Problems owners report
Complaints filed with NHTSA about the 2008 Saab 9-3, by the system named in each complaint. One complaint can name several.
- Air bags71
- Engine66
- Fuel/propulsion system13
- Electrical system11
- Power train10
- Suspension10
- Seat belts10
- Vehicle speed control4
- Unknown or other4
- Exterior lighting3
NHTSA ODI complaints (public domain) · updated 23 Oct 2026 · 6 injuries and 1 deaths reported
Compared with other years
NHTSA ODI complaints by model year
Fatal crashes in the US
From 2020 to 2023, 5 2008 9-3 vehicles were involved in crashes on US public roads in which someone died; 3 people died inside them, and 1 of the vehicles rolled over. This is a count, not a crash rate: it grows with the number of cars on the road.
NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), crash years 2020–2023 (public domain)
New York safety inspections
At its first New York inspection the 2008 Saab 9-3 failed the safety check 2.75% of the time — 11% more often than the average 2008 passenger car (2.48%). Median odometer at inspection: 126,151 miles.
NY DMV Vehicle Inspections (vezn-fmmk), initial inspections since Aug 2021 · how we count
Engines
The most common engines in 2008 Saab 9-3 cars on Dutch roads are the 2.0 petrol (110 kW, 148 hp), 2.0 petrol (129 kW, 173 hp) and 1.8 petrol (90 kW, 121 hp), out of 12 versions with at least 20 cars.
| Engine | Power | Cars |
|---|---|---|
| 2.0 petrol | 110 kW 148 hp | 1,030 |
| 2.0 petrol | 129 kW 173 hp | 181 |
| 1.8 petrol | 90 kW 121 hp | 168 |
| 2.8 petrol | 206 kW 276 hp | 144 |
| 2.0 petrol | 154 kW 207 hp | 126 |
| 2.8 petrol | 188 kW 252 hp | 121 |
| 1.9 diesel | 110 kW 148 hp | 92 |
| 1.9 diesel | 132 kW 177 hp | 61 |
| 2.0 petrol | 155 kW 208 hp | 44 |
| 2.0 petrol | 144 kW 193 hp | 30 |
| 1.9 diesel | 88 kW 118 hp | 30 |
| 2.8 petrol | 184 kW 247 hp | 27 |
RDW Open Data (CC0): registered passenger cars and their fuel data · engine size rounded to 0.1 litre, net maximum power · versions with at least 20 cars
In the Netherlands
2,096 first registered in 2008 are on Dutch roads; 53% arrived later as imports. Median list price when new: €40,666.
Most common APK defects
- Bandenspanning niet op juiste waarde1,222
- Kentekenplaatverlichting werkt niet (goed) / ontbreekt494
- Overmatige vloeistoflekkage overige vloeistoffen389
- Band onvoldoende profiel383
- Dimlicht onjuist afgesteld342
- Veer gebroken of gescheurd317
- Band(en) aanwezig met een profieldiepte van 1,6 t/m 2,5 mm261
- Band beschadigd193
Colours
RDW Open Data: registered vehicles and APK defects (CC0) · defect descriptions in the RDW's Dutch wording
In the United Kingdom
4,512 cars built in 2008 were licensed for the road at the end of 2025, and 1,554 more were declared off the road (SORN).
Department for Transport and DVLA, vehicle licensing statistics (table VEH0124, year of manufacture) · Open Government Licence v3.0
MOT test results in Great Britain
In 2023, 6,935 of these cars first registered in 2008 took their annual MOT test. 64% passed first time; among all cars first registered in 2008 the figure was 57%.
| Failed on | These cars | All cars from 2008 |
|---|---|---|
| Suspension | 16.5% | 17.2% |
| Brakes | 10.7% | 11.3% |
| Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment | 10.3% | 19.8% |
| Tyres | 6.6% | 7.6% |
| Noise, emissions and leaks | 5.8% | 6.2% |
| Body, chassis, structure | 5.8% | 7.3% |
DVSA anonymised MOT tests and results, 2023 (Department for Transport) · Open Government Licence v3.0 · first tests only; a fix made at the test station within the hour still counts as a fail
In Finland
1,086 of these cars first registered in 2008 were in use in Finland on 30 Jun 2026, with an average of 287,000 km on the odometer at their last inspection.
Traficom (Finnish Transport and Communications Agency), open data on vehicles in use · CC BY 4.0
In New Zealand
39 2008 cars are on the New Zealand register; 41% arrived as used imports, 59% were sold new in New Zealand.
NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi, Motor Vehicle Register (March 2026) · CC BY 4.0
Fuel consumption
Official Canadian test results for 12 variants: combined 10.4–13.3 L/100 km (about 18–23 mpg US), CO₂ 239–306 g/km.
| Variant | City | Highway | Combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 9-3 Sport Sedan Turbo · Compact · Premium gasoline | 12.1 | 8.2 | 10.4 |
| 9-3 SportCombi Turbo · Station wagon: Small · Premium gasoline | 12.1 | 8.2 | 10.4 |
| 9-3 Sport Sedan Turbo · Compact · Premium gasoline | 12.6 | 9.1 | 11.0 |
| 9-3 SportCombi Turbo · Station wagon: Small · Premium gasoline | 13.3 | 9.4 | 11.5 |
| 9-3 Sport Sedan Turbo · Compact · Premium gasoline | 14.9 | 9.1 | 12.3 |
| 9-3 SportCombi Turbo · Station wagon: Small · Premium gasoline | 14.9 | 9.1 | 12.3 |
| 9-3 Sport Sedan AWD Turbo · Compact · Premium gasoline | 15.1 | 9.6 | 12.6 |
| 9-3 SportCombi AWD Turbo · Station wagon: Small · Premium gasoline | 15.1 | 9.6 | 12.6 |
| 9-3 Sport Sedan AWD Turbo · Compact · Premium gasoline | 15.2 | 9.8 | 12.8 |
| 9-3 SportCombi AWD Turbo · Station wagon: Small · Premium gasoline | 15.2 | 9.8 | 12.8 |
| 9-3 Sport Sedan Turbo · Compact · Premium gasoline | 16.2 | 9.8 | 13.3 |
| 9-3 SportCombi Turbo · Station wagon: Small · Premium gasoline | 16.2 | 9.8 | 13.3 |
Litres per 100 km. Natural Resources Canada, Fuel consumption ratings (open.canada.ca) · Open Government Licence – Canada
Recalls in Canada
2 Transport Canada recalls for the 2008 Saab 9-3.
| 2016052 3 Feb 2016 | Airbag On certain vehicles, the driver frontal airbag inflator could produce excessive internal pressure during airbag deployment. Increased pressure may cause the inf… |
| 2014228 12 Jun 2014 | Seats And Restraints On certain convertible model vehicles, the tensioning cable in the driver's seat belt retractor may break, causing the belt to fail to retract. If a crash were … |
Transport Canada Vehicle Recalls Database · Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada
Recalls
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2006-2011 Saab 9-3 vehicles manufactured May 31, 2002, to February 15, 2011, 2006-2009 Saab 9-5 vehicles manufactured June 7, 2005, to May 28, 2009, and 2008-2009 Saturn Astra vehicles manufactured April 11, 2007, to July 24, 2008. Upon deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, excessive internal pressure may cause the inflator to rupture.
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2004-2011 Saab 9-3 Convertible vehicles manufactured July 30, 2003, to February 15, 2011. In the affected vehicles, the driver's side front seat belt retractor may break, causing the seat belt webbing not to retract.
Whether a recall was fixed on a particular car is known only to the manufacturer: check the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
NHTSA recalls · summaries in NHTSA's own words
Service bulletins
What Saab told its dealers about the 2008 Saab 9-3: known faults, fixes and updates.
| Bulletin | Summary |
|---|---|
| 11009531 | This service bulletin provides information for maintenance cleaning of the fuel injectors and gasoline detergent additive. |
| 11009088 | This service bulletin provides information on some vehicles that may rock or move slightly forward or rearward while in Park at start up after cold soak. This condition may be accompanied by a clunk noise. This is a slight movement that is more often seen visually, rather than felt, when viewed from the outside and using the auto-start feature, if equipped. |
| 11008956 | This service bulletin provides information for dealers/technicians on When and How to Submit a Field Product Report (FPR) (U.S. and Canada Dealers Only). |
| 11007936 | This service bulletin provides information to dealership personnel on diagnosis and replacement of shock absorber and strut due to fluid leak. |
| 11007935 | This service bulletin provides information to dealership personnel on diagnosis and replacement of shock absorber and strut due to fluid leak. |
| 11007208 | This Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician about changing the tire and wheel size on vehicles. General Motors will only support a tire calibration for tires that have been sized, tested and designed for the vehicle in question and its applications. Technician should not use the information that is provided by the antilock braking system tire size selection. |
| 11007116 | This bulletin provides information on identifying Non-GM Engine Calibrations for Gasoline Engines using the Tech 2 or GDS 2. |
| 11007095 | This bulletin provides information on the TOP TIER Detergent Gasoline Licensed Brands and the TOP TIER Diesel Fuel Licensed Brands that are recommended for use in all GM vehicles and the TOP TIER FUELS website URL. |
| 11007091 | This service bulletin provides guidelines and diagnostic/repair information to technicians regarding vehicle engine oil consumption. |
| 11006682 | This service bulletin provides information on a guide to help reduce repeat visits for the same customer concern. |
| 11006621 | Vehicle Wide Programming (VWP) is a new process to update software on GM Vehicles. It provides the ability via a single selection within Techline Connect to first identify which modules need updating and then proceed to updating affected modules (with some exceptions). The updating of modules is completed in parallel instead of the technician needing to update one module at a time. This allows a more streamlined approach for dealers and customers. |
| 11004761 | This service bulletin advises of a new fuel injection cleaner kit used for decarbonizing the intake valves to correct conditions of rough idle, Crank no start, extended crank or misfire, MIL with DTCs, and explains how Top Tier fuels should be used to reduce carbon build-up. |
| 11004727 | This service bulletin provides information for maintenance cleaning of the fuel injectors and gasoline detergent additive. |
| 11004557 | This bulletin provides information for use on a Product Assistance Claim (PAC), which is formerly known as a Product Allegation Resolution (PAR) claim. |
| 11002312 | This service bulletin provides information for dealers/technicians on Service Programming System (SPS) Error Codes E4398, E4399, E4401, E4403, M4404, M4413, M6954, M6955, E4414, E4423, E4491, E4492, or E6961 and resolution information. |
| 11001325 | This warranty administration bulletin provides policy information to cover GMs policy on performing GM covered vehicle services and maintenance on vehicles originating/sold in Canada. |
| 11001321 | This bulletin provides information on the harmful effects of water or ethylene glycol in transmission fluid. |
| 11000576 | This Warranty Administration bulletin provides retail and wholesale service personnel with the policies/procedures and the warranty transaction submission procedures that support the Personal Property Damage process. |
| 11000162 | The intent of this service bulletin is to identify aftermarket ALDL or DLC interface devices as potential sources for causing multiple customer concerns that do not have other diagnostic methods to identify them. |
| 11000160 | This service bulletin provides information on proper use of floor mats. |
| 11000158 | This service bulletin includes information on Interior Cleaning - Instrument Panel (IP), Hard or Plastic Surfaces, Seats, Carpet, Leather, Vinyl, Fabric Cleaner, Stain Remover, Restorer - Product Availability. |
| 11000119 | This service bulletin provides technicians with information to help identify the differences between what is considered a fluid leak, and what is considered fluid seepage. |
| 10254240 | Information on COAX Repair Kit Availability. |
| 10253770 | This service bulletin provides information for dealers/technicians on Tire Radial Force Variation (RFV). |
| 10253632 | Rear and Side Tempered Glass Spots. |
NHTSA manufacturer communications (public domain)
NHTSA investigations
Desiccated Air Bag Inflator Rupture
REDUCED BRAKE POWER-ASSIST
NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation