2003 Saab 9-3 Engine Problems
- Complaints
- 7about this part
- Share
- 3%of 212 total for the year
- Median mileage
- 106,145miles
- Trend
- Not enough dataFewer than 15 complaints, too few for a reliable trend.
NHTSA recorded 7 complaints about the engine of the 2003 Saab 9-3, 3% of the 212 complaints for this model year. Where a mileage was given, the median is 106,145 miles.
Fewer than 15 complaints name this part, so treat the figures as a rough indication only.
Example complaints
Selected from NHTSA records; personal details are removed. They are consumer reports, not findings.
“As I was driving in the middle lane of the 3 northbound lanes of u.s. 23, the engine suddenly stalled. I was going about 62 MPH. I activated my emergency flashers, shifted the automatic transmission to neutral, and shut off the ignition key. I then turned the ignition key to restart the engine and it restarted. This is about the 5th time this has happened in the past 5 months. This vehicle should be included in gms ignition recall!!!”
NHTSA complaint #10629628, filed 2014-08, 109,560 miles“The vehicle will become almost immobile in first and second gear (manual transmission). Once in third gear, performance is back to normal. If driver is not aware of situation (cruise light off is only indication if cruise control system is turned on), driver can easily get into bad situation as car will not perform as usual (very significant degradation of performance). All that is needed to reset problem is to turn the key off and restart the engine and the condition will go away for as little as 10 minutes or up to as much as 2 hours of driving. …”
NHTSA complaint #10535307, filed 2013-08, 107,000 miles“The contact owns a 2003 Saab 9-3. When the vehicle decelerated, it shut off without warning at will. The contact also stated that the vehicle decelerated when driving up a hill. The dealer and manufacturer were not notified. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The failure mileage was 102,000.”
NHTSA complaint #11208331, filed 2019-05, 102,000 miles“The contact owns a 2003 Saab 9-3. The contact stated that the vehicle jerked when the brake pedal was depressed and stalled. The check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was able to restart. The failure recurred intermittently. In addition, it took multiple attempts to open the driver side door. The vehicle was taken to an independently mechanic where it was diagnosed that the spark plugs had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 87,171.”
NHTSA complaint #10852905, filed 2016-04, 87,171 miles“The contact owns a 2003 Saab 9-3. While driving approximately 60 MPH, the vehicle stalled without warning and was able to be restarted. The failure recurred on several occasions. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic and was not diagnosed; however, the mechanic replaced the dic and the crankshaft sensor. The vehicle was repaired and the failure persisted. The vehicle was taken back to the mechanic and the dic was replaced. The failure persisted and it took several attempts to start the vehicle. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. …”
NHTSA complaint #10794833, filed 2015-11, 45,000 milesRelated service bulletins
- 11004761Jun 28, 2024This 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…
- 10211658May 2, 2022This service bulletin provides policy information on warranty administration guidelines for multiple repairs with independent causes (GM Canada Dealers Only).
- 10082869Aug 29, 2016This informational bulletin provides additional information on how to install pistons and suggest what tools to use.
- 10082814Aug 2, 2016This informational bulletin provides information to gm dealers on the correct cleaning methods when cleaning engine gasket sealing surfaces.
- 10201098Dec 1, 2015OEM and Remanufactured Engine and Automatic Transmission/Transaxle Identification
- 10190503Dec 1, 2015OEM and Remanufactured Engine and Automatic Transmission/Transaxle Identification
Engine: other model years
| Year | Complaints | Share of year |
|---|---|---|
| 2011 | 1 | 3% |
| 2010 | 2 | 7% |
| 2009 | 12 | 28% |
| 2008 | 66 | 36% |
| 2007 | 18 | 12% |
| 2006 | 5 | 3% |
| 2004 | 3 | 1% |
| 2003 | 7 | 3% |
| 2002 | 1 | 3% |
| 2001 | 1 | 2% |
Other parts of the 2003 Saab 9-3
46 complaintsSuspension
42 complaintsEngine cooling
32 complaintsTransmission and drivetrain
32 complaintsFuel system
20 complaintsBrakes
19 complaintsSteering
18 complaintsAir bags
15 complaintsExterior lighting
13 complaintsSeat belts
12 complaintsEquipment
9 complaintsBody and structure
9 complaints
← All problems reported for the 2003 Saab 9-3
About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 27, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.
To check a specific vehicle for open recalls, use its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. Methodology