2002 Saab 9-3 recalls and problems

The 2002 Saab 9-3 has 4 recalls and 37 owner complaints on file with NHTSA; the most reported problem area is electrical system.

How the 2002 compares

Low

Fewest complaintsMost complaints

Low complaint count among 12 9-3 model years — 10th most.

4recalls

37complaints

0crashes

1fires

1injuries

63,000median miles

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, not verified and not adjusted for sales. Ranking compares this model's own years only.

Does your car have an open recall?
Recalls apply to specific vehicles. Only a VIN lookup on NHTSA's official site shows whether yours is affected and still unrepaired.

Check your VIN →

4 recalls

Fuel System

Mar 7, 2007 · NHTSA campaign 07V087000 · 94,377 vehicles

Problem: On certain passenger vehicles, the fuel pump retaining tabs holding the fuel lines were damaged during production.

Original NHTSA wording

ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES, THE FUEL PUMP RETAINING TABS HOLDING THE FUEL LINES WERE DAMAGED DURING PRODUCTION.

Risk: Over time, this could cause the fuel lines to loosen from the pump resulting in fuel leakage. If an ignition source were present, the fuel May ignite resulting in a vehicle fire.

Original NHTSA wording

OVER TIME, THIS COULD CAUSE THE FUEL LINES TO LOOSEN FROM THE PUMP RESULTING IN FUEL LEAKAGE. IF AN IGNITION SOURCE WERE PRESENT, THE FUEL MAY IGNITE RESULTING IN A VEHICLE FIRE.

Remedy & notes

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. This is an expansion of previous recall campaigns - see 04V557 and 06V126. Owners May contact Saab at 1-800-955-9007.

Saab recall no. 07052 (15018, 06033). Customers May also contact the national highway traffic safety administration's vehicle safety hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (tty 1-800-424-9153), or go to http://www.safercar.gov.

Electrical System

Sep 14, 2005 · NHTSA campaign 05V399000 · 103,202 vehicles

Problem: Certain passenger vehicles equipped with B205/B235 4-CYLINDER gasoline engines and 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.

Original NHTSA wording

CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH B205/B235 4-CYLINDER GASOLINE ENGINES AND 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.

Risk: Overheating of the igbt occurs most often at engine start-up, but it May also occur while the engine is running. Engine stalling May occur, which could result in a crash.

Original NHTSA wording

OVERHEATING OF THE IGBT OCCURS MOST OFTEN AT ENGINE START-UP, BUT IT MAY ALSO OCCUR WHILE THE ENGINE IS RUNNING. ENGINE STALLING MAY OCCUR, WHICH COULD RESULT IN A CRASH.

Remedy & notes

Dealers will inspect to see what version idm is in the vehicle and replace the idm if it is a version built prior to the introduction of QP3. An interim letter will be mailed to owners in October 2005, informing them of the condition. Parts are now available and owners will be notified to bring their vehicles in to the dealers to have the idm replaced by letter dated March 13, 2006. Owners May contact Saab at 1-800-955-9007.

Saab recall no. 05087.customers May also contact the national highway traffic safety administration's vehicle safety hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (tty 1-800-424-9153), or go to http://www.safercar.gov.

Fuel System

Nov 19, 2004 · NHTSA campaign 04V557000 · 17,394 vehicles

Problem: On certain passenger vehicles, the fuel pump retaining tabs holding the fuel lines were damaged during production.

Original NHTSA wording

ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES, THE FUEL PUMP RETAINING TABS HOLDING THE FUEL LINES WERE DAMAGED DURING PRODUCTION.

Risk: Over time, this could cause the fuel lines to loosen from the pump resulting in fuel leakage. If an ignition source were present, the fuel May ignite resulting in a vehicle fire.

Original NHTSA wording

OVER TIME, THIS COULD CAUSE THE FUEL LINES TO LOOSEN FROM THE PUMP RESULTING IN FUEL LEAKAGE. IF AN IGNITION SOURCE WERE PRESENT, THE FUEL MAY IGNITE RESULTING IN A VEHICLE FIRE.

Remedy & notes

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 March 14, 2005. Owners should contact Saab at 1-800-955-9007.

Saab recall no. 15018 (gm recall no. 04101).customers can also contact the national highway traffic safety administration's auto safety hotline at 1-888-DASH-2-DOT (1-888-327-4236).

Steering

Oct 3, 2001 · NHTSA campaign 01V314000 · 1,366 vehicles

Problem: Vehicle description: Passenger vehicles. The tie rod end retaining nuts May not have been properly tightened at the factory.

Original NHTSA wording

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. THE TIE ROD END RETAINING NUTS MAY NOT HAVE BEEN PROPERLY TIGHTENED AT THE FACTORY.

Risk: The nut could loosen and fall off resulting in a sudden reduction or loss of steering control.

Original NHTSA wording

THE NUT COULD LOOSEN AND FALL OFF RESULTING IN A SUDDEN REDUCTION OR LOSS OF STEERING CONTROL.

Remedy

All vehicles will be inspected and corrected prior to customer delivery. No owner notification will be required.

Recall text as published by NHTSA and the manufacturer.

What owners complain about

Unknown or other3

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA; one complaint can name several areas. Not verified by NHTSA.

Complaints by year filed

NHTSA investigations

ENGINE STALL/ ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRES

PE05017 · opened Apr 7, 2005 · closed Sep 23, 2005 · led to recall 05V399000

Summary

ODI OPENED PE05-017 BASED ON 35 REPORTS OF ALLEGED ENGINE STALLING DUE TO THE FAILURE OF THE IDM CASSETTE ON THE SUBJECT VEHICLES.ALL COMPLAINANTS REPORTED THAT THE ENGINE SHUT DOWN SUDDENLY WITHOUT WARNING AND MOST REPORTED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT RESTART.IN 3 INCIDENTS, THE COMPLAINANTS REPORTED SMOKE AND/OR FIRE RESULTED FROM THE IDM FAILURE.DURING PE05-017, ADDITIONAL FAILURE DATA WAS IDENTIFIED AS NOTED IN THE FAILURE REPORT SUMMARY ABOVE.THE COMPLAINT DATA REPRESENTS INCIDENTS WHERE THE COMPLAINANTS ALLEGED A STALL OR FIRE.ON SEPTEMBER 13, 2005, GENERAL MOTORS (GM) NOTIFIED NHTSA OF A SAFETY DEFECT ON 95,081 MY 2000-2002 SAAB 9-3 AND 9-5 VEHICLES WITH 4-CYLINDER GASOLINE ENGINES AND 8,117 MY 2001 9-5 VEHICLES WITH 6- CYLINDER GASOLINE ENGINES (RECALL 05V-399).THE NOTIFICATION STATED THAT CERTAIN VEHICLES WITHIN THESE POPULATIONS MAY EXPERIENCE OVERHEATING AND BURNOUT OF THE ISOLATED GATED BIPOLAR TRANSISTOR (IGBT) WITHIN THE IDM DUE TO INCREASED SUSCEPTIBILITY TO ELECTRICAL LOADS.OVERHEATING OF THE IGBT OCCURS MOST OFTEN AT ENGINE START-UP FOR BOTH A 4-CYLINDER AND 6-CYLINDER ENGINE, BUT IT MAY ALSO OCCUR WHILE THE ENGINE IS RUNNING.WHEN THE IDM FAILS ON A 4-CYLINDER WHILE IT IS RUNNING, THE ENGINE MAY STALL WITHOUT WARNING, WITH NO ABILITY TO BE RESTARTED.WHEN THE IDM FAILS ON A 6-CYLINDER ENGINE WHILE IT IS RUNNING, THE DRIVER WILL INITIALLY EXPERIENCE REDUCED POWER AND ROUGH OPERATION BECAUSE THE ENGINE WILL ONLY BE RUNNING ON THREE CYLINDERS.THE CHECK ENGINE LIGH…

2002 vs. other Saab 9-3 years

Owner complaints by model year; the darker bar is the 2002. Click a bar to switch year.

Questions

Does the 2002 Saab 9-3 have recalls?

Yes — NHTSA lists 4 recall campaigns covering the 2002 Saab 9-3, the latest from Mar 7, 2007 (fuel system). A recall applies to specific vehicles: enter your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see whether yours is affected and still open.

What are the most common problems with the 2002 Saab 9-3?

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA most often mention electrical system (14), engine (7), fuel system (6). Complaints are consumer reports and are not verified by NHTSA.