2004 Saab 9-3: headlights failing or too dim

6 of the 207 complaints about the 2004 Saab 9-3 describe headlights failing or too dim.

owner complaints: 6
of this car's complaints: 3%
typical mileage: 53,000
recalls: 0

Is there a fix? 2 service bulletins cover this area of the car. See below

Headlights failing or too dim by model year

2009
1
2008
2
2007
3
2006
1
2005
2
2004
6
2003
9
2002
1
2000
1

What owners say

Filed Oct 23, 2015 · Lights · NE

Low beam headlights are so dim that the vehicle can not be safely driven at night. High beam work great.

Filed Apr 1, 2013 · Lights · 149,500 miles · WV

The low beam headlights are not bright. Took it to a saab dealer, was told that the wiring that turns of the headlights were burnt and ready to catch fire. Was told this would cost about $1000. Did some research and found this is not only common, but every saab 9-3 has this problem. If this is such a bad thing, then why are there no recalls and this a concern?

Filed Oct 18, 2011 · Lights · 35,000 miles · VA

Tl* the contact owns a 2004 saab 9-3. The contact stated that the low beam headlights were progressively becoming more dim over the last two years, reducing visibility. The vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer where the contact was informed that this failure was a known issue. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 35,000 and the current mileage was 48,000. The VIN was unavailable.

Filed Mar 18, 2010 · Electrical, Transmission · 115,000 miles · NJ

Car instrumentation panel turns off while driving. Car "acts" as if it was off with the red circular alarm flashing, console lights off, clock off, yet I am driving at 50 MPH and the brakes, steering are performing as if I was driving down the road (as I am). Stopped for dinner came out and car did not turn on, light came on, engine light came on but nothing else - could not open trunk from the key fob thing or from the driver side door switch. Called aaa they could not turn the car on and the car battery was charged. Key in ignition and brake depressed did not release car shifter to neutral. This went on for an hour. Finally I need to get into trunk and found a plastic cap behind the rear seat head rest and depressed a switch that owned the trunk although it was to pull down the rear seat... We joked that now the car would turn on and it did when by happenstance the high beams were depressed. Got in the car and drove it home but again the car still driving normally lost the console lights and functionality so I flashed the high beam and all came back except for clock, oh, did I mention now I have a "gear box malfunction" displayed as an error code. Oh, I reported that I replace headlights almost every 2-3 months. My interior cabin fan isn't working and that was after it worked even with the car turned off.

Filed Jan 26, 2010 · Lights · 1 miles · PA

The halogen headlights on the saab 9-3, from 2003 through present, do not adequately illuminate the roadway. This type of headlight lamp design is known as a "projector beam" & is a different concept than traditional headlights. They're designed to better illuminate road signs & peripheral road markers, which they do, but as far as the primary purpose of headlights, (to illuminate the roadway in front of the vehicle) they are inadequate & only extend light about 40' down the roadway, which is not nearly enough to drive safely at night. Please note that this complaint is only regarding the lowbeam halogen headlights, as both the highbeams & optional xenon type headlights are more than adequate. The irony of this problem is that the saab 9-3 is among the very safest cars available today, from a crash test perspective, but nighttime visibility is a separate safety related issue which I've never seen test results for. My family has owned saabs exclusively for the last 30 years & haven't had this headlight problem until we purchased a saab model 9-3, of which we now own 2: an '04 & an '07, both of which suffer from the same problem. If you access the website www.saabnet.com & search on "dim headlights", you'll see numerous complaints regarding this same issue.

Filed Jan 13, 2008 · Lights · 53,000 miles · NJ

Headlights.. I have replaced the headlight bulbs 3 times in one year. Currently the driver side headlights, side light lower bumper, and light within the headlight assembly have blown. There seems to a an electrical problem with the headlights as they continue to blow out.. Short lights as high beam are okay. I have purchased the light bulbs in autozone, pepboys and oem to ensure that its not vendor supplier issue.