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NHTSA vehicle safety data

2008 Saab 9-3 Recalls, Ratings & Complaints

The 2008 Saab 9-3 has 3 NHTSA recall campaigns and 184 owner complaints on file as of November 3, 2026. Recall repairs are usually free at an authorized Saab dealer.

NHTSA recall and complaint data for the 2008 Saab 9-3, plus NCAP crash-test ratings. Recall data is refreshed daily from NHTSA.

Pre-purchase inspection checklist → Reliability & 5-year cost forecast →

2008 Saab 9-3 owner complaints

Owners have filed 184 complaints with NHTSA about the 2008 Saab 9-3, describing incidents dated March 23, 2008 to June 26, 2026.

Most-cited components

  • Air Bags 71 complaints
  • Engine 68 complaints
  • Fuel/Propulsion System 15 complaints
  • Electrical System 11 complaints
  • Power Train 10 complaints
  • Seat Belts 10 complaints

Of the 184 complaints on file, 5 report a crash and 1 a fire; across all 184 complaints, owners report 6 injuries and 1 death (owner-reported, not verified by NHTSA).

Newest complaints

  • ODI #11746834 · Filed

    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…

  • ODI #11703471 · Filed

    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

  • ODI #11611827 · Filed

    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…

Read all 184 complaints

Owner-reported

2008 Saab 9-3 mileage at failure

106 of the 184 complaints on file for the 2008 Saab 9-3 give the vehicle's mileage when the problem happened.

Mileage at failure by component, from owners' complaints to NHTSA
EngineMedian 85,000 milesMiddle half 75,000–105,000 milesBased on 61 complaints

A component's median is its 50th percentile, and its middle half runs from its 25th to its 75th percentile.

Owners give the mileage themselves, often as a round number, and NHTSA doesn't check it. A complaint that names several components counts under each one, and mileages that can't be right, such as 999,999, or 50 miles on a five-year-old car, are left out.

These figures describe the complaints owners filed. They don't predict when a particular vehicle will have a problem, and vehicles that never had one aren't counted.

Mileage from NHTSA's complaints file of October 31, 2026. How these figures are worked out

NHTSA defect investigations

NHTSA's investigations file lists the 2008 Saab 9-3 in 2 investigations. A listed model year means only that an investigation names it; it says nothing about any particular vehicle. An open investigation is not a finding that a safety defect exists, and NHTSA can close one without a recall.

Open and recently closed NHTSA defect investigations

Driver's Frontal Air Bag Inflator May Rupture

NHTSA #16V063000 · Air Bags — Frontal — Driver Side — Inflator Module · NHTSA notice

Reported February 3, 2016 · General Motors LLC

Potentially affected: 113,716 vehicles

Repair completion: 84.82% (latest rate the manufacturer reported to NHTSA; dataset updated November 3, 2026)

Manufacturer campaign 28810 and 28811 · Owners notified March 1, 2017 · Vehicles built May 31, 2002 – February 15, 2011 (per NHTSA) · Recall influenced by NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation

Recall group: Takata airbag inflators

Defect description

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.

Safety consequence

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.

Manufacturer remedy

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.

Notes

Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.safercar.gov.

Front Driver's Side Seat Belt Retractor may Fail

NHTSA #14V318000 · Seat Belts — Front — Retractor · NHTSA notice

Reported June 12, 2014 · General Motors LLC

Potentially affected: 28,789 vehicles

Repair completion: 32.7% (latest rate the manufacturer reported to NHTSA; dataset updated November 3, 2026)

Manufacturer campaign 14222, 15027 · Owners notified October 6, 2015 · Vehicles built September 21, 2007 – November 19, 2008 (per NHTSA)

Defect description

General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2004-2011 Saab 9-3 Convertible vehicles manufactured July 30, 2003, to February 15, 2011. In the affected vehicles, the driver's side front seat belt retractor may break, causing the seat belt webbing not to retract.

Safety consequence

In the event of a crash, a seat belt that has not retracted may not properly restrain the seat occupant, increasing their risk of injury.

Manufacturer remedy

GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver's seat belt retractor, free of charge. The recall began on October 6, 2015. Owners may contact Saab customer service at 1-800-955-9007. GM's number for this recall is 14222. Note: Special Coverage 10086 will replace the passenger side seat belt retractor if it fails, free of charge, for the life of the vehicle.

Notes

Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.safercar.gov.

AFTERMARKET FUEL PUMPS

NHTSA #11E009000 · Fuel System, Gasoline — Delivery — Fuel Pump · NHTSA notice

Reported February 28, 2011 · TI GROUP AUTOMOTIVE SYSTEMS, LLC

Potentially affected: 4,887 vehicles

Owners notified February 22, 2011

Defect description

TI AUTOMOTIVE IS RECALLING CERTAIN FUEL PUMPS, PART NUMBERS TU456 AND TU303, SOLD UNDER VARIOUS BRAND NAMES AS AFTERMARKET AND REPLACEMENT EQUIPMENT FOR THE MOTOR VEHICLES LISTED ABOVE. THE DEFECTIVE FUEL PUMP MAY SEIZE, STOPPING THE FUEL FLOW TO THE ENGINE CREATING A STALLING CONDITION.

Safety consequence

A VEHICLE CRASH COULD OCCUR SHOULD THE ENGINE STALL WHILE IN USE.

Manufacturer remedy

TI AUTOMOTIVE WILL NOTIFY OWNERS OF RECORD AND WILL REPLACE ANY DEFECTIVE FUEL PUMP WITH A NEW OR REWORKED FUEL PUMP FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON FEBRUARY 22, 2011. OWNERS MAY CONTACT TI AUTOMOTIVE AT 1-866-867-3759 OR LOG ON TO WWW.RECALLRESPONSE.COM.

Notes

THIS RECALL ONLY PERTAINS TO AFTERMARKET AND REPLACEMENT FUEL PUMPS AND HAS NO RELATION TO ANY ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT INSTALLED ON VEHICLES MANUFACTURED BY GENERAL MOTORS.OWNERS MAY ALSO CONTACT THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION'S VEHICLE SAFETY HOTLINE AT 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), OR GO TO <A HREF=HTTP://WWW.SAFERCAR.GOV>HTTP://WWW.SAFERCAR.GOV</A> .

Other Saab 9-3 model years

Check your 2008 Saab 9-3 VIN

Not every recall applies to every VIN in a given year. Enter the 17-character VIN from your Saab 9-3 at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see whether your specific vehicle has an unrepaired recall.

Check a Saab VIN