2008 Saab 9-3 Air Bags Problems
Owners have filed 71 complaints with NHTSA about air bags problems on the 2008 Saab 9-3, 39% of all complaints for this model year. Half of the reports with a mileage happened before 52,000 miles. The words owners use most often: “takata air bags” (31% of reports).
- 71air bags complaints
- 52,000median miles at failure
- 0mention a crash
- 0mention an injury
- 1related recalls
What owners describe
Phrases that appear unusually often in these complaints compared with complaints about other cars.
- Takata air bags: mentioned in 22 of 71 complaints (31%)
At what mileage do air bags problems happen?
Based on 8 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
None of the 71 complaints report a crash, fire or injury.
Saab 9-3 air bags complaints by model year
| Model year | Air Bags complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 9-3 | 25 | 83% | 96,500 |
| 2010 9-3 | 22 | 73% | 52,000 |
| 2009 9-3 | 17 | 40% | 95,000 |
| 2008 9-3 | 71 | 39% | 52,000 |
| 2007 9-3 | 65 | 42% | 65,563 |
| 2006 9-3 | 87 | 49% | 93,000 |
| 2005 9-3 | 12 | 13% | 23,391 |
| 2004 9-3 | 20 | 10% | 79,000 |
| 2003 9-3 | 15 | 7% | 70,000 |
| 2002 9-3 | 2 | 5% | 6,720 |
| 2001 9-3 | 4 | 7% | 92,800 |
| 2000 9-3 | 10 | 20% | 135,000 |
| 1999 9-3 | 17 | 27% | 130,200 |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (1)
Air bags:frontal:driver side:inflator module
Problem: 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.
Risk: In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, the inflator could rupture with metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
Fix: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver's frontal air bag inflator on Saab 9-3 and 9-5 vehicles and will replace the driver's frontal airbag module on Saturn Astra vehicles, free of charge. The recall began on March 1, 2017. Owners may contact Saab customer service at 1-800-955-9007 or Saturn customer service at 1-800-553-6000. GM's number for this recall is 28810.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
I have been trying to get this recall done for many years and with no luck. Most recently June 26th 2026 I was informed my recall was not fixable again and I hope for the last time. Enough is enough! Van Bortel Chevrolet in Macedon Ny tried again today which is there 2nd attempt. I had to buy a…
Hello, I know the Takata airbag has to be replaced on my car. However now I do live abroad, in Gothenburg Sweden in Europe. How do I get the replacement done? Should I go to GM here in Europe? Thanks
The contact owns a 2008 Saab 9-3. The contact received notifications of NHTSA Campaign Numbers: 14V318000 (Seat Belts) and 16V063000 (Air Bags); however, the parts to do the recall repairs were not yet available. The local dealer was contacted; however, the dealer declined to service the vehicle…
Frequently asked questions
Do all 2008 Saab 9-3s have air bags problems?
No. NHTSA has 71 owner complaints about air bags for the 2008 Saab 9-3 (39% of the 184 complaints for this model year). Complaint data shows that the problem is reported, not how many of all cars sold are affected.
Was there a recall on the 2008 Saab 9-3 air bags?
Yes: 1 safety recall list air bags. Check your VIN on NHTSA.gov to see whether the fix was done on your car.
At what mileage do air bags problems start?
The median reported mileage is 52,000 miles: half of the reports with a mileage came before that.
What do owners say about air bags problems on the 2008 Saab 9-3?
The most frequent phrase is “takata air bags”, in 22 of 71 complaints.
Other 2008 Saab 9-3 problems
- Engine problems (66)
See all 2008 Saab 9-3 problems or air bags problems across all 9-3 years.