Most common 2003 Saab 9-5 problems
Share of the 47 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Saab 9-5 complaints by model year
Best 9-5 years: 2006, 2007, 2011. Years to avoid: 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003. Compare all years →
2003 Saab 9-5 recalls (4)
Seats › Front assembly › Head restraint
Saab is recalling 57,389 my 2002-2008 9-5 series vehicles for failing to comply with the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 201, "occupant protection in interior impact." during compliance testing, one of the upper interior occupant protection test points exceeded the standard's requirements.
Remedy: Dealers will install a-pillar trim with improved energy-absorbing capability free of charge. The recall began on November 25, 2008. Owners May contact Saab at 1-800-955-9007.
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 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 January 2003. The recall is expected to begin during December 2005.
Wheels › Hub
On certain passenger vehicles, if an owner changes their wheels/tires between summer and winter using a steel wheel in the winter and an alloy wheel in the summer, it is possible for rust and contamination to build up on the wheel hub during the steel wheel usage.
Remedy: Owners will be contacted by mail and asked whether they change between steel and alloy wheels. If they do engage in this practice, they will be instructed to bring their cars to an authorized dealer.
What 2003 Saab 9-5 owners say
Electrical system all 25 →
Tl* the contact owns a 1993 Buick regal. The contact stated that all door locks would become stuck when activated by the electronic door lock system. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 41,000.
My car was built in 2002 as well as others reported, I purchased it used 3 years ago with 64K miles. My direct ignition control in 2003 9-5 linear sedan 2.3t ceased. Upon research, my dic is the original part 9197559 tk3.6 2000-2002 are recalled and 'some' 2003 VIN's. With the over abundance of dic failures with the exact same part number, these need to be recalled as a whole. Upon removal of the dic, the engine is leaking at the seams of the head from where the bolts are located, inside the dic and engine section is perfectly clean. Bolts in the head of the engine loose, 1 was lifted out enough to just remove straight out. Car blows blueish smoke when it was starting, switches are defective (GM known issue), oil / engine / head known issues, suspension known issues (among other serious Saab failures). I have spent thousands of dollars on this vehicle since purchase. …
Engine & cooling
My car was built in 2002 as well as others reported, I purchased it used 3 years ago with 64K miles. My direct ignition control in 2003 9-5 linear sedan 2.3t ceased. Upon research, my dic is the original part 9197559 tk3.6 2000-2002 are recalled and 'some' 2003 VIN's. With the over abundance of dic failures with the exact same part number, these need to be recalled as a whole. Upon removal of the dic, the engine is leaking at the seams of the head from where the bolts are located, inside the dic and engine section is perfectly clean. Bolts in the head of the engine loose, 1 was lifted out enough to just remove straight out. Car blows blueish smoke when it was starting, switches are defective (GM known issue), oil / engine / head known issues, suspension known issues (among other serious Saab failures). I have spent thousands of dollars on this vehicle since purchase. …
I was driving on the highway when my cruise control shut off and the check engine light came on. When I came to a stop my entire car died. I was stuck at a stop light in the middle of rush hour. I had to hold my left foot on the brake and pump the gas pedal to get the car to rev, but it wouldn't continue to idle. It kept dying. I had to use both the brake pedal and the gas pedal to get it off the highway to a side street, which was extremely dangerous. Several times the car died. I took it to a GM certified repair shop who after three diagnostic checks determined the ignition module needed to be replaced along with the spark plugs because the engine was misfiring. I want Saab to recall this part and pay for the repair. It is the exact same part and problem that they recalled for 2000-2002 vehicles. It makes absolutely no sense that the 2003 part has not been recalled. …
Fuel & propulsion system
Driving on the interstate - exited onto an interchange ramp at 50 MPH - and the engine stalled without warning. Vehicle at rear nearly rear-ended mine - but missed by a hairs whisker. Another piece of luck was that I was at the crest of the ramp so managed to "coast" towards the shoulder. Waited for a bit - the car wouldn't restart. Had to spend perilous time on the left shoulder before getting my car towed. At the time of writing - the car is sitting in the dealers lot. Nothing special happened prior to this incident. Previously a similar incident had occurred just outside my residence - and the dealer checked it out and said it might just be "bad gas". Saab's customer assistance program was useless. Based on the other incidents reported - refer to odi #s: 10162804, 10137685, 10097342 - there is something definitely wrong with this vehicle. …
I was driving the car when suddenly the car when dead while I was driving it.I was lucky that I was able to restart it and there was a gas station right near by. It did not start up normally and was very sluggish. I was in the middle of traffic when this happened but fortunately not heavy traffic and in the right lane. It was very scary. They towed my Saab to a Saab dealer for me who had to install a new ignition. This happened about 4-5 years ago on my Saab 2003 9-5 station wagon which was built by GM. I believe it was built on the same platform of one of the cadillacs that is under recall.
2003 Saab 9-5 engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2.3L 4-cyl turbo | 5-speed manual | FWD | 19 / 28 / 22 |
| 2.3L 4-cyl turbo | 5-speed automatic | FWD | 17 / 27 / 21 |
| 3.0L 6-cyl turbo | 5-speed automatic | FWD | 16 / 24 / 19 |
EPA ratings. Class: Midsize car.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2003 Saab 9-5 a good car?
Based on 47 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2003 9-5 rates avoid: 2.2× as many complaints as a typical year of the 9-5 at the same age. It is one of the 9-5 years we suggest avoiding. 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 2003 Saab 9-5?
The electrical system — 25 complaints, 53% of all complaints for this model year, most often about ignition › module. Next are the engine & cooling (9) and fuel & propulsion system (7).
How many recalls does the 2003 Saab 9-5 have?
There are 4 recalls for the 2003 Saab 9-5, the most recent from April 9, 2008 (head restraint). 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 9-5?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2006, 2007 and 2011. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002 and 2003. See the full Saab 9-5 years comparison.
At what mileage do 2003 Saab 9-5 problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 73,000 miles; 29% 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.