Today, shortly after starting the car, an airbag deployed. The car was parked in my driveway and not in motion, and there was no impact. The airbag deployed from the outboard side of the passenger seat. I was seated in the driver's seat. The passenger seat was unoccupied and its seat belt was unfastened, however a laptop and some other lightweight objects were in the passenger seat.
The worst 1999 Saab 9-3 problems
Ranked by number of owner complaints. Mileage and cost come from what owners wrote.
Problems by type
Tap a problem to see which part fails, at what mileage and in which other years.
- Electrical22
- Airbags17
- Engine5
- Suspension5
- Seat belts4
- Visibility4
- Seats3
- Tires3
- Transmission3
- Wheels3
- Steering2
- Acceleration1
- Brakes1
- Fuel system1
- Locks1
Specific symptoms reported on the 1999 Saab 9-3
Recalls 3
Equipment: other: labels
- What is wrong
- Vehicle description: passenger vehicles. The brake reservoir label was omitted. This does not comply with the requirements of fmvss no. 135, "passenger car brake systems."
- Risk
- Without this label, someone may use the incorrect specification brake fluid, get dirt into the reservoir, or allow moisture into the brake fluid, resulting in less effective braking and possibly a crash.
- Remedy
- Owners will be mailed labels and installation instructions.
Recall number 99V362000 · Recall details
Seats
- What is wrong
- Vehicle description: passsenger vehicles. Failures of the "easy entry" cable in the front driver or passenger manual seats can cause the seat fore/aft adjustable mechanism to be unlocked.
- Risk
- Since the anchor points for the lap portion of the front safety belts are attached to the seat assembly, release of the fore/aft locking mechanism reduces the restraint capability of the safety belts in a crash.
- Remedy
- Dealers will install a new cable and spring assembly.
Recall number 99V246000 · Recall details
Equipment: other: labels
- What is wrong
- Vehicle description: passenger vehicles. The air bag alert label on the driver side visor was omitted. This does not conform to the requirements of fmvss no. 208, "occupant crash protection."
- Risk
- The vehicle occupant may not properly understand the operation of the air bag system and the need to use seat belts.
- Remedy
- Owners will be provided with an alert label to be installed on the visible side of the driver's sun visor. If an owner so desires, their dealer can install the label for them.
Recall number 98V139000 · Recall details
See all 3 recalls for the 1999 Saab 9-3
Defect investigations
Engine stall/ engine compartment fires
Odi opened pe05-017 based on 35 reports of alleged engine stalling due to the failure of the idm cassette on the subject vehicles.all complainants reported that the engine shut down suddenly without warning and most reported that the vehicle would not restart.in 3 incidents, the complainants reported smoke and/or fire resulted from the idm failure.during pe05-017, additional failure data was identified as noted in the failure report summary above.the complaint data represents incidents where the complainants alleged a stall or fire.on september 13, 2005, general motors (gm) notified the federal safety agency of a safety defect on 95,081 my 2000-2002 saab 9-3 and 9-5 vehicles with 4-cylinder gasoline engines and 8,117 my 2001 9-5 vehicles with 6- cylinder gasoline engines (recall 05v‑399).the notification stated that certain vehicles within these populations may experience overheating and burnout of the isolated gated bipolar transistor (igbt) within the idm due to increased susceptibility to electrical loads.overheating of the igbt occurs most often at engine start-up for both a 4-cylinder and 6-cylinder engine, but it may also occur while the engine is running.when the idm fails on a 4-cylinder while it is running, the engine may stall without warning, with no ability to be restarted.when the idm fails on a 6-cylinder engine while it is running, the driver will initially experience reduced power and rough operation because the engine will only be running on three cylinders.the check engine light will flash.if the driver continues, unburnt fuel in the exhaust can cause thermal damage to the catalytic converter.the engine may stall and not restart.thermal damage to other underhood components and the underbody may also result from prolonged driving.the recall population encompasses 84% of the stalling and fire complaints (215 for vehicles with 4-cylinder engines and 36 for vehicles with 6-cylinder engines).the 36 months in service (mis) stalling rates for each model year of recalled vehicles with 4-cylinder engines were all greater than two percent.although the 36 mis stall rate for the recalled my 2001 vehicles with v6 engines was lower, at 1.3 percent, these vehicles also had the highest rate of confirmed (open flame verified) fires at 62 per 100,000 vehicles.gm will instruct owners to bring their vehicles to a dealer for idm inspection and replacement, if necessary.consequently, this investigation is closed.odi will monitor the effectiveness of the scope and remedy of gm's action and take further action if warranted.
PE05017
Technical service bulletins for the 1999 Saab 9-3 55
Bulletins tell dealers how to fix known problems. A warranty extension means the manufacturer pays for that repair for longer.
- This warranty administration bulletin provides information regarding the field action courtesy...
- This technical bulletin provides a procedure to reprogram the media disc player with the latest...
- Vehicle Recalls
- Refinishing Aluminum Wheels
- Underbody Component Corrosion The following information may be helpful when addressing underbody component...
- Expanded Availability for Remanufacture and Return (R&R) Electronic Control Modules
- Noise from the timing chain and oil sludge in the engine
- Reduced performance and diagnostic trouble codes for the turbo control valve
- Addressing customer complaints of popping noise from front suspension
- On some viggen models from M99 to M01 VIN 17016680, the outer brackets of the rear spoiler CAN warp,...
1999 Saab 9-3 fuel economy
Official EPA estimates in miles per gallon (MPGe for electric). Ranges cover trims that share the same engine.
| Engine | Drive | City | Highway | Combined |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2.0L 4‑cyl | FWD | 17-18 | 23-25 | 19-21 |
| 2.3L 4‑cyl | FWD | 17 | 24 | 19 |
What 1999 Saab 9-3 owners say
Most recent owner complaints, unedited.
Tl* the contact owns a 1999 saab 9-3. While driving approximately 25 MPH, the driver side air bag erroneously deployed without warning or impact. The contact indicated that the vehicle had not crashed or driven over a road bump when the deployment occurred. The driver sustained an injured right arm, shoulder, and torso, which did not require medical attention. The failure was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer and local dealer were not notified of the failure. The VIN was not available. The failure mileage was 154,000.
Just as I parked my car, my side air bag on the driver's side of my car deployed/exploded without any warning. The left side of my face/left ear and neck were injured.
While parked, I put my key in the ignition and started the car. My passenger side side impact airbag deployed/exploded upon engine starting. I suffered a concussion, tinnitus, and inner ear damage from the airbag exploding. Took car to a gm dealership with a saab technician to have car diagnosed to explain why the airbag deployed/exploded. No diagnosis made. But they did read error code saying airbag sensor communication failure after airbag deployed/exploded. No warning lights were lit prior to incident. There were no service codes prior to incident either. (I had car checked 1 week prior to incident)
Car was sitting idling at kerbside while dropping my kids off at school. The passenger side door was open. I was talking to my child who was just outside the door. Passenger seat side airbag deployed by itself with no impacts previous impacts or any movement other than one minute previous the seat was tilted forward and then back to let kids out of backseat. This was seconds and inches away from resulting in a death.
Tl* the contact owns a 1999 saab 9-3. While backing out of the driveway at 5 MPH, the driver side seat air bag deployed without warning. The contact also stated that the driver side seat belt fractured as a result of the air bag deployment. The contact sustained burns on the left arm, but did not seek medical attention. The vehicle was not taken to an independent mechanic or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 114,000.
Drivers seat belt stuck in retracted position. Unable to use stuck belt. Airbag light is on as a result of this. No seatbelt or airbag. This is a convertible not covered in the current recall but has the same problem.
The driver's seat belt retractor locked and would not release. Since driving the vehicle without seat belts is dangerous, the vehicle is unusable.
Got into my car, turned on the ignition and then the passenger airbag deployed and cracked the windshield. The car was parked, the airbag just went off for no reason.
Premature dic failure. Consistantly burns out spark plugs.
Compare the 1999 Saab 9-3
Other model years
Questions about the 1999 Saab 9-3
Is the 1999 Saab 9-3 reliable?
Owners have filed 64 complaints about the 1999 Saab 9-3, fewer than a typical 9-3 model year.
What is the most common problem with the 1999 Saab 9-3?
Electrical system, with 22 complaints, typically around 79,660 miles. Next is airbags (17).
How many recalls does the 1999 Saab 9-3 have?
3 recalls, covering equipment and seats.
What year does the Saab 9-3 have the most electrical problems?
The Saab 9-3 model years with the most electrical complaints are 2003 (46 complaints), 2000 (23 complaints) and 2001 (23 complaints).
What gas mileage does the 1999 Saab 9-3 get?
Official estimates for the 1999 Saab 9-3 range from 19 to 21 mpg combined. The most efficient version (2.0L 4-cyl, FWD) gets 17-18 city and 23-25 highway.
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