2003 Saab 9-5 Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other 9-5 years
- Far more complaints than other years 5th of 14 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 4 recalls: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 47 complaints with NHTSA about the 2003 Saab 9-5. That ranks 5th out of 14 9-5 model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is electrical system (25 complaints, 53%), typically at around 79,654 miles. Complaints mention 1 crash, 3 injuries. There are 4 safety recalls covering this model year.
- 47owner complaints
- 4safety recalls
- 0NHTSA investigations
- 1complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2003 Saab 9-5 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 | 25 | 53% | 79,654 | — | — |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 8 | 17% | 77,800 | — | — |
| Suspension | 5 | 11% | — | — | — |
| Tires | 5 | 11% | 94,000 | — | — |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 4 | 9% | 54,000 | — | — |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 3 | 6% | 50,030 | — | — |
| Power Train | 3 | 6% | 84,000 | — | — |
| Equipment | 2 | 4% | 76,500 | — | — |
| Structure | 2 | 4% | 3,000 | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 2 | 4% | — | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 2 | 4% | 57,500 | — | — |
| Air Bags | 1 | 2% | 10,000 | — | — |
| Engine | 1 | 2% | 131,000 | — | — |
| Seat Belts | 1 | 2% | — | — | — |
| Seats | 1 | 2% | — | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2003 Saab 9-5 recalls (4)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Seats:front assembly:head restraint
Problem: Saab is recalling 57,389 my 2002-2008 9-5 series vehicles for failing to comply with the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 201, "occupant protection in interior impact." during compliance testing, one of the upper interior occupant protection test points exceeded the standard's requirements.
Risk: In the event of a vehicle crash, personal injury to occupants may occur.
Fix: Dealers will install a-pillar trim with improved energy-absorbing capability free of charge. The recall began on november 25, 2008. Owners may contact saab at 1-800-955-9007.
Fuel system, gasoline:delivery:hoses, lines/piping, and fittings
Problem: 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.
Fix: 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.
Electrical system:ignition:module
Problem: Certain passenger vehicles equipped with 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 january 2003. The recall is expected to begin during december 2005. Owners may contact saab at 1-800-955-9007. Note: this recall is an expansion of a previous campaign (please see 05v399).
Wheels:hub
Problem: On certain passenger vehicles, if an owner changes their wheels/tires between summer and winter using a steel wheel in the winter and an alloy wheel in the summer, it is possible for rust and contamination to build up on the wheel hub during the steel wheel usage. If this occurs and the contamination is not removed, it is possible that after the tire change service, some of this contamination could flake or grind away resulting in reduced clamping force of the wheel to the hub. Over several seasons, it is possible that this reduced force could result in fractures developing in the wheel bolts due to wheel to hub movement.
Risk: These fractures would result in wheel bolt breakage, allowing the wheel to detach from the wheel hub, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Owners will be contacted by mail and asked whether they change between steel and alloy wheels. If they do engage in this practice, they will be instructed to bring their cars to an authorized dealer. The dealer will remove the wheels, clean any contamination from the wheel and wheel hub, and replace the wheels using new improved bolts with attached washers. Owner notification began march 31, 2003. 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.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
I had to replace fuel pump 3 times in 4 years. It smelled like fuel in my car.
Tl* the contact owns a 1993 buick regal. The contact stated that all door locks would become stuck when activated by the electronic door lock system. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 41,000.
After driving my car to my destination, i put the car in park but the car won't stay in park. The car pops out of park into reverse, then it won't start when i get back into my car. *tr
Tl* the contacts owns a 2003 saab 9-5. The contact stated that while driving various speeds, the check engine warning light illuminated and the vehicle stalled. The vehicle was taken to a independent mechanic where the technician diagnosed that the direct ignition cassette needed to be replaced…
I was driving the car when suddenly the car when dead while i was driving it.i was lucky that i was able to restart it and there was a gas station right near by. It did not start up normally and was very sluggish. I was in the middle of traffic when this happened but fortunately not heavy traffic…
Other Saab 9-5 years
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2011 9-5 | 9 | 0 |
| 2010 9-5 | 2 | 0 |
| 2009 9-5 | 2 | 1 |
| 2008 9-5 | 20 | 2 |
| 2007 9-5 | 17 | 2 |
| 2006 9-5 | 23 | 2 |
| 2005 9-5 | 11 | 2 |
| 2004 9-5 | 19 | 2 |
| 2003 | 47 | 4 |
| 2002 9-5 | 65 | 6 |
| 2001 9-5 | 104 | 4 |
| 2000 9-5 | 119 | 3 |
| 1999 9-5 | 118 | 2 |
| 1998 9-5 | 1 | 0 |
See all Saab 9-5 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 2003 Saab 9-5?
Owners most often report electrical system, engine and engine cooling, suspension problems. The top one, electrical system, accounts for 25 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2003 Saab 9-5?
Yes, 4 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 2003 Saab 9-5 a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other 9-5 model years, the 2003 has far more complaints than most years. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.