2000 Saab 9-3 Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other 9-3 years
- Fewer complaints than other years 9th of 13 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 2 recalls: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 50 complaints with NHTSA about the 2000 Saab 9-3. That ranks 9th out of 13 9-3 model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is electrical system (23 complaints, 46%), typically at around 71,600 miles. Complaints mention 4 crashes, 1 fire, 9 injuries. There are 2 safety recalls covering this model year. NHTSA has opened 1 defect investigation involving it.
- 50owner complaints
- 2safety recalls
- 1NHTSA investigations
- 4complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2000 Saab 9-3 problems
Complaints grouped by the part of the car owners reported, with the median mileage when the problem happened.
| Problem area | Complaints | Share | Median miles | Owners mention most | Typical repair cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Electrical System | 23 | 46% | 71,600 | — | — |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 13 | 26% | 95,890 | — | — |
| Air Bags | 10 | 20% | 135,000 | — | — |
| Seat Belts | 3 | 6% | 99,999 | — | — |
| Equipment | 2 | 4% | 108,679 | — | — |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 2 | 4% | 125,200 | — | — |
| Exterior Lighting | 1 | 2% | — | — | — |
| Fuel System, Other | 1 | 2% | 87,000 | — | — |
| Parking Brake | 1 | 2% | — | — | — |
| Power Train | 1 | 2% | — | — | — |
| Seats | 1 | 2% | — | — | — |
| Tires | 1 | 2% | — | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 1 | 2% | — | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 1 | 2% | — | — | — |
| Wheels | 1 | 2% | — | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2000 Saab 9-3 recalls (2)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Electrical system:ignition:module
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.
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.
Fix: 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.
Air bags
Problem: Vehicle description: certain passenger vehicles fail to comply with requirements of fmvss no. 208, "occupant crash protection." the air bag alert labels may not be permanently affixed as required by this standard.
Risk: These vehicles do not comply with the requirements.
Fix: Dealers will clean the sunvisor surface and apply a new air bag alert label on both sunvisors. Owner notification began july 30, 2001. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact saab at 1-800-955-9007.
To see whether a specific car still has an open recall, enter its VIN on NHTSA's official recall lookup. You can also decode a VIN here.
NHTSA defect investigations
- Engine stall/ engine compartment fires (PE05017) — opened Apr 7, 2005, closed Sep 23, 2005, led to recall 05V399000.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
The driver's side, side air bag deployed spontaneously. There was no apparent reason or cause, ie no side impact of any kind, no door slamming or other provocation. The car was parked in a garage for six hours before I sat in the car, closed the door, then BLAM! Temperature was moderate, where as…
In neutral parked in traffic at a red light / intersection waiting for green, the driver side airbag in my seat deployed/ exploded causing injury and bruising to left arm.
I got into my parked vehicle as normal, closed the door and fastened my seatbelt. I then depressed the clutch pedal and inserted the key into the ignition. As i turned the key to start the car, the drivers seat side impact airbag deployed spontaneously causing temporary loss of hearing, a ringing…
While parked and with the engine running the driver's seat airbag spontaneously deployed.
Tl* the contact owns a 2000 saab saab 9-3. The contact stated that the back passenger side air bag deployed without any rear impact or warning. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The failure mileage was 92,000.
Other Saab 9-3 years
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2011 9-3 | 30 | 3 |
| 2010 9-3 | 30 | 3 |
| 2009 9-3 | 43 | 2 |
| 2008 9-3 | 184 | 2 |
| 2007 9-3 | 155 | 2 |
| 2006 9-3 | 179 | 2 |
| 2005 9-3 | 95 | 2 |
| 2004 9-3 | 207 | 5 |
| 2003 9-3 | 212 | 4 |
| 2002 9-3 | 37 | 4 |
| 2001 9-3 | 59 | 4 |
| 2000 | 50 | 2 |
| 1999 9-3 | 64 | 3 |
See all Saab 9-3 problems by year, every Saab model, or the VIN decoder.
Similar Saab models
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Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 2000 Saab 9-3?
Owners most often report electrical system, engine and engine cooling, air bags problems. The top one, electrical system, accounts for 23 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2000 Saab 9-3?
Yes, 2 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 2000 Saab 9-3 a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other 9-3 model years, the 2000 has fewer complaints than most years. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.