Saab 9-3 Sedan

wmquan · October 2004

Nice performance from the Saab.

Unfortunately these specific side-impact results only apply to 9-3's manufactured after December 2003, when Saab changed the side torso airbags to "improve occupant protection in side-impact crashes."

http://www.iihs.org/vehicle_ratings/ce/html/side/s0412.htm

mrblonde49 · October 2004

Unfortunately these specific side-impact results only apply to 9-3's manufactured after December 2003, when Saab changed the side torso airbags to "improve occupant protection in side-impact crashes."<<

All it means is that the pre-December '03 ones were not tested for side impact by the IIHS (though all 9-3SS models have a 5 star rating for frontal tests). The earlier ones are still very, very safe cars. Nothing unfortunate about it

Also, when the new style 9-3's were released, they were given 5 out of 5 in the European crash tests, which included 2 side impact tests. The test results were published in December 2002

A quote:
"The Saab 9-3 Sports Sedan received five stars for the impact tests, including a perfect score of 100% in both side impact tests."

So basically, Sabb took something that already scored 100% and improved itfurther (which it did not have to). This is a very rare feat indeed

The entire press release is here:
http://www.saabnet.com/tsn/press/021203.html

wmquan · October 2004

Sure, the December 2003 and earlier vehicles were safe vehicles and standouts. The main reason I leased my 9-3 was because of its strong safety.

But the earlier models are just not AS SAFE as the post December 2003 vehicles. And that's unfortunate.

Why would Saab make an improvement to occupant protection in side impacts if it didn't see ways of making the vehicle more safe? Because it makes the vehicle safer. Thus the post-December-2003 vehicles are more safe.

As far as the EuroNCAP side-impact test goes, the results were impressive no doubt, but the IIHS side impact test is simply more demanding and more relevant. Fortunately, the post-December-2003 vehicle does very well in it.

A lot of vehicles score 100% in the EuroNCAP side-impact test so that's no major feat. Whereas the post-December-2003 9-3 is currently the only sedan to score a Good+Best Pick designation in the IIHS side impact test.

We'll just never know for sure how the earlier models would have faired in the test. They might have scored as well, or worse. I would suspect worse because the improvements Saab made were to the side torso airbag -- exactly where the significant injuries are being revealed in the IIHS test, after head protection is applied.

E.g. look at the Subaru Legacy, which aced the side-impact test in the Australian NCAP tests (very similar to the EuroNCAP ones). No issues with head injury. Yet it only scored a "marginal" in the IIHS test. Many Subaru owners are speculating that the issue was the side torso airbag -- exactly what Saab improved after December 2003. There's speculation that Subaru will raise the score by making improvements to the side torso airbag.

Similarly, the MB C240 and Volvo S40 did well with head protection, but in both cases the driver dummy registered significant torso injuries and they scored "Acceptable." Again, an improvement to the side torso airbag, as was applied after December 2003, may have been what put the newer 9-3 out on top.

Thus, yes, the 9-3 manufactered in December 2003 and earlier is a very safe vehicle, without question. But the post-December 2003 models are even safer! And I consider that unfortunate because I wish Saab had made the improvements earlier. You can never have enough safety, that's why a lot of us bought the Saab in the first place.

catherine9 · October 2004

Well put, WMQUAN! Now, if only I could afford a Saab...

dudleyr · October 2004

The pressure on the side of the tire is the max inflation not the reccomended. Use the manufactureres number unless it is under 32 psi or so.

ephemere · October 2004

Catherine:

Invoice minus holdback minus October incentives for a base 2004 Linear is $22,043. (Some dealers add $480 for marketing/advertising/handling fees.)

A loaded Aero is much more expensive, but a base Linear is just as safe.

priggly · October 2004

Have to admit, was considering a SAAB 9-3 Arc but after perusing this board in some detail there appears to be a definite concern about multiple mechanical features/problems relating to the 9-3, ranging from stalls to squeaks and rattles to bad stereos and bad transmissions, etc., etc., etc. Very offputting to say the least.

Is the car that bad and is it that far removed from Chevy's new Malibu LT sans the problems.

Constructive answers only, please and thank you.

wmquan · October 2004

I _think_ that the issues with stalls has been fixed with a software update? I had it applied a few months ago and it has not stalled since.

The stereo is not audiophile quality. It's adequate for some, bad for others.

The key to enjoying a 9-3 will be the quality of your local service department. If they are capable of quickly and permanently fixing issues as they arise, it won't be a big deal. If they give you more headaches, don't fix a problem the first time, etc. it'll be a bad ownership experience.

The same is true of most vehicles, but especially with the European makes.

tman1 · October 2004

I've just test drove a 2004, automatic, 9-3 Linear and noticed what appeared to be exceptional turbo lag and subtle vibration during acceleration. The vibration was similar to what happens when a manual transmission is in too high of a gear. The salesman attributed this all to the idea that the car hadn't been 'broken' in. Note that the car had approx. 80 miles on it. In support of his argument, he had me test drive another 9-3 (auto) whereas little to no turbo lag was experienced. The 2nd vehicle had approx. 200 miles on it (not a big difference), but there was still a bit of vibration during acceleration. Has anyone else experienced this? If so, can it simply be attributed to low mileage?

allankuo · October 2004

""The vibration was similar to what happens when a manual transmission is in too high of a gear""

I have a 2004 Arc. I noticed what you said about this.... It sometimes happens when the gear is in between 5/4 and the RPM is about 2000 when you are accelerating. According to manual... it says it will kick in if RPM is below 2000 when your gear is in 4 or 5. So I think that's why somwtimes you feel the vibration because of that. I usually just switch to the maunal mode and keep the rpm above 2000 and then I get plenty of power without hesitation.

minivandriver · October 2004

I have a 9-3 Linear with Launch package and a few questions?
1. Why do the wheels get so grimy after only one or two days on the road?
2. Why does the rear right fog light not work? I was told by the dealer that it doesn't work on any 9-3 in the US.
3. Why doesn't the traffic program work? It never has in my car?
4. Why doesn't the speed sensitive volume on the radio work? It has never worked regardless of setting in the system low, med or high.

I brought my car to the dealer to address these issues and 24 hrs later they told me it was fixed but nothing seems to have changed. And they left the passenger window open overnight in the rain. Upon picking up the car today I noticed one of the pixel rows in the dash display is out. What a flog.

skysaab · October 2004

minivandriver,
sorry to hear what you have problem with your car dealer. You might send those issue of car to "Saab USA" to ask for answer. They will happy to give you answer for your question. I did that many times, most of time they give me back in one day. Hope this help.

gerber · October 2004

In regard to #2. That is the way all those rear foglights work. They are just on the left side. Not sure why except maybe so people don't mistake them from brake lights coming off and/or on.

My wife's 98 Audi was the same and I am 99% sure that Benz rear foglights work the same way. (Volvo to iirc on my mom's Volvo growing up)

snaab1 · October 2004

1) The wheels get grimy because we have high performance brakes. With stopping distance of 116 feet from 60-0 mph, that puts us right up there with some of the best sports cars in the world. The brake pads discharge a lot of brake dust and we have to clean our wheels twice a week. The front wheels are always worse than the rear because of the greater stopping power of the front discs. (By the way - other 9-3 owners, please clean your wheels more often. I see too many out on the road with black wheels. Very disrepectful...)
2) I agree with the above reply. Every other car I have seen with rear fog lights (er, light) only has one, and it is on the left side.
4) I have a 9-3 Linear with the launch package and didn't even know we had a speed sensitive radio. Of course, I just discovered that we can switch from AM to FM by hitting the Radio button rather than scrolling through the menu...

minivandriver · October 2004

Speed sensitive volume on the radio is set under system menu audio settings. It doesn't seem to work.

skysaab · October 2004

seems this function is only work on CD player now. but many time I found it set back after oil change. Then I have to set it up again.

3and14 · October 2004

I've had a 2004 9-3 auto Arc since January and have put 8500 miles on it. There are definitely some problems with it, but my impression is that, on average, it is only slightly worse than the Japanese competition, and certainly no worse than most of the non-Japanese competition. With any car you take your chances and the 9-3 is no exception as some of the less fortunate posters to this messageboard can attest to.

Yes, the stereo is mediocre. The brakes squeak incurably in reverse and occasionally at low speeds under light braking going forward as well, particularly when dirty. The rims are always dirty due to brake dust. A piece of passenger seat trim has come loose already. Certain elements of the interior aren't constructed of the greatest quality material. The front seat is only marginally roomy enough for me at six feet tall. The turbo engine is a bit unresponsive around town off the line, but nothing you can't get used to.

However, in its defense there have not been the slightest problems with stalling, transmission troubles, or rattles of any kind. The exterior styling is extremely clean. If the interior has a few lapses in the materials chosen, the overall look is still distinctive and pleasing--far exceeding that of the Malibu which is not a worthy comparison. The car is wonderful to drive on the highway with excellent tracking and plenty of turbo power on demand. The backseat and trunk space are superior to many competitors.

Truth be told, I would have marginally preferred a BMW 3 series, G35-X or Acura TL; however in the real world due to discounts, relatively cheap insurance costs and, in my case, eligibility for the GM employee discount, the Saab was considerably cheaper. In my circumstances, I viewed it as 90-95% of the car for 80-85% of the cost of ownership. Things may be different for others depending on buy vs. lease, length of ownership, etc. While I cannot say I am completely thrilled with the 9-3, I also can't name another car I would buy instead if I had to do it over again. Hope this helps.

skysaab · October 2004

I found there are couples issue about breaking makes noise. I had that too. Then it's all gone after I changed those four tires around 28000 miles. I should have made them all changed earlier. Now it's so quite and so responsive in any way. Tires I current use are "Michelin Pilot HX MXM4" Do pretty good job.

mrblonde49 · October 2004

How would changing tires affect the brakes sqeaking?

skysaab · October 2004

Sorry for the confusion. I just tried to share the experience for what break noise gone after changed tires. I am not sure what's the main issue. But I know the old tires couldn't grip the road well cauesed the noise wheneve I made turn and stop.

minivandriver · November 2004

Has anyone been able to get this to work? How do you do it. Whichever setting I set it to low/medium/high it doesn't seem to matter?

bigdaddycoats · November 2004

Do not have this car, but you should be able to make an adjustment, which should cause the volume to increase in relation to increase in vehicle speed. I imagine there are varying levels to do this?

hbc75 · November 2004

You can switch to AM that way? Thanks, that will save me from getting in an accident!

The brakes squeeling while reversing is not a good thing in my opinion, why would they do that? Anyone have a solution to stopping it? I have heard backing up at great speed, then quickly putting the brakes on might help?? Sounds silly to me.

atfryar · November 2004

I'm new to this board and have a question for any fellow convertible owners on here. I've got an 01 SE Convertible and was wondering if anybody has a solution to minimize the creaking, shimmy (if that's a word..), rubbing noise the windows make where they meet the top and where the front and rear windows meet each other. With a convertible, obviously a certain amount of rigidity is lost in the body of the car and this slight twisting causes a level of rubbing noise in the top and windows which is becoming unbearable. I bought a silicone spray but that doesn't seem to do anything as the liner on the roof where it meets the window is made of a felt like absorbant material which just sucks up the spray. Also... there's a ton of creaking and clicking noises in the roof. Again, you expect some of these things in a convertible, but this isn't a Pontiac Sunfire, it's a Saab if you know what I mean. With the winter quickly approaching here in New England, the noise is only going to get worse too. Any help/advice would be appreciated as I'm getting close to getting rid of the car. It's a blast to drive with the top down but the compromise may not be worth it anymore... Thanks

3and14 · November 2004

I was told the brakes squeal because they are "improperly cut" from the factory. The dealer tried to grind them and to apply some "anti-squeal" solution (is there such a thing?) but this only worked for a few days. On a subsequent visit I was told there was nothing they could do. There should be a recall on this, it is extremely loud/embarrassing and very prevalent on 9-3s.

I have heard of the backing up and slamming on the brakes technique as well, but this was back in the 80s in the context of how to calibrate the parking brake when you have drum rear brakes, so I have not tried it on the 9-3.

wmquan · November 2004

IIHS has begun a new type of crash test, focusing on the effectiveness of seats and head restraints in preventing neck injuries in rear-end collisions.

In recent years, a number of manufacturers (like Saab) have introduced "active" head restraints and modified seat designs meant to reduce whiplash injuries. Previously IIHS used a crude static measurement of the geometry of the restraint. Now they're taking the actual seat assemblies and putting them on a sled to simulate what happens to an occupant when their vehicle is rear-ended by a vehicle of similar weight at 20mph.

Overview:

http://www.iihs.org/news_releases/2004/pr111404.htm

Results:

http://www.iihs.org/news_releases/2004/pr111404_1.pdf

bigdaddycoats · November 2004

According to Automotive News there is a 155 days supply for the 9-3. That is a ton, way above the desired 60 days supply.

mrblonde49 · November 2004

That means you can get a great deal on a great car.

misternhh · November 2004

On a new Saab 9-3, the "distance to empty" reading has been flaky. It tends to give readings that indicate very little distance remaining even when there is plenty of gas in the tank according to the fuel gauge.

The car has been to the dealer many times, and the dealer says (according to Saab) to reset the trip odometer when the distance to empty reading seems to be wrong. That seems to fix the problem temporarily. Any idea what's going on?

artmister · November 2004

Hi

I heard that the 2004 93 Sport Sedan Aero does not handle well in the snow and that it needs snow tires on all four wheels?

I also heard that Saab has a standard package of 4 snow tires and rims?

Is this true?

artmister · November 2004

Hi

Saab does have an early termination of a lease. I seen advertisements that say up to nine montrhs. I am turning mine in tomorrow. I do not have to pay the last two lease payments.

Maybe you can answer a question for me. On your 01 9-3 did you put snow tires on and did you get four?

robr2 · November 2004

I was at a Saab dealer last week and they had 4 pallets of winter rims/tires labelled "9-3" and "9-5" sitting in the parking lot. They were Saab alloy rims.

lcp1 · November 2004

Early lease termination is available only if you are leasing or purchasing a new Saab and forgives
a maximum of 3 lease payments.If you have any Saab
with what are considered low profile tires,eg.
205/50R 16"s, 215/45R 17"s,you should definitely
consider 4 all-season tires,true snow tires are a bit of overkill.

rocharc · November 2004

I have an '03 9-3 Arc. I put Blizzaks (LM-50's I Think, a little better on dry roads)on all 4 wheels. I would recommend the 4 snows (I have all seasons otherwise). But it depends on where you live and driving conditions. In Rochester NY I think they make a big difference, great in snow and ice. I used tire rack for mine, shop around and take the best deal.

manthony · November 2004

I stopped into my friendly local Saab dealer this afternoon to have a look at the '05 9-3 Arc. To my surprise, the dealer told me they hadn't arrived yet but they had a few Linears I could see. It wasn't as if they still had a bunch of '04 Arcs sitting around, either, as those were all sold. So, what gives? Anybody know why the holdup and when the '05's are scheduled to hit the lots?

melissa99m · November 2004

I just have a quick question. I have an '04 9-3 Aero and my coolant light just came on for the second time in a year. Is this normal? The first time, I called the dealer and they topped it off and adjusted the sensor (I think). Will I have to take the car in every time a fluid needs replacing?

kjisaacson · November 2004

My friend has a 9-3, and when she was driving the car suddenly completely shut down, leaving her without brakes or steering. The dealer told her after examination that it was the computer. He could not guarantee that a new computer wouldn't do the same thing.

Any experience with this? What to do?

Thanks.

wmquan · November 2004

There had been a TSB for sudden stalling. It happened to me a few times, always when I was slowing down the vehicle.

Saab issued a fix for it several months ago. Since I've had it applied it hasn't stalled since.

manthony · November 2004

I have a deposit down on an Acura TL and it's supposed to be delivered by the end of this week. My problem is that today, just for the heck of it, I drove a 9-3 and it was the most fun I've had behind the wheel in a long time.

I know the Acura has a whole bunch of things going for it, such as a more refined ride, a hot engine, a super-nice interior, a fantastic sound system, outstanding reliability and better resale value. Should I give up all those things just for a little fun, which may fade after a few months, or will the fun always be there, even in the face of some of the aggravating repairs some folks have mentioned on this board? One attribute of the Saab that also concerns me is the turbo lag. Does it continue to be an annoyance or does one learn to adjust to it?

I need some feedback from some of you Saab 9-3 owners about just what it was that made you buy your car over some others. If you had to do it over again, would you still buy the 9-3?

3and14 · November 2004

I found myself weighing the same decision you are making 11 months ago (although I also considered the TSX) and went with the 9-3 Arc. However, unlike you, the TL was my clear first choice for many of the reasons you stated. I made the choice based on price, and the 9-3 was cheaper than the TL due to discounting and more reasonable insurance costs.

While I am content with the 9-3, I still would have preferred the TL if the cost differential were not so significant. You can get used to the turbo lag, but not so much that you still don't notice it around town. It's a non-issue on the highway. More troubling are some minor but annoying quality issues. I've had some the brakes squeal in reverse (dealer can't fix), a window stopped going up all the way and a piece of interior seat trim came loose. All minor, but also more issues in total than any other of my previous 3 (all American) new cars in their first year. I am leasing and the dealer is conveniently located so it's been no big deal thus far; if I were planning on keeping the car 7 or 8 years and the dealer were far away I'd be a little concerned.

Now if you could wait a model year for the 2.8T, the fun might very well be too much to pass up.

richsaab · November 2004

I have significant wind noise coming from the areas of the front driver and passenger doors at highway speeds. This has been since day one. I have a lot of confidence in my Saab dealer in the northern Baltimore County area of Maryland. I brought this up during my service checkups. I have over 34k on the car. I was told it is the characteristics of the aerodynamics of the side mirrors causing the wind noise. Has anyone else had this problem? It seems excessive for such a great car. The only significant problem I had was with a bad fuel pump needing to be replaced around 12k miles. Other than that, I love it.

manthony · November 2004

Well, I'm glad you Saab owners are still out there and kicking. I hadn't gotten a response to my post for awhile so I was beginning to wonder.

3and14: Thanks for your honest appraisal. I know about a year ago Saab was offering some VERY tempting incentives on the 9-3. Surprisingly, though, this year they've upped the MSRP to the point that a 9-3 equipped the same as a TL w/ Nav is almost $4K more than the TL. I didn't think they were in such demand as you don't see all that many on the road. And, believe me, when I see one I do a double-take.

skysaab: You speak to what I think are the main reasons people buy Saabs. Individuality and the spirit of the car. I know that feeling can't last forever but you've given me a sense for how long it has hung in there for you. Glad to hear it.

I'm going to make my decision by this Friday. I'll let you know how it turns out.

richsaab · December 2004

There is a water leak into the right rear passenger footwell. It has to rain long and hard for this to occur. The dealer replaced the moisture barrier. I thought it was fixed for awhile, but there was not alot of rain. Any thoughts on this?

hbc75 · December 2004

You say there is a 2.8T coming out? When is that due? 2006? What models, the 9-3? Where can I find out more about that? TIA!

3and14 · December 2004

Regarding the 2.8T. I think I read about it in Car and Driver a month or two ago... It would be a 280hp turbo version of the 2.8L v-6 that is the new for '05 base engine in the Cadillac CTS. The article speculated that torque steer would be too much which might be true with FWD but is the 9-3X still a possibility? I do believe it was for '06.

mrblonde49 · December 2004

I had a leak on the drivers side rear door. Dealer fixed. I have had plenty of rain since, and it hasn't leaked

richsaab · December 2004

Thanks for your input. Over the weekend removed the door panel on the leaking rear door and ran water into only the area of the bottom of the closed door window. I saw a small trickle of water coming from the bottom of the vapor guard, which is a water proof black cover between the door and the door panel. This is held on by an adhesive around the edges. This had been dealer replaced once but still leaks. The car is in the shop today for another vapor guard installation. I suspect the leaking area was not cleaned enough for the adhesive to hold. I will let you know.

manthony · December 2004

Well, I made my decision between the 9-3 and the Acura TL . . . I went with the safe choice and bought the TL. Although the TL does have a ton of great things going for it, in my heart, I know it's not as fun to drive as the 9-3. But at these prices I just couldn't bring myself to take the risk on the 9-3. Also factoring into my decision was, with no current incentives available, the 9-3 is quite a bit more money than the TL. Go figure. I think GM's making a huge mistake with their pricing, unless they're selling all the 9-3's they want to. Oh well, maybe next time.

bigdaddycoats · December 2004

Congrats, the TL is a very sweet car.

swizz · December 2004

Ladies and gentleman, I GUARRANTEE you that this will be the most adventurous post you will ever read regarding my 2003 Saab 9-3 SS.

Let me begin by saying I have the launch package on this car *big mistake*. Car was a college gift from parents, it's my first car, I thought if I selected Launch instead of ARC I'd get basically the same car as arc minus the engine. So you KNOW I was upset about soundsystem right off the bat, straight lied to me telling me it was 300watts then after I get the car, oops it's 150.

I've owned this car for a little over a year, put 37,000 miles on it. *College student, 20* So you know, been going to college parties, but that's besides the point:

1)Within first 2 weeks onstar did not work

2) Car rejected my key, had to have it towed to dealership, they replaced steering wheel lock column, ignition control module and gave me new key.

3)Winter came, car sound system/computer system went dead, said it was fiber opics freezing nonsense, so they reprogrammed system, still kept happening.

4) SQUEAKING breaks. They said SAAB's from launch package had bad brakes and SAAB issued new type of brake pads free of charge for all owners with issue.

5) I had radio issue described in past post in which I lost the last row of pixel displays, my speed level for music adjuster was not working, never has by the way, or the traffic reports.

6) Had a vacumm pump leak in car after an oil change, that was fixed

7) They replaced my radiator in car because for some odd reason, my car's coolant fluid wasnt being used, only emergency fan after shut off.

8) Sunroof refused to close during summer on hot days, had to have that reprogrammed. The only way to close it was to through the car into neutral for some odd reason and it worked.

9) Early on in ownership on rainy days, the car's steering wheel would lock WHILE driving after 5-10mins of turning on. Only way to alleviate the issue was to throw the car in neutral, shut it off and turn it on again while driving of course.

11) Tires stink. Rear blew out at 17,000 for no apparent reason. Replaced all four completely by 25,000

12) Telephone did not work, I spent literally 6 months getting this sucker to be fixed by onstar repeatedly until I finally gave up with the understanding of the car not being a gsm type phone or even digital. It's an analog phone that cannot be upgrading in the future so I am under assumption that all 03's will be out of luck using car phone within next year or so.

13) Have brought the car in over 20+ times based on all I have said above. Most took place before year 1 / 20,000

The conclusion: I fought with saab to give me a new car and they refused, the dealership kept bs me talking bout they gonna help me this and that, the head guy did nothing. I assume it was because of my age and I really couldnt go to my father for help because I was fortunate enough to even get a car, wasnt about to complain about it. Although now he knows but I told him Imma stick it out because when the car DOES work, it is one of the BEST cars to drive on the road. I am young but in my home we have a few other options that I've had the oppourtunity of driving "c230 benz, volvo S40, range rover, jag conv etc" and with those options, I really like driving my saab the most.

The car has been good to me last couple of months so I'm no longer complaing.

Saab 9-3 Sedan

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