | 3% | 120,000 miles |
| 2010 | 2 | 7% | 12,000 miles |
| 2009 | 13 | 30% | 77,000 miles |
| 2008 | 68 | 37% | 86,000 miles |
| 2007 | 24 | 15% | 76,000 miles |
| 2006 | 16 | 9% | 40,000 miles |
| 2005 | 4 | 4% | 32,000 miles |
| 2004 | 12 | 6% | 21,000 miles |
| 2003 | 39 | 18% | 16,000 miles |
| 2002 | 8 | 17% | 45,000 miles |
| 2001 | 18 | 22% | 82,000 miles |
| 2000 | 14 | 23% | 98,000 miles |
| 1999 | 6 | 8% | 60,000 miles |
Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (engine, cooling system, oil leaks, timing chain, exhaust).
Mileage when the problem started
What owners report
My car has fallen victim to the soft intake valve issue. My car was parked in my driveway, it ran perfectly well the night before. I attempted to move it on christmas eve morning 12/24/2017 but it would not start. I then had it towed to my local Saab mechanic, automotion in billerica, ma- the owner said this is a well known issue he has seen on a number of occasions; he said he saw it so many times he purchased new equipment to be prepared for the volume of customers. This is being well documented at the saabcentral forum found at www.saabcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=329066 my 2009 9-3 is about to hit 70,000 miles; mechanic is currently working to fix the intake valve issue at a cost of $2,245.00 plus tax. There are 35 pages of documented instances at saabcentral. …
Car began running rough upon cold start up, but would run better after a few minutes. I had the plugs replaced and problem persisted. Problem became more pronounced as weather got colder. Saab technician suspected an intake valve problem that has been very common in these cars. A cold compression check confirmed that valves in three of the four cylinders were bad. I was quoted ~$2,500 for the repair!!!! Technician said that GM is well aware of the problem but refuses to recall the vehicles to repair. They are only repairing those still under warranty.
The engine lost total compression due to what the mechanic said was a well-documented case of intake valve failure, happened in northern california. The engine cut out while I was in traffic on the freeway, the car stopped, and the car was grazed from behind. Not much of a problem due to damage, just a quick re-paint of the back bumper, and paid out of pocket. The engine was gone. The Saab specialist told me that so many 9-3's,especially on the east coast, have experienced total intake valve failure like mine. I contacted Saab and they essentially said to go screw myself. Saab and a subsequent call to GM claimed they had "never heard of the issue" which my mechanic specialist said was a "bold lie" because there's an online history of this that I found, and they denied me any help in getting it fixed. …
We own a 2008 9-3 Saab that has approximately 120,000 miles on it. When it is cold outside (50 degrees and below), our car starts very roughly after 2-3+ minutes of continuous cranking. Once the car starts and has warmed up, it runs quite smoothly. However, it currently isn't starting at all now and is in the shop. We have been doing research online to see if this is a common problem among other 2008 Saab owners. So far we have seen a large amount of other owners of 2008 saabs expressing the same concerns/problems and have experienced a $2,00-$3,000 expense to fix it. Our diagnosis is that there isn't any compression and it is assumed that the lower intake valves are faulty and will need to be replaced for an estimated cost of $2,000-$3,000. …
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 driving car on middle lane on highway approaching traffic, when my car completely shut off. This was after getting a complete tune up including oil change, new batteries and tires. Towed car to repair shop and after repair, the engine light remained on and then there was smell of gas and car continued to stall. Took car back to repair shop, where the fuel injector was replaced and gas smell was eliminated. But engine light remained on and car completely shut off again. Took it to repair shop, yet again. This time, starter was changed and mechanic claims that a new ECU/ECM is needed for engine but part for 2006 model has been discontinued and is now running on 2004 eci/ECM and engine light still remains on and started is a bit rough.
Tl contact owns a 2006 Saab 9-3. While driving 20 MPH, the steering wheel locked and the vehicle stalled. No warning lights were illuminated prior to the failure. The contact crashed into a ten foot barrier. GM sent an engineer to gather evidence and survey the damage. One occupant was injured and a police report was filed. GM stated that they will take apart the vehicle to find out why it stalled and crashed. The failure mileage was 36,000.
Related recalls (1)
Engine and engine cooling
On certain passenger vehicles, the engine management system software May cause engine hesitation or stalling.
Remedy: Dealers will update the engine management system. Owners May contact Saab at 1-800-955-9007.
Frequently asked questions
Which Saab 9-3 years have engine problems?
By NHTSA complaints, the 2008 (68), 2003 (39), 2007 (24), 2001 (18) and 2006 (16) model years. Engine complaints make up 37% of all complaints for the 2008.
Is there a recall for Saab 9-3 engine problems?
Yes — 1 recall, including 04V-540 (engine and engine cooling, Oct 20, 2004). Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers; check a specific car with the VIN recall check.
At what mileage do Saab 9-3 engine problems start?
Across all years, half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 62,000 miles; 33% happened before 50,000 miles.
What part fails most often?
Owners most often name the engine (33 mentions), followed by the cooling system (9).
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.